Robert Edwin Clark (June 16, 1888 – February 12, 1960), known as Bobby Clark, was an American

minstrel A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist enter ...

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatre, theatrical genre of variety show, variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comic ...

, performer on

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and the

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

. Known for his painted-on eyeglasses, he was part of a comedy team with Paul McCullough for 36 years.

Early years

He was born in

Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...

. While still in grammar school he formed a friendship with classmate Paul McCullough. The two attended tumbling classes, and began performing an acrobatic act in minstrel shows and later in the Ringling Brothers' Circus.Slide, Anthony (2012). ''The encyclopedia of vaudeville''. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 100. . The team worked as clowns from 1906 to 1912. In 1912, they made their debut in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

with a pantomime act built around the simple act of placing a chair on top of a table. In 1922, they starred in

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Berlin received numerous honors including an Acade ...

's Broadway show ''Music Box Revue''.Slide, Anthony (2012). ''The encyclopedia of vaudeville''. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 101. .

Film career

Beginning in 1929, they made a series of about 35 short comedy films, for

FOX Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

and

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...

, some of which are still extant.

Clark and McCullough Clark and McCullough were a comedy team consisting of comedians Bobby Clark (comedian), Bobby Clark and Paul McCullough. They starred in a series of short films during the 1920s and 1930s. Bobby Clark was the fast-talking wisecracker with pain ...

performed together until McCullough's suicide in March 1936. In 1939, Clark appeared on Broadway in ''The Streets of Paris'', sharing the stage with a new comedy act:

Abbott and Costello Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in t ...

. Clark appeared on television during the 1950–51 television season, in the 8–9 pm Sunday night time slot of ''

The Colgate Comedy Hour ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the serie ...

''; however, Clark's four episodes were among those sponsored by

Frigidaire Frigidaire Appliance Company is the American consumer and Commercial area, commercial home appliances brand subsidiary of multinational company Electrolux, a Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. History ...

and titled simply ''The Comedy Hour''. ''

The Goldwyn Follies ''The Goldwyn Follies'' is a 1938 Technicolor film written by Ben Hecht, Sid Kuller, Sam Perrin and Arthur Phillips, with music by George Gershwin, Vernon Duke, and Ray Golden, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Sid Kuller. ''The Goldwyn Follies'' ...

'', his last and only film without Paul McCullough, in 1938, was the first

Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...

film produced by

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (; born Szmuel Gelbfisz; ; July 1879 (most likely; claimed to be August 27, 1882) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer and pioneer in the American film industry, who produce ...

. The

shorts were made for an adult audience, with Clark writing much of the dialogue. Like

Wheeler & Woolsey Wheeler & Woolsey were an American vaudeville comedy double act who performed together in comedy films from the late 1920s. The team comprised Bert Wheeler (1895–1968) of New Jersey and Robert Woolsey (1888–1938) of Illinois. Collaboration T ...

's films, they were not released for television, being considered too vulgar. So, they did not enjoy the renaissance of popularity with a new generation on television, like

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

Stage work

He appeared on Broadway in the ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

'' of 1936. His reputation grew as he tackled roles in plays such as Sheridan's ''

The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...

'', as well as in musical comedies and revues. BobbyClarkByRalphBarton

Starting in 1942, producer

Mike Todd Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1907 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, celebrated for his 1956 ''Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film), Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy ...

cast him in five Broadway shows, all of them successful: the musical revue ''

Star and Garter ''Star and Garter'' is a 1942 American musical revue starring comedian Bobby Clark and produced by Mike Todd. The show, which opened at Broadway's Music Box Theatre on 24 June 1942, was a smash hit, closing on 4 December 1943 after 609 perform ...

'' with

Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – April 26, 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper, actress, author, playwright and vedette, famous for her striptease act. Her 1957 memoir, '' Gypsy: A Memoir'', was a ...

(1942–43); the

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

musical '' Mexican Hayride'' (1944–45);

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...

’s '' The Would-Be Gentleman'' (1946); and the revues ''

As the Girls Go ''As the Girls Go'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music by Jimmy McHugh, lyrics by Harold Adamson and a book by William Roos (writer), William Roos. After an out-of-town tryout at the Opera House in Boston in October 1948, the original Broa ...

'' (1948) and '' Michael Todd's Peep Show'' (1950). He came out of retirement to tour with ''

Damn Yankees ''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., d ...

'', 1956–58, in the role created on Broadway by

Ray Walston Herman Ray Walston (November 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was an American actor. He started his career on Broadway theatre, Broadway earning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Mr. Applegate in ''Damn Yankees'' (1956 ...

. As well as his better-known stage and film credits, Clark directed and appeared in such Restoration comedy as Congreve's ''

Love For Love ''Love for Love'' is a Restoration comedy written by English playwright William Congreve. It premiered on 30 April 1695 at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre. Staged by Thomas Betterton's company the original cast included Betterton as Valenti ...

'', and lectured on this period of theatre at the

American Theater Wing The American Theatre Wing (the Wing for short) is a New York City–based non-profit organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre", according to its mission statement. Originally known as the Stage Women's War Relief ...

. Bobby Clark died in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1960.

Personal life

He was married to Angele Gaignat from 1923 until his death. He died on February 12, 1960, and is buried in

Woodlawn Cemetery Woodlawn Cemetery is the name of several cemeteries, including: Canada * Woodlawn Cemetery (Saskatoon) * Woodlawn Cemetery (Nova Scotia) United States ''(by state then city or town)'' * Woodlawn Cemetery (Ocala, Florida), where Isaac Rice and fa ...

in Bronx, New York.

Selected filmography

* '' Two Flaming Youths'' (Paramount) (1927) (feature film) (also appearing were

W. C. Fields William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American actor, comedian, juggler and writer. His career in show business began in vaudeville, where he attained international success as a ...

Moran and Mack The Two Black Crows (also called The Black Crows and Moran and Mack) was a blackface comedy act popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The duo appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, on radio, comedy records, and in film features and shorts. History The ...

) * '' Scratch-As-Catch-Can'' (

1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...

) * '' Kickin' the Crown Around'' (1933) * ''

The Gay Nighties ''The Gay Nighties'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film featuring Clark & McCullough and directed by Mark Sandrich. Plot summary Clark & McCullough, as Hives and Blodgett, are campaign managers for political candidate Oliver Beezley. They ...

'' (1933) * '' Alibi Bye Bye'' (1935) *''

'' (

1938 Events January * January 1 – state-owned enterprise, State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France (SNCF) and the Netherlands (Nederlandse Spoorwegen – NS). * January 20 – King Farouk of Egypt marries Saf ...

)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Bobby 1888 births 1960 deaths People from Springfield, Ohio American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Donaldson Award winners American vaudeville performers 20th-century American male actors Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) Comedians from Ohio American male comedians