Dane Clark (disputed date between 1912 and 1915 - September 11, 1998) was an American film actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average".[1]
Early life
Bernard Zanville was born in Brooklyn, New York. His date of birth is a matter of dispute between sources: the three most frequently shown dates are 26 February 1912, 18 February 1913, and 18 February 1915.
He graduated from Cornell University and earned a law degree at St. John's University School of Law in Queens, New York. During the Great Depression, he worked as a boxer, baseball player, construction worker, and model.[1]
Acting career
Modeling brought him in contact with people in the arts. He gradually perceived them to be snobbish, with their talk of the "theatah", and "I decided it sic give it a try myself, just to show them anyone could do it."[1]
He progressed from small Broadway parts to larger ones, eventually taking over the role of George from Wallace Ford in the 1937 production of Of Mice and Men.[1] Clark got his big break when he was signed by Warner Bros. in 1943. He worked alongside some of his era's biggest stars, often in war movies such as Action in the North Atlantic (1943), his breakthrough part, opposite Humphrey Bogart, Destination Tokyo (1943) with Cary Grant, and Pride of the Marines (1945) with friend and fellow New Yorker John Garfield. According to Clark, Bogart gave him his stage name.[1] Clark also guest starred on a number of television shows, including The Twilight Zone, in the episode "The Prime Mover". He played Lieutenant Tragg in the short-lived revival of the Perry Mason television series in 1973.
Partial filmography
References
External links
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