Dane Clark

Dane Clark Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: February 26, 1912

Death Date: September 11, 1998

Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York

Bernard Zanville was a hard-working young man in New York City struggling to finance his law degree, when he turned to acting on the advice of friend John Garfield. After appearing on stage for several years, including a stint starring alongside Garfield in the original cast of Clifford Odets' "Waiting for Lefty" (1935), Zanville gave up his dreams of law school and relocated to Hollywood to pursue a movie career.

Hooking up with Warner Bros., his name was changed to the more marquee friendly Dane Clark, allegedly by Humphrey Bogart who co-starred with the young actor in what was more or less his star-making performance as merchant marine Johnny Pulaski in 1943's "Action in the North Atlantic." That same year, Clark acted alongside Cary Grant and Garfield in "Destination Tokyo" and went on to convincingly play pugnacious soldiers in war-themed pictures for Warners like "God is My Co-Pilot" and "Pride of the Marines" (both 1945). Movies like "Her Kind of Man" (1946), "Deep Valley," "Embraceable You" and "That Way With Women" (all 1947) featured Clark's tough guy persona put to new use, now as the dangerous leading man, the misunderstood gangster type who gets involved with a nice girl and changes his ways.

Despite his undeniable talent and magnetism, Clark never took off as a star the way his friend John Garfield did, even after his scene-stealing turn in "Hollywood Canteen" (1944), a performance alongside such notables as Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Jack Benny. His prolific acting career included starring turns in dozens of films in the 40s and 50s, including a memorable portrayal of Abe Saperstein in "Go, Man, Go!" (1954), the story of the creation of basketball's famous Harlem Globetrotters. Clark eventually left Hollywood to work on the stage and in features produced overseas. He worked for J Arthur Rank in London, appearing in 1950's "Highly Dangerous" and 1952's "The Gambler and the Lady."

In 1968, he starred in the Denmark/US co-production "Dage i Min Fars Hus/Days in My Father's House." Clark returned to the stage after achieving film success, starring in many Broadway productions (e.g., "A Thousand Clowns" in which he replaced Jason Robards). He was also a frequent presence on the small screen, first appearing in several of the theater anthology programs that were popular in the medium's early days. Clark made his series debut as legal aid lawyer Richard Adams in the NBC drama "Justice" (1954-56) and headlined the 1959 syndicated series "Bold Venture."

Throughout much of the 60s, 70s and 80s, Clark was a familiar face as a guest performer on shows as varied as "The Twilight Zone," "I Spy," "The Mod Squad" and "Murder, She Wrote." He returned to series work as a police lieutenant in the CBS remake "The New Adventures of Perry Mason" (1973-74). Clark made his last film appearance in 1988's "Last Rites" starring Tom Berenger. The veteran actor died in 1998, battling cancer.

Credits

I Put a Hit on You

Director
Movie
2014

I Put a Hit on You

Executive Producer
Movie
2014

I Put a Hit on You

Screenwriter
Movie
2014

Old Stock

Screenwriter
Movie
2012

Last Rites

Actor
Don Carlo
Movie
1988

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Henri Viscard
Series
1984

Highway to HeavenStream

Guest Star
Paul Tarsten
Series
1984

Mike HammerStream

Guest Star
Series
1984

Blood Song

Actor
Sheriff Gibbons
Movie
1982

Simon & Simon

Guest Star
P.I. Del Mooney/James Bennett
Series
1981

The Fall GuyStream

Guest Star
Series
1981

The French Atlantic Affair

Actor
Show
1979

The Woman Inside

Actor
Movie
1979

Fantasy Island

Guest Star
Series
1978

The Narc

Actor
Mr. Martin
Movie
1978

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

McMillan

Guest Star
Lt. Bodine
Show
1976

James Dean

Actor
James Whitmore
Movie
1976

Bronk

Guest Star
Series
1975

Starsky & HutchStream

Guest Star
Series
1975

Cop on the Beat

Actor
Lt. Baker
Movie
1975

Murder on Flight 502Stream

Actor
Ray Garwood
Movie
1975

The Return of Joe Forrester

Actor
Lt. Baker
Movie
1975

Police Woman

Guest Star
Ned Duffy
Series
1974

Police Story

Actor
Lt. Mal Banfield
Series
1973

The New Perry Mason

Actor
Lt. Arthur Tragg
Series
1973

The Rookies

Guest Star
Series
1972

Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole

Actor
Hank Cooper
Movie
1972

The Family Rico

Actor
Boston Phil
Movie
1972

Cannon

Guest Star
Arthur Anschluss
Series
1971

The Face of Fear

Actor
Tamworth
Movie
1971

Night GalleryStream

Guest Star
Series
1970

Dan August

Guest Star
Sam Rude
Series
1970

Men From Shiloh

Guest Star
Barton Ellis
Show
1970

The McMasters

Actor
Spencer
Movie
1970

Mod Squad

Actor
Blake Morris
Series
1968

The Name of the Game

Guest Star
Series
1968

MannixStream

Guest Star
Lt. Ira Deegan
Series
1967

The Vulture

Actor
Trudy Lutens
Movie
1967

I SpyStream

Guest Star
Series
1965

Ben Casey

Guest Star
Eddie Huntsinger
Series
1961

Buick-Electra Playhouse

Actor
Star
Show
1959

The Untouchables

Guest Star
Series
1959

The Twilight ZoneStream

Actor
Ace Larsen
Series
1959
92%

RawhideStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

Bold Venture

Actor
Slate Shannon
Show
1959

Wagon TrainStream

Guest Star
John Wilbot
Series
1957

Outlaw's Son

Actor
Nate Blaine
Movie
1957

Wire Service

Actor
Dan Miller
Show
1956

The Man Is Armed

Actor
Johnny Morrison
Movie
1956

Massacre

Actor
Capitán Ramón
Movie
1956

Hour of Stars

Actor
Show
1955

Toughest Man Around

Actor
Lee Stevens
Movie
1955

The Toughest Man Alive

Actor
Lee Stevens
Movie
1955

Climax!

Actor
Series
1954

Justice

Actor
Richard Adams
Show
1954

Muerte por Encargo

Actor
Movie
1954

Paid to Kill

Actor
James Nevill
Movie
1954

Thunder Pass

Actor
Capt. Dave Stone
Movie
1954

Blackout

Actor
Casey Morrow
Movie
1954

Go, Man, Go!

Actor
Abe Saperstein
Movie
1954

Port of Hell

Actor
Gibson "Gibb" Pardee
Movie
1954

Medallion Theater

Actor
Show
1953

Ben Hecht's Tales of the City

Actor
Show
1953

Campbell Playhouse

Actor
Show
1952

The Gambler and the Lady

Actor
Jim Forster
Movie
1952

Gruen Guild Playhouse

Actor
Show
1951

Highly Dangerous

Actor
Bill Casey
Movie
1951

Never Trust a Gambler

Actor
Steve Garry
Movie
1951

Fort DefianceStream

Actor
Johnny Tallon
Movie
1951

Sure as Fate

Actor
Show
1950

What's My Line?Stream

Guest
Game Show
1950

Time Running Out

Actor
Eddy Roback
Movie
1950

Barricade

Actor
Bob Peters
Movie
1950

Backfire

Actor
Ben Arno
Movie
1950

Sin Honor

Actor
Movie
1949

Without Honor

Actor
Bill Bandle
Movie
1949

Whiplash

Actor
Michael Gordon
Movie
1948

Embraceable You

Actor
Eddie Novoc
Movie
1948

Moonrise

Actor
Danny Hawkins
Movie
1948

That Way With Women

Actor
Greg Wilson
Movie
1947

Deep Valley

Actor
Barry Burnette
Movie
1947

A Stolen LifeStream

Actor
Karnock
Movie
1946

Her Kind of Man

Actor
Don Corwin
Movie
1946

Pride of the Marines

Actor
Lee Diamond
Movie
1945

God Is My Co-Pilot

Actor
Johnny Petach, Flying Tiger
Movie
1945

I Won't Play

Actor
Joe Fingers
Movie
1944

Hollywood Canteen

Actor
Sgt. Nowland
Movie
1944

The Very Thought of You

Actor
Sgt. "Fixit" Gilman
Movie
1944

The Rear Gunner

Actor
Benny
Movie
1943

Action in the North Atlantic

Actor
Johnnie Pulaski
Movie
1943

Destination Tokyo

Actor
Tin Can
Movie
1943