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Robert Clark (actor)
Encyclopedia
Robert Clark is an American
actor
. After building up years of experience in singing, stage and limited television work in the 1990s, he has gone on to receive critical and public recognition for his roles in various small screen productions, most notably The Zack Files
and Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
.
star Daniel Clark
. In 1988 his mother, Suzanne, relocated with her two sons to Boca Raton, Florida
. When she re-married in 1991, the entire family moved near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Clark joined the Belfountain Singers (based in Caledon, Ontario
), and performed at various live concerts, both with the group and solo. The Singers performed at the 1997 Winter Special Olympics, and they also sang on the national talk show Open Mike with Mike Bullard
. Clark (with his brother, Daniel) attended the Randolph School for the Performing Arts, and successfully completed the school's Kids Triple-Threat Musical Theatre Program.
Clark's very first professional acting role was opposite hockey player Wayne Gretzky
in a television commercial for Honeycomb Cereal
. Under his mother's guidance, he used his previous singing experience in auditions for stage productions such as Lyla Rules.Ragtime
(1998) and Beauty and the Beast, though he lost the role in the latter to his brother. He subsequently managed to clinch a recurring role in the television show I Was a Sixth Grade Alien
(starring his brother), and made several guest appearances in programs such as Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
(also starring his brother), Real Kids, Real Adventures, and Twice in a Lifetime
.
Clark's acting career was not limited to the small screen, however; in Superstar
(1999), Clark was Eric Slater (Harland Williams
) as a child. He later won small parts in a few television movie
s: Switching Goals
(1999) with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
, as a Goth in The Ride (2000), and in All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story (2000), as the son of real-life convicted child rapist Mary Kay Letourneau
.
In Rated X
(2000), a fact-based film directed by and starring Emilio Estevez
, Clark played the younger version of Charlie Sheen
's character; a boy physically abused by his father who would grow up to become an adult film director. Following this, Clark had a more prominent role as a street windscreen wiper who donates his life savings of $4.30 to a murder investigation in the A&E Network's original film The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery
, the pilot for the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery
. Variety
's Steve Oxman spoke highly of the production, calling the cast "a stellar ensemble" and noting that "the performances are more than the sum of their parts".
His first lead role came in the science fiction television
show The Zack Files
(2000), which its creators described as "an X-Files
for kids". The show lasted just two seasons, but for his efforts Clark won a Young Artist Award
for Leading Young Actor in a Drama Series, and producer John Delmage said that Clark and his co-stars were chosen for their acting ability and had the potential to maintain careers in the profession as adults.
The filming schedule for The Zack Files was tight, but Clark found time to participate in other projects. He played the son of a sex addict (Harry Hamlin
) in Sex, Lies & Obsession (2001), and also acted opposite John Corbett in the Christmas film Prancer Returns (2001), which went direct-to-video
but was praised by critic Scott Weinberg, and earned Clark another Young Artist Award.
Shortly after the cancellation of The Zack Files, Clark was cast in a similar television series, Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
, which was first broadcast in the autumn of 2002. Clark's acting performance was well-received; in addition to another Young Artist nomination, Family Screen Scene called the show as a whole "well written and acted. The looks and mannerisms of the teens fit their characters, adding realism to their roles". While Strange Days was on the air, Clark could be seen in the Sci-Fi Channel
's Deathlands
(2003), as the young son of a deceased future king who narrowly escapes death at the hands of his power-hungry brother.
In an April 2005 episode of Veronica Mars
, Clark played an openly gay
teenager recruited by the title character (Kristen Bell
) to publicly humiliate the prejudiced ex-boyfriend (Jeff D'Agostino
) of one of her friends (Natalia Baron
). Reviewing the episode, John Ramos of the website Television Without Pity commented positively on Clark's appearance, making an earnest request to "give the gay kid more screen time". Clark also had a supporting role as one of the ten children of a 1950s housewife (Julianne Moore
) in the film drama The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
, released to theatres in late 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. After building up years of experience in singing, stage and limited television work in the 1990s, he has gone on to receive critical and public recognition for his roles in various small screen productions, most notably The Zack Files
The Zack Files
The Zack Files is a science fiction television program that revolves around a young boy, played by Robert Clark, who is a magnet for paranormal activity and attends Horace White High School for Boys along with his three friends Cam, Gwen, and Spencer. Zack manages to get himself into trouble with...
and Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
Black Hole High is a Canadian science fiction television program which first aired in North America in October 2002 on NBC and Discovery Kids...
.
Life and career
Clark was born Chicago, Illinois, and is the younger brother of Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
star Daniel Clark
Daniel Clark (actor)
Daniel Allen Clark is a American-Canadian actor and singer. Clark is best known for his role as Sean Cameron on Degrassi: The Next Generation and as Steve Rendazo on the movie Juno.-Personal life:...
. In 1988 his mother, Suzanne, relocated with her two sons to Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
. When she re-married in 1991, the entire family moved near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Clark joined the Belfountain Singers (based in Caledon, Ontario
Caledon, Ontario
Caledon is a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. In terms of land use, Caledon is somewhat urban, though it is primarily rural in nature...
), and performed at various live concerts, both with the group and solo. The Singers performed at the 1997 Winter Special Olympics, and they also sang on the national talk show Open Mike with Mike Bullard
Open Mike with Mike Bullard
Open Mike with Mike Bullard was a Canadian late-night talk show which was broadcast live from 1997 to 2003 on CTV and on The Comedy Network in primetime. It was hosted by comedian Mike Bullard and initially taped at a studio at the back of Wayne Gretzky's restaurant in Toronto, Ontario before CTV...
. Clark (with his brother, Daniel) attended the Randolph School for the Performing Arts, and successfully completed the school's Kids Triple-Threat Musical Theatre Program.
Clark's very first professional acting role was opposite hockey player Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
in a television commercial for Honeycomb Cereal
Honeycomb (cereal)
Honeycomb is a breakfast cereal that has been made since 1965 by Post Cereals. It consists of honey-flavored corn cereal bits in a honeycomb shape. It is wheat free.-Versions:...
. Under his mother's guidance, he used his previous singing experience in auditions for stage productions such as Lyla Rules.Ragtime
Ragtime (musical)
Ragtime is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty.Based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime tells the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; Mother, the matriarch of a WASP family in...
(1998) and Beauty and the Beast, though he lost the role in the latter to his brother. He subsequently managed to clinch a recurring role in the television show I Was a Sixth Grade Alien
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien was a live-action/comedy television show following the chronicles of Pleskit, a purple skinned, blue haired alien with an antenna positioned on his head. He tries to fit in and make some friends but due to his strange appearance he doesn't succeed very well...
(starring his brother), and made several guest appearances in programs such as Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension was a spin-off of Eerie, Indiana. This series aired on the Fox Kids Network in 1998.-Episode list:...
(also starring his brother), Real Kids, Real Adventures, and Twice in a Lifetime
Twice in a Lifetime (TV series)
Twice in a Lifetime is a Canadian mystery/drama series that originally aired from 1999 to 2001. Created by Steve Sohmer, the series aired on CTV in Canada and PAX in the United States.-Synopsis:...
.
Clark's acting career was not limited to the small screen, however; in Superstar
Superstar (film)
Superstar is a 1999 comedy film and Saturday Night Live spin-off about a quirky, socially inept girl named Mary Katherine Gallagher. The character was created by SNL star Molly Shannon and appeared as a recurring character on SNL in numerous skits. The story follows Mary Katherine trying to find...
(1999), Clark was Eric Slater (Harland Williams
Harland Williams
Harland Williams is a Canadian actor, comedian, author, artist, musician and radio personality.-Personal life:Harland Reesor Williams was born on November 14, 1962, in Toronto, Ontario, to Lorraine , a social worker, and John Reesor Williams, who worked as a member of the Ontario Provincial...
) as a child. He later won small parts in a few television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s: Switching Goals
Switching Goals
Switching Goals is a 1999 television movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Identical twin sisters Sam and Emma Stanton both play soccer. Sam is a star athlete and a tomboy; however, the only sports her more stylish sister Emma enjoys are fashion and dating...
(1999) with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen are American actresses and entrepreneurs.Both have appeared in television and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television programs, films, interviews, as well as commercial endorsements...
, as a Goth in The Ride (2000), and in All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story (2000), as the son of real-life convicted child rapist Mary Kay Letourneau
Mary Kay Letourneau
Mary Kay Fualaau , formerly known as Mary Kay Letourneau, is an American schoolteacher who was imprisoned from 1997 to 2004 for having sexual intercourse with her 13-year-old student, Vili Fualaau. She gave birth to two of Fualaau's children while incarcerated...
.
In Rated X
Rated X (film)
Rated X is a 2000 film starring brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, with the latter also directing. It is based on the nonfiction book X-Rated by David McCumber which chronicles the story of the Mitchell brothers, Jim and Artie Mitchell, who were pioneers in the pornography and strip club...
(2000), a fact-based film directed by and starring Emilio Estevez
Emilio Estevez
Emilio Estevez is an American actor, film director, and writer. He started his career as an actor and is well-known for being a member of the acting Brat Pack of the 1980s, starring in The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire...
, Clark played the younger version of Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
's character; a boy physically abused by his father who would grow up to become an adult film director. Following this, Clark had a more prominent role as a street windscreen wiper who donates his life savings of $4.30 to a murder investigation in the A&E Network's original film The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery
The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery
The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery is a made-for-television film based on the 1953 novel by Rex Stout. Set in 1950s Manhattan, the A&E Network production stars Maury Chaykin as the heavyweight detective genius Nero Wolfe, and Timothy Hutton as Wolfe's assistant, Archie Goodwin, narrator of...
, the pilot for the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
A Nero Wolfe Mystery is a television series adapted from Rex Stout's classic series of detective stories that aired for two seasons on the A&E Network. Set in New York City in the early 1950s, the stylized period drama stars Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin...
. Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
's Steve Oxman spoke highly of the production, calling the cast "a stellar ensemble" and noting that "the performances are more than the sum of their parts".
His first lead role came in the science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
show The Zack Files
The Zack Files
The Zack Files is a science fiction television program that revolves around a young boy, played by Robert Clark, who is a magnet for paranormal activity and attends Horace White High School for Boys along with his three friends Cam, Gwen, and Spencer. Zack manages to get himself into trouble with...
(2000), which its creators described as "an X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
for kids". The show lasted just two seasons, but for his efforts Clark won a Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
for Leading Young Actor in a Drama Series, and producer John Delmage said that Clark and his co-stars were chosen for their acting ability and had the potential to maintain careers in the profession as adults.
The filming schedule for The Zack Files was tight, but Clark found time to participate in other projects. He played the son of a sex addict (Harry Hamlin
Harry Hamlin
Harry Robinson Hamlin is an American film and television actor, known for his role as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film Clash of the Titans, and as Michael Kuzak in the legal drama series L.A...
) in Sex, Lies & Obsession (2001), and also acted opposite John Corbett in the Christmas film Prancer Returns (2001), which went direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
but was praised by critic Scott Weinberg, and earned Clark another Young Artist Award.
Shortly after the cancellation of The Zack Files, Clark was cast in a similar television series, Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
Strange Days at Blake Holsey High
Black Hole High is a Canadian science fiction television program which first aired in North America in October 2002 on NBC and Discovery Kids...
, which was first broadcast in the autumn of 2002. Clark's acting performance was well-received; in addition to another Young Artist nomination, Family Screen Scene called the show as a whole "well written and acted. The looks and mannerisms of the teens fit their characters, adding realism to their roles". While Strange Days was on the air, Clark could be seen in the Sci-Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
's Deathlands
Deathlands: Homeward Bound
Deathlands: Homeward Bound is a 2003 Sci Fi Channel television film based loosely on the Deathlands series of books. The film stars Vincent Spano and Traci Lords, and was directed by Joshua Butler.-Synopsis:...
(2003), as the young son of a deceased future king who narrowly escapes death at the hands of his power-hungry brother.
In an April 2005 episode of Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
, Clark played an openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
teenager recruited by the title character (Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
) to publicly humiliate the prejudiced ex-boyfriend (Jeff D'Agostino
Jeff D'Agostino
Jeffrey Frank D'Agostino is an American Actor and Musician.-Early Life and Career:Jeff began performing in local theatre programs in his home town at the age of eight. After attending a Television and Film acting class in Fort Collins, he was offered representation by a Los Angeles based talent...
) of one of her friends (Natalia Baron
Natalia Baron
Natalia Barón is an American actress.She went to Ransom Everglades High School in Miami along with Ilan Arboleda, Robin Paul, Marieh Delfino and Phil Lord and studied musical theatre at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.She is notable for her television role as Carmen Torres in Boston Public.She is...
). Reviewing the episode, John Ramos of the website Television Without Pity commented positively on Clark's appearance, making an earnest request to "give the gay kid more screen time". Clark also had a supporting role as one of the ten children of a 1950s housewife (Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
) in the film drama The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is a 2005 film written and directed by Jane Anderson, based on the book by Terry "Tuff" Ryan. The DVD was released on March 14, 2006.-Plot:...
, released to theatres in late 2005.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Superstar Superstar (film) Superstar is a 1999 comedy film and Saturday Night Live spin-off about a quirky, socially inept girl named Mary Katherine Gallagher. The character was created by SNL star Molly Shannon and appeared as a recurring character on SNL in numerous skits. The story follows Mary Katherine trying to find... |
The Young Eric Slater | Theatrical release; credited as "Robert Clarke" |
| 1999 | Switching Goals Switching Goals Switching Goals is a 1999 television movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Identical twin sisters Sam and Emma Stanton both play soccer. Sam is a star athlete and a tomboy; however, the only sports her more stylish sister Emma enjoys are fashion and dating... |
Helmet Head | |
| 2000 | All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story | Steven, Jr. | |
| 2000 | Rated X Rated X (film) Rated X is a 2000 film starring brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, with the latter also directing. It is based on the nonfiction book X-Rated by David McCumber which chronicles the story of the Mitchell brothers, Jim and Artie Mitchell, who were pioneers in the pornography and strip club... |
Teenage Artie | Cable release following Sundance Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... premiere |
| 2000 | The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery is a made-for-television film based on the 1953 novel by Rex Stout. Set in 1950s Manhattan, the A&E Network production stars Maury Chaykin as the heavyweight detective genius Nero Wolfe, and Timothy Hutton as Wolfe's assistant, Archie Goodwin, narrator of... |
Pete Drossos | Pilot for the A&E TV series A Nero Wolfe Mystery A Nero Wolfe Mystery A Nero Wolfe Mystery is a television series adapted from Rex Stout's classic series of detective stories that aired for two seasons on the A&E Network. Set in New York City in the early 1950s, the stylized period drama stars Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin... (2001–2002) |
| 2000 | The Ride | Evan | |
| 2000 | The Zack Files The Zack Files The Zack Files is a science fiction television program that revolves around a young boy, played by Robert Clark, who is a magnet for paranormal activity and attends Horace White High School for Boys along with his three friends Cam, Gwen, and Spencer. Zack manages to get himself into trouble with... |
Zack Greenburg | Television series; cancelled in 2002 |
| 2001 | Sex, Lies & Obsession | Ryan Thomas | |
| 2001 | Prancer Returns | Ryan Holton | Direct-to-video Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... release |
| 2002–2006 | Strange Days at Blake Holsey High Strange Days at Blake Holsey High Black Hole High is a Canadian science fiction television program which first aired in North America in October 2002 on NBC and Discovery Kids... |
Vaughn Pearson | Television series; concluded in 2006 |
| 2003 | Deathlands Deathlands: Homeward Bound Deathlands: Homeward Bound is a 2003 Sci Fi Channel television film based loosely on the Deathlands series of books. The film stars Vincent Spano and Traci Lords, and was directed by Joshua Butler.-Synopsis:... |
Young Ryan Cawdor Ryan Cawdor Ryan Cawdor is a fictional Deathlands character that first appeared in the novel Pilgrimage to Hell by Jack Adrian.-Ryan's life:Ryan is the youngest son of a powerful baron in Virginia. His middle brother, Harvey, is responsible for the loss of Ryan’s left eye after murdering Morgan, Ryan's eldest... |
Uncredited |
| 2005 | The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is a 2005 film written and directed by Jane Anderson, based on the book by Terry "Tuff" Ryan. The DVD was released on March 14, 2006.-Plot:... |
Dick Ryan at 16 yrs | Theatrical release |
| 2007–2008 | Life with Derek Life with Derek Life with Derek is a Canadian television sitcom that aired on Family and VRAK.TV in Canada and on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on Family on September 18, 2005 and ran for four seasons ending on March 25, 2009. The series starred Michael Seater and Ashley Leggat as the... |
Patrick | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Nonsense Revolution Nonsense Revolution Nonsense Revolution is a 2009 Canadian Comedy film starring Robert Clark, Alex House, Anastasia Phillips and Deborah Allen.- Cast :*Alex House as Kaz*Anastasia Phillips as Tess*|Robert Clark]] as Tom*Deborah Allen as Curtis' Ancestor... |
Tom | Main role |
| 2010 | Warehouse 13 Warehouse 13 Warehouse 13 is an American fantasy television series that premiered on July 7, 2009 on the Syfy network.Executive-produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins, the dramatic comedy from Universal Media Studios has been described as borrowing much from 1980s television series Friday the 13th: The... |
Gary | 1 episode; credited as "Robert Clarke" |
Further reading
- "Robert Clark". Rising Stars (hosted on Tripod.comTripod.comTripod.com is a web hosting service owned by Lycos. Originally aiming its services to college students and young adults, it was one of several sites trying to build online communities during the dot-com bubble...
). Retrieved August 3, 2005. - Yaffe, Samantha. "Fireworks' Tout brings Hollywood heavies to T.O.". Playback. July 10, 2000. Retrieved August 3, 2005.
- "Strange Days at Blake Holsey High". Family Screen Scene. Retrieved August 4, 2005.
External links
- RobertClark.tv - official site.
- home.Cogeco.ca/~pdbrown/Family.htm official family site
- Robert Clark at Movie TomeMovie TomeMovie Tome was the sister site for TV Tome, now the CNET website TV.com. Whereas TV Tome had TV shows and people pages, Movie Tome had movie guides. The website was created no later than August 2003 by John Nestoriak III, and was owned by Collaborative Content, LLC which was acquired by CNET in...