Biography
A Broadway actor who also found marked success in celluloid with roles in such film noir classics as
The Set-Up and
The Narrow Margin, David Clarke embarked on an enduring screen career following his debut in the 1941 boxing drama
Knockout. The Chicago native found a powerful ally in the business when he made fast friends with star
Will Geer while pounding the boards in his hometown early on, and after being abandoned in Seattle following a failed touring play, the talented duo set their sights on Broadway. Both actors were hired to appear in the 1936 Broadway play 200 Were Chosen, and in the years that followed, both Geer and Clarke went on to achieve notable success on both stage and screen. Clarke also found frequent work on television on such popular series as
Kojak and
Wonder Woman as well as a recurring role in the small-screen drama
Ryan's Hope. Clarke and Geer remained lifelong friends, appearing together in both the 1949 film
Intruder in the Dust and the enduring television drama
The Waltons -- in which Clarke made several guest appearances. David Clarke married actress
Nora Dunfee in 1946; the couple would frequently appear together on-stage and remained wed until Dunfee's death in 1994. On April 18, 2004, David Clarke died of natural causes in Arlington, VA. He was 95. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide