Anecdotes

Upon the death of his first wife, Clark had every painting she ever created sent from New York to California where he had them displayed throughout his home for the remainder of his life.

In 1955 he was starring in a stage production of "The Shrike" at the old Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles with Isabel Bonner who died unexpectedly in his arms during a love scene from a sudden brain hemorrhage.

In 1996 director James Cameron called Clark at his California home asking him if he'd be interested to come out of retirement to star as Captain Edward John Smith in Titanic (1997) but he declined the offer based on health issues.

He was an avid bowler who was known to seldom miss a strike. He was so successful at this sport that in his home he used two spare rooms to hold his large trophy collection.

In an interview he said that he and Ida Lupino fell in love and became engaged while shooting Deep Valley (1947). She took him home to meet her family. He said he had such an adverse reaction to them--calling them "leeches and freeloaders"--that he called off the wedding.

Was given a 1948 Buick Roadmaster by Jack L. Warner as a birthday present.

In the September 1946 edition of "Movie Life Magazine" he was dubbed "the most stylish actor in Hollywood".

Made his Broadway debut in Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre production of "Panic" in 1935.

He has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the south side of the 6900 block of Hollywood Blvd.

When he wasn't acting or bowling, he loved to cook and was well known for his version of chicken cacciatore.

Both of his marriages were childless.

Was considered at one point to play Al Jolson in a remake of The Jazz Singer (1927) but the idea was scrapped. The film was finally made as The Jazz Singer (1952) with Danny Thomas in the lead.

He was considered for the male leads, but never screen tested, in such films as Quand la ville dort (1950), L'affaire de la 99ème rue (1953), Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï (1957), and Picnic (1955).

His father owned a sporting goods store in New York City.

His widow was a real estate agent.