In his autobiography he wrote he had a hard time getting into radio at first because of his deep southern accent, which he gradually managed to lose, though you can still hear traces of it on screen. He first did some stage work in OK, then went to college in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. He was 4F during WWII due to asthma, which is when he took his shot at Hollywood and finally landed a contract with RKO, though they never put him in much more than bit parts and small roles. But he never wrote anything about his ancestry that I recall.
I also like The Hideous Sun Demon, though from what he wrote he had a heck of a time getting it made -- many months of off-and-on production, then the disappointment of not getting AIP to release it (it seems an obvious picture for them), and ending up somehow losing money on it and Beyond the Time Barrier, which he also produced and starred in, but didn't direct.
As to his fading career, Clarke wrote that in the 70s he attended a seminar at the Screen Actors Guild about the poor career prospects of "journeyman" actors like himself after age 50, which spurred him to put together a small presentation series about his career that he traveled around with, and make other personal appearances at conventions, as job offers dried up. Unfortunately, a drop-off in demand is common to many actors, even bigger ones -- what a waste of talents. Incidentally, Clarke wrote that in the 50s he had been brought into, taught about and received his license as an insurance broker thanks to actor Robert Shayne, who was a successful businessman (insurance and later stocks) and told Clarke about how to earn a living when acting doesn't pay the bills. Clarke called him a very kind man and great gentleman who brought him into his own office and never took a dime for all the help he gave him.
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babettegillette
14 years ago
Thanks for the great info, Hobnob53. A few years ago saw Ian Holm in a PBS showing of a bare set version of Macbeth. He must be in his 70s or even early 80s, and he was as intense as ever. I worried for him that he was going to have a stroke. Don't know this for a fact, but perhaps the British respect and take care of their older actors moreso than Americans. It is very sad that older actors are discrimated against(older Americans in gereral). Haven't seen Burt Lancaster in a new movie in over fifteen years.
Probably most actors make more money in their regular jobs versus acting. Saw asegment on actors and the average overall annual income is $5000. They should be naturals at selling real estate.
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hobnob53
14 years ago
Most actors do have outside jobs or careers, and in fact a lot of them did make lots of money in Southern California real estate. I've read that the normal unemployment rate among actors is 85%, which makes a true career in that field difficult. Many people continually switch between acting jobs and the careers where they earn their real money. But only a small portion earn enough to do nothing but act. Of course, they're the most famous and glamorous, and anyway, with top stars today earning anywhere from $10 miilion to $30 million or more for one part, they don't have to worry about that extra career if they're careful. One big movie and they could live off that for the rest of their life!
I find that actors at around 50 have the toughest time, but that they sometimes manage a comeback when they get older, and character parts open up. The British probably do treat older actors better but even there, after 50, actors usually find the going rough.
But I'm curious about your comment about Burt Lancaster -- that you "haven't seen him in a new movie in over fifteen years." Are you joking around? I mean, you do know that he died on October 20, 1994, don't you? In Burt's case, he worked steadily into his late 70s, until he suffered a massive stroke that permanently crippled him in 1990, after which he lingered in poor and declining health until his death four years later, two weeks before he would have turned 81.
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