Eugene Clark (actor)

Last updated

Eugene Clark
Eugene A. Clark by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Clark in 2024
Born
Anthony Eugene Clark [1]

(1951-12-03) December 3, 1951 (age 73) [1]
Other namesEugene A. Clark
Eugene Clarke
Gene Clark [1]
Football career
Eugene Clark 2013.jpg
Career information
College UCLA
Position(s) Offensive guard
NFL draft 1975: 9th round
Career history
As player
Toronto Argonauts (1977–1978)
Career highlights and awards
Website www.eugeneaclark.com

Eugene Anthony Clark [1] (born December 3, 1951) is an American-Canadian actor and former professional foodball offensive guard.

Contents

He played two seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts, in 1977 and 1978. As an actor, Clark is known for his role as Detective Colby Burns in the 1980s police drama Night Heat , which earned him a 1987 Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series. He is also known for his role as the zombie 'Big Daddy' in George A. Romero's Land of the Dead (2005), and his work in musical theatre.

Early life

Clark was born in Tampa, Florida, and was raised in Florida and Riverside, California. He graduated from Riverside Polytechnic High School, [2] and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. [3]

Football career

He was an actor four years before he began playing college football and he was an all-conference offensive guard at UCLA. Named to the first All-Star teams for both the Pacific-8 and the West Coast Athletic Conference, Clark also received All Star All American Honorable Mention Laurels, played in the Hula Bowl and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round of the 1975 NFL draft. While he did not appear in a National Football League game, he did play in the Canadian Football League for 20 games for the Toronto Argonauts (in 1977 and 1978). [a] [4]

Acting career

Clark had a prominent co-starring role as Sid Gomez in the 1990s science fiction show William Shatner's Tek War .

He also appeared on Night Heat , RoboCop: Prime Directives , The Twilight Zone , Side Effects , Tropical Heat , Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye , The L.A. Complex , and made a cameo in Trailer Park Boys: The Movie . He also starred in the VH1 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story , Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story', and the thriller Legend of the Mountain Witch. [5]

Clark played the role of Mufasa in the Ontario production of The Lion King for two years. [6]

Clark's best-known theatrical film role was in George A. Romero's Land of the Dead as the head zombie, "Big Daddy".

Filmography

Clark at the Weekend Of Horrors 11 Convention Oberhausen, Germany, 2013 Eugene Clark 2013.jpg
Clark at the Weekend Of Horrors 11 Convention Oberhausen, Germany, 2013

Film

Television

Eugene Clark television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 Kung Fu ComancheroEpisode: "The Spirit-Helper"
1976 Most Wanted Cleveland JonesEpisode: "The Heisman Killer"
1984 The House of Dies Drear River Ross DarrowTV movie
1985ShellgameBig EdwardTV movie
1985–1989 Night Heat Detective Colby BurnsMain cast
1986 Seeing Things LonnieEpisode: "Optical Illusion"
Philip Marlowe, Private Eye RufeEpisode: "Pickup on Noon Street"
Doing LifeWigginsTV movie
Unnatural Causes RobertsTV movie
Hot Shots Det. Colby BurnsEpisode: "Accidental Victims" & "Riot"
1987 Echoes in the Darkness Proctor NowellEpisode: "Part I" & "Part II"
Street Legal Judge RawlingsEpisode: "Lost and Lonely Hearts"
1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Andy WilsonEpisode: "User Deadly"
War of the Worlds Sgt. Gordon ReynoldsEpisode: "The Resurrection: Part 1 & 2"
1989 The Twilight Zone Capt. Henry KincaidEpisode: "The Wall"
Life Goes On RitcherEpisode: "Pilot"
E.N.G. GarbagemanEpisode: "Dirty Trick"
1990The Kissing PlaceBus DriverTV movie
Johnny RyanJoe JohnsonTV movie
Equal Justice Rev. Marcus CalvinEpisode: "Pilot"
Nasty Boys UnknownEpisode: "Flesh and Blood"
Carol & Company UnknownEpisode: "Reunion"
1990–1991 E.N.G. John ElmanMain cast: season 2
1991 In the Heat of the Night L.A.P.D. DetectiveEpisode: "Just a Country Boy"
Knight Rider 2000 Officer Kurt MillerTV movie
Plymouth LarryTV movie
Street Legal Delroy PayneEpisode: "Shades of Difference" & "Questions of Dignity"
Counterstrike ClaytonEpisode: "Fire in the Streets"
1991–1992 Tropical Heat Ollie PorteRecurring cast: season 1-2
1992 Secret Service FatsEpisode: "A Teller of Tales/Food for Thought"
Great Scott! CoachEpisode: "Pilot" & "Hair Scare"
From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of OneDet. Dick PriceTV movie
Split Images MalikTV movie
1993 Top Cops WisdomEpisode: "Craig Chew/Denny Joyce/Norman Pressley"
Trial & ErrorAndrew Barnes/Sandi RichardsTV movie
Brian Spencer Lenn WrightTV movie
1994 TekWar Sid GomezTV movie
TekWar: TekLords Sid GomezTV movie
TekWar: TekLab Sid GomezTV movie
Catwalk BurrEpisode: "Killing Time"
TekWar: TekJustice Sid GomezTV movie
Fatal Vows: The Alexandra O'Hara StoryDet. CabrilloTV movie
1994–1995 TekWar Sid GomezMain cast (8 episodes)
1995Falling for YouDetectiveTV movie
1995–1996 Side Effects Ray WhelanRecurring cast: season 2
1996 Lonesome Dove: The Series FoleyEpisode: "Partners"
1997 Due South Joe MendelsonEpisode: "Strange Bedfellows"
Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way Bob WatsonTV movie
Face DownCaptain McGuinessTV movie
Windsor Protocol Vice President Anson PowersTV movie
1998The Last Don IIAgent McKiffEpisode: "Episode #1.1" & "Episode #1.2"
Free of Eden'Fast' FreddieTV movie
Earthquake in New York UnknownTV movie
Traders UnknownEpisode: "The Falcon and the Showman"
Dead Husbands Sheriff MossTV movie
1999 Little Men Samuel TylerEpisode: "The Living Years"
In the Company of Spies Edward BoydTV movie
Earth: Final Conflict Mayor Carter DuboisEpisode: "Déjà Vu"
The City Russell CarterEpisode: "Joy Ride: Part II"
2000 On Hostile Ground Mayor John LafitteTV movie
Who Killed Atlanta's Children? DaveTV movie
2001 RoboCop: Prime Directives Carver RHEpisode: "Meltdown"
Loves Music, Loves to Dance UnknownTV movie
2002 Doc Coach ThomasEpisode: "Love of the Game"
RedeemerUnknownTV movie
2002–2004 Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Ted GarrettRecurring cast
2003 The Wonderful World of Disney Preacher #1Episode: "Sounder"
Jasper, Texas Don ClarkTV movie
The District Eugene BirchEpisode: "Blind Eye"
2004 Reversible Errors Chief Harold GreerTV movie
Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story BobbyTV movie
Threat Matrix Honorable Justice LambEpisode: "19 Seconds"
2005 Tilt Dr. MarcellinEpisode: "Risk Tolerance"
Murder at the Presidio Captain DonovanTV movie
Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story Reginald SpiveyTV movie
This Is Wonderland Reverend ThomasEpisode: "Episode #2.10" & "Episode #3.2"
2006 Doomstown Officer ConnorsTV movie
2007 Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming Older VetTV movie
2007–2010 The Latest Buzz Mr. PierceGuest: season 1, recurring cast: season 2-3
2009 The Line CurrieRecurring cast
Deadliest Sea MossTV movie
Majority Rules! FrankEpisode: "Go Girl!"
Too Late to Say Goodbye Richmond ChiefTV movie
2010–2012 Wingin' It Coach HeinrichRecurring cast
2011 Breakout Kings The MayorEpisode: "Where in the World Is Carmen Vega"
Dan for Mayor Police Chief Paddy O'MalleyEpisode: "Awkward Speedoo"
2012 The Firm Judge PruillEpisode: "Chapter Five"
Lost Girl FletcherEpisode: "The Girl Who Fae'd with Fire"
Stand by Your BoothNickTV movie
The Listener Abbassi AyimEpisode: "The Taking"
Aladdin and the Death LampKhalilTV movie
The L.A. Complex Walter DouganRecurring cast: season 2
2013 Cracked ETF Squad LeaderEpisode: "Swans"
2014 Remedy Curtis DeckerEpisode: "The Little Things"
An En Vogue ChristmasNathanTV movie
2014–2017 Space Riders: Division Earth Commander SternRecurring cast
2015 The Art of More Edward Leigh MasonMain cast: season 1
2017 Bruno & Boots: This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall King DiazTV movie
Private Eyes JudgeEpisode: "The P.I. Code"
Dark Matter Sheriff VargasEpisode: "Isn't That a Paradox?"
Frankie Drake Mysteries Jack PorterEpisode: "Mother of Pearl"
Christmas Next Door NickTV movie
2018 In Contempt FranklinRecurring cast
2019Nostalgic ChristmasMartin DeLongTV movie
2020 Blue's Clues & You! Potato (voice)Episode: "Growing with Blue"
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel Presiding BishopTV movie
Marry Me This Christmas'Pops' ReedTV movie
2021 Coroner Delmar McAvoyRecurring cast: season 3
The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for JusticeHerc ZinnemanTV movie
2020–2022 Transplant Marcus CurtisRecurring cast
2022All I Didn’t Want for ChristmasStan HarrisTV movie

Notes

  1. A scan of a 1978 Toronto Argonauts program shows Clark's football biography and correct birthdate.[ self-published source? ]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gene Clark Pro Football Stats, Position, College, Draft". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  2. "Eugene Clark football Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  3. "Bios - Eugene A Clark". www.eugeneaclark.com. April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  4. "Canadian Football League". www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  5. "Trailer of the Mountain Witch". Dread Central. November 4, 2009. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2021.[ self-published source ]
  6. "Toronto Lion King Cast in Rehearsals; First Preview March 30". Playbill. February 19, 2000. Retrieved January 16, 2024.