{{Short description|American-Canadian actor and former football player (b. 1951)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Use Canadian English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Eugene Clark | image = Eugene A. Clark by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Clark in 2024 | birth_name = Anthony Eugene Clark<ref name="archive"/> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|12|03}}<ref name="archive"/> | birth_place = [[Tampa, Florida]], U.S.<ref name="archive"/> | other_names = Eugene A. Clark <br> Eugene Clarke <br> Gene Clark<ref name="archive"/> | website = {{url|https://www.eugeneaclark.com/}} | module = {{Infobox NFL biography |embed=yes |college=[[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] |teams=[[Toronto Argonauts]] (1977–1978) |position=[[Guard (gridiron football)|Offensive guard]] |draftyear=1975 |draftround=9 |statleague=[[Canadian Football League|CFL]] |highlights = * First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-8]] ([[1974 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team|1974]]) }} }}
'''Eugene Anthony Clark'''<ref name="archive">{{Cite web |title=Gene Clark Pro Football Stats, Position, College, Draft |url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/c/clar05200.html |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=www.profootballarchives.com}}</ref> (born December 3, 1951) is an American-Canadian actor and former professional [[Gridiron football|football]] [[Guard (gridiron football)|offensive guard]].
He played two seasons in the [[Canadian Football League|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 [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series|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]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eugene Clark football Statistics on StatsCrew.com|url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-clarkgen001|access-date=2021-08-19|website=www.statscrew.com|language=en}}</ref> and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the [[University of California, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-13 |title=Bios - Eugene A Clark |url=https://www.eugeneaclark.com/bios/ |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=www.eugeneaclark.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== 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).{{efn|[https://web.archive.org/web/20210512064746/http://www.rickstv.com/midsouth/colbyargo.jpg A scan of a 1978 Toronto Argonauts program] shows Clark's football biography and correct birthdate.{{Self-published inline|date=May 2021}}}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canadian Football League|url=http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id275.html|access-date=2021-08-19|website=www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com}}</ref>
== Acting career == Clark had a prominent co-starring role as Sid Gomez in the 1990s [[science fiction]] show ''[[TekWar (TV series)|William Shatner's Tek War]]''.
He also appeared on ''[[Night Heat]]'', ''[[RoboCop: Prime Directives]]'', ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'', ''[[Side Effects (TV series)|Side Effects]]'', ''[[Tropical Heat]]'', ''[[Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye]]'', ''[[The L.A. Complex]]'', and made a [[Cameo appearance|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''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34372/trailer-mountain-witch|title=Trailer of the Mountain Witch|website=Dread Central|date=4 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927081757/http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34372/trailer-mountain-witch|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=2012-09-27}}{{Self-published source|reason=Source is a group blog.|date=May 2021}}</ref>
Clark played the role of Mufasa in the [[Ontario]] production of ''[[The Lion King (musical)|The Lion King]]'' for two years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Lion King Cast in Rehearsals; First Preview March 30 |url=https://playbill.com/article/toronto-lion-king-cast-in-rehearsals-first-preview-march-30-com-87257 |website=Playbill |access-date=January 16, 2024 |date=February 19, 2000}}</ref>
Clark's best-known theatrical film role was in [[George A. Romero]]'s ''[[Land of the Dead]]'' as the head [[zombie]], "Big Daddy".
==Filmography== [[File:Eugene_Clark_2013.jpg|right|thumb|Clark at the Weekend Of Horrors 11 Convention [[Oberhausen]], [[Germany]], 2013]]
===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1981 | ''[[Improper Channels]]'' | Security Guard #1 | |- | 1983 | ''[[The Funny Farm (film)|The Funny Farm]]'' | Myles | |- |rowspan=2| 1984 | ''[[The House of Dies Drear]]'' | River Ross Darrow | TV movie |- | ''[[Thrillkill]]'' | Grissom | |- |rowspan=2| 1985 | ''[[Martin's Day]]'' | Hydro Repairman | |- | ''Shellgame'' | Big Edward | TV movie |- |rowspan=3| 1986 | ''[[Flying (film)|Flying]]'' | Roy Teler | |- | ''Doing Life'' | Wiggins | TV movie |- | ''[[Unnatural Causes (1986 film)|Unnatural Causes]]'' | Roberts | TV movie |- | 1987 | ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'' | Man at Party #1 | |- | 1988 | ''[[The Good Mother (1988 film)|The Good Mother]]'' | Arch | |- |rowspan=2| 1989 | ''The Unknown Mission'' | Craig Ashby | |- | ''Mindfield'' | Hugh McVeigh | |- |rowspan="2"| 1990 | ''The Kissing Place'' | Bus Driver | TV movie |- | ''Johnny Ryan'' | Joe Johnson | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 1991 | ''[[Knight Rider 2000]]'' | Officer Kurt Miller | TV movie |- | ''[[Plymouth (film)|Plymouth]]'' | Larry | TV movie |- |rowspan="3"| 1992 | ''[[The Swordsman (1992 film)|The Swordsman]]'' | Police Captain | |- | ''From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of One'' | Det. Dick Price | TV movie |- | ''[[Split Images]]'' | Malik | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 1993 | ''Trial & Error'' | Andrew Barnes/Sandi Richards | TV movie |- | [[Gross Misconduct: The Life of Brian Spencer|''Brian Spencer'']] | Lenn Wright | TV movie |- |rowspan="5"| 1994 | ''[[List of TekWar episodes#ep1|TekWar]]'' | Sid Gomez | TV movie |- | ''[[TekWar: TekLords]]'' | Sid Gomez | TV movie |- | ''[[List of TekWar episodes#ep3|TekWar: TekLab]]'' | Sid Gomez | TV movie |- | ''[[List of TekWar episodes#ep4|TekWar: TekJustice]]'' | Sid Gomez | TV movie |- | ''Fatal Vows: The Alexandra O'Hara Story'' | Det. Cabrillo | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 1995 | ''Falling for You'' | Detective | TV movie |- | ''Gladiator Cop'' | Police Captain | |- |rowspan="3"| 1997 | ''[[Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way]]'' | Bob Watson | TV movie |- | ''Face Down'' | Captain McGuiness | TV movie |- | ''[[Windsor Protocol]]'' | Vice President Anson Powers | TV movie |- |rowspan="4"| 1998 | ''[[Down in the Delta]]'' | Citizen 1 | |- | ''Free of Eden'' | 'Fast' Freddie | TV movie |- | ''[[Earthquake in New York]]'' | - | TV movie |- | ''[[Dead Husbands]]'' | Sheriff Moss | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 1999 | ''[[In the Company of Spies]]'' | Edward Boyd | TV movie |- | ''One Heart Broken Into Song'' | Hud Jarvis | |- |rowspan="5"| 2000 | ''The Magic of Marciano'' | Del | |- | ''[[On Hostile Ground]]'' | Mayor John Lafitte | TV movie |- | ''[[Who Killed Atlanta's Children?]]'' | Dave | TV movie |- | ''[[Turn It Up (film)|Turn It Up]]'' | Marshall | |- | ''[[Slow Burn (2000 film)|Slow Burn]]'' | Attorney Marlowe King | |- |rowspan="2"| 2001 | ''Cause of Death'' | Det. Carmine De Luca | |- | ''[[Loves Music, Loves to Dance]]'' | Desk Sergeant | TV movie |- | 2002 | ''Redeemer'' | - | TV movie |- | 2003 | ''[[Jasper, Texas (film)|Jasper, Texas]]'' | Don Clark | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 2004 | ''[[Reversible Errors (film)|Reversible Errors]]'' | Chief Harold Greer | TV movie |- | ''[[Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story]]'' | Bobby | TV movie |- |rowspan="4"| 2005 | ''[[Murder at the Presidio]]'' | Captain Donovan | TV movie |- | ''[[Land of the Dead]]'' | Big Daddy | |- | ''[[Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story]]'' | Reginald Spivey | TV movie |- | ''[[Knights of the South Bronx]]'' | Gene | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 2006 | ''[[Trailer Park Boys: The Movie]]'' | Cadillac | |- | ''[[Doomstown]]'' | Officer Connors | TV movie |- |rowspan="4"| 2007 | ''[[Still Small Voices]]'' | Sergeant Gillett | TV movie |- | ''[[Resurrecting the Champ]]'' | Washburn | |- | ''[[Talk to Me (2007 film)|Talk to Me]]'' | Bar Patron 2 | TV movie |- | ''[[Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming]]'' | Older Vet | TV movie |- |rowspan="4"| 2009 | ''[[Walled In]]'' | Burnett | |- | ''[[Dolan's Cadillac (film)|Dolan's Cadillac]]'' | Tink | |- | ''[[Deadliest Sea]]'' | Moss | TV movie |- | ''[[Too Late to Say Goodbye]]'' | Richmond Chief | TV movie |- | 2011 | ''[[High Chicago]]'' | Buzz | |- |rowspan="3"| 2012 | ''[[Home Again (2012 film)|Home Again]]'' | Principle Raye | |- | ''Aladdin and the Death Lamp'' | Khalil | TV movie |- | ''[[A Dark Truth]]'' | Clive Bell | |- |rowspan="2"| 2014 | ''Bully Fighters'' | Judge Princeton Sanders | Short |- | ''An En Vogue Christmas'' | Nathan | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 2015 | ''[[Born to Be Blue (film)|Born to Be Blue]]'' | Henry Azuka | |- | ''Look Again'' | Clarence | |- |rowspan="3"| 2017 | ''[[Bruno & Boots: This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall]]'' | King Diaz | TV movie |- | ''[[The Recall]]'' | Eddie Jackson | |- | ''[[Christmas Next Door]]'' | Nick | TV movie |- | 2019 | ''Nostalgic Christmas'' | Martin DeLong | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 2020 | ''[[The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel]]'' | Presiding Bishop | TV movie |- | ''Marry Me This Christmas'' | 'Pops' Reed | TV movie |- | 2021 | ''The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice'' | Herc Zinneman | TV movie |- |rowspan="2"| 2022 | ''Designing Christmas'' | Vern | TV movie |- | ''All I Didn’t Want for Christmas'' | Stan Harris | TV movie |- | 2023 | ''Deadly Estate'' | Harry Belfort | TV movie |- | 2024 | ''Mistletoe & Matrimony'' | - | TV movie |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1973 | ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' | Comanchero | Episode: "The Spirit-Helper" |- | 1976 | ''[[Most Wanted (1976 TV series)|Most Wanted]]'' | Cleveland Jones | Episode: "The Heisman Killer" |- | 1985–89 | ''[[Night Heat]]'' | Detective Colby Burns | Main Cast |- |rowspan="3"| 1986 | ''[[Seeing Things (TV series)|Seeing Things]]'' | Lonnie | Episode: "Optical Illusion" |- | ''[[Philip Marlowe, Private Eye]]'' | Rufe | Episode: "Pickup on Noon Street" |- | ''[[Hot Shots (Canadian TV series)|Hot Shots]]'' | Det. Colby Burns | Episode: "Accidental Victims" & "Riot" |- |rowspan="2"| 1987 | ''[[Echoes in the Darkness]]'' | Proctor Nowell | Episode: "Part I & II" |- | ''[[Street Legal (Canadian TV series)|Street Legal]]'' | Judge Rawlings | Episode: "Lost and Lonely Hearts" |- |rowspan="2"| 1988 | ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 TV series)|Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' | Andy Wilson | Episode: "User Deadly" |- | ''[[War of the Worlds (1988 TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'' | Sgt. Gordon Reynolds | Episode: "The Resurrection: Part 1 & 2" |- |rowspan="3"| 1989 | ''[[The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' | Capt. Henry Kincaid | Episode: "[[The Wall (The Twilight Zone)|The Wall]]" |- | ''[[Life Goes On (TV series)|Life Goes On]]'' | Ritcher | Episode: "Pilot" |- | ''[[E.N.G.]]'' | Garbageman | Episode: "Dirty Trick" |- |rowspan="3"| 1990 | ''[[Equal Justice (TV series)|Equal Justice]]'' | Rev. Marcus Calvin | Episode: "Pilot" |- | ''[[Nasty Boys (TV series)|Nasty Boys]]'' | - | Episode: "Flesh and Blood" |- | ''[[Carol & Company]]'' | Joey | Episode: "Reunion" |- | 1990–91 | ''[[E.N.G.]]'' | John Elman | Main Cast: Season 2 |- |rowspan="3"| 1991 | ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' | L.A.P.D. Detective | Episode: "Just a Country Boy" |- | ''[[Street Legal (Canadian TV series)|Street Legal]]'' | Delroy Payne | Episode: "Shades of Difference" & "Questions of Dignity" |- | ''[[Counterstrike (1990 TV series)|Counterstrike]]'' | Clayton | Episode: "Fire in the Streets" |- | 1991–92 | ''[[Tropical Heat]]'' | Ollie Porte | Recurring Cast: Season 1-2 |- |rowspan="2"| 1992 | ''[[Secret Service (American TV series)|Secret Service]]'' | Fats | Episode: "A Teller of Tales/Food for Thought" |- | ''[[Great Scott! (TV series)|Great Scott!]]'' | Coach | Episode: "Pilot" & "Hair Scare" |- | 1993 | ''[[Top Cops]]'' | Wisdom | Episode: "Craig Chew/Denny Joyce/Norman Pressley" |- | 1994 | ''[[Catwalk (Canadian TV series)|Catwalk]]'' | Burr | Episode: "Killing Time" |- | 1994–95 | ''[[TekWar (TV series)|TekWar]]'' | Sid Gomez | Main Cast |- | 1995–96 | ''[[Side Effects (TV series)|Side Effects]]'' | Ray Whelan | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |- | 1996 | ''[[Lonesome Dove: The Series]]'' | Foley | Episode: "Partners" |- | 1997 | ''[[Due South]]'' | Joe Mendelson | Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" |- |rowspan="2"| 1998 | ''The Last Don II'' | Agent McKiff | Episode: "Part I & II" |- | ''[[Traders (TV series)|Traders]]'' | - | Episode: "The Falcon and the Showman" |- |rowspan="3"| 1999 | ''[[Little Men (TV series)|Little Men]]'' | Samuel Tyler | Episode: "The Living Years" |- | ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' | Mayor Carter Dubois | Episode: "Déjà Vu" |- | ''[[The City (1999 TV series)|The City]]'' | Russell Carter | Episode: "Joy Ride: Part II" |- | 2001 | ''[[RoboCop: Prime Directives]]'' | Carver RH | Episode: "Meltdown" |- | 2002 | ''[[Doc (2001 TV series)|Doc]]'' | Coach Thomas | Episode: "Love of the Game" |- | 2002–04 | ''[[Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye]]'' | Ted Garrett | Recurring Cast |- |rowspan="2"| 2003 | ''[[The Wonderful World of Disney]]'' | Preacher #1 | Episode: "Sounder" |- | ''[[The District]]'' | Eugene Birch | Episode: "Blind Eye" |- | 2004 | ''[[Threat Matrix]]'' | Honorable Justice Lamb | Episode: "19 Seconds" |- |rowspan="2"| 2005 | ''[[Tilt (American TV series)|Tilt]]'' | Dr. Marcellin | Episode: "Risk Tolerance" |- | ''[[This Is Wonderland]]'' | Reverend Thomas | Guest Cast: Season 2-3 |- | 2007–10 | ''[[The Latest Buzz]]'' | Mr. Pierce | Recurring Cast: Season 2-3 |- |rowspan="2"| 2009 | ''[[The Line (TV series)|The Line]]'' | Currie | Recurring Cast |- | ''[[Majority Rules!]]'' | Frank | Episode: "Go Girl!" |- | 2010–12 | ''[[Wingin' It]]'' | Coach Heinrich | Recurring Cast |- |rowspan="2"| 2011 | ''[[Breakout Kings]]'' | The Mayor | Episode: "Where in the World Is Carmen Vega" |- | ''[[Dan for Mayor]]'' | Police Chief Paddy O'Malley | Episode: "Awkward Speedoo" |- |rowspan="4"| 2012 | ''[[The Firm (2012 TV series)|The Firm]]'' | Judge Pruill | Episode: "Chapter Five" |- | ''[[Lost Girl]]'' | Fletcher | Episode: "The Girl Who Fae'd with Fire" |- | ''[[The Listener (TV series)|The Listener]]'' | Abbassi Ayim | Episode: "The Taking" |- | ''[[The L.A. Complex]]'' | Walter Dougan | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |- | 2013 | ''[[Cracked (Canadian TV series)|Cracked]]'' | ETF Squad Leader | Episode: "Swans" |- | 2014 | ''[[Remedy (TV series)|Remedy]]'' | Curtis Decker | Episode: "The Little Things" |- | 2014–17 | ''[[Space Riders: Division Earth]]'' | Commander Stern | Recurring Cast |- | 2015 | ''[[The Art of More]]'' | Edward Leigh Mason | Main Cast: Season 1 |- |rowspan="3"| 2017 | ''[[Private Eyes (TV series)|Private Eyes]]'' | Judge | Episode: "The P.I. Code" |- | ''[[Dark Matter (2015 TV series)|Dark Matter]]'' | Sheriff Vargas | Episode: "Isn't That a Paradox?" |- | ''[[Frankie Drake Mysteries]]'' | Jack Porter | Episode: "Mother of Pearl" |- | 2018 | ''[[In Contempt]]'' | Franklin | Recurring Cast |- | 2020 | ''[[Blue's Clues & You!]]'' | Potato (voice) | Episode: "Growing with Blue" |- | 2021 | ''[[Coroner (TV series)|Coroner]]'' | Delmar McAvoy | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |- | 2020–22 | ''[[Transplant (TV series)|Transplant]]'' | Marcus Curtis | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |- |rowspan="2"| 2023 | ''[[Hudson & Rex]]'' | Dave Nearing | Episode: "Lost and Found" |- | ''[[Star Trek: Strange New Worlds]]'' | Vulcan Judge | Episode: "Ad Astra per Aspera" |- | 2024 | ''[[The Madness (TV series)|The Madness]]'' | Clarence | Recurring Cast |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
{{Portal|Biography|Canada|America|Film|Television|American football}}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0163925|Eugene Clark}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Eugene}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:African-American male actors]] [[Category:American football offensive guards]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:American male voice actors]] [[Category:Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners]] [[Category:Canadian football offensive linemen]] [[Category:Canadian male film actors]] [[Category:Canadian male television actors]] [[Category:Canadian male voice actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Players of American football from Tampa, Florida]] [[Category:Players of Canadian football from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Players of Canadian football from Tampa, Florida]] [[Category:Riverside Polytechnic High School alumni]] [[Category:Toronto Argonauts players]] [[Category:UCLA Bruins football players]] [[Category:Canadian people of American descent]] [[Category:Black Canadian actors]] [[Category:American male stage actors]] [[Category:Canadian male stage actors]] [[Category:American musical theatre actors]] [[Category:Canadian musical theatre actors]]