Clark at eighteen months old in 1903

Clark at eleven years old in 1912

Clark dropped out of High School in his third year, under his father's protest, to work in a tire factory in Akron, Ohio with his best friend Andy Means. It was during this time that Clark fell in love with the theatre. He saw a production of "The Bird of Paradise" at the local playhouse and was so taken that he obtained an unsalaried position as a backstage call boy with the stock company.

Clark at sixteen years old in 1917

Clark at seventeen years old in Akron, Ohio

Shortly thereafter, Clark received bad news from back home. His stepmother Jennie was dying. He rushed back home to be by her side and within days she was gone. It was a terrible time in young Clark's life. He was seventeen with no prospects or direction and he has just lost the woman who had inspired him to follow his heart in life. His father came down hard on him because he despised the acting profession. He felt that he was wasting time and so he refused to let Clark return to Akron. Instead, he took him to Oklahoma to work with him in the oil fields. Clark hated the dirty work of the oil fields and still dreamt of someday becoming an actor. On his twenty-first birthday he received a small inheritance from his grandfather. He took the money and struck out on his own in search of his dream. His father was very angry and disappointed that he didn't speak to Clark for nearly ten years.

With his stepmother
Jennie Dunlap in 1912

Franz in the 1930's

Franz Dorfler at the time of their engagement