Jack Clark (television personality)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jack Clark
Wheel of Fortune
(1980-1988)
Spouse
Barbara McKnight
​
(m. 1951)​
Children4

Jack Leslie Clark (November 25, 1925 – July 21, 1988) was an American television personality,

Wheel of Fortune. On the latter, he succeeded original announcer Charlie O'Donnell
and held the role from 1980 until his death in 1988. (O'Donnell took back the announcing position until his own death in 2010.)

Early career

When Clark was a student at UC Berkeley, he began his career as a substitute radio announcer for radio station KROW in Oakland.[2]

After graduating from UC Berkeley, he moved to New York City, and first worked as a game show announcer for Password (where, when the word was flashed on the screen, he would whisper from offstage, "the password is...;" he also occasionally substituted for host Allen Ludden). From there, he went on to host 100 Grand (1963) and Dealer's Choice[3] from 1974-75 (replacing Bob Hastings).

Later, Clark hosted The Cross-Wits from 1975 until 1980, where he was noted for his rapport with the

Winston cigarettes
in Super King (100 MM) size.

Clark also hosted a number of

Now You See It
(later sold in 1989). He was also the announcer on another pilot, Monday Night Quarterback. Clark did many of these pilots "on spec" as favors to their producers.

Wheel of Fortune and later career

After Wheel of Fortune announcer

National Geographic
magazine, appearing on-camera in their commercials.

Illness and death

In 1988, Clark was diagnosed with

bone cancer.[4] He continued announcing for Wheel of Fortune for as long as he was able to keep it up until the end of the 1987–88 season. During that time, hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White announced the fee plugs on the syndicated version. When he was away, Charlie O'Donnell and Johnny Gilbert
began filling in as substitute announcers.

Clark died on July 21, 1988, at the age of 62, just before production of the 1988–1989 season was to begin, and is interred at Glendale's

Forest Lawn Memorial Park
.

He had requested that O'Donnell return to take his place, but since O'Donnell was not available due to his prior obligations with

M.G. Kelly announced from mid-1988 to February 1989, when O'Donnell returned to the show. O'Donnell remained as the announcer until his death in 2010.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Jack Clark". IMDb.
  2. ^ a b "'Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jack Clark, 62, of Studio City". Daily News of Los Angeles. 1988-07-26. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  3. St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press
    . 1988-07-27. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  4. ^ "Jack Clark Dies at 62; Television Announcer". The New York Times. 27 July 1988. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Obituary: Charlie O'Donnell dies at 78; announcer on 'Wheel of Fortune'". Los Angeles Times. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2021.

External links

Media offices
Preceded by
N/A
 Host of The Cross-Wits
December 15, 1975–September 12, 1980 		Succeeded by
David Sparks in 1986
Preceded by Announcer of
Wheel of Fortune
August 11, 1980–May 6, 1988 		Succeeded by
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