Gage Clarke

Gage Clarke
Clarke in an episode of Lock-Up (1961)
Born
Gage Ellis Clarke[1]

(1900-03-03)March 3, 1900[2]
Vassar, Michigan
U.S.
DiedOctober 23, 1964(1964-10-23) (aged 64)
Woodland Hills, California
U.S.
Resting placeRiverside Cemetery, Vassar, Michigan
Other namesGage Clark
OccupationActor
Years active1929–1964

Gage Clarke (also credited as Gage Clark; March 3, 1900 – October 23, 1964) was an American stage, television, and film character actor.[3][4] The first half of his career was dedicated to the theatre, predominantly to Broadway productions, while television and film roles dominated his work during the latter half of his career.[5] Among his memorable television roles is his portrayal of the fastidious school official "Mr. Bascomb" during the 1952–1953 broadcast season of the sitcom Mister Peepers starring Wally Cox.[6] Clarke also performed in many other television series produced between 1949 and the early 1960s, most prominently Maverick and Gunsmoke, as well as in more than a dozen Hollywood features.[7][8]

  1. ^ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", Clarke's card with his full signature, September 12, 1918, Tuscola County, Michigan. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. FamilySearch. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "Michigan Births, 1867-1902," Gage E. Clarke, March 3, 1900, Vassar, Tuscola, Michigan. Department of Vital Records, Lansing.
  3. ^ "Gage Clarke, Actor, Dies", obituary, Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1964, part 1, p. 16. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
  4. ^ Some sources cite Clarke's death date as October 22 or October 24, 1964; however, California and Social Security death records, most obituaries, and cemetery records (including Clarke's gravestone) document the date as October 23.
  5. ^ "Gage Clark", theatre credits, IBDB. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  6. ^ "The Hartmans", cast and crew, TV Guide. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  7. ^ "Gage Clarke, the Principal On 'Mr. Peepers' TV Show", obituary, The New York Times, October 25, 1964.
  8. ^ "Gage Clarke", filmography, American Film Institute (AFI), Los Angeles, California. In addition to the 10 films listed by AFI on one page, three other productions in which Clarke appears can be confirmed by individual title searches: The Invisible Boy, I Want to Live!, and The Return of Dracula.