Anthony Clark, the comedian and actor who moved from Boston comedy clubs to a starring role on the CBS sitcom Yes, Dear, has died at 62. His former co-star Mike O’Malley announced the news, and Clark’s death was attributed to complications from pneumonia.
O’Malley remembered Clark as “a hilarious guy” and recalled watching him perform in Boston in the mid-1990s, when Clark was already selling out comedy shows. He described Clark as a singular comic who laughed along with audiences at the absurdity of his own stories and observations—a fan before he became a friend.
Clark was best known for Yes, Dear, the 2000 CBS comedy created by Greg Garcia and Alan Kirschenbaum. The series, about two couples sharing a home, ran for six seasons and also starred O’Malley, Jean Louisa Kelly and Liza Snyder.
Greg Garcia, an executive producer on Yes, Dear, said Clark had “the most insane sense of humor” of anyone he knew. He recalled reconnecting with Clark over the past few years through monthly phone calls filled with jokes and stories, and said Clark had been encouraging when Garcia recently tried stand-up for the first time. “It’s a sad day, and I’ll miss him very much,” Garcia said.
Clark’s longtime manager, Barry Katz, called him one of the funniest and most talented comedian-actors he had ever watched, adding that it was “an honor” to represent him.
Clark’s career began in stand-up. In 1995, he appeared in HBO’s Young Comedians special alongside Garry Shandling, Dave Chappelle, Dave Attell and Louis C.K. Two years later, he played Billy in Peter Bogdanovich’s A Thing Called Love, opposite River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney and Sandra Bullock. He also appeared in The Rock as a flamboyant hairdresser who cuts Sean Connery’s hair.
On television, Clark led the short-lived series Boston Common and Soul Man. In 2006, his career came full circle when he hosted Season 4 of Last Comic Standing.