Susan Clark

Susan Clark. Susan Clark is a Canadian actress best known for her work in film and television during the 1960s through the 1990s. She gained prominence for her role as Amelia Earhart in the 1976 television film Amelia Earhart, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award. Clark also starred in the popular sitcom Webster alongside her husband, former National Football League player Alex Karras.

Early life and education

Born Nora Golding in Sarnia, Ontario, she was the daughter of a Royal Canadian Air Force officer. Her family moved frequently during her childhood, living in various locations across Canada and Europe. Clark initially pursued a career in ballet but shifted her focus to acting after an injury. She trained at the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta and later studied at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Career

Clark began her professional acting career in Canadian television, appearing on series like The Forest Rangers. She moved to Hollywood in the mid-1960s, securing a contract with Universal Studios. Her early film roles included performances in Banning with Robert Wagner and the Cold War thriller The Helicopter Spies. A significant breakthrough came with her role in the Western Coogan's Bluff, directed by Don Siegel and starring Clint Eastwood. Throughout the 1970s, Clark demonstrated versatility in genres ranging from comedy in The Skin Game with James Garner to drama in Valdez Is Coming alongside Burt Lancaster. Her portrayal of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart in the 1976 NBC biographical film earned her critical acclaim and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. In the 1980s, she became a familiar face in American households through her role as Katherine Papadapolis in the ABC sitcom Webster, which she also produced with her husband Alex Karras through their company, Karras/Clark Productions. Her later television work included roles in miniseries such as Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun and the CBS drama Touched by an Angel.

Personal life

Clark married former Detroit Lions defensive tackle and actor Alex Karras in 1980. The couple had one daughter and were partners in both life and business, collaborating on projects like Webster and the film Jimmy the Kid. They were also involved in various charitable endeavors. Following Karras's death in 2012, Clark has largely remained out of the public eye. She is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.

Filmography

A selected list of her work includes: * Film ** Banning (1967) ** Coogan's Bluff (1968) ** The Skin Game (1971) ** Valdez Is Coming (1971) ** Showdown (1973) ** The Midnight Man (1974) ** The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) * Television ** The Forest Rangers (1963–1965) ** The Virginian (1967) ** Marcus Welby, M.D. (1970) ** Amelia Earhart (1976) ** Webster (1983–1989) ** Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun (1988) ** Murder, She Wrote (1991)

Awards and nominations

Clark's performance in Amelia Earhart earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in 1977. She also received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Television Film for the same role. For her work on Webster, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for "Best Family Television Series". Her contributions to Canadian arts and culture have been recognized by institutions like the ACTRA Awards.

Category:Canadian film actresses Category:Canadian television actresses Category:1940 births Category:Living people