Harry Clork (born Harry Prince, and sometimes credited as Harry Clarke) was an American screenwriter and playwright who wrote over three dozen films between 1935 and 1955.

Biography

Harry was born to English actress Lena Adelaide Rubenstein (known professionally as Adelaide Prince) and her first husband, Harry Prince. After his parents divorced, his mother married Creston Clarke, and Harry later adopted his last name (but changed the "a" to an "o," and dropped the final "e" to be able to join the writers' union once he began working as a screenwriter; there was already another Harry Clark). After moving to New York and establishing himself first as a performer (chiefly in vaudeville productions), and second as a playwright, penning a number of works that hit Broadway, he broke into screenwriting in the mid-1930s. Some of his earliest efforts while under contract at

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

included 1935's ''Mister Dynamite'' and ''Diamond Jim''. Over the ensuing two decades, he'd write a wide range of films at Universal,

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

, and

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

, also dabbling in television writing toward the end of his career. Early on, he collaborated with fellow screenwriter

Doris Malloy Doris Malloy (1901–1955) was an American screenwriter active during the 1920s through the 1940s. Biography Born in Gloversville, New York, in 1901 to Henry Malloy (noted as a "prominent gambler" in a few publicity items) and Kate Huckans, Do ...

. He had retired by the 1970s; he died on June 18, 1978, and was survived by his daughter (from his second marriage to actress Mildred MacLeod). Earlier in life, he had been briefly married to Broadway actress Nora Bayes.

Selected filmography

* ''

Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki ''Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki'' is a 1955 American comedy film directed by Lee Sholem. It is the seventh installment of Universal-International's ''Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride in his final starring role. Pl ...

'' (1955) * '' Painting the Clouds with Sunshine'' (1951) * '' Tea for Two'' (1950) * '' The Sainted Sisters'' (1948) * ''

The Mighty McGurk ''The Mighty McGurk'' is a 1947 American sports, drama, action, adventure, melodrama film starring Wallace Beery as a boozing ex-boxer brawling as a bouncer in a Bowery saloon. Plot Roy "Slag" McGurk (Wallace Beery), the former heavyweight boxing ...

'' (1947) * '' The Thrill of Brazil (1947)'' * ''

See My Lawyer ''See My Lawyer'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Davis. It is based on the 1939 musical ''See My Lawyer'' by Richard Maibaum and Harry Clork. The film stars Ole Olsen, Chi ...

'' (1945) * ''

Broadway Rhythm ''Broadway Rhythm'' (1944) is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Technicolor musical film. It was produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film was originally announced as ''Broadway Melody of 1944'' to follow MGM's ''Broadway Melody' ...

'' (1944) * ''

Ship Ahoy ''Ship Ahoy'' is a 1942 American musical-comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. It was produced by MGM. Background ''Ship Ahoy'' was the first of two films in which Powell and Skelton co-starred. It ...

'' (1942) * '' Born to Sing'' (1942) * '' Down in San Diego'' (1941) * ''

Whistling in the Dark Whistling without the use of an artificial whistle is achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips, usually after applying moisture (licking one's lips or placing water upon them) and then blowing or sucking air through the space. The a ...

'' (1941) * ''

Las Vegas Nights ''Las Vegas Nights'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Ernest Pagano, Harry Clork and Eddie Welch. The film stars Phil Regan, Bert Wheeler, Constance Moore, Virginia Dale, Lillian Cornell, Betty Brewer and H ...

'' (1941) * '' The Reluctant Dragon'' (1941) * ''

Moon Over Burma ''Moon Over Burma'' is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Louis King and written by Harry Clork, Wilson Collison, W.P. Lipscomb and Frank Wead. The film stars Dorothy Lamour, Robert Preston, Preston Foster, Doris Nolan, Albert Basserma ...

'' (1940) * ''

And One Was Beautiful ''And One Was Beautiful'' is a 1940 romantic drama film directed by Robert B. Sinclair and starring Robert Cummings, Laraine Day, and Jean Muir. It is based on the story of the same name by Alice Duer Miller. Two sisters are attracted to a rich p ...

'' (1940) * '' Laugh It Off'' (1938) * '' Flirting with Fate'' (1938) * ''

New Faces of 1937 ''New Faces of 1937'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Joe Penner, Milton Berle and Harriet Hilliard. Its plot is similar to '' The Producers'' (1968). Intended as the first film of an annual RKO Pictures r ...

'' (1937 * '' When's Your Birthday?'' (1937) * ''

Flying Hostess ''Flying Hostess'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Murray Roth and starring William Gargan, Judith Barrett and William Hall.Paris p.75 A group of stewardesses undergo their training, and later thwart the hijacking of an airplane. Part ...

'' (1936 * Absolute Quiet (1936) * '' Remember Last Night?'' (1935) * '' His Night Out'' (1935) * ''

King Solomon of Broadway ''King Solomon of Broadway'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Edmund Lowe, Dorothy Page and Pinky Tomlin.Monaco p.139 A shady figure wins a nightclub during a card game. Cast * Edmund Lowe as King Solomon ...

'' (1935) * ''

Diamond Jim ''Diamond Jim'' is a 1935 biographical film based on the published biography ''Diamond Jim Brady'' by Parker Morell. It follows the life of legendary entrepreneur James Buchanan Brady, including his romance with entertainer Lillian Russell, and s ...

'' (1935) * ''

Mister Dynamite ''Mister Dynamite'' is a 1935 American action film directed by Alan Crosland and written by Doris Malloy and Harry Clork. The film stars Edmund Lowe, Jean Dixon, Victor Varconi, Esther Ralston, Verna Hillie and Minor Watson. The film was releas ...

'' (1935)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clork, Harry Screenwriters from Texas 1888 births 1978 deaths People from Galveston, Texas 20th-century American screenwriters