Bobby Clack Bobby Clark Birth name: |  |  (Courtesy of Jack Tillmany) |
| Special thanks to Boyd Magers for the biography on Bobby Clack / Bobby Clark. |
| World Champion Junior Trick and Fancy Rope Artist, Bobby Clark (aka Clack - his actual surname) co-starred as 'Andy' in Bill Elliott's 1939 Columbia cliffhanger, OVERLAND WITH KIT CARSON, when he was 12. His friendship with Elliott remained close over the years. They performed together on a three month personal appearance tour of eastern states in conjunction with the serial's release. Even years later they remained friends - working together at a special show in Phoenix in May '49 and in Hollywood in '48, among others. Clark, born January 3, 1926 in the small southeastern Oklahoma town of Spiro, received schooling in nearby Talihina. His father, Arnold Clack, a rancher and gas station owner, first noticed young Bobby's interest in roping when they attended the Oklahoma-Arkansas rodeo in Ft. Smith. Bobby first performed at age 6 in Springfield, Missouri. He had a knack for roping as well as shooting with a .22 rifle and .38 special six-shooter. Among his feats was the spinning of four loops simultaneously, employing his mouth, arms and hips. Bobby was discovered by a Monogram talent scout at a Junior Chamber of Commerce rodeo in Sulphur, Oklahoma, July 4, 1938. In Hollywood, Monogram used him in Jack Randall's TRIGGER SMITH ('39). With his horse, Chief, Bobby (whose surname was changed from Clack to Clark for ease) appeared that year at Madison Square Garden where he captured the World Champion Trick Roping title. It was then he co-starred as Andy with Bill Elliott in Columbia's OVERLAND WITH KIT CARSON. Columbia budgeted the 15 chapters at $200,000 (paying Bobby $250 a week) and lensed on location at Zion National Park, Kanab and St. George, Utah. While in Hollywood, Bobby boarded Chief at Tom Mix's ranch. He went on to appear in Cheyenne, at the 17 day Chicago Stadium Rodeo, the Sheriff's Rodeo in L.A., and gave an exhibition with Hoot Gibson during the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus of '39. There were hundreds more. Returning to Oklahoma for a visit, Clark told the press, "Buck Jones and George O'Brien are the only real cowboys in Hollywood." A pretty bold statement after having co-starred with Elliott, whom he termed "good cowboy". He starred in SAGEBRUSH FAMILY TRAILS WEST in 1940, then finished his schooling in Poteau, Oklahoma, and moved to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. He returned to Hollywood after serving in the Army, including 18 months in the Philippines during World War II. In 1946, he married Iona Ruth Lee of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Bobby worked in at least six post-war Autry films including BEYOND THE PURPLE HILLS, many TV shows and had a bit in Republic's MAN WITH THE STEEL WHIP cliffhanger in '54. He also has a prominent role in Sunset Carson's RIO GRANDE ('49). He toured with Allan Lane in '47 and continued his rodeo work. His father, Arnold Clack (who, incidentally, appeared on film once in a non-speaking heavy role for Tim McCoy's TEXAS RENEGADES) later became a used car salesman in Phoenix, Arizona. After movies and rodeo, Bobby was a car salesman and dealer in Gilroy, California. Circa 1965, he, wife Iona Ruth Lee Clack, son Robert A. Clack, and daughter Kathleen Clack settled down in Parkdale, Oregon near Mount Hood. Sixty year old Robert Louis Clack passed away April 11, 1986 in Parkdale, Hood River County, Oregon. Wife Ruth passed September 26, 2004. They are interred at Upper Valley Cemetery, Parkdale, Hood River County, Oregon.
On the trail of Bobby Clack / Bobby Clark
Oklahoma Vital Records index has Robert Louis Clack born January 3, 1926 in LeFlore County, Oklahoma. In the search boxes, enter his last name of "Clack" and a "1926" birth year: https://ok2explore.health.ok.gov/App/BirthSearch Newspaper articles:
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 (Courtesy of Boyd Magers) |  (Courtesy of Boyd Magers) On the left, a publicity still signed by Clark circa 1949, and above, Clark and Hoot Gibson during a post-World War II personal appearance. |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Ben Judell (1891 - 1974) formed Progressive Pictures, Producers Pictures, and PDC (Producers Distributing Corporation) in the 1930s, and above is PDC's 1939 - 1940 announcement. But his B film empire collapsed in 1940 due to financial issues. Pathé was among the creditors and the succession plan for Judell's companies resulted in the formation of Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). Judell was not part of that new PRC organization. Judell's 1939 - 1940 plans were for George Houston to star in eight Billy The Kid westerns. That didn't happen. Tim McCoy was scheduled for a series of eight. Those were completed and released in 1940 - 1941, initially under the PDC brand, and then under the PRC logo. And in late 1939, Bobby Clark was signed to star in eight 'Sagebrush Family' yarns, and the head of the clan was fast-talkin' Earle Hodgins as 'Doc' Sawyer. Their rationale for the SAGEBRUSH series may have been to create a western version of MGM's popular Hardy Family movies. Filmed in Prescott, Arizona in late 1939, THE SAGEBRUSH FAMILY TRAILS WEST (Producers Pictures/PDC, 1940) was the only film in the proposed series. SAGEBRUSH's producer was Sig Neufeld and his brother Sam Newfield directed (under his 'Peter Stewart' alias).  (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - lobby card from SAGEBRUSH FAMILY TRAILS WEST (Producers Pictures/PDC, 1940). L-to-R are Forrest Taylor (peering off), Nina Guilbert, Earle Hodgins, Bobby Clark, Joyce Bryant, Minerva Urecal, Archie Hall (wearing the badge), and unidentified player on the far right.  And note the billing for Bobby Clark as the "13-YEAR-OLD WORLD'S CHAMPION JUNIOR COWBOY" |
Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Bobby Clack: