Comedian and television actor Anthony Clark, best known for his roles in the sitcoms “Yes, Dear” and “Boston Common,” has died at 62.
News of his death was confirmed on Nov. 11 by his former “Yes, Dear” co-star and longtime friend Mike O’Malley. Clark died on Nov. 10 from complications of pneumonia.
“Anthony Clark died yesterday,” O’Malley captioned a photo of the two on Instagram. “He was a hilarious guy. When my wife Lisa and I were dating back in the mid-nineties, Anthony was already famous in Boston, regularly selling out comedy shows.”
“He was so unique—one of those comics who is laughing along with you at the absurdity of his stories and observations and it just made you laugh harder because he was laughing,” O’Malley continued. “I was a fan before I was a friend. We spoke on the phone three weeks ago. He had us laughing loudly as he always did.”
Born in 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia, Clark developed a passion for entertainment through stand-up comedy. He attended Emerson College in Boston, establishing his performance skills before entering the city’s comedy circuit.
One of his early major television roles came with NBC’s “Boston Common,” which aired from 1996 to 1997. He later appeared in the sitcom “Soul Man,” where he portrayed Rev. Todd Tucker.
Clark reached a wider audience in the 2000s with the CBS sitcom “Yes, Dear.” He portrayed Greg Warner, a successful entertainment executive whose carefully organized family life was frequently disrupted by the arrival of his sister-in-law Christine and her husband Jimmy, played by Liza Snyder and O’Malley. The series ran for six seasons, concluding in 2006 after 122 episodes.
Beyond television comedy, his credits include film roles in “Dogfight,” “The Thing Called Love,” and the action blockbuster “The Rock.” He also appeared on “Sesame Street” and had a recurring role on “Ellen.”
In 2006, Clark hosted season four of the NBC stand-up competition series “Last Comic Standing.”
His last recorded screen credit came in 2019, when he appeared in a single episode of the television drama “West of Liberty.”
Following news of his death, tributes began pouring in from fellow comedians and colleagues. Comedian Nick Swardson remembered Clark as a close friend, recalling years of shared laughter and memorable experiences together.
“This is my friend Anthony Clark,” Swardson wrote alongside an Instagram photo of the pair. “One of my best friends for a long time.”
“He was a massive stand up out of Boston and I opened for him for years,” he continued. “I had so many great times with this dude. Non stop laughs. I hope he is at peace now. RIP Tony.”
His longtime manager, Barry Katz, also praised his talent and the happiness that he brought to audiences, loved ones and colleagues.
“Anthony Clark was one of my first clients,” Katz wrote in an Instagram post. “Arguably one of the funniest people that I have ever met in my lifetime. And also one of the most talented actors.”
