Fred Clark

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Biography:  Fred was a character actor who appeared in scads of TV shows and movies.  He was not the first actor to play Harry Morton on the Burns & Allen TV show.  Hal March and John Brown came before him.  Every time an actor took the mantle of Harry Morton, the character changed dramatically.  Never was there as sharp of change in the Harry Morton character than when Fred Clark played him.  He was, without a doubt, the most distinct and, in my opinion, the best of the actors.  I'm a huge, HUGE fan of Larry Keating (who played Harry Morton after Fred did), but Fred made the most interesting character.

    When Fred came, Harry Morton was a big guy.  In one episode, Blanche remarks that he's 6' 2".  Other sources say 6' 1".  In any case, he was tall for the times and towered over the other cast members.  He was bald-headed, mustachioed, with a permanently fixed grumpy expression on his face.  His Harry was fairly athletic and not real fat, but just a little pot belly on him.  Harry ate ALL the time.  As much as he ate, it was surprising that he wasn't fatter than he was.  Fred's Harry was fairly swift (he was, after all, a realtor), but childlike in personality.  He's not a terrible brute, just grumpy.

    It was also convincing, appearances wise, that he played husband to Blanche Morton.  They looked about the same age.  Actor Hal March looked way too young for actress Bea Benaderet.  John Brown was maybe about the right age, but looked just slightly too old.  Plus he was a shrimp and someone Blanche could've easily overpowered if she wanted to, although Brown's Harry was always on top.  Larry Keating, who came after Fred Clark, looked too old for Bea and too distinguished.  Blanche was a bit too plain and regular; down to earth.  I still love Larry on the show, greatly, but Fred's a bit closer to reality.  It also made sense that Harry, being married to Blanche, was a jock type.  He seemed the type she would've gone for.  Blanche herself had a bit of the cheerleader/school girl in her that would've been attracted to a big dope like Harry.

    Although maybe the most memorable Harry Morton, Fred Clark stayed with the show from 1951 to 1953.  Larry Keating, also an excellent, but different, Harry Morton picked up where he left off and stayed with the show until the series ended, and played the character again in the George Burns Show of 1958-1959.

    I would like to know much more about Fred Clark than I do.  If you can help, please CONTACT ME.

• Appeared irregularly on Broadway from 1938-1964.

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