Frank Howard Clark

Biography

A Pittsburgh native born on May 15, 1888, Frank Howard Clark traded Pennsylvania smoke for California sunshine and built a silent-era career spinning stories on horseback. Between clapperboards he churned out action-packed oaters—The Texas Tornado and Rough Ridin’ Red both galloped onto screens in 1928—while 1924’s Laughing at Danger proved he could wring thrills without a single spoken word. Director, scenarist, and serial mastermind, Clark kept the reels turning until the talkies took over; he died quietly in Los Angeles on January 19, 1962.