Illness and Death
In 1988, Clark was diagnosed with bone cancer. He continued announcing for Wheel of Fortune for as long as he was able to up until the end of the 1987–1988 season. During that time, hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White announced the fee plugs on the syndicated version. When he was away, Charlie O'Donnell and Johnny Gilbert began filling in as substitute announcers.
Clark died on July 21, 1988 at the age of 62, just before production of the 1988–1989 season was to begin, and is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. He had requested that O'Donnell return to take his place, but since O'Donnell was not available due to his prior obligations with Chuck Barris Productions, Los Angeles-area disc jockey M.G. Kelly announced from mid-1988 to February 1989, when O'Donnell returned to the show.
Read more about this topic: Jack Clark (television Personality)
Famous quotes containing the words illness and/or death:
“To you illness is negligible. You have learned that you can dominate yourself. You know that your body lags, but your soul proceeds upon its triumphant way.”
—Alice Foote MacDougall (1867–1945)
“If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honor in one eye, and death i’th’ other,
And I will look on both indifferently;
For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honor more than I fear death.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)