Gris List: Macon’s Blake Clark still making us laugh

This week marks the anniversary of “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” — the final episode of the CBS television series “M*A*S*H” on Feb. 28, 1983. 

For 27 years — from 1983 to 2010 —  the two-and-a-half hour episode was the highest-watched show (105.97 million viewers) in U.S history. 

It remains the most-watched single episode of a TV series.  The only television events with more viewers have been the Super Bowls, the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 and President Richard Nixon’s resignation speech in 1974. 

Macon native Blake Clark, a nationally known comedian and film star, was a member of the cast. Clark, a Vietnam War veteran, played the role of an MP (military police) in the episode.

A 1964 graduate of Macon’s Lanier High School, Clark is a veteran of 54 films and 49 television shows. 

Here are some tidbits about the Macon actor in the event  you’re ever a contestant on “Jeopardy!” 

• Since 2010, he has provided the voice of “Slinky the Dog” in the “The Toy Story” movies, taking over for his friend, Jim Varney, who died 25 years ago this month. “Toy Story 5” is in production and scheduled to be released next year.
• Clark  has been cast in the role of “Daddy John” in Leanne Morgan’s upcoming Netflix comedy series, “Leanne,” which will make its debut this year.
• He played “Harry the Hardware Guy” in the series “Home Improvement,” and Chet Hunter, the father of one of the main characters in “Boy Meets World.’’ Like “M*A*S*H,’’ he was in the series finale for both of those shows.
• In two episodes of “The Drew Carey Show,’’ Clark was Carey’s redneck neighbor, Jules Lambermont, whose wife, Millie, was played by another Macon native, Cassie Yates, best known as Sarah Curtis on “Dynasty.’’
• He was born on Feb. 2, 1946 (Groundhog Day) and earlier this month celebrated his 79th birthday.
• Clark has appeared in nine Adam Sandler films — “The Waterboy,’’ “Mr. Deeds,’’ “50 First Dates,’’ “Little Nicky,’’ “Eight Crazy Nights,’’ “Bedtime Stories,’’ “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,’’ “Grown Ups” and “That’s My Boy.’’
• Clark was captain of the football team at Lanier. His father, the late Lem Clark, was a legendary baseball coach at the school and was posthumously inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
• He was an Army lieutenant with the 101st Airborne Division. He later developed a stand-up comedy routine based on his experiences in Vietnam. As part of his act, he often joked that when he was in Vietnam, he had flashbacks of Macon.
• Clark graduated from Lanier in 1964. Another nationally known comedian — Durwood “Mr. Doubletalk” Fincher —  graduated the following year.
• His film debut was 40 years ago in “St. Elmo’s Fire ” in 1985. He played the role of Wally.
• In 1989, Clark appeared in the movie “Fast Food” with former Macon actress and model Randi Layne.
• His voice has been featured in four video games.
• Along with Jeff Foxworthy, he was part of a showcase of stand-up comedians on the “Redneck Comedy Roundup.’’

In an interview with A to Z Entertainment talent agency, he once claimed he preferred to keep a low-profile during his career. “Some people do a couple of ‘Tonight Shows’ and — bam — they’re on the cover of People (magazine),’’ he said.  “I’ve done 22 ‘Tonight Shows,’ two HBO Comedy Specials and nobody knows who I am. That takes work.”