Person Biography:
Buddy Clark was born in the Westend of Boston, Massachusetts. Growing up, he had a strong interest in sports, bodybuilding, and exercising, with a dream to become a professional baseball player. However, his love for music took precedence, and he began singing at local gatherings and pubs. Neighbors and friends supported him, and he eventually started performing with local Boston bands.
At 27, Sam Goldberg (Buddy's birth name) was singing at a local wedding when he was discovered by David Lilienthal, a furrier, who became his mentor and helped him launch his professional career as a band vocalist and radio star. Buddy appeared on a Boston radio show sponsored by I.J. Fox for nine years, making him a well-known figure in the city.
He later moved to New York City, where he joined the Benny Goodman band and made his big band singing debut on the "Let's Dance" radio show. Buddy worked hard to achieve his musical goals, supplementing his vocal activity by appearing on transcription discs with famous big bands.
Buddy's success led to opportunities in Hollywood, where he was hired to sing for actor Jack Haley in the 1937 movie "Wake Up and Live." He also had his own radio show, "Here's to Romance," and appeared in the 1942 film "Seven Days Leave" alongside Lucille Ball and Victor Mature.
Buddy made numerous hit records, many with Xavier Cugat's orchestra, earning him the title of the "Contented Crooner." Despite his fame and fortune, he remained humble and never forgot his roots, returning to Boston every year to perform for friends and fans.
Buddy Clark enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he sang with military bands until his discharge in 1945. After the war, he resumed his career, earning over $100,000 a year and becoming a top-ranking celebrity.
Buddy married twice, first to Louise Dahl, with whom he had three children, and then to Nedra Stevens, with whom he had one daughter, Penelope, who tragically died in 1950.
Buddy's life was cut short in a plane crash on October 1, 1949, bringing an abrupt end to his illustrious career.
