Yes, Dear’ Star and Comedian Anthony Clark Dies at 62

Comedian and actor Anthony Clark, who starred in the long-running CBS sitcom Yes, Dear, has died at age 62 from complications related to pneumonia, according to Deadline.

His former co-star Mike O’Malley announced the death on social media, writing that Clark passed away on Tuesday. O’Malley shared a tribute recalling their decades-long friendship that began in the Boston stand-up comedy scene.

“Anthony Clark died yesterday. He was a hilarious guy,” O’Malley wrote on Instagram, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “We spoke on the phone three weeks ago. He had us laughing loudly as he always did. He invested his money well and essentially retired after we wrapped. Rest in peace, Tony.”

Boston Stand-Up Roots

Born on April 4, 1964, in Lynchburg, Virginia, Clark graduated from Emerson College in 1986 with a degree in mass communication, The Hollywood Reporter noted. During his college years, he won the Top College Comedian Award from the American Collegiate Talent Showcase. He launched his career in show business as a stand-up comic in Boston, where he regularly sold out shows at venues like The Comedy Connection.

In a 2006 interview with The Comic’s Comic cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Clark explained his passion for live performance. “I love stand-up because the reaction is immediate,” he said.

“There’s no director. There’s no writer. No producer. There’s just you. You just get out there and vent. I don’t know why people think I’m funny. But I’m glad they do. I don’t want to have a real job. I just want to hang out.”

Comedian Dane Cook recalled performing alongside Clark in Boston. “He was one of the best live acts I’ve ever seen,” Cook wrote in comments captured by Page Six. “Destroyed to a point he made you wanna quit right then and there while watching him do it effortlessly.”

Television and Film Career

Clark made his onscreen debut in a 1991 episode of American Playhouse, followed by film appearances in Dogfight and The Thing Called Love. He also played a flamboyant hairdresser in Michael Bay’s 1996 action film The Rock. That same year, he landed his first lead television role on the NBC comedy series Boston Common, which ran for two seasons.

His defining television role came in 2000 as Gregory “Greg” Warner on the CBS sitcom Yes, Dear. Created by Greg Garcia and Alan Kirschenbaum, the show centered on two young couples with contrasting views on parenting. Clark starred alongside O’Malley, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder across six seasons and 122 episodes before wrapping in 2006.

Yes, Dear executive producer Greg Garcia paid tribute to his late star, telling Deadline that Clark possessed “the most insane sense of humor of all of them.” Garcia added, “Over the last two or three years we had reconnected, and I always looked forward to our monthly phone calls where we would catch up and make each other laugh.”

Following the conclusion of Yes, Dear, Clark hosted the fourth season of NBC’s stand-up competition series Last Comic Standing in 2006. His additional acting credits included roles in Soul Man, Ellen, and Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.

Tributes From Fellow Comedians

Manager Barry Katz confirmed the death to TVLine, calling Clark “one of the funniest and most talented comedian/actors I have ever had the pleasure of watching.”

Comedian and actor Nick Swardson also honored his longtime friend on Instagram. “This is my friend Anthony Clark. One of my best friends for a long time … He was a massive stand up out of Boston and I opened for him for years,” Swardson wrote, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“I had so many great times with this dude. Non stop laughs. I hope he is at peace now. RIP Tony.”