Oliver Clark (born Richard Mardirosian; January 4, 1939) is an American character actor.

Early life

Clark was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Afro (née Karahos) and Matthew Mardirosian. He is of Armenian heritage. His brother, Tom Mardirosian, is also an actor.

Career

Clark made numerous appearances in film and television, particularly in the 1970s (notably as Mr. Farcus in the 1970 movie The Landlord, as Mr. Small in the 1971 film They Might Be Giants, and in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born). Two of his best-known TV characters were John Doe #6 on the NBC drama St. Elsewhere, a likeable and humorous psychiatric patient, and Mr. Herd, a patient of psychologist Bob Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show, a long running CBS situation comedy. He played Mr. Belding in the original pilot of the series Good Morning, Miss Bliss but was subsequently replaced by Dennis Haskins. Clark also played Roger Barton on an episode of The Golden Girls, and played Joe Carruthers, the man who later becomes Santa Claus, in the holiday comedy film Ernest Saves Christmas. He portrayed his Santa role again in the 1996 animated Christmas in Cartoontown. Clark also appeared on two episodes of M, once as Hawkeye's college buddy, a Navy doctor on board an aircraft carrier off the Korean coast. Later Clark played another Benjamin Pierce who came to the 4077th to retrieve mail that Hawkeye had received in an Army mixup. Clark also played roles on Barney Miller, appearing in six episodes. He was a regular on the 1975 situation comedy Karen. In 1977, he appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. In 1995, he had a guest appearance on the sitcom Full House as DJ Tanner's (Candace Cameron-Bure) high school principal, Mr. Robolard, in the eighth-season episode "Up on the Roof".

Filmography

Film

Television