Robert Nolan Clark
He played in Doveed Linder‘s Dollar Baby Strawberry Spring as an Detective.
SKSM: Tell us about yourself, who is Robert Nolan Clark and what do you do or have you done?
Robert Nolan Clark: I am of many hats…i like to think of myself as a former on air radio personality in my 20s was working as a dental technician for 13 years sales man and manager for many years took a college course in 95 under the Muny First Stage …the critique was you have some talent you might be able to get work in this town…you might explore that…
SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?
Robert Nolan Clark: I did at first a few stage play at Webster Groves and around town experiences but i didn’t enjoy the over acting aspect of acting to the back row… i decided to see if i could get into some local independent films…so i listed with Kim Swanson’s owner of Hanson Entertainment…eventually i was cast in many commercials local, then regional and finally a couple of national spotsenjoyed the work and easy money…meanwhile was picked up by Talent Plus and eventually worked up to become a SAG/ AFTRA union actor…worked for 18 years as an actor before retiring from it…
SKSM: How did you become involved with Strawberry Spring?
Robert Nolan Clark: Doveed Linder and i met through a mutual friend, because he found out we had a mutual passion for the world of boxing. He was working on the feature film “Defiance” and invited me to the set to watch production…of course The young Doveed had already built a reputation as a young Hitchcock/Stephen King type prodigy so i jumped at the opportunity to meet him.
When i got there i was brought right to the set and introduced to Doveed. They had just wrapped shooting one scene and was setting up for the next…we were introduced and his first words were…”So who so you think would win if the prime Ali fought the prime Tyson”…i gave him my personal view of how the fantasy scenario would breakdown, it was the beginning of a wonderful friendship…Then he asked me if i would like to act in the film…of course i did.
Evidently he was happy with my work on the “Defiance” film…so later he was shooting another project called “Strawberry Spring” (a Stephen King short story) and of course i knew shooting with Doveed was always going to turn out to be a quality project…the only reason i did the project was because i wanted to work with the director…he already had a reputation that he was going places…
SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?
Robert Nolan Clark: Talented story telling delivering classic stories of the macabre, thriller, plot twists, and yet creepy in a way that draws people then team that up with the proven story writing skills of the master of Scary-Stephen King…it becomes the perfect storm so to speak…but i am a big fan of Doveed Linder as a writer/director…
SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?
Robert Nolan Clark: I was cast in the film without knowing anything about it and didn’t know what i would be doing other than a detective…everything was hush hush…
SKSM: You worked with Doveed Linder on this film, how was that?
Robert Nolan Clark: Like so many directors can be…he gets the most out of both his cast and crew…he is an incredible communicator…knowing what he wants in a performance and how to communicate his ideas to those that can and will help him accomplish his vision…he is a good man and very talented…
SKSM: What are you thinking of the end result of the film?
Robert Nolan Clark: Doveed’s surprise endings in every one of his films are fun for fans of that type of film to anticipate..they arent disappointed here either…
SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time?
Robert Nolan Clark: –
SKSM: What do you think about the idea that Strawberry Spring is still submitted to Film Festivals after 22 years?
Robert Nolan Clark: The fact that Doveed Linder’s “Strawberry Spring” still is popular (22 years later) and perhaps even more so now, is a testament to Doveed’s reputation.
SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment in the movie that you would like to tell me about?
Robert Nolan Clark: The set was surreal and i remember there were college students (on the campus of Washington University in St Louis) there that signed waivers to be background extras and there was a group of girls there that wanted to go Hollywood on the set…anyway some of the girls were so on edge because honestly they were creeped out by the feel of the set…i thought it was funny…Doveed has a way of creating a vibe for a project…he knew that he was going to cast me into a role i could do without deep prep work…and i trusted his judgement
SKSM: What did you do after Strawberry Spring?
Robert Nolan Clark: I worked on “Strawberry Spring” at the very beginning of my 18 years of serious acting i continued for most of 2 decades…it was a good learning experience…
SKSM: What are you working nowadays?
Robert Nolan Clark: Now am happily married living in the Philippines, i am a full time preacher of the good news of the Kingdom Of Jehovah God,
SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?
Robert Nolan Clark: Stephen King is not my type of thing… However i do understand how talented he is…but i am a big fan of Doveed Linder…
SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Robert Nolan Clark: I love to write poetry and was almost hired to teach acting in one of the local colleges here in the Philippines…
SKSM: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Robert Nolan Clark: In 5 years i hope to be doing what i love, serving the true God Jehovah, encouraging people with the truth of the promises of Jehovah on the future of mankind.
SKSM: What advice would you give to those people who want to be actor?
Robert Nolan Clark: My advice for any who want to become actors… we all wear many faces…there are many styles, many techniques to accomplish becoming an actor…i believe that the best actors to ever live were probably lost to obscurity, never given the opportunity to shine or never were discovered…for every success story in the realm of acting, there are multitudes who never discovered, that is the reality…if you wish to act…don’t take roles that make you feel compromised…have integrity, be true to yourself, study people, their reactions…remember acting honestly is primarily reacting honestly… remember when you portray a character you will not be believable if you dont believe it yourself, you will be unable to give repeatable performance if you do not act within the.reality of who you really are, so be within your sustainable character…
Remember in order for a viewer to suspend their disbelief, they must forget that you are an actor…in order to accomplish that one must convince themselves they are the person they wish to portray, that person in reality. Acting is first achieved in the theatre of the mind and is exuded as a natural consequence…study practice and have passion and do as the wise King Solomon said in the Bible book of Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going.”
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything else you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Robert Nolan Clark: Dont dwell on the past cant change it, don’t dwell on the future it may never come…this moment this day may be your last, be thankful, live honestly, love, learn to give and forgive that it may be given and forgiven to you…
SKSM: Do you like something to add?
Robert Nolan Clark: Thank you for the privilege to share my thoughts concerning my wonderful experience collaborating with the talented Writer Director Doveed Linder…i am glad he is getting this recognition, he deserves it and more.
