Candy Clark

Clark was born in Norman, Oklahoma, to Ella (née Padberg) and Thomas Clark, a chef. She grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and attended Green B. Trimble Technical High School.

Clark's first acting role was the role of Andrea Martin in "The Witch of Whitman High", season 3 episode 21 of the television series Room 222 in 1972, then as the character of Faye Murdock in John Huston's film Fat City (1972). She also starred or acted in American Graffiti (1973), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), The Big Sleep (1978), More American Graffiti (1979), Q (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Amityville 3-D (1983), Cat's Eye (1985) and At Close Range (1986) and played the role of Francine Hewitt in The Blob (1988). She appeared in a very small role as Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson)'s mom Joyce in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992). She appeared in the 2009 film The Informant! as the mother of Mark Whitacre, played by Matt Damon. In 2011, Clark went to Berlin to work on the play Images of Louise Brooks directed by Sven Mundt.

Along with her film work, Clark also has made guest appearances on television series, including The Dating Game, Magnum, P.I., Banacek, Simon & Simon, Matlock, Baywatch Nights, Criminal Minds and Twin Peaks: The Return. Clark appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor podcast on January 20, 2017. Her 2025 memoir, Tight Heads, features her Polaroid photographs capturing her time during the New Hollywood era.

Clark dated Jeff Bridges for several years after they met on the set of Fat City in 1972. She was married to Marjoe Gortner from 1978 to 1979. She married Jeff Wald in 1987 and divorced him in 1988.

Film

Television