Frederick was born on 19 March 1914, the son of Frederick Clark and Stella Bruce, Lincoln, California.
He was educated at Stanford University and initially aspired towards a medical career, but after appearing in a college play, "Yellow Jack", he was enthralled with acting. He eventually won a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts where he trained. He became involved in summer stock and community theatre and by 1938 was making his Broadway debut. It was here where he was "discovered" by director Michael Curtiz, who cast him in his first film.
His first wife, whom he married in 1952, was Benay Venuta, the musical comedy actress, whom he met when both were appearing in "Lght Up the Sky" in Los Angeles.
After becoming established in Hollywood, he exited films temporarily to star on the London stage in "Never Too Late," and on Broadway starred in "Romanoff and Juliet," in 1957, and again in 1963, in "Absence of a Cello.
His marriage ended in a divorce in August 1962. He then married Gloria Glaser, a model, in 1966, and they were together to his death on 5 December 1968, at age 54.
Benay was born on 27 Jan 1911, as Benvenuta Rose Crook in San Francisco, California. She said her grandfather sent her to a finishing school in Geneva. She dropped out (but not before learning French and Italian), went off to London and came home in 1929 to discover her family was broke.
