Danny Lee Clark

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Danny Lee Clark (born May 21, 1964 in Zama, Kanagawa, Japan) is an American athlete, television personality, actor, and producer. He is best known for his role as gladiator Nitro on the TV show American Gladiators.

Dan Clark began his career as an athlete, playing football for San Jose State University where he was a standout defensive lineman. He then went on to play for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, and in the Professional European League.

Clark is best known from the game show American Gladiators, having worked on both the original version and the revival; from 1989-92, and again in 1994-95, he was the gladiator Nitro; during the original show's final season, he was the analyst for the show. In the 2008 revival, he is the coordinating producer for the show. The original series aired in over 40 countries, with reruns on USA Network, TNT, Spike, and currently ESPN Classic. The revival airs on NBC.

When American Gladiators returned to the U.S. airwaves on ESPN Classic on April 1st, 2007, the network aired a marathon of episodes. Clark was the on-air host for that marathon, telling behind-the-scenes stories and trivia about the series in between the episodes. Clark also conducted an ESPN chat session related with the show, where he announced that MGM was in consideration of a revival of the show, which began taping in November 2007 for 2008 broadcast.

After American Gladiators, Clark turned to acting, appearing in such motion pictures as Death Becomes Her, with Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, and Goldie Hawn; and Equilibrium, with Christian Bale. He has also guest starred in TV series including Ellen, Walker, Texas Ranger, "California Dreams", V.I.P., Married… with Children, Who's the Boss?, Saved by the Bell, and The Brothers García. He also did voice acting in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Clark was the writer/director/producer of the independent film Looking for Bruce. He has also written several screenplays for various studios, producers, and production companies, including a bio-pic Battle of Harlem, about the first African American police officer in the NYPD.

Clark has appeared on a variety of talk shows including: The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, Today, Live with Regis and Kathy Lee, Sally Jessy Raphael, and The Montel Williams Show. He has also graced the cover of TV Guide and numerous other magazines.

Clark enjoys all sports, yoga, acting, writing and martial arts (he has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do) and is often called on to perform his own stunts. Since 2002 he has also been a mentor in the Young Story Tellers program which is dedicated to increasing literacy among inner city youths. Clark makes his home in the Hollywood Hills and can often be found walking his Labrador Retriever, Ella, at nearby Runyon Canyon Park.

Clark was one of the contestants featured in the bull riding reality show, Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge, which premiered in August 2007 on CMT.

Clark mentioned during an April 2007 chat on ESPN.COM in promoting the ESPN Classic airings of the original American Gladiators that there was talk of reviving the show. In August 2007, NBC announced the show is being revived. Clark is a consultanting producer on the 2008 revival. ^[1][2]

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• Danny Lee Clark at the Internet Movie Database
• Unofficial Dan Clark Fansite
• Photo of Nitro
• Dan Clark's NFL player page
• Stats

Preceded by Lisa Malosky

American Gladiators co-host with Mike Adamle 1995-1996

Succeeded by New Hosts Hulk Hogan and Layla Ali Van Earl Wright, play-by-play 2008 Revival