Clifford David


Clifford David was an American actor, singer, and coach. His career began in the 1950s, with early live television appearances leading to roles in Broadway musicals. He also played character roles in television series, feature films, and theatre.

Early life

David was born in Toledo, Ohio, the youngest son of Farris and Lily. His uncle was Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan Samuel David of Toledo.

Career

A protégé of Lee Strasberg, David made his Broadway debut as Scipio in Albert Camus' Caligula directed by Sidney Lumet. He also played Pasquale in The Aspern Papers, directed by Margaret Webster, Antipholus in the 1963 Off-Broadway revival The Boys from Syracuse, Laertes in Joseph Papp's Hamlet, and Lord Byron in the Lincoln Center production of Tennessee Williams' Camino Real with Al Pacino.
A member of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, Clifford's filmography includes Invitation to a Gunfighter, Resurrection, and M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. As an accomplished pianist, he was cast as Beethoven in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
A member of the Actors Studio from 1962, David worked with many of the greats of American theater, film, and television. He told stories of drinking with Richard Burton and shopping with Marilyn Monroe. He was working with Monroe on a play entitled The Cat, adapted from a Colette novel by Arthur Miller, when she died.
David was featured in the principal casts and on the original studio albums of such Broadway musicals as Wildcat with Lucille Ball, 1776, with William Daniels, Alan Jay Lerner's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Other feature film credits include The Last Mile, The Party's Over with Oliver Reed, Riot, The Betsy, with Laurence Olivier, Fort Apache, The Bronx with Paul Newman, and The Exorcist III.
He was seen on television in the miniseries Blind Ambition, as well as in political dramas Fear on Trial and Missiles of October with Martin Sheen. He appeared in episodes of Bonanza, The Big Valley, Charlie's Angels, Mary Tyler Moore, Murphy Brown, Party of Five, Murder, She Wrote, Will & Grace, and Law & Order.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1957Street of SinnersTom
1959The Last MileRichard Walters
1964Invitation to a GunfighterCrane Adams
1965HamletLaertes
1965The Party's OverCarson
1969RiotMary Sheldon
1978The BetsyJoe
1980ResurrectionGeorge
1981Fort Apache, The BronxDacey
1986Agent on IceKirkpatrick
1989Bill & Ted's Excellent AdventureBeethoven
1990The Exorcist IIIDr. Bruno
1991PyratesAdvisor
2002SignsColumbia University Professor
2004KinseyProfessor Smithson

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969The Big ValleyBill Stokley / Rich Stokely1 episode
1971IronsideJoe Julian1 episode
1972BonanzaMr. EvansEpisode: "The Hidden Enemy"
1974The Mary Tyler Moore ShowDavid Boyd1 episode
1974The Missiles of OctoberTheodore Sorensen, White House CounselTV movie
1975Fear on TrialHallTV movie
1979Blind AmbitionFred FieldingTV miniseries
1978Charlie's AngelsGordon Roclair1 episode
1986The EqualizerCharles WebberEpisode: "Unpunished Crimes"
1995Murder, She WroteClaude Faragere1 episode
1996Party of FiveMr. Olmstead1 episode
1998Murphy BrownMan1 episode
2003Will & GraceHotel Manager1 episode
2001Law & Order: Criminal IntentRalph KozinskiEpisode: "Art"
2005Law & OrderOwswald JacksonEpisode: "Sects"