They might not be household names today, but in the early part of the 20th century, Clark and McCullough were among the most celebrated comedy teams of the stage and screen. The popular duo consisted of the wisecracking Bobby Clark, known for his trademark painted-on eyeglasses, and Paul McCullough, the straight man of the act, who was rarely seen without his toothbrush mustache and long fur coat.
First gaining prominence in the early 1900s, the pair remained together for over 30 years and appeared in more than 30 films together. The rare radio excerpt below will give you a rough idea of what their shtick was like.
Unfortunately, Clark and McCullough’s long partnership came to an abrupt and unexpected end in 1936. McCullough had apparently become unnerved by a car accident at the beginning of the year and suffered a nervous breakdown. Because of that, he spent a month in a Massachusetts sanitarium before being released on March 23. McCullough was supposed to be driven right home that evening, but was asked to stop at a barber shop on the way so that he could get a shave. The driver waited in the car as McCullough went inside, assuring him that he’d only be ten minutes.
According to initial reports, once the barber finished lathering up McCullough’s face, the comedian jumped out of his chair and forcibly grabbed the razor from the barber’s hand. At that point, McCullough proceeded to slit his own throat from ear to ear. He also evidently slashed both of his wrists, though it’s not clear which happened first. McCullough was rushed to Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford, where he was reported to be showing signs of improvement that same night.
Sadly, McCullough passed away from his wounds two days later. He was 52 years old. Clark, who’d been working on radio deals while awaiting his partner’s recovery, only made one more film following McCullough’s death and stayed a solo act for the rest of his career. He mostly performed in Broadway shows moving forward. Clark died 24 years after McCullough, on February 12, 1960, at the age of 71.
If you or a loved one is contemplating suicide, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can provide support and resources. The organization can also connect you to therapists in your area. You can call anytime at 1-800-273-8255. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, you can use your preferred relay service or dial 711 before calling the hotline.
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