Candy Clark
Candace June Clark (born June 20, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Debbie Dunham in the 1973 film American Graffiti, for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 46th Academy Awards, and her role as Mary-Lou in the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Candy Clark

Paramount Pictures · eBay · Public domain
- Name
- Candy Clark
- Birth Name
- Candace June Clark
- Born
- 20 June 1947
- Birthplace
- Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.
- Education
- Green B.
- Known for
- * American Graffiti
- Occupation
- * Actress
- Nationality
- United States
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Documentary summary
Candace June Clark (born June 20, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Debbie Dunham in the 1973 film American Graffiti, for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 46th Academy Awards, and her role as Mary-Lou in the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q40067 · wikipedia · Candy Clark
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Candy Clark • Birth Name — Candace June Clark • Born — 20 June 1947 • Birthplace — Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. • Education — Green B. Trimble Technical High School • Known for — * American Graffiti • Blue Thunder • The Man Who Fell to Earth • Occupation — * Actress • model • Years Active — 1972–present
Early life
Early life
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.
Career
Career
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.
Personal life
Personal life
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.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1972 — Room 222 — Andrea Martin — Episode: "The Witch of Whitman High" • 1973 — The — Julie Potter — Episode: "The Case of the Prodigal Prophet" • Banacek — Gretel — Episode: "No Stone Unturned" • 1973–1974 — Insight — Ginny — 2 episodes • 1974 — The New Dick Van Dyke Show — Pamela Sherry — Episode: "The Hickey" • 1976 — James Dean — Chris White — TV film • 1979 — Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill — Sharee • 1980 — Where the Ladies Go — Charlene • Rodeo Girl — J.R. Patterson • 1982 — Faerie Tale Theatre — Queen Gwynneth — Episode: "The Tale of the Frog Prince" • Johnny Belinda — Julie Sayles — TV film • 1983 — Cocaine and Blue Eyes — Ruthann Gideon • 1984 — I Gave at the Office — Julie • 1985–1986 — Magnum, P.I. — Leslie "Scooter" Emory — 2 episodes • 1986 — Simon & Simon — Cotton — Episode: "Act Five" • Popeye Doyle — Corinne Evans — TV film • Starman — Shannon McGovern — Episode: "Like Father, Like Son" • Hunter — Jody Stone — Episode: "Crime of Passion" • 1987 — The — Cheryl Barnes — Episode: "Secret Ingredient" • Brothers — Candy — Episode: "There's a Lid for Every Pot" • Matlock — Kitty Carroll — Episode: "The Country Boy" • 1988 — St. Elsewhere — Harry — Episode: "Their Town" • 1990 — Father Dowling Mysteries — Iris Blackman — Episode: "The Passionate Painter Mystery" • 1992 — The — Marlene — TV film • 1995 — The — Eileen Cates — Episode: "Ex-Corpus Delicti" • Baywatch Nights — Julie Young — Episode: "Just a Gigolo" • 2006 — Mystery Woman: Redemption — Kathy Starkwell — TV film • 2012–2025 — Criminal Minds — Sandy Jareau — 4 episodes • 2013 — On Cinema — Herself — Episode: "The First Annual On Cinema Oscar Special" • 2016 — Roadside Stars — Grandma Lambert — TV film • 2017 — Twin Peaks — Doris Truman — 2 episodes
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1947
Candy Clark was born on 20 June 1947.
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1972 — Fat City — Faye Murdock • 1973 — American Graffiti — Debbie Dunham — Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress • 1976 — I Will, I Will... for Now — Sally Bingham • The — Mary-Lou • 1977 — Handle with Care — Pam "Electra" Armbruster • 1978 — The — Camilla Sternwood • 1979 — When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? — Cheryl • More American Graffiti — Debbie Dunham • Starcrash — Stella Star — English version, voice • 1982 — National Lampoon's Movie Madness — Susan Cooper • Q — Joan • 1983 — Blue Thunder — Kate • Amityville 3-D — Melanie • 1984 — Hambone and Hillie — Nancy Rollins • 1985 — Cat's Eye — Sally Ann Cressner • 1986 — At Close Range — Mary Sue Whitewood • 1988 — The — Fran Hewitt • Blind Curve — Mimi • 1991 — Cool as Ice — Grace Winslow • 1992 — Deuce Coupe — Jean Fitzpatrick • Original Intent — Jessica Cameron • Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Joyce Summers • 1997 — Niagara, Niagara — Sally • 2000 — Cherry Falls — Marge Marken • 2002 — The — Tina • 2007 — Zodiac — Carol Fisher • 2008 — Dog Tags — Deb Merritt • 2009 — The Informant! — Mrs. Whitacre • Cry of the Mummy — Jane Torquemada — Short • 2011 — Bob's New Suit — Aunt Tootie • 2016 — Cold Moon — Evelyn Larkin • 2018 — 5 Weddings — Claudia Burrell • Two Girls — Adult Ida — Voice • 2019 — Five Old Comedy Writers Talking Sh*t — Actress — Short • 2023 — Amends of the Father — Michele Kantino
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Candy Clark”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q40067: Candy Clark
Unverified · Wikidata
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Production — Result • 1973 — Academy Awards — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress — American Graffiti

American Graffiti Actress Candy Clark at the 2009 Sacramento Autorama.
Nick Ares from Auburn, CA, United States · Candy Clark
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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