Lights, Camera, and Comedy

This is the sixth installment of my Admins of Influence blog. After much debate about whether to write this story in my typical storytelling style or try something different, I decided to go with something a bit different.

You see, as thrilled as I was to find articles and interviews about or with my next paragon, they were limited in scope. I grew frustrated at the lack of biographical information available (even her IMDb page had inaccurate data). Her interviews are educational, but again, they focus mainly on her executive, not her life's work. At 90 years old, my subject, Wanda Clark, is still very much alive and still a true raconteur.

I imagine being the assistant for the larger-than-life Lucille Ball had some difficult but amazing moments. Lucy was known for being very thorough and exact in her work. Her hilarious slapstick comedy was rehearsed for days before the actual live audience show. After her divorce from Desi Arnaz, she became the first woman to run a major television production studio. I am sure the pressure to prove herself, especially in the 1960's was high. Desi had taken their mutually shared assistant when they separated, leaving Lucille without administrative support. Wanda mentions in one of her interviews that Lucy said, "What do I need a secretary for? I just do my job." She quickly realized, after being asked about her schedule, that she, indeed, did need a secretary. This is where Clark came into the picture.

I struggled to find significant details about her personal life. This may be because little attention was (and is still) given to those who work behind the scenes, or it may be because Clark herself is a very private person. Either way, I was able to surmise that Clark is a kind, humble, and gracious person. Listening to her recordings, you can feel the pure joy she feels as she reminisces about the "good old days." Even 35 years after the death of Lucille Ball, Wanda Clark is still the ever-dedicated assistant and biggest fan of her boss. She spoke only of the highest regard for Lucy, her family, and her experiences. And, oh, the experiences she had! Clark met each actor who appeared in Lucille Ball's shows and movies. Clark even appeared as a typist in one of Ball's Here's Lucy episodes.

Clark grew up in the Midwest. In the 1950s, realizing she wanted better opportunities, she moved to California and lived with her sister and brother-in-law, who were stationed at an Air Force base. Shortly after her family moved back to Oklahoma, she moved to LA where she took a job at LOOK magazine as a secretary in the advertising department. She says her role was like the real-world version of the television series Mad Men. After her stint at LOOK, she moved on to other administrative jobs across TV and radio. When her last TV series was canceled, she called her good friend Cleo Smith from LOOK magazine to see if she knew of any job openings. Smith just happened to be the cousin to the I Love Lucy star. As Clark puts it, she never had to interview for the job. Cleo trusted Wanda, and Lucy trusted Cleo's opinion, so she was hired on the spot. Clark showed up a few days later at Ball's house to help with an interview and never looked back. Clark assisted Ball for 28 years, until Ball's death in 1989. Clark has remained close with Lucy's children, who call her family; she was even the Maid of Honor at Lucie Arnaz's wedding.

There is so much more I could say regarding the actress and her assistant's close relationship, but most of the stories highlight Ball's life more than Clark's. I want to stay true to my blog and keep the spotlight on someone who spent most of her time behind the camera. This duo is a great example of what an impact on the world mutual respect and compassion, sprinkled with a little pazazz and lots of laughter can make.