Buddy Clark was a likable, versatile singer whose career was cut short at the age of 37 by an airplane crash on October 2, 1949, at 9 p.m. PST. 

In November Of 1946. Before His Untimely Death, Everyone Was Humming Or Singing Buddy Clark’s Big Hit Song, ‘LINDA’.  It Was The Number One Hit Song In America At That Era Of Time. 

The True Story Of The Crash That Took Buddy Clark’s Life, And Injured 

Five Others On The Twin Engine Cessnas. 

The strange part of this freaky accident was that no one else on the
plane was reported to have died, nor was there any one on Beverly
Boulevard reported hurt. James L. Hayter, pilot of the chartered twin
engine Cessnas plane who suffered chest injuries gave his explanation of
the crash: He was attempting to land the plane at suburban Burbank, Ca.,
because of a low supply of fuel when it ran into overcast. When it
emerged. He said, he didn’t know where he was.  "I switched on the
emergency fuel tank just before we got over Los Angeles." he said. 
"When she started sputtering I thought the fuel line might have been
clogged, but later I figured we were out of gas. I just picked a spot
and set her down." 

The plane clipped branches from treetops and sheeredoff two power lines.  Directly over Beverly Blvd., it lost its tailassembly and crashed. Four of the passengers were tossed clear of the wreckage by the impact. Despite the heavy traffic on the Beverly Blvd.,the California police regarded the crash a little short of a miracle that the plane landed on Beverly Blvd., without causing greater damage,and drivers below pulled to the curb upon seeing the plane over-head. 

 

One parked truck was hit by a piece of the plane, but no one was in the 

truck at the time about 9 p.m. PST.  

 

Buddy Clark’s real name was "Samuel Goldberg," he was born 1912 in 

Dorchester, Mass., a suburban city of Boston, and grew up in the 

Westend, of Boston. As a youngster, he expressed strong interests in 

sports, body building, exercising, and one of his big dreams was to 

become a professional baseball player. Buddy even had plans to become a 

lawyer. He attended Northeastern Law School, in Boston. A Strong Love 

For Music However, his love for music was stronger than his dreams of 

becoming a pro baseball player or an attorney.  

 

As a young boy Buddy sang as often as he could at gatherings, and in what today’s times would becalled ‘joints’ -- local pubs, where the floors of the local pubs, andbarrooms were covered with sawdust. He often times sang just to earn enough to pay for a square meal. Neighbors, and friends, who heard thisyoung lad sing, were supportive, whether he sang on the streets or in a pub…he was well liked. It wasn’t long before Buddy was appearing withlocal Boston bands, singing his heart out to supportive loyal Boston 

Fans.  

 

At 17 years old the young Sam Goldberg was singing at a local wedding in 

Boston, when he was heard by David Lilienthal a proprietor of Boston’s 

leading furriers I. J. FOX, located on Washington St., in Boston. Sam 

became a protégé of Mr. Lilienthal who arranged music lessons for him 

and started him off on a professional career as a band vocalist and 

radio star. He appeared for nine years on a Boston radio show, sponsored 

by I.J. Fox, the company owned by Mr. David Lilienthal. Sam made two 

evening broadcasts, and sang six days a week on morning shows.  

 

Sam was now on his way to a new musical career with his own Boston radio show, with a new name, where he was billed as BUDDY CLARK, … a name that had more of a show business flair than his own. It wasn’t too long that the Buddy Clark stylish unique baritone voice was catching on to local audiences in his own home state of Massachusetts. Within a few years after his successful Boston radio show, he was now ready to tackle the big ‘Apple’, … New York City, where singers often went to seek their 

musical careers, by joining the big bands…And Buddy was no exception.  

In 1934, he made his big band singing debut career, in earnest as a 

vocalist, with the Benny Goodman band on the "Let’s Dance" Radio Show. 

 

Buddy was billed on several other top radio shows. Including the "Hit 

Parade" from 1936 to 1939. Buddy worked hard to achieve his musical 

goals. He even supplemented his vocal activity by appearing, often times 

unaccredited, on the transcription discs recorded with such giants of 

the big band era as Fred Rich, Archie Blyer, Freddy Martin, Lud Gluskin, 

Nat Brandywynne, and other popular bands of the radio stations that 

couldn’t afford to have a live music program of their own.  

 

In fact, Buddy Clark’s renown as a "Ghost Singer" was such that film producerDarryl F. Zanuck hired him to do the singing for actor Jack Haley in "Wake Up And Live," a 1937 movie about a popular radio singer who gets"Mike Fright." The Hollywood welcome mat was now laid down for Buddy. Hewas offered his own radio show, called, "Here’s To Romance," and he even played a small cameo role in the 1942 film "Seven Days Leave," which starred two of Hollywood’s leading stars, Lucille Ball and Victor Mature. He also sang for actor Mark Stevens in the musical hit "I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now."  

 

Buddy made scores of hit records, many of them with Xavier Cugat’s 

orchestra. The balding Clark who didn’t care whether he lost his hair or 

not, earned the title of the "Contented Crooner," partly because of his 

radio sponsor on the "Carnation Contented" program, and also because of his appeal to the bobby-sox fans. He didn’t care if his fans swooned 

when he sang. He was noted in saying: "Just so they keep buying my 

records. I’m getting old and bald, and I’m not the type to make them 

squeal and I have no burning ambition to be a movie hero."  

 

Although fame and fortune came to Buddy Clark, in the 30’s and 40’s, he 

was one who never forgot where he came from as a struggling singer of 

Boston. Every year he would return back to the West End of Boston and 

perform for friends, and fans alike. Jacob Burnes at the time was an 

official of the ‘West End House on Blossom St., in Boston, where Clark 

was an alumnus of the famous West End House. Burnes recalled: "The young singer was a good looking boy, an excellent debater and a fine athlete. He was the catcher on the West End House baseball team and was on the basketball team."  

 

Buddy Clark put his career on hold by enlisting into the U.S. Army for 

three years during World War II. While serving his country, Buddy sang 

with many of the military bands until his discharge in 1945, in which he 

resumed his career. For the last ten years of his singing career as a 

super star in radio and a top ranking celebrity of the juke boxes, he 

had lived in an aura of success while earning over a $100,000 a year, 

which in those days would be equivalent to millions of dollars to 

popular singers of the 1990’s and now of the 2000's. 

Mrs. Lorraine Parretti, Of Milford, Mass., And Raymond De Simone, of
Lexington, Mass., Who Helped Make This Story Possible. Without their
assistance, this story would not have been possible. They Both Donated
Their Time In Researching The Archives Of Buddy Clark, With Me At The Boston Public Library, In Copley Square, Boston.