Other names Mamo Spouse James Rawley Years active 1935–1940 Books Except Their Sun | Name Mamo Clark Children James Rawley Jr Role Actress | |
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Movies Mutiny on the Bounty, Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Is, Air Devils, Wallaby Jim of the Islands Similar People Frank Lloyd, Ray Taylor, Charles Lamont | ||
Mamo Clark (December 6, 1914 – December 18, 1986), sometimes billed as Mamo, was a Hawaiian-born American actress and author.
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Early life
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, December 6, 1914, Mamo Clark sailed to the mainland United States on the SS Malolo on July 1, 1933 with her stepmother May Kaaolani Clark and father Joseph Kealakaimana Clark. Her stepmother was the daughter of John Adams Cummins. Her biological mother was Evelina Mahoe. Both her mother and stepmother were descendants of 15th-century Hawaiian chief Liloa and distant relatives of Kamehameha I.
On their voyage, the family brought their Massive 10' High Fong Inn Koa bed, the historical 14-foot-long spear and Mamos travel bag marked MKC, (MAMO KEAOKALANI CLARK) containing numerous documents and letters of her early life in Hollywood, CA. According to published documentation, the spear was known in the 19th century as being the Kamaka-Ai-Kanaka, "the eye-point that eats men". The spear was known by the Mahoe and Clark family ancestors to have been used in many famous Hawaiian battles and is mentioned in the book Except Their Sun, written by Mamo many years later. The book was copyrighted by her husband James M. Rawley in 1994 and published by the Abigail Kekaulike Kawananakoa Foundation the same year. The historic Koa Bed and the spear was acquired by Hawaiian historian Phillip Rimer of Las Vegas NV in the late 20th century and remained in his collection for over a decade. The Koa bed was privately purchased by Royal Hawaiian descendants. The spear was later acquired by a private collector along with numerous letters and documentation providing provenance of the journey and the book published by the Abigal Kekaulike Kawananakoa foundation in 1994.
The MKC bag containing many letters and historical artifacts remain in the Phillip Rimer collection.
Career
Clark was educated at the University of Southern California. She made her film debut in a featured role in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) as Miamiti, Fletcher Christian's (Clark Gable) wife in the film. The following year she appeared in the serial Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island as a Polynesian princess. In 1937, she appeared with Mutiny on the Bounty co-star Movita in The Hurricane. Clark played roles in several 'B-pictures with Pacific Island settings, for instance Hawaii Calls (1938).
One Million B.C. (1940) provided her with a substantial role as the "Queen of the Rock Tribe" appearing with Lon Chaney Jr. The same year she appeared in the film The Girl From God's Country. She retired from films after a minor role in the Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne film Seven Sinners (1940). She met and fell in love with U.S. Army Captain James Rawley and had a son, James Rawley Jr. Captain Rawley continued his career in the Army and was promoted to Major. He retired from the Army and began an acting and teaching career in Los Angeles, California.