As he later explained: "It excited or aroused my particular Roman Catholic hysterical temperament into a condition that was very willing to accept any outlet; and as the theatre seemed the nearest thing to the pageantry of the church, I was at once attracted to the stage".

[3][2] In September 1855 George joined the Richmond Dramatic Association and played "many youthful parts", including the role of 'Prince of Wales' in Shakespeare's Richard III.

[3] In about 1857, when he was aged seventeen, George joined a theatrical ensemble called Hight & Hyde's Dramatic Company, then touring the American South.

[2] By 1863 Clarke was a member of Mrs. John Wood's Company at the Olympic Theatre in New York, during which time he performed in Taming the Butterfly, an early play by Augustin Daly.

[2] By this stage in his career, after his decade-long acting experience and aged in his late-twenties, Clarke was described as "a handsome youth, beginning to win favour".

[2] In about September 1871 Clarke joined William J. Florence's company for his production of Eileen Oge at the Grand Opera House in New York and finished the season at the Varieties Theatre in New Orleans.

During 1872 Clarke played the following roles: 'Flutter' in The Belle's Strategem, 'Goldfinch' in The Road to Ruin, 'Mirabel' in The Inconstant, 'Ford' in The Merry Wives of Windsor, 'Charles Surface' in Sheridan's The School for Scandal and 'Julio' in A Bold Stroke for a Husband.

[2] A new production of The School for Scandal opened on 9 September 1874 at Daly's Fifth Avenue Theatre, with Clarke performing the role of 'Charles Surface'.

[15][16] It had been the custom in all first-class theatres that male actors in older comedies (such as The School for Scandal) should "wear no hair upon the face, so as to accord with the fashion of the period" (unless specifically required to do otherwise).

Daly was a strong advocate of the custom, which he adopted as an iron-clad rule for his productions, and a notice detailing the instruction was posted in the green-room of the theatre.

[17][B] After leaving Daly's company Clarke supported Clara Rousby at the Fourteenth Street Theatre and subsequent touring production (under the management of J. Grau and C. A.

Clarke supported Fanny Davenport and Clara Morris during their tours and occasionally performed at the Star and Madison Square theatres in New York.

[8] Clarke was managed by Lester Wallack during the 1885-86 season after which he returned to Augustin Daly's Company, first performing in The Taming of the Shrew on 18 January 1887.

Examples of his roles in Shakespeare plays were: "a swaggering and cringing Malvolio in Twelfth Night; a romantic Orlando in As You Like It; an impressive Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing; a gay, clever Biron in Love's Labour's Lost".

[21] In New York in February and March 1890 Clarke performed in the plays Country Girl, Le Pater (The Prayer), A Midsummer Night's Dream and Haroun al Raschid.

[21] Later that year, at the Lyceum Theatre in London, Clarke played 'Hollyhock' in Casting the Boomerang, followed by 'Jaques' in As You Like It and the young husband in A Woman's Won't.

[1] Clarke was described by the theatre critic John R. Towse as a "versatile and well-trained actor, expert in all the tricks of his trade, intelligent, but without a particle of inspiration".

[23] In Clarke's last professional theatrical appearance, he was cast as 'Senator Bender' of Oregon in the comedy The Embassy Ball, a production by Daniel Frohman (with Lawrence D'Orsay in the lead role).