Ralph Clemente, a fourth-generation European show business professional, has a rich family history in the entertainment industry. His great-grandfather was a theatrical architect, and his grandfather was the head of AAFA Studios in Berlin. Clemente's mother, Laura Tolins, was granted the first theater license in the American Zone after World War II. Clemente made his first professional appearance at the age of two, performing alongside renowned German actor Curt Jurgens.
At 14, Clemente and his family moved to the United States, where he learned English by watching TV. His mother, a graduate of the State Theater in Berlin and a first-generation student of Stanislavsky, opened the Laura Tolins School of Acting in Sarasota, where Clemente took acting lessons. She continued teaching and directing plays until her death in 2006 at the age of 86.
After his discharge, Clemente joined his family in Miami, obtained his SAG card, and began working in TV commercials. He eventually performed in 70 national commercials. In 1965, he returned to Germany, where he started acting on TV and in films.
Clemente's mother predicted he would become a director. He began writing his first screenplay while in Germany and eventually co-directed his first feature film, The Cayman Triangle. He married his longtime girlfriend Emily and started a family, while teaching film production at the University of Miami.
In 1988, Valencia College in Orlando offered him a job to head a new film program, which he accepted. The program became a two-year AS degree program, with students gaining hands-on experience working on feature films. Clemente's students have worked with renowned artists such as Robert Wise, George Romero, and Steven Spielberg.
Clemente aspires to make films with Florida settings, writers, and actors. His film Florida City, shot entirely in Florida with mostly Florida actors, is available in over 40 countries under the title Small Town Conspiracy.
As a teacher, Clemente believes that having a positive effect on people's lives and helping them reach their dreams is the best reward. Some of his students have gone on to direct or produce films such as The Rock, Armageddon, and National Treasure.
Clemente's son Parker continues the family tradition, graduating from Valencia and the University of Miami. His brother Randolph, a lawyer, practices law in South Florida. Clemente has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Miami Herald's "Filmmaker to Watch" and the Film Florida Legends Award.
