Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Mark first got a taste of acting in high school under the direction of Neil Brown. Brown called him a natural and encouraged him to continue with the craft. Mark however wanted to initially be "on the other side " of the camera, making short films and music "videos" long before MTV came to existence. He studied Film at Western Michigan University, but after a football injury required surgery, he left school, went to work and started a family. It wasn't until many years later in 1995 that he continued in his acting career. He auditioned for a role in "Frankenstein" at a local theatre in Huntington, Indiana. He stated that if it hadn't been for the director, Linda Willard, casting him in the role of "The Creature" in that production, he may have never pursued acting any further.