Clarence Gilyard Jr. was an actor known for starring roles in movies and TV shows including “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Matlock,” and “Die Hard.”
- Died: November 28, 2022 (Who else died on November 28?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 66.
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Acting career
One of Gilyard’s earliest roles came on “CHiPs,” starring as Officer Benjamin Webster in the show’s final season. He continued landing notable roles throughout the 1980s and ‘90s. In 1986, he made his movie debut in “Top Gun,” starring as radar intercept officer Sundown. Another major movie role came in “Die Hard;” Gilyard played Theo, the tech genius helping Alan Rickman’s (1946–2016) terrorist mastermind, Hans Gruber. He joined the cast of “Matlock” in the show’s fourth season, playing Conrad McMasters, a private investigator helping Andy Griffith’s (1926–2012) character, attorney Ben Matlock. Gilyard remained with Matlock for five seasons and then took a starring role in “Walker, Texas Ranger.” He played Jimmy Trivette, best friend and partner to Chuck Norris’ title character, starring throughout the season’s eight-series run and in the “Walker, Texas Ranger” TV movies “Deadly Reunion” and “Trial by Fire.” Gilyard’s other movies include “Left Behind” and its first sequel, and he made appearances on TV shows including “Diff’rent Strokes,” “Simon & Simon,” and “227.” In addition to his acting career, Gilyard was a professor in the Theatre department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Notable quote
“’Walker,’ even though it was moving into a high-action genre, was still a family show. And essentially, we were a family [on the show] and people allowed us into their homes. They liked our family, the chemistry was there. Chuck did a pretty good job putting together a family.” —from an interview for GetTV
Tributes to Clarence Gilyard Jr.
Full obituary: Las Vegas Review-Journal
