Clarence Gilyard
Clarence Gilyard | |
---|---|
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Other names | Clarence Alfred Gilyard, Jr. |
Education | California State University, Dominguez Hills (BA) Southern Methodist University (MFA) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1980–2022 |
Spouses | Catherine Dutko (divorced)Elena Castillo (m. 2001) |
Children | 6 |
Clarence Alfred Gilyard Jr. (1993–2001).
Gilyard was also known for his supporting roles in the 1980s action films Top Gun, as Radar Intercept Officer "Sundown", and Die Hard, as terrorist computer expert Theo. He was an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 2006 until his death in 2022.
Early life and education
Gilyard was born into a military family in
During his young adulthood, Gilyard lived in the
While living with his parents during his college years, Gilyard was preoccupied with women, alcohol, and occasionally, drugs.[1] His parents urged him to move out, so he relocated to Long Beach, California, with a friend. He attended California State University, Long Beach, majoring in acting, and worked as a waiter while seeking acting opportunities. He completed his bachelor's degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills.[5][6]
Gilyard worked with a housemate at a clothing store, where he was promoted to manager. He left this to work briefly selling industrial chemicals.[1] In 2003, Gilyard returned to school, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in theatre performance at Southern Methodist University.
Career
Actor
In 1979, Gilyard moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. Among other work, a role in the play Bleacher Bums made him what one magazine called "the first black actor to play a cheerleader",[1] before he segued into television roles. As a character actor, Gilyard made guest appearances on TV shows such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, 227, Simon & Simon, and Riptide. In 1982–1983, Gilyard was cast in the final season of the NBC TV series CHiPs as Officer Benjamin Webster, opposite Erik Estrada. He co-starred with Jim Carrey in the 1984 NBC sitcom The Duck Factory. He appeared in a commercial for McDonald's in 1987.[citation needed]
Gilyard's movie debut in 1986 was as an
Gilyard played the role of Ben Matlock's private investigator, Conrad McMasters, on
In 1993, he began another long-time co-starring role opposite Chuck Norris on Walker, Texas Ranger. Gilyard portrayed fellow
In 2012, after taking time off to teach, Gilyard began appearing onscreen again, mostly in independent projects. In 2014, he appeared in the religious film A Matter of Faith.
On January 17, 2016, Gilyard performed the role of Hoak Colburn onstage at the University of New Mexico's Popejoy Hall in the Neil Simon Festival's Driving Miss Daisy, opposite his former Walker, Texas Ranger co-star, Sheree J. Wilson.[7]
In the 2018 edition of the football video game Madden NFL, Gilyard plays high school coach Devin Wade in the "Longshot" section of the game. Two years later, Gilyard reprised his role as criminal gang member Theo from Die Hard, alongside star Bruce Willis, in a commercial for Advance Auto Parts' DieHard brand of car batteries.[8]
Professor
In 2006 Gilyard took a break from acting and became an associate professor in the College of Fine Arts – Department of Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he taught stage and screen acting.[9][5] He continued to teach for many years. Following his death, the school's film chair said "Professor Gilyard was a beacon of light and strength for everyone around at UNLV".[9]
Personal life and death
Gilyard was married twice and had six children. His first marriage, to Catherine Dutko in 1989,[10] ended in divorce, and he married his second wife, Elena Castillo, in 2001.[1][11] He served as the consultant of the communications committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.[1][12]
After a long illness, Gilyard died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 23, 2022, at the age of 66.[13][14] He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Top Gun | Lieutenant Junior Grade Marcus "Sundown" Williams | |
The Karate Kid Part II | G.I. #1 | ||
1987 | Off the Mark | James B. White | |
1988 | Die Hard | Theo | |
2000 | Left Behind: The Movie | Bruce Barnes | |
2002 | Left Behind II: Tribulation Force
|
||
2012 | Little Monsters | Ben Foreman | |
2013 | From Above | Jeremiah Ward | |
2014 | A Matter of Faith | Professor Portland | |
2015 | The Track | Psychiatrist | |
2016 | The Beast | Auguste Porter | |
The Sector | Reverend Raines | ||
2019 | The Perfect Race | Coach Michaels | |
2021 | Legacy of a Spy | Bill Pope | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Diff'rent Strokes | Frank Simpson / The Student | 2 episodes |
1982 | Making the Grade | Unknown | Episode: Teach Me Tonight |
1982–83 | CHiPs | Officer Benjamin Webster | 20 episodes |
1983 | The Kid with the 200 I.Q. | Unknown | TV movie |
1984 | Things Are Looking Up | Clement McCallister | |
The Duck Factory | Roland Culp | 13 episodes | |
Riptide | William Collins | Episode: It's a Vial Sort of Business | |
1985 | Solomon's Universe | Casey | TV movie |
1986 | Simon & Simon | Wally Stokes | Episode: A.W.O.L. |
1987 | 227 | Harold Bailey | Episode: Matchmakers |
The Facts of Life | Matt | Episode: The More the Marrier | |
1989 | L.A. Takedown | Mustafa Jackson | TV movie |
1989–93 | Matlock | Conrad McMasters | Main cast |
1990 | The Great Los Angeles Earthquake | Roy Bryant | TV movie |
1993–2001 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Ranger James Trivette | Main cast |
1994 | Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion
|
TV movie | |
1999 | Sons of Thunder | Episode: Flighting Back | |
2005 | Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire | TV movie | |
2018 | Christmas on the Coast | Fletcher Reese | |
2020 | Eleanor's Bench | Reginald |
Bibliography
- The Dance of the Star (1990)
- Instructors and Students (1992)
- Eagle in a Cage (1996)
- Perfume at Night (1997)
- Melancholy in the Mirror (2002)
- Past and Present: My Story (2005)
- The Game of Venus (2006)
- Memories of a Stranger Wanderer (2008)
- Cry of the Cat (2010)
- Red Lights (2011)[ISBN missing]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Feister, John (April 2009). "The Eucharistic Faith of Actor Clarence Gilyard". St. Anthony Messenger. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012.
- ^ "Clarence Gilyard Jr. (Junior)". TV.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2008.
- The Tidings. Archived from the originalon April 10, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
- ^ "Clarence Gilyard Biography – Yahoo! Movies".
- ^ a b "Clarence Gilyard, M.F.A." University of Nevada, Las Vegas. April 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ "Clarence Gilyard: Professor, Stage & Screen Acting/ Film". University of Nevada, Las Vegas. September 19, 2012. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ "The Neil Simon Festival's Driving Miss Daisy". Popejoy Hall, The University of New Mexico: Popejoy Presents. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (October 18, 2020). "Bruce Willis Reprises His Role As John McClane In Commercial For Die Hard...Car Batteries". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "Clarence Gilyard, 'Die Hard' and 'Matlock' actor, dies at 66". AP NEWS. November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ "Erratum". Palm Desert, California: Palm Desert Post. March 28, 1990. p. 84. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Murphy, J. Kim (November 29, 2022). "Clarence Gilyard Jr., 'Walker, Texas Ranger' and 'Die Hard' Star, Dies at 66". Variety. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Texas Marriages, 1966-2010," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY9B-HWJ : December 6, 2014), Clarence A Gilyard and Helen Castillo, August 25, 2001; citing Dallas, Texas, United States, certificate number 135708, Vital Statistics Unit, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin.
- ^ Katsilometes, John (November 28, 2022). "'Die Hard' actor, UNLV professor Clarence Gilyard dies". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
- ^ "Clarence Gilyard obituary". The Times. December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
External links
- Clarence Gilyard Jr. at IMDb
- Clarence Gilyard Net Worth
- Clarence Gilyard At Find A Grave