Clarence Gilyard Jr Biography, Net Worth, Wife, Age, Cause of Death, Children, Parents, Family

Clarence Gilyard Jr Death Cause: Action adventure star Theo from the original 1988 “Die Hard” film, Clarence Gilyard, passed away on November 28 2022 leaving his fans and family in utter despair. Gilyard was an extremely talented person, his passing news was announced by unlvfinearts the message reads,

Our hearts are also out to our UNLV Film Family tonight. Posted @withrepost • @unlvfinearts

It is with great sadness that Dean Nancy J. Uscher and the UNLV College of Fine Arts share the passing of beloved film and theatre professor, Clarence Gilyard.

As an actor, director, and producer, Clarence had a career in television, film, and theatre that spanned more than 30 years. While teaching acting at UNLV, he remained active as a professional. He earned his BA in Theatre Arts from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

After 13 years as the co-star of two successful television series, Matlock and Walker, Texas Ranger, he took a sabbatical and completed an MFA in Theatre Performance at Southern Methodist University.

“It is with profound sadness that I share this news,” said Dean Fischer. “His students were deeply inspired by him, as were all who knew him. He had many extraordinary talents and was extremely well-known in the university through his dedication to teaching and his professional accomplishments.

He had a national and international following through his celebrated work in the theatre, film, and television. His generosity of spirit was boundless – he was always ready to contribute to projects and performances however possible. We remember Clarence with joy and gratitude for all he contributed to the College of Fine Arts, the UNLV community, and, through his impressive personal achievements, to the world.”

“Professor Gilyard was a beacon of light and strength for everyone around him at UNLV,” said UNLV film chair Heather Addison. “Whenever we asked him how he was, he would cheerfully declare that he was ‘Blessed!’ But we are truly the ones who were blessed to be his colleagues and students for so many years. We love you and will miss you dearly, Professor G!”

“Some may find it surprising to know that Clarence valued his appointment as a university professor as highly, maybe higher, than his illustrious career as a TV star,” said fellow UNLV theatre professor Nate Bynum. “It was a major goal for him. He loved his UNLV family and, in particular, the students he instructed in his classroom. Gone too soon.”

Clarence Gilyard Cause of Death

A famous actor and TV personality named Clarence Gilyard has passed away. He loved teaching theatre at UNLV.

READ MORE:  Javier Loya Biography: Age, Parents, Wife, Children, Net Worth, Family

He was 66. In a news release published on Monday afternoon, the College of Fine Arts at UNLV reported Gilyard’s passing.

Gilyard has been ill for a while. He passed away after a Prolonged illness. had been suffering from a long illness. There are currently no additional details available.

Lawrence Henley UNLV College of Fine Arts Alumni Chapter has posted a sad tribute to Clarence Gilyard the statement reads,

We are absolutely stunned and saddened to have to report the passing of our great friend Professor of Film and Theatre Clarence Gilyard. CG was a kind, generous, thoughtful, and deeply religious man. He cared about his family, his students, and his colleagues. Our sincerest condolences to his family and friends. A talented actor and thinker like this one can’t be replaced.

Clarence Gilyard Jr Biography, Net Worth, Wife, Age, Cause of Death, Children, Parents, Family

Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr Biography

Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr. was an American university professor, actor, and novelist who lived from December 24, 1955, to approximately November 28, 2022.

He performed in theatre, film, and television plays and was occasionally given the name Clarence A. Gilyard. In the legal drama series Matlock, which aired from 1989 to 1993, Gilyard was best known for his roles as Conrad McMasters.

Ben Matlock’s right-hand man and second private investigator, Pastor Bruce Barnes in the Left Behind film trilogy, James “Jimmy” Trivette, Cordell Walker’s (Chuck Norris) Texas Ranger partner, Theo, the terrorist computer expert in Die Hard, and Lieutenant (junior grade) Marcus “Sundown.

Clarence Gilyard Jr Parents, Siblings

Barbara Stanwyck Gilyard and Clarence Gilyard, Sr. are the parents of the late Clarence Gilyard Jr.

Milton Gilyard is the surviving brother of Clarence Gilyard Jr.

Gilyard’s Early Life Career

Gilyard, the son of Barbara and U.S. Air Force officer Clarence Gilyard Sr., was born on Christmas Eve in 1955 into a military family in Moses Lake, Washington. The second of six kids, Gilyard. Gilyard was raised in Air Force stations in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida even though his family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana.

He was largely raised a Lutheran and converted to Catholicism in the 1990s. Gilyard was a young adult who resided in Rialto, a suburb of San Bernardino, California, and went to Eisenhower High School.

After graduating from high school in 1974 with honors, he spent a year as a cadet at the Air Force Academy before leaving the military to enroll in Sterling College. He played football in college and joined the Sigma Chi fraternity.

READ MORE:  Christine Goodman Biography, Wiki, Age, Net Worth, Jay Blades, Partner, Nationality

He was given a tennis scholarship as well, but he left school before finishing his coursework. In high school, Gilyard resided with his parents and was preoccupied with women, booze, and sporadically, drugs.

In response to his parents’ requests to leave, he and a friend moved to Long Beach, California. He majored in acting at California State University, Long Beach, and worked as a waiter while looking for acting roles.

He graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a bachelor’s degree. Gilyard shared a workplace with a roommate where he eventually attained the position of manager. He briefly stopped doing this to go work selling industrial chemicals. Gilyard went back to school in 2003 and graduated from Southern Methodist University with a master of fine arts in theatre performance.

Acting Career History

Gilyard relocated to Los Angeles in 1979 to pursue his acting career. Before transitioning to television roles, he performed in several plays, including Bleacher Bums, where he was dubbed “the first black actor to play a cheerleader” by one magazine.

Gilyard has performed in supporting roles on TV series like Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, 227, Simon & Simon, and Riptide.

Gilyard played Officer Benjamin Webster opposite Erik Estrada in the final season of the NBC television series CHiPs in the years 1982–1983.

He appeared in The Duck Factory on NBC in 1984 alongside Jim Carrey. In 1987, he made an appearance in a McDonald’s advertisement.

Clarence Gilyard Jr Wife

Clarence Gilyard Jr was a married man which means he has a surviving wife who is known as Elena Gilyard. They married in 2001.

Clarence Gilyard Jr was previously married to Catherine Dutko and had two children.

Clarence Gilyard Jr Children

Clarence Gilyard Jr is survived by five children from his two marriages. He has three children from his marriage with Catherine Dutko and two from his current wife Elena Gilyard.

Clarence Gilyard Jr Net Worth

Clarence Gilyard Jr had an estimated net worth of $5 million.