Clarence Gilyard Jr. died Nov. 28 at age 66. The announcement was made by the College of Fine Arts at the University of Nevada, where the actor had taught film and theater since 2006, without specifying the causes of death.
Originally known for his role as computer hacker Theo, in Die Hard-Crystal trap by John McTiernan (1988) the actor owes his fame above all to the series Walker, Texas Ranger to alongside Chuck Norris.
A veteran film, TV and stage performer, Clarence Gilyard was also a university professor and author. https://t.co/iM3aTTcQ0G
—UNLV Fine Arts (@UNLVFineArts) November 29, 2022
Born in Moses Lake, Washington, in the western United States, on December 24, 1955, the son of a US Air Force officer, Clarence Gilyard Jr. evolves from a young age in different sports disciplines, such as taekwondo or karate, before devoting himself to American football.
“Top Gun”, “Crystal Trap”, and “Walker, Texas Ranger”
His entry into the entertainment world dates from the early 1980s and his participation in the last season of the series Chips before approaching the big screen in 1986 with the filming of Top Gun where he plays Lieutenant Marcus Sundown Williams or even Karate Kid 2 where he interprets a GI
But recognition will only come with television: the series Matlock e 1989 to 1993 where he plays the private detective Conrad McMasters and especially series Walker, Texas Ranger in which he plays the ranger James Trivette, from 1993 to 2001.