Clarence Gilyard

Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr. (December 24, 1955 – November 23, 2022 ) was an American actor and educator. On television, he played private investigator Conrad McMasters on the legal drama series Matlock (1986–95) and Texas Ranger Jimmy Trivette on Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001).

Gilyard also had supporting roles in the 1980s action films Top Gun, as Radar Intercept Officer "Sundown", and Die Hard, as terrorist computer expert Theo.

Gilyard was an associate professor of acting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 2006 until his death in 2022.

Early life Gilyard was born into a military family in Moses Lake, Washington, on Christmas Eve, in 1955,

During his young adulthood, Gilyard lived in the San Bernardino suburb of Rialto, California, and attended Eisenhower High School. He was an excellent student, graduating in 1974, and afterward spent a year as an Air Force Academy cadet before leaving the service to attend Sterling College. In college, he played football, and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He also received a tennis scholarship, but dropped out of school before completing his studies.

While living with his parents during his college years, Gilyard was preoccupied with women, alcohol, and occasionally, drugs.

Gilyard worked with a housemate at a clothing store, where he was promoted to manager. He left this to work briefly selling industrial chemicals.

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.

Continued education and teaching work In 2003, Gilyard returned to school, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in theatre performance at Southern Methodist University.

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. ended in divorce, and he married his second wife, Elena Castillo, in 2001. He served as the consultant of the communications committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Death After a long illness, Gilyard died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 23, 2022, at the age of 66. He was cremated after a private ceremony.

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, (final film role)

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. UnknownTV 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 RangerRanger 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