American
actor and theatre professor Clarence Gilyard died on Monday, November
28, at the age of 66. The actor, known for his roles in films, television, and
theatre, was also an author.
Gilyard’s
death was announced by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of
Fine Arts where he worked as a theatre professor. Although the exact reason for
his death was not revealed, it was said that he had been suffering from a long
illness.
Also Read | Who was Clarence Gilyard? Top Gun and Die Hard star, dies at 66
Here
is all you need to know about the actor:
Age
Clarence
Darnell Gilyard Jr. was born on December 24, 1955, in Washington, US. He was 66
years old at the time of his death.
Family
Gilyard
was born into a military family. His mother was Barbara Gilyard and his father
was Clarence Gilyard Sr., a US Air Force officer. He has five siblings, and he
is the second-eldest of them all.
Although
he is originally from New Orleans, Gilyard grew up in Air Force bases in Texas,
Hawaii, and Florida due to his father’s work.
Gilyard
has been married twice. His first marriage was to Catherine Dutko, which ended
in divorce. He married his second wife, Elena in 2001. He has six children.
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Notable Works
In
1979, Gilyard moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. After making guest
appearances in some TV shows, he made his movie debut with the role of Lt. Marcus ‘Sundown’
Williams in the 1986 cult action movie Top Gun. He also appeared as Theo, a computer expert in the 1988
classic Die Hard.
Gilyard played the role of Conrad McMasters in the American mystery legal
drama Matlock from 1989 to 1993. He also gained recognition for his portrayal
of Ranger James Trivette in the action-crime TV series Walker, Texas Ranger
from 1993 to 2001. He made a cameo appearance in the 2005 made-for-television
action film Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire.
Net Worth
According
to celebritynetworth.com, Clarence Gilyard had a net worth of $5 million at the
time of his death.
