Clarence Gilyard Jr., the Hollywood actor best known for his work in movies such as Die Hard and Top Gun as well as TV series including Walker, Texas Ranger, and Matlock, is no longer with us.
The film fraternity has lost a brilliant artist. The Die Hard star passed away at the age of 66. Keep scrolling further to know the cause behind the death of the Hollywood actor Clarence Gilyard Jr.
What was the cause behind the death of Clarence Gilyard Jr.?
The sad news of Clarence’s death was shared by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ College of Fine Arts, where Gilyard was a film and theater professor. He passed away at the age of 66.
It has been reported by various media outlets, that the Top Gun star died after a long battle with an illness. As of this moment, the exact cause of his death has not been revealed.
Here’s all you need to know about Clarence Gilyard Jr.’s early life
Clarence Gilyard Jr. was an American university professor, actor, and author. He was born in into a military family in Moses Lake, Washington, on Christmas Eve, in the year 1955. He was the son of Barbara and Clarence Gilyard Sr., a U.S. Air Force officer. He was the second of six kids.
The Die Hard alum’s family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, but he grew up on Air Force bases in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida. He was raised as a Lutheran, and he became Catholic in the 1990s.
During his childhood, Clarence lived in the San Bernardino suburb of Rialto, California. Back in the day, he went to Eisenhower High School. He was a brilliant student and he graduated in the year 1974.
Soon after, he attended Sterling College. In his college days, he used to play football and he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. At that point, he also got a tennis scholarship but he dropped out of school before completing his studies. He completed his bachelor’s degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
When did Clarence Gilyard Jr. start acting?
Clarence moved to Los Angeles in the year 1979 to pursue a career in acting and he never looked back. Throughout his acting career which spanned over 30 years, he played many roles. He made guest appearances on TV shows such as Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, 227, Simon & Simon, and Riptide.
Gilyard made his film debut with the 1986 movie Top Gun. He played the role of an F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer, Lt. (jg) Marcus “Sundown” Williams, in the film. Then, he starred in the 1988 action film Die Hard. He essayed the character of Theo, a criminal computer expert in the movie.
In addition to this, the Hollywood actor also appeared in a couple of TV shows like The Facts of Life, Walker, Texas Ranger, Sons of Thunder, and many more. He had “a legendary screen presence”.
We send our deepest condolences to the friends and family members of Clarence Gilyard Jr. during this difficult time. May the departed soul rest in peace. Don’t forget to stay tuned with us for the latest updates from the world of showbiz.
