Clarence Gilyard
Encyclopedia
Clarence Darnell Gilyard, Jr. (born December 24, 1955) is a former American
actor
and a current college
professor
who has been featured in movies
and television
since 1980. He is sometimes credited as Clarence A. Gilyard.
Gilyard is known for his roles as Ben Matlock's second private investigator (and right-hand man) Conrad McMasters, on the 1980s legal drama
series, Matlock
: (a role he played from 1989 to 1993), as Pastor Bruce Barnes in the Left Behind movie trilogy, and as Cordell Walker's partner and best friend, Texas Ranger
James "Jimmy" Trivette, on the 1990s crime drama, Walker, Texas Ranger
.
before he segued into television roles. As a character actor
, Gilyard has made guest appearances on TV shows such as Diff'rent Strokes
, The Facts of Life
, 227
, Simon & Simon
and Riptide
. Gilyard was cast on the final season of the NBC
TV series CHiPs
as Officer Benjamin Webster from 1982-1983. He co-starred with Jim Carrey
in the 1984 NBC sitcom The Duck Factory.
Aside from acting, in 1987, he did at least 1 commercial for McDonald's
.
Gilyard's movie debut was in 1986 as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Sundown in Top Gun
. He was also a military man in the 1986 film The Karate Kid, Part II
. He also appeared in the 1988 action film Die Hard
as Theo, a computer expert and one of the terrorists. His character is one of only two terrorists not killed. He also appeared in Left Behind: The Movie
, and its sequel, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force
as Reverend Bruce Barnes.
On the show, Gilyard even performed some of his own stunts. Unlike many of his 'Matlock' co-stars, with the exception of both Holliday and Daniel Roebuck
(who replaced Gilyard in 1993), Gilyard appeared in almost every Matlock episode during his three seasons on the show. After the show moved from NBC
to ABC
for the series' seventh season, Gilyard departed to work on a pilot
for another series at CBS.
In 1993, he began another longtime co-starring role, opposite Chuck Norris
on Walker, Texas Ranger
. Gilyard portrayed fellow Texas Ranger
and best friend of Walker, James "Jimmy" Trivette. The show proved to be a big hit. Gilyard again enjoyed the chance to perform stunts and take part in dangerous work both on and off the set.
During a 2005 interview with A&E Biography, he said that Norris' Walker character was a cult-classic Western
hero
. Gilyard also recalled that when he and Norris were growing up, other Westerns they watched were often led by characters that served as surrogate father figures. He noted that both Norris & Gilyard had served in the Air Force
, although not during the same time period, despite almost being 16 years apart from each other. Near the end of the Walker series, Norris' character married his longtime-girlfriend, a lawyer; while Gilyard's character got a girlfriend. Gilyard remained in the Trivette role for the entire run of the series. In his television career, Clarence has been fortunate enough to co-star with two TV legends on two successful series, over the course of 12 total seasons.
Gilyard briefly appeared in the 2005 television movie
, Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire. Gilyard had only a cameo appearance
due to the filming's conflict with a long-planned family vacation.
, the son of Clarence Gilyard, Sr., an U.S. Air Force officer. His family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana
. Gilyard grew up on Air Force bases in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida. Raised primarily as a Lutheran, he became Catholic in the 1990s.
Later, he was raised in San Bernardino
's suburb of Rialto, California
, where he attended Eisenhower High School
and was an excellent student, before graduating in 1974. He spent one year as an Air Force Academy
cadet before leaving the service to attend Sterling College
. He played football in college and is a member of the Sigma Chi
Fraternity. He also earned a tennis scholarship, but dropped out of school before completing his studies.
Gilyard is the second of six children. He has a younger brother who graduated from the Air Force Academy
in 1985. Another brother, Milton, suffers from a moderate developmental disability
and resides in an assisted-living house.
While living with his parents in their new home during his high school years, Gilyard was preoccupied with women and alcohol, and occasionally drugs. For this reason, his parents urged him to move out, and he relocated to Long Beach, California
with a friend. He also attended California State University, Long Beach
, majoring in acting. While attending school, he worked as a waiter at restaurants where other actors worked, constantly seeking out acting opportunities. Eventually he earned his bachelors degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills
.
His first job was working with a housemate at a clothing store, where Gilyard was soon promoted to manager. While successful, he quit and worked at another job selling industrial chemicals; he has admitted that he did not perform well in this job.
In 2003, Gilyard returned to school, receiving a masters degree in teaching theater at Southern Methodist University
. He is currently an Associate Professor in the College of Fine Arts - Department of Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
.
Currently, Gilyard serves as the consultant of the Communications Committee of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
He has been married twice and has four children. He and his second wife, Elena, have been married since 2001.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and a current college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who has been featured in movies
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
since 1980. He is sometimes credited as Clarence A. Gilyard.
Gilyard is known for his roles as Ben Matlock's second private investigator (and right-hand man) Conrad McMasters, on the 1980s legal drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
series, Matlock
Matlock (TV series)
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...
: (a role he played from 1989 to 1993), as Pastor Bruce Barnes in the Left Behind movie trilogy, and as Cordell Walker's partner and best friend, Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
James "Jimmy" Trivette, on the 1990s crime drama, Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
.
Early life
In 1980, Gilyard moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. He became the first black actor to undertake the role of the cheerleader in the play Bleacher BumsBleacher Bums
Bleacher Bums is a 1977 play written collaboratively by members of Chicago's Organic Theater Company, from an idea by actor Joe Mantegna. Its original Chicago production was directed by Stuart Gordon...
before he segued into television roles. As a character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
, Gilyard has made guest appearances on TV shows such as Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986...
, The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life (TV series)
The Facts of Life is an American sitcom that originally ran on the NBC television network from August 24, 1979 to May 7, 1988. A spin-off of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, the series' premise focused on Edna Garrett as she becomes a housemother at the fictional Eastland School, a prestigious...
, 227
227 (TV series)
227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins...
, Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon is an American detective television series starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker.-History:The original 1978 pilot called Pirate's Key was set in Florida...
and Riptide
Riptide (TV series)
Riptide is a TV detective series that ran on NBC from 1983 to 1986, starring Perry King, Joe Penny, and Thom Bray. Riptide was created by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell, and produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions. The main theme was composed by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter...
. Gilyard was cast on the final season of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
TV series CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
as Officer Benjamin Webster from 1982-1983. He co-starred with Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
in the 1984 NBC sitcom The Duck Factory.
Aside from acting, in 1987, he did at least 1 commercial for McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
.
Gilyard's movie debut was in 1986 as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Sundown in Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
. He was also a military man in the 1986 film The Karate Kid, Part II
The Karate Kid, Part II
The Karate Kid, Part II is a 1986 American martial arts film and is a sequel to 1984's The Karate Kid. Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi, respectively. The original music score was composed by Bill Conti...
. He also appeared in the 1988 action film Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
as Theo, a computer expert and one of the terrorists. His character is one of only two terrorists not killed. He also appeared in Left Behind: The Movie
Left Behind: The Movie
Left Behind is a Christian based film released in 2000 and starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson, Gordon Currie and Clarence Gilyard. It was directed by Vic Sarin. Left Behind was proclaimed by its creators as the biggest and most ambitious Christian film ever made...
, and its sequel, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force
Left Behind II: Tribulation Force
Left Behind II: Tribulation Force is a Christian Bible-based apocalyptic/thriller film, and the second in a series of films based on the Left Behind book series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. It was produced and distributed by Cloud Ten Pictures and Namesake Entertainment. The film was...
as Reverend Bruce Barnes.
On the show, Gilyard even performed some of his own stunts. Unlike many of his 'Matlock' co-stars, with the exception of both Holliday and Daniel Roebuck
Daniel Roebuck
Daniel James Roebuck is an American television film actor, writer and producer, primarily in films, soap operas and television.-Life and career:...
(who replaced Gilyard in 1993), Gilyard appeared in almost every Matlock episode during his three seasons on the show. After the show moved from NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
to ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
for the series' seventh season, Gilyard departed to work on a pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
for another series at CBS.
In 1993, he began another longtime co-starring role, opposite Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
on Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
. Gilyard portrayed fellow Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
and best friend of Walker, James "Jimmy" Trivette. The show proved to be a big hit. Gilyard again enjoyed the chance to perform stunts and take part in dangerous work both on and off the set.
During a 2005 interview with A&E Biography, he said that Norris' Walker character was a cult-classic Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
. Gilyard also recalled that when he and Norris were growing up, other Westerns they watched were often led by characters that served as surrogate father figures. He noted that both Norris & Gilyard had served in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, although not during the same time period, despite almost being 16 years apart from each other. Near the end of the Walker series, Norris' character married his longtime-girlfriend, a lawyer; while Gilyard's character got a girlfriend. Gilyard remained in the Trivette role for the entire run of the series. In his television career, Clarence has been fortunate enough to co-star with two TV legends on two successful series, over the course of 12 total seasons.
Gilyard briefly appeared in the 2005 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire. Gilyard had only a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
due to the filming's conflict with a long-planned family vacation.
Personal life
Gilyard was born to a poor family in Moses Lake, WashingtonMoses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
, the son of Clarence Gilyard, Sr., an U.S. Air Force officer. His family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. Gilyard grew up on Air Force bases in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida. Raised primarily as a Lutheran, he became Catholic in the 1990s.
Later, he was raised in San Bernardino
San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
's suburb of Rialto, California
Rialto, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Rialto had a population of 99,171. The population density was 4,434.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Rialto was 43,592 White, 16,236 African American, 1,062 Native American, 2,258 Asian, 361 Pacific Islander, 30,993 from other...
, where he attended Eisenhower High School
Eisenhower High School (Rialto, California)
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School , is located in Rialto, California, United States on the corner of Baseline Avenue and Lilac Ave. The school is named for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower....
and was an excellent student, before graduating in 1974. He spent one year as an Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
cadet before leaving the service to attend Sterling College
Sterling College (Kansas)
Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts college located in Sterling, Kansas with a mission "to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith." The school is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and...
. He played football in college and is a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity. He also earned a tennis scholarship, but dropped out of school before completing his studies.
Gilyard is the second of six children. He has a younger brother who graduated from the Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
in 1985. Another brother, Milton, suffers from a moderate developmental disability
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
and resides in an assisted-living house.
While living with his parents in their new home during his high school years, Gilyard was preoccupied with women and alcohol, and occasionally drugs. For this reason, his parents urged him to move out, and he relocated to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
with a friend. He also attended California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
, majoring in acting. While attending school, he worked as a waiter at restaurants where other actors worked, constantly seeking out acting opportunities. Eventually he earned his bachelors degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills is a public university located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County and was founded in 1960...
.
His first job was working with a housemate at a clothing store, where Gilyard was soon promoted to manager. While successful, he quit and worked at another job selling industrial chemicals; he has admitted that he did not perform well in this job.
In 2003, Gilyard returned to school, receiving a masters degree in teaching theater at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
. He is currently an Associate Professor in the College of Fine Arts - Department of Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
.
Currently, Gilyard serves as the consultant of the Communications Committee of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
He has been married twice and has four children. He and his second wife, Elena, have been married since 2001.