Clarence Gilyard Jr. is a prolific actor who’s best remembered for his role in the series that lasted more than ten years. “Walker, Texas Ranger” and for his scene stealing turn as Theo, the heist crew’s hacker in “Die Hard,” After a lengthy illness, he died on Monday. He was 65.
Gilyard is also a respected careerist and was an associate professor at University of Nevada in Las Vegas. “Professor Gilyard was a beacon of light and strength for everyone around him. Whenever we asked him how he was, he would cheerfully declare that he was ‘Blessed!’ But we are truly the ones who were blessed to be his colleagues and students for so many years. We love you and will miss you dearly, Professor G!,” UNLV chair Heather Addison Tuesday, in a statement.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal was the first to report on this news.
Born 1955 in Moses Lake (Washington), Gilyard later moved to California at the age of 18. He studied acting at California State University Dominguez Hills. Acting was his first love in the 1980s. He landed roles on television shows such as “Diff’rent Strokes” The final season will see her as a major cast member. “Chips” 1982
In 1988 he played Theo, the hacker working for Hans Gruber’s heist crew — notably the only member of the crew to survive the film — in “Die Hard.” In the following year, he was added to the “cast of” “Matlock” Conrad McMasters was his private investigator role, which he continued to play until 1993. He was first cast in the role of James on “The Simpsons” (1993). “Jimmy” Trivette, Walker’s fellow ranger and best friend. He returned to the series for an encore “Walker” TV movie in 2005.
Some other notable roles in television and film include: “The Karate Kid Part II,” One of the most important roles in these two events. “Left Behind” films.
Gilyard began teaching college after Walker ended, and at the time of his death taught theater at UNLV’s College of Fine Arts. He married twice, and had six children.