I’m really sad to learn this news. Gilyard will always be James Trivette on Walker. He and Norris were great together for 8 seasons.

Loved WTR but I'll always default to Die Hard with him.

Sad news. I was never a big WTR fan so he’ll always be Theo from Die Hard to me. He did such a great job for such a little thankless role.

“And the quarterback is toast!”


I didn’t realize he was in Top Gun. I guess I recognized him but never put two and two together that it was the guy from Die Hard.

I'm a huge fan, and this is true, of Matlock where he played Ben's field investigator Conrad McMasters to great effect. He left the show to join WTR and it started to lose steam at the end and I think Clarence's absence was part of that. 66 is too young, these days.

I recognize him from Walker, Texas Ranger, but I don’t think I know him from Die Hard or Top Gun. RIP.

Was his character in Die Hard the only terrorist/baddie in the series of films to survive?

Fond memories of him in Walker, Matlock, Karate Kid 2 and Die Hard.

He was "Theo" the hacker in Die Hard


His role in Top Gun was small, but he was in a few scenes, including the one where Tom Cruise sang You lost that loving feeling to Kelly McGillis

Norris posted a short statement on his Facebook. Most likely from his PR people. I doubt Norris uses Facebook. It sounds kind of cold and generic. I know they worked together for 8 years, but who knows how close they were off camera.

I’ve never seen an episode of Walker. I only remember him from Die Hard.

Norris posted another message to his Instagram followers about Gilyard. This one actually sounds more personal and sounds like they were friends off screen.

Instagram

RIP. He was responsible for the first big movie blooper I ever caught.

Unless McClane hit him in the exact wrong spot with the butt of the gun then Kristoff probably survived too.

He worked for yeas as a beloved and respected Film and Theater professor at UNLV after he stopped acting.
https://www.unlv.edu/news/unlvtoday/...arence-gilyard

I'd have to re-watch the movie as I don't even recall that at all.

He's carrying the bearer bonds out of the vault when McClane smashes him with the gun. At the time John only has two bullets left which he then uses on Eddie and Hans.

Ah I wouldn’t have known that was him in Die Hard.

In re-runs of Matlock I have seen a few eps here and there where I recognized Clarence Gilyard, but I did not know he was in 85 eps of Matlock, which is a nice run. He was great in WTR and helped make that show what it is. The funniest thing is that for a moment I kept thinking a different actor played Theo in Die Hard, but yes...if folks who did not watch Matlock or WTR only recognize Clarence from Die Hard, that is a heck of a cool role to be fondly remembered for.

Without looking at his IMDB page, I also recognize Clarence from quite a few bit parts and random roles in film/tv shows over the years and did not know he was a Film and Theater Professor at UNLV. It sounds like both his students, past and present, and the University itself will miss Clarence immensely. The comments from UNLV after he passed were quite nice and it sounds like his would have been a really cool class to attend.

RIP Clarence, and know that you were a beloved actor by many a person who happened upon a film or TV show that you starred in.