Biography
Clarence Alfred Gilyard Jr. (December 24, 1955 – November 23, 2022) was an American university professor, actor, and author. As a performer, he appeared in film, television, and stage productions; some sources give his middle name as Alfred. Gilyard was known for his roles as second private investigator and right-hand man Conrad McMasters to Ben Matlock (played by Andy Griffith) on the legal drama series Matlock from 1989 to 1993; Pastor Bruce Barnes in the first two Left Behind movies; Cordell Walker's (played by Chuck Norris) Texas Ranger partner, James "Jimmy" Trivette, in the 1990s crime drama Walker, Texas Ranger; Theo, the terrorist computer expert in Die Hard; and Lieutenant (junior grade) Evan "Sundown" Gough in Top Gun.
Also known as
Clarence Gilyard, Jr. · Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr.
Photos
Profile images from TMDB · click to enlarge
3 images
Roles across career
Titles counted once; a person can act and direct on the same film (roles merged).
30
Acting credits
0
Directing
0
Writing
0
Other crew
Most critically rated
Highest TMDB score (min 100 votes)
- 1
★ 7.8Die Hard
1988 · movie · as Theo
- 2
★ 7.1Matlock
1986 · tv · as Conrad McMasters
- 3
★ 7.1Diff'rent Strokes
1978 · tv · as The Student
- 4
★ 7.1The Facts of Life
1979 · tv · as Matt
- 5
★ 7.1Top Gun
1986 · movie · as Sundown
- 6
★ 7.0Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · tv · as Jimmy Trivette
- 7
★ 6.8CHiPs
1977 · tv · as Benjamin Webster
- 8
★ 6.3The Karate Kid Part II
1986 · movie · as G.I. #1
Most commercially successful
Highest TMDB vote count (attention / reach proxy; not box office)
Career timeline
By release / first air year · movie & TV merged
