Actor Clarence Gilyard Jr. (Top Gun, Walker Texas Ranger) passed away on November 28, 2022, at 66. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s College of Fine Arts, where Gilyard was a professor teaching film and theater, shared the tragic news of his death in a statement released on UNLV’s College of Fine Arts page, though no cause of death was disclosed, according to Deadline.
“It is with profound sadness that I share this news,” said Dean Nancy J. Uscher. “His students were deeply inspired by him, as were all who knew him. He had many extraordinary talents and was extremely well-known in the university through his dedication to teaching and his professional accomplishments. He had a national and international following through his celebrated work in the theatre, in film, and television. His generosity of spirit was boundless – he was always ready to contribute to projects and performances however possible. We remember Clarence with joy and gratitude for all he contributed to the College of Fine Arts, the UNLV community, and, through his impressive personal achievements, to the world.”
Gilyard had a long-lasting career that covered stage and film for over more than 30 years, finding his way to the world of acting in the late 1970s after a moderately faltering start to his 20s, according to Rolling Stone. He found his devotion to acting in a college theater course, and when he bombed professionally, the roles came posthaste.
Gilyard earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from California State University, Dominguez Hills. After completing his roles in Matlock and Walker, Texas Ranger, Gilyard took a sabbatical to complete a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater Performance at Southern Methodist University, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“Professor Gilyard was a beacon of light and strength for everyone around him at UNLV,” said UNLV film chair Heather Addison on UNLV’s College of Fine Arts page. “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!”