Clarence Gilyard Jr. is an American actor, he was born on December 24, 1955, in Moses Lake, Washington. He is sometimes credited under a fictitious show name, "Clarence A. Gilyard". He is well known for his role as Conrad McMasters on the hit tv series Matlock from 1989 to 1993 and his role as Texas Ranger James Trivette on Walker, Texas Ranger. Clarence also starred on the hit NBC tv series CHiPs as Officer Benjamin Webster from 1982-1983.
His well known movie role is in the 1988 hit action film Die Hard as Theo, a computer expert and a member of the terrorists, he has appeared in the 1986 hit film Top Gun as Sundown, and appeared in another 1986 hit film The Karate Kid, Part II.
Since the ending of Walker, Texas Ranger, Clarence can be seen in Left Behind: The Movie and Left Behind II: Tribulation Force, playing the role of Pastor Bruce Barnes.
Clarence Gilyard Jr. has made guest appearances on tv shows such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, and Riptide.
Clarence Gilyard is a devout Roman Catholic (see ]).
