Clarence Gilyard Jr., known for part in Die Hard and Top Gun, dies at 66

Clarence Gilyard Jr., who had roles in Top Gun and Die Hard, has died at 66.

After his time in Hollywood, Gilyard worked as a professor at UNLV (University of Nevada Las Vegas) College of Fine Arts. The University released a statement saying that Gilyard would be “loved and missed dearly” and they had been “blessed” by his presence. 

“Professor Gilyard was a beacon of light and strength for everyone around him,” the school’s film chair Heather Addison said, adding: “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!”

Gilyard played Hans Gruber’s terrorist hacker Theo alongside Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman in Die Hard in 1988, and he also played naval flight officer Marcus “Sundown” Williams in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise in 1986.  

Gilyard also starred in a few TV shows, such as Matlock, and Walker, Texas Ranger.