Attended Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, for some time. After his success as an actor, Clarence has given back to the college in many ways, one of which was paying for new tennis courts for the college.
He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Gilyard was born in Moses Lakes, Washington, but was raised on military bases in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida.
He began his acting career working in the childrens theater.
After joining the cast of the play "Bleacher Burns," Clarence became the first black actor to play the role of the cheerleader. By coincidence, the real-life person on whom the cheerleader at Wrigley Field was based was indeed black.
Best known by the public for his roles as Conrad McMasters on "Matlock" , and as James "Jimmy" Trivette on "Walker, Texas Ranger" .
Three of the movies he has starred in have gone on to gross well over $150 million each in worldwide box office and DVD sales.
A cowboy buff.
As a little boy, like co-star Nancy Stafford , he was a huge fan of "The Andy Griffith Show" . Several years after that show went off the air, he beat out three other actors for the role of a private investigator on Andy Griffith s "Matlock" , for the fourth season of the series, when he replaced Kene Holiday.
His son, Peter, was born on May 30, 2007.
Originally a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Serves as a consultant of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Communications.
His family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana.
The second of six children.
Like his father, he went to the Air Force Academy.
Graduated from Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, in 1974.
His brother, Milton, is moderately developmentally disabled.
Before he was an actor, he worked with his housemate at a clothing store. He was promoted to manager.
His father, Clarence Sr., had converted his religion from Baptist to Lutheran, which Clarence Jr. practiced in California, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, everywhere.
Attended California State University, Long Beach, with a major in theater.
Went to the same high school as ex-Allies lead guitarist Randy Thomas and actor/singer Kirk Fogg.
Gilyard was a finalist for the role of Geordi LaForge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" .
His acting mentors were the late Andy Griffith and Chuck Norris.
Lived in Los Angeles, California, from 1980 to 1992, and again from 1993 to 2001.
(August 2006) He is an associate professor of theater at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Best friends with Sheree J. Wilson.
(September 2003) Has returned to college to get his masters degree in Acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
When "Matlock" moved production from Los Angeles to North Carolina, at the beginning of the seventh season, it was Andy Griffith who suggested to him that he moved there. Fortunately, for Gilyard, he resided in North Carolina, for over a year, and moved back to Los Angeles.
Credits Andy Griffith as his favorite acting mentor/best friend.
Surrogate son of Andy Griffith.
One of only four people to appear in
Exactly
The "Walker, Texas Ranger" pilot, "One Riot, One Ranger", and the finale, "The Final Show/Down". The four, in credits order, were: Chuck Norris (Walker), Clarence Gilyard Jr. (Trivette), Sheree J. Wilson ("Alex Cahill", later Alex Cahill-Walker), and Marshall R. Teague ("Orson Wade" in the pilot, and "Emile Lavocat"/"Mills {Moon} Lavocat" in the two-hour, multiple-timeline finale).
[on turning 50]: I really have to work hard to keep up with them.
I knew that nobody in this business would ever ask to see my diploma - I,did it for myself. I believe that the only way you can really change,your life is to get new information. I also wanted to learn the,classic, not fake them.
[when he wanted to be an actor] I knew it was the right choice from day,one, then, through actor friends working at a restaurant where I was,waiting tables at night.
[In the wake of his misbehavior of his marriage]: My wife left me,because I started to have an affair.
[Of his spiritual talents]: To see those men do that was providential.
