'Die Hard' Actor Clarence Gilyard Dead at 66 - TMZ

'Die Hard' Star Clarence Gilyard Dead astatine 66 ... Played Evil But Funny Theo

11/29/2022 5:47 AM PT

Clarence Gilyard, the histrion who played the wisecracking machine hacker successful the film, "Die Hard," has died.

Gilyard passed distant aft a agelong conflict with an unspecified illness, according to media reports. His decease was announced Monday by the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, wherever helium had worked since 2006 arsenic a Fine Arts professor.

His 30-year vocation successful Hollywood landed him large roles successful fashionable TV series, from the '80s and '90s ... notably, "Matlock," and "Walker, Texas Ranger." He worked with stars similar Andy Griffith and Chuck Norris. He besides scored his archetypal large surface relation arsenic Sundown successful "Top Gun."

Gilyard's breakout relation was playing Theo successful the OG "Die Hard." Theo was the sardonic tech wizard who took implicit a Los Angeles skyscraper with terrorists and hacked into a vault, attempting to bargain $640 cardinal successful bearer bonds. In 1 scene, the terrorists weaponry an LAPD conveyance and Theo famously cackles, "Oh my god, the backmost is toast!"

UNLV Dean Nancy J. Uscher remembered Gilyard this mode ... "It is with profound sadness that I stock this news. His students were profoundly inspired by him, arsenic were each who knew him. He had galore bonzer talents and was highly well-known successful the assemblage done his dedication to teaching and his nonrecreational accomplishments."

Uscher went connected ... "His generosity of tone was boundless - helium was ever acceptable to lend to projects and performances nevertheless possible."

Gilyard was 66.

RIP