What is clarence gilyard sr.?

Clarence Gilyard Sr. was an American actor and educator. He was born on December 24, 1913, in Sterling, Colorado, and died on November 24, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 95.

Gilyard started his career in education, teaching at Colorado State College of Education and later at Los Angeles City College, where he worked for nearly 30 years. He also served as a dean of students.

In addition to his work in education, Gilyard was also an actor, appearing in films such as "Sergeant Rutledge" and "The Sand Pebbles", as well as television shows like "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", and "The Rockford Files".

He was the father of actor Clarence Gilyard Jr., best known for his roles in "Matlock" and "Walker, Texas Ranger".