Clarence Gilyard Net Worth

#Fact1Surrogate son of Andy Griffith.2Credits Andy Griffith as his favorite acting mentor/best friend.3When Matlock (1986) 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.4Has returned to college to get his masters degree in Acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. [September 2003]5Best friends with Sheree J. Wilson.6He is an associate professor of theater at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. [August 2006]7Lived in Los Angeles, California, from 1980 to 1992, and again from 1993 to 2001.8His acting mentors were the late Andy Griffith and Chuck Norris.9Gilyard was a finalist for the role of Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).10Went to the same high school as ex-Allies lead guitarist Randy Thomas and actor/singer Kirk Fogg.11Attended California State University, Long Beach, with a major in theater.12His father, Clarence Sr., had converted his religion from Baptist to Lutheran, which Clarence Jr. practiced in California, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, everywhere.13Before he was an actor, he worked with his housemate at a clothing store. He was promoted to manager.14His brother, Milton, is moderately developmentally disabled.15Graduated from Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, in 1974.16Like his father, he went to the Air Force Academy.17The second of six children.18His family was originally from New Orleans, Louisiana.19Serves as a consultant of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Communications.20Originally a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.21His son, Peter, was born on May 30, 2007.22As a little boy, like co-star Nancy Stafford, he was a huge fan of The Andy Griffith Show (1960). 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 (1986), for the fourth season of the series, when he replaced Kene Holiday.23A cowboy buff.24Three of the movies he has starred in have gone on to gross well over $150 million each in worldwide box office and DVD sales.25Best known by the public for his roles as Conrad McMasters on Matlock (1986), and as James "Jimmy" Trivette on Walker, Texas Ranger (1993).26After 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.27He began his acting career working in the children's theater.28Gilyard was born in Moses Lakes, Washington, but was raised on military bases in Hawaii, Texas, and Florida.29He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.30Attended 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.