Matt Clark, 1936 – 2026

Busy character actor Matt Clark, 89, died on March 12 in his Austin, Texas, home. He started his career in the theater—Off-Broadway and Washington, DC, theater groups—before making his film debut as a mugger in 1964’s Black Like Me. Clark went on to play small or supporting roles in more than 100 films and TV shows. He did a lot of westerns, due to his tall, lanky looks (surely there were some short, pudgy cowboys!): Will Penny, Bonanza, The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, Jeremiah Johnson, Hearts of the West, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Lonesome Dove, A Million Ways to Die in the West. His other vehicles included Magnum PI, Back to the Future III, Funny Face (the Sandy Duncan sitcom), The Waltons, Dynasty, War and Remembrance, Barbarians at the Gate, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8^th Dimension, and Grace Under Fire. His son Jason Clark is a producer.