Matt Clark, Beloved Character Actor in Films and TV for 50 Years, Passes Away at 89
Matt Clark, a versatile character actor known for his work in over 100 films and television series, passed away on March 15 in Austin at the age of 89. His extensive credits include notable roles in In the Heat of the Night and a variety of Westerns, as well as appearances in Seth MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West.
Born on November 25, 1936, in Washington, Clark served in the Army before honing his craft at HB Studio in New York under the tutelage of Herbert Berghof and William Hickey. He began his acting career with the Living Theatre and transitioned to Off-Broadway productions before stepping into film. His cinematic debut came in 1964 with Black Like Me, followed by a significant role in the Oscar-winning classic In the Heat of the Night, featuring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
Clark also made guest appearances on iconic television series such as Bonanza, The Waltons, Kung Fu, Little House on the Prairie, and the 1983 miniseries The Winds of War. He had his sole regular role as a bumbling co-worker in the first season of the ABC sitcom The Jeff Foxworthy Show (1995-96), though he did not return for the subsequent season on NBC.
His filmography includes standout performances alongside legendary actors. In 1972, he appeared with Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson and with Paul Newman in John Huston’s The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. The following year, Clark featured in films with James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid and Burt Reynolds in White Lightning. He also worked with Clint Eastwood in the 1976 neo-western The Outlaw Josey Wales and shared the screen with Jeff Bridges in Hearts of the West (1975).
Matt Clark on the set of ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West,’ left, and an undated family photo
Clark’s prolific film career continued over the next four decades with roles in films such as Brubaker (1980), Some Kind of Hero (1982), Honkytonk Man (1982, opposite Eastwood), Back to the Future III (1990), 42 (2013), and A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), marking his final film credit.
Married three times, Clark’s first wife was Erica Lann from 1958 to 1965, followed by Carol Trieste in 1968. He was married to Sharon Mays from 2000 until his death.
He is survived by Mays, three sons—Matthias, Jason, and Seth—daughter Amiee, nine grandchildren, and a great-grandson.
