Matt Clark, Character Actor in a Barnful of Movie Westerns, Dies at 89
matt clark, the prolific character actor best known for a steady stream of Westerns and memorable supporting turns in films stretching from the 1960s to the 2010s, has died. He was 89. His daughter, producer Amiee Clark, said he died Sunday in Austin, Texas.
Matt Clark’s Career in Westerns
Clark became a familiar presence in Westerns, appearing in a long list of genre titles across decades. His credits in the field include The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, The Cowboys, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Will Penny, Monte Walsh, Macho Callahan, The Culpepper Cattle Co., The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Hearts of the West, Kid Vengeance, The Legend of the Lone Ranger and A Million Ways to Die in the West. He often played the sort of weathered, scene-stealing supporting parts that helped define the tone of those films; he later reflected on the work by saying, “I just loved ’em! Just like you always wanted to do as a little kid, you put on chaps and boots and tie on spurs that jingle when you walk. “
Film and Television Roles Beyond the West
Outside the Western genre, Clark had a broad career that included role listings in Jeremiah Johnson, Brubaker — in which he played Purcell, the former warden’s clerk — The Beguiled, Pocket Money, The Laughing Policeman, Let’s Get Harry and White Lightning. He made his big-screen debut in Black Like Me and appeared in In the Heat of the Night as a Southern punk. Other varied credits include The Bridge at Remagen, The Grissom Gang, Emperor of the North, Outlaw Blues, The Driver, Some Kind of Hero, Country, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Return to Oz, Back to the Future Part III and 42. He also appeared on television in series work and maintained a reputation as a dependable character actor who could elevate a scene.
Background, Directing Work and Family Remarks
Clark was born in Washington on Nov. 25, 1936, and raised in Arlington, Virginia. His father built boats and cabinets and his mother was a schoolteacher. He served two years in the U. S. Army and studied business administration at George Washington University before leaving to pursue acting. In New York he trained at the HB Studio, joined the Living Theatre and understudied for Martin Sheen in the original Broadway production of The Subject Was Roses.
He also worked behind the camera, directing the 1988 feature Da, which starred Bernard Hughes, Martin Sheen and William Hickey. Family statements described him as an “actor’s actor” who loved his craft and kept a low profile away from the trappings of stardom.
Death, Health and Legacy
His daughter said Clark had broken his back a few months earlier. Family members said he died at his Austin home on the morning of March 15 from complications after back surgery. He was 89. Colleagues and admirers praised his work as the kind of character player who made every scene he appeared in memorable, often standing out alongside major stars.
matt clark leaves behind a body of work that spans stage, screen and television and a long record of small but indelible performances in films that remain part of the American movie landscape. His family and peers are preparing tributes and remembrances that reflect his decades-long contribution to filmmaking.
