According to TMZ the Die Hard actor, Clarence Gilyard passed away at the age of 66 after his battle with an unspecified illness. Gilyard is notably known for several roles in his 30-year career, like Showdown in the movie Top Gun. He had hit roles in the classic shows like, Matlock and Walker Texas Ranger.

We all know him from the Christmas classic, Die Hard as the tech genius and hacker Theo.

He was a professor of  Fine Arts since 2006 at The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas. UNLV Dean, Nancy J. Uscher shared when announcing Gilyards death to staff and students Monday,  “It is with profound sadness that I share this news. His students were deeply inspired by him, as were all who knew him. He had many extraordinary talents and was extremely well-known in the university through his dedication to teaching and his professional accomplishments.”

The Dean continued, “His generosity of spirit was boundless – he was always ready to contribute to projects and performances however possible.”