Back to the Future star Matt Clark passes away aged 89

Back to the Future actor Matt Clark has passed away aged 89 following complications from back surgery, as confirmed by his wife, Sharon. The star broke his back several months ago and passed away at his home in Austin, Texas, on Sunday morning. Matt was best known for his scene-stealing role in the 1990 film Back to the Future Part III, in which he portrayed Chester the Bartender alongside Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Mary Steenburgen.

He was born in Washington, D.C., in 1936 and served in the army for two years before studying at George Washington University. Matt left university partway through his degree to join a theater troupe and pursue an acting career.

His first onscreen role was in Black Like Me in 1964, and he followed this up with a string of Westerns, like Will Penny, Monte Walsh, The Culpepper Cattle Co., Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Hearts of the West and The Legend of the Lone Ranger.

“I just loved ’em!” he said of Western films in 1991. “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.”

Matt’s other notable projects include The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Grace Under Fire, and A Million Ways to Die in the West, the latter of which was his final film, released in 2014.

He also starred alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names, like Paul Newman, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Robert Redford, and made his directorial debut in the 1988 film Da with Martin Sheen as the star.

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“He was the kind of actor that defined Hollywood filmmaking in its greatest era,” said director Gary Rosen in a statement following his death. “The utterly unique character player who made every scene he appeared in memorable, often stealing them from stars like Rod Steiger, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood and John Wayne.”

“His roles in In the Heat of the Night, Jeremiah Johnson, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Cowboys, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, among many others, helped to elevate those films to classic status,” he continued. “He leaves the stage, but his performances will be remembered forever.”

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Matt is survived by his wife, Sharon Mays, whom he married in 2000, as well as his children, Aimee, Mattias, Jason and Seth, all of whom have pursued careers in the entertainment industry. His late daughter, Alexandria, died several years prior, according to reports.

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He was previously married to Erica Lann from 1958 to 1965, and Carol Trieste from 1968 to 1988, before tying the knot with Sharon. “He built his own house with his own hands. He kept his closest friendships for sixty years,” the actor’s family shared in a statement. “He showed up for the work and for his people, every time. He was complex. He was tough. He could be gruff.”

“But the moral compass never wavered, and the love was never in doubt. You could see it – in his eyes, in his performances, in the family he loved to keep together. He lived. He lives forever.”