Actor Matt Clark has died at 89 years old (Picture: Barry King/FilmMagic)
Matt Clark, the veteran American character actor remembered by many fans for his role as the Old West bartender Chester in Back to the Future Part III, has died aged 89.
Clark enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades in film and television, appearing in over 100 productions and becoming a familiar face in Westerns and classic Hollywood character roles.
In a statement following his death, the actor’s family said: ‘He built his own house with his own hands. He kept his closest friendships for sixty years. 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.’
He died in Austin, Texas, his daughter Aimee Clark told The Hollywood Reporter.
Clark’s wife, Sharon Mays, also confirmed his death to Variety, citing complications following back surgery as a cause.
Many will remember him from Back to the Future III (Picture: Universal Pictures)
In Back to the Future Part III (1990), the Western-themed finale to the beloved time-travel trilogy starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, Clark played Chester, the bartender in the 1885 Hill Valley saloon.
The small but memorable role placed him firmly within a film that has become a staple of popular culture.
By that point, Clark had already spent decades building a formidable résumé.
Born on November 25, 1936, in Washington, D.C., he began acting in theatre before moving into television and film during the 1960s.
Clark starred in countless westerns (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
He was primarily an actor in Westerns, appearing in films such as Jeremiah Johnson (1972) alongside Robert Redford, and High Plains Drifter (1973) with Clint Eastwood.
Other credits included Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) and The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s dependable Western character actors.
‘I just loved ’em!’ Clark said of the Western genre in a 1991 interview. ‘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.’
Clark also became a fixture on American television. Across several decades, he appeared in series such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons.
Tributes have been pouring in for the character actor (Picture: Universal Pictures)
Though often cast in supporting roles, Clark’s ability to create vivid, believable characters made him a favourite among directors in the genre.
‘He was the kind of actor that defined Hollywood filmmaking in its greatest era,’ Hacks director Gary Rosen said in a statement.
‘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 leaves the stage, but his performances will be remembered forever.’
Clark is survived by his son Matthias, a musician, Jason, a producer, and Seth, a film editor. His daughter Aimée is a producer, too.
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