The film industry is mourning the loss of veteran character actor Matt Clark, who died at his home in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, March 15, 2026. His daughter, producer Amiee Clark, confirmed that the 89 year old actor passed away following complications from a recent back surgery.
Clark had reportedly broken his back a few months prior to the procedure.
Known as a quintessential workman actor, Clark was a fixture of the silver screen for over five decades, prioritizing the craft of acting over the pursuit of fame.
Audiences recognized Clark’s rugged features and authentic presence across more than 150 film and television credits. He was perhaps most widely known to younger generations for his role as Chester the bartender in the 1885 sequence of Back to the Future Part III.
However, his most significant contributions were found in the Western genre, where he frequently appeared alongside legends like Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, and Robert Redford.
His resume included defining roles in classics such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Jeremiah Johnson, and The Cowboys, as well as the cult sci-fi hit The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.
Beyond his work in feature films, Clark had a prolific television career that included a long running role as Emmet Kelly on the sitcom Grace Under Fire. He also appeared in iconic series ranging from Little House on the Prairie to Magnum P.I. and The Waltons.
Clark was also an accomplished director, notably helming the 1988 film Da, starring Martin Sheen and Bernard Hughes.
His final major cinematic appearance was in the 2014 comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West, capping off a career that began in the New York theater scene of the 1950s.