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Matt Clark, Prolific Character Actor in Westerns and Back to the Future Part III, Dies at 89

His family said he passed Sunday at his Austin home from complications following back surgery after a recent back injury.

Overview

  • Clark’s death on March 15, 2026, was confirmed by his wife Sharon Mays to Variety, with family also telling TMZ he died at home in Austin, Texas, due to post-surgery complications.
  • His daughter Amiee told The Hollywood Reporter he had broken his back a few months earlier, preceding the surgery and complications.
  • Across five decades, Clark became a go-to presence in Westerns and TV, known for roles including Chester the bartender in the 1990 Back to the Future Part III, Brubaker, and Grace Under Fire.
  • Industry tributes praised him as an “actor’s actor,” and TMZ reported one of his last public appearances was a Back to the Future reunion at Dallas Fan Expo where he reconnected with Michael J. Fox.
  • He is survived by his wife and four children, with additional family noted by Deadline, and no public funeral or service details have been announced.