‘A WALKING MASTERCLASS’

Broadway Actor Lawrence Clayton Dies at 64 After Cancer Battle

Clayton passed away Nov. 2 after a two-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Broadway actor Lawrence Clayton passed away on Nov. 2, his agent confirmed to Deadline, after a two-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Clayton made his Broadway debut with Dreamgirls in 1981, working as part of the replacement cast for 35 years. In 2015, he played Old Mister in a revival of the The Color Purple. Beyond numerous touring productions, he also appeared in TV shows like The Big C, Elementary, and Homeland. “You are a walking masterclass. I had the great honor of not only sharing the stage with you, but learning from you,” Clayton’s 2019 Shout Sister Shout! co-star Christin Byrdsong wrote in an Instagram tribute. “Technique, acting, manhood. All of it. I can’t believe you are gone.”