Landrus Clark is an American writer and occasional actor who became widely known through his marriage to Jo Marie Payton, the actress famous for playing Harriette Winslow on Family Matters. The couple married on June 17, 1998, and Landrus was publicly described as a novelist while they were together. He also received a small acting credit in the 2001 movie Echos of Enlightenment. Unlike his famous former wife, however, Landrus has spent most of his life outside the entertainment spotlight, leaving basic details such as his birth date, parents, education and current personal life largely private.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Landrus Clark |
| Also Associated With | Landrus Steven Clark |
| Known For | Former husband of Jo Marie Payton |
| Profession | Writer/novelist; one documented acting credit |
| Former Wife | Jo Marie Payton |
| Marriage Date | June 17, 1998 |
| Divorce | Commonly reported as 2004; some records differ |
| Acting Credit | Echos of Enlightenment |
| Film Year | 2001 |
| Film Role | Cast ’n’ Cane Dude |
| Writing | Publicly described as a writer/novelist |
| Book Under His Name | Southern Shadows (2017 listing) |
| Children With Jo Marie | None publicly documented |
| Jo Marie’s Daughter | Chantale France, from an earlier marriage |
| Birth Date | Not reliably documented |
| Age | Not reliably confirmed |
| Current Relationship | Private |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified |
| Public Profile | Very low-key |
Who Is Landrus Clark?
Landrus Clark is one of those people whose name is recognized largely because of a famous relationship.
He was married to Jo Marie Payton during a period when she was already a familiar face to millions of television viewers.
Payton had spent years playing Harriette Winslow, first on Perfect Strangers and then on the hugely successful sitcom Family Matters.
Landrus, however, never developed a comparable celebrity career.
His public record suggests interests in writing and a small amount of acting.
That difference makes him interesting.
He was connected closely with Hollywood, but he did not appear interested in turning that connection into constant fame.
Landrus Clark’s Early Life
Very little dependable information has been published about Landrus Clark’s childhood.
His date of birth is not listed by Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb’s main biography does not provide an age or birthplace.
That means exact ages currently published on some biography websites should be treated cautiously.
There is also no strong public documentation establishing his parents, siblings, childhood hometown or education.
This is important because online biographies often try to fill empty sections by guessing.
A responsible biography does not need to do that.
Landrus became publicly visible mainly as an adult, particularly through writing, his relationship with Jo Marie Payton and his brief film appearance.
Was Landrus Clark a Writer?
Yes, there is good historical evidence that Landrus was known as a writer.
Encyclopedia.com identifies Jo Marie Payton’s husband Landrus Clark as “a writer” and records their June 17, 1998 marriage.
An even stronger contemporary source appeared two years later.
In September 2000, the Los Angeles Times reported that Jo Marie Payton and her husband were selling their home and explicitly described Landrus Clark as a novelist.
That newspaper report is useful because it was published while they were married.
So Landrus’ connection with writing is not simply a modern biography-site claim created many years later.
He was publicly described as a novelist at the time.
Did Landrus Clark Write Southern Shadows?
A book called Southern Shadows is listed under the author name Landrus Clark.
A book retailer records a paperback edition released on September 13, 2017, with ISBN 9781549740145 and 355 pages.
This becomes especially interesting because Landrus had already been described as a novelist by the Los Angeles Times in 2000.
However, publicly indexed publishing records do not provide a detailed author biography connecting every Landrus Clark listing beyond doubt.
The safest conclusion is that writing was clearly part of Landrus’ public identity, while his full bibliography remains poorly documented.
The Southern Shadows Name Has Another Family Connection
There is an interesting coincidence around the title Southern Shadows.
Jo Marie Payton also released a jazz project called Southern Shadows around 1999–2000.
Her IMDb biography notes that she recorded a jazz CD in June 2000, while biographical sources identify the album as Southern Shadows.
A book carrying the same title later appeared under Landrus Clark’s name.
It may be tempting to build a larger story around that shared title.
However, without direct statements from Landrus or Jo Marie explaining the connection, it is better not to assume why the same phrase appeared in their creative work.
Landrus Clark’s Acting Career
Landrus also has one clearly documented screen credit.
IMDb lists him as an actor in the 2001 movie Echos of Enlightenment.
He played a character credited as Cast ‘n’ Cane Dude.
Apple TV independently lists Landrus Clark in the film’s cast with the same role, giving much stronger confirmation than relying on IMDb alone.
The film was directed by Dan Coplan and ran for approximately 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Its story involves a woman searching for her husband after he mysteriously disappears.
Landrus’ role appears to have been relatively small.
Was Landrus Clark a Professional Actor?
Technically, he has a professional film credit.
But calling him a major career actor would create the wrong impression.
Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb show essentially one recognized movie appearance connected with his name.
There is no long television résumé.
There is no major series starring role.
There is no large collection of Hollywood films.
That is why writer or novelist may actually describe his public professional identity better than “actor.”
His film appearance is still worth mentioning because it shows that he did have at least some direct involvement with entertainment.
Who Is Jo Marie Payton?
Jo Marie Payton is the person who brought Landrus Clark’s name to a much larger audience.
She was born in 1950 and became especially famous as Harriette Winslow.
The character first appeared on Perfect Strangers.
Audiences responded strongly enough that Harriette and her family became the center of the spin-off Family Matters.
The show premiered in 1989 and eventually became one of the best-known American family sitcoms of its era.
Payton remained a central cast member for most of its run.
For many viewers, Harriette and her television husband Carl Winslow, played by Reginald VelJohnson, became one of the most recognizable sitcom couples of the 1990s.
Jo Marie Payton’s Career Was Bigger Than Family Matters
Although Family Matters became her signature role, Jo Marie’s career did not begin or end there.
She worked in film, television, voice acting and music.
Her credits include appearances in Moesha, Will & Grace, The Parkers, Girlfriends, Desperate Housewives and other productions.
She also became well known to younger audiences as the voice of Suga Mama in Disney’s The Proud Family.
That meant Landrus was married to a woman whose career crossed several generations of television viewers.
Still, he remained relatively private.
When Did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton Marry?
Encyclopedia.com gives a very specific date:
June 17, 1998.
It describes Landrus as a writer and records him as one of Payton’s husbands.
The timing is interesting.
Payton’s years as a regular on Family Matters were ending around this period.
She was moving into new acting, voice and music projects.
Landrus therefore became part of her life during an important career transition rather than during the earliest years of her sitcom success.
Jo Marie Payton Had Been Married Before Landrus
Landrus was not Jo Marie’s first husband.
Her first marriage was to Marc France, with whom she had her daughter Chantale.
She later married Rodney Noble.
After that marriage ended in 1998, she married Landrus Clark.
IMDb’s biography, which credits its mini-biography to Payton herself, identifies Chantale as her one daughter and connects the child to her first marriage.
Therefore, Chantale should not be described as Landrus Clark’s biological daughter without evidence.
Did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton Have Children Together?
There is no reliable public source documenting a child born to Landrus and Jo Marie.
Payton is consistently described as having one daughter, Chantale France, from her marriage to Marc France.
This is another area where careless celebrity sites can create confusion.
Being someone’s stepfather during a marriage is not the same thing as being that person’s biological father.
The public record supports Jo Marie having one child from her earlier relationship.
It does not establish a child with Landrus Clark.
Their Ladera Heights Home
A rare glimpse into Landrus and Jo Marie’s married life came from the Los Angeles Times in 2000.
The newspaper reported that they were selling their home in the hills of Ladera Heights for $1.8 million.
The property was described as a large Cape Cod-style home.
The couple reportedly planned to move to Las Vegas, where Payton wanted to pursue more of her singing career.
This report gives us an unusually concrete snapshot of their life together.
Landrus was identified as a novelist.
Jo Marie was balancing television work and music.
And the couple were making major plans together.
Why Did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton Divorce?
Reliable sources do not provide a detailed public explanation for the end of their marriage.
There is no strong interview in which either person gives a complete list of reasons.
That makes speculation inappropriate.
Marriages end for many private reasons.
Unless Landrus or Jo Marie chooses to explain those reasons publicly, websites should not invent stories involving cheating, financial disputes or personal arguments.
The responsible answer is simply:
Their marriage ended in divorce, but the reasons remain private.
When Did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton Divorce?
This part of the record is surprisingly messy.
Jo Marie Payton’s IMDb biography lists the marriage as 1998–2004.
Several other biographies also use 2004.
However, Landrus Clark’s own IMDb page lists the relationship as 1998–2007.
Adding to the confusion, Getty Images has a photograph caption identifying Jo Marie Payton and Landrus Clark together at the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards in February 2006.
Their appearance together does not prove they were still married at that time.
Former spouses can attend the same events or remain friendly.
But it does demonstrate why giving an exact divorce date without qualification can be risky.
The safest wording is that they married in 1998 and divorced sometime during the 2000s, with 2004 being the most commonly reported year.
Who Did Jo Marie Payton Marry After Landrus?
Jo Marie later married Leonard Downs.
Her IMDb biography lists their marriage date as December 16, 2007.
That later marriage also makes clear that her relationship with Landrus had ended by then, even if databases disagree about the exact legal timeline.
Landrus, meanwhile, largely disappeared from entertainment relationship coverage after the divorce.
Is Landrus Clark a Real Estate Broker?
This is an interesting part of the modern search results.
A California real-estate professional named Landrus Steven Clark currently has a public Zillow profile identifying him as a licensed broker and mortgage loan originator in the Los Angeles area with about 25 years of experience.
Public business notices also record Landrus Steven Clark operating Landrus Home Loans and other real-estate activity in Los Angeles.
A secondary biography specifically identifies Jo Marie Payton’s former husband as this real-estate professional.
There are several details that make the connection plausible: the uncommon name, Los Angeles location, and involvement with Ladera Heights-area real estate.
However, stronger entertainment sources usually identify Jo Marie’s former husband simply as Landrus Clark, not Landrus Steven Clark.
Therefore, the most responsible wording is:
Landrus Clark has been reported to work in real estate and mortgage lending, but the connection between every current “Landrus Steven Clark” professional profile and Jo Marie Payton’s former husband is not completely documented by a single authoritative source.
Landrus Clark and Real Estate in 2026
If the real-estate profile belongs to the same Landrus Clark, it suggests he remained professionally active long after his brief acting appearance.
The Zillow profile describes services involving buying, selling, relocation, property management and mortgage-related work.
Los Angeles County business notices also show the Landrus Home Loans name being used during the 2020s.
That would fit the broader picture of a man whose life was never centered only on Hollywood.
Still, this article keeps that career identification qualified because name matching alone is not enough for absolute certainty.
How Old Is Landrus Clark?
Landrus Clark’s age is not reliably documented.
Rotten Tomatoes lists neither a birthday nor a birthplace.
IMDb also does not provide a confirmed date of birth.
Some sites may give exact ages.
Without a primary or established biographical source behind those dates, they should not be repeated as fact.
This is one reason the Quick Bio table lists his age as unconfirmed.
Is Landrus Clark Still Alive?
There is no credible public report located in current research announcing Landrus Clark’s death.
His name also continues to appear in recent public records and professional listings, although not every person with the name can automatically be confirmed as Jo Marie Payton’s former husband.
Therefore, there is no strong basis for describing him as deceased.
Is Landrus Clark Married Today?
His current romantic or marital status has not been reliably documented.
Public entertainment biographies focus on his former marriage to Jo Marie Payton.
They do not identify a well-established later wife.
That does not prove he never remarried.
It simply means his later personal life is not publicly documented well enough to make a confident claim.
Landrus Clark’s Net Worth
There is no reliable public figure for Landrus Clark’s net worth.
Celebrity biography websites sometimes attach exact amounts to people simply because they are connected with a famous actor.
Those estimates should be treated carefully.
To calculate real net worth, we would need dependable information about:
Income, property, investments, debts, businesses and other financial assets.
That information is not publicly available in enough detail.
Jo Marie Payton’s earnings should not be treated as Landrus’ personal fortune either.
Therefore, his net worth remains unverified.
Why Is Landrus Clark Still Searched Today?
The answer is largely nostalgia.
Family Matters remains popular with audiences who grew up watching the Winslow family.
New viewers continue discovering the show through reruns and streaming.
Then they search Jo Marie Payton.
From there, people become curious about her real-life family.
Who was her husband?
How many times did she marry?
Who is Landrus Clark?
Was he an actor?
What happened to him?
That curiosity has kept Landrus’ name searchable even though he has maintained a remarkably small public profile.
What Is Landrus Clark Doing in 2026?
There is no major new Hollywood project publicly attached to Landrus Clark in 2026.
His best-documented acting work remains Echos of Enlightenment from 2001.
His historical public identity as a writer is supported by both Encyclopedia.com and the Los Angeles Times.
Current Los Angeles-area real-estate records under the closely matching name Landrus Steven Clark suggest continued business activity, but the identity connection should remain qualified rather than treated as completely proven.
In other words, Landrus appears to have lived exactly the type of life his public record suggests:
Close enough to Hollywood to become known, but private enough that much of his story remains his own.
Final Thoughts
Landrus Clark is best known today as Jo Marie Payton’s former husband, but there is more to his story than that relationship.
Contemporary sources show he was a writer.
Encyclopedia.com described him as a writer when recording his June 17, 1998 marriage to Payton.
The Los Angeles Times went further in 2000, calling him a novelist while reporting on the couple’s plans to sell their Ladera Heights home and move to Las Vegas.
He also stepped briefly in front of the camera, appearing as Cast ‘n’ Cane Dude in the 2001 film Echos of Enlightenment.
His marriage to Jo Marie eventually ended.
Most biographies place the divorce in 2004, although conflicting databases make the exact year less certain.
Afterward, Landrus largely returned to a private life.
His exact birthday remains unknown.
His family background is not widely documented.
His current relationship status is private.
And his personal wealth cannot be reliably calculated.
That lack of information should not be treated as a problem to solve with guesses.
It is simply part of Landrus Clark’s story.
He spent several years married to one of television’s most recognizable mothers, explored writing and acting, and then largely avoided the celebrity spotlight that could easily have followed him.
FAQs About Landrus Clark
Who is Landrus Clark?
Landrus Clark is a writer and occasional actor best known publicly as the former husband of Family Matters actress Jo Marie Payton.
Was Landrus Clark married to Jo Marie Payton?
Yes. They married on June 17, 1998.
When did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton divorce?
Most sources list 2004, although Landrus’ IMDb profile gives 2007. The exact legal timeline is therefore not completely consistent across public databases.
Why did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton divorce?
No reliable public source provides a detailed explanation. Their reasons appear to have remained private.
Did Landrus Clark and Jo Marie Payton have children?
No child together is reliably documented. Jo Marie’s daughter Chantale France was born during her earlier marriage to Marc France.
Is Chantale France Landrus Clark’s daughter?
She should not be described as his biological daughter. Reliable biographies identify Marc France as the father connected with Jo Marie’s only child.
Was Landrus Clark an actor?
He has at least one documented professional acting credit.
What movie was Landrus Clark in?
He appeared in the 2001 film Echos of Enlightenment as Cast ‘n’ Cane Dude.
Was Landrus Clark a writer?
Yes. Encyclopedia.com described him as a writer, and the Los Angeles Times called him a novelist in 2000.
Did Landrus Clark write Southern Shadows?
A 2017 paperback called Southern Shadows is listed under Landrus Clark’s name.
Was Jo Marie Payton also connected with the name Southern Shadows?
Yes. She released a jazz project called Southern Shadows around the same broader period of her career, although the exact connection with Landrus’ later book title is not publicly explained.
Is Landrus Clark a real-estate agent?
A Los Angeles broker named Landrus Steven Clark has a long-running public real-estate profile, and secondary biographies connect him with Jo Marie’s former husband. However, stronger primary entertainment sources do not clearly establish the identity match, so this should be described cautiously.
What is Landrus Home Loans?
Public Los Angeles business notices identify Landrus Steven Clark as the owner of a business using the Landrus Home Loans name.
How old is Landrus Clark?
His exact age and birth date are not reliably documented.
Where was Landrus Clark born?
No dependable mainstream source currently provides a verified birthplace.
Is Landrus Clark still alive?
There is no credible public death announcement for Jo Marie Payton’s former husband in the sources reviewed.
Is Landrus Clark married now?
His current relationship status has not been reliably confirmed.
What is Landrus Clark’s net worth?
His personal net worth is unknown. Exact figures published without financial documentation should be treated as speculation.
Who is Jo Marie Payton married to now?
Public biographies identify Leonard Downs as her husband, with their marriage beginning in 2007.
Why is Landrus Clark famous?
He is known mainly because of his former marriage to Jo Marie Payton, while his own public record also includes work as a writer and one documented movie role.
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