VW
Van Williams
Actor
Born February 27, 1934Died November 28, 2016 (82 years)
You could shoehorn actor Van Williams right in there between the other tall, dark and drop-jaw gorgeous heartthrobs Tom Tryon and John Gavin of the late 1950s/early 1960s who conveyed a similar bland, heroic image. All three were too often given colorless heroes to play on film and/or TV -- roles that played off their charm but seldom tested their talent.
Born on February 27, 1934 as Van Zandt Jarvis Williams, he was the son of a cattle rancher. He majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University but moved to Hawaii which changed the course of his life. While operating a salvage company and a skin-diving school during the mid-1950s, he was approached by Elizabeth Taylor and husband/producer Mike Todd, who were filming there. Encouraged by Todd to try his luck, Van arrived in Hollywood with no experience. Todd perished in a plane crash before he was able to help Van, but the young hopeful ventured on anyway, taking some acting/voice lessons, and was almost immediately cast in dramatic TV roles.
Warner Brothers had a keen eye for this type of photogenic hunk and smartly signed Van. Fitting in perfectly, he was soon showing just how irresistible he was as a clean-cut private eye on the series "Bourbon Street Beat (1959)". Although the show lasted only one season, Warners carried his Kenny Madison character into the more popular adventure drama Surfside 6 (1960) opposite fellow pin-up / blond beefcake bookend Troy Donahue. Series-wise, Van tried comedy next opposite "Walter Brennan in The Tycoon (1964)". After his contract expired at Warners, 20th Century-Fox handed him his most vividly recalled role, that of the emerald-suited superhero "The Green Hornet (1966)" with the late Bruce Lee as his partner Kato. The show, inspired by the huge cult hit "Batman (1966)" enjoyed a fast start but, like its predecessor, met an equally untimely finish.
Never a strong draw in films, Van revealed quite a bit of himself (literally) in his debut in "Tall Story (1960)" coming out of a shower. He was handed a typically staid second lead in "The Caretakers (1963)". Continuing well into the 1970s to guest sporadically on the TV scene in classics like "The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)", "Love, American Style (1969)", "Mission: Impossible (1966)", "The Big Valley (1965)", "Nanny and the Professor (1970)", "Barnaby Jones (1973)", and "The Rockford Files (1974)". Another starring series attempt with "Westwind (1975)" failed to make the grade and he soon let his career go. Van went on quite successfully in business with telecommunications, real estate and law enforcement supplies among his ventures. With his glossy, pretty-boy years far behind him, he has not felt the need to look back except for an occasional autograph convention.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
Born on February 27, 1934 as Van Zandt Jarvis Williams, he was the son of a cattle rancher. He majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University but moved to Hawaii which changed the course of his life. While operating a salvage company and a skin-diving school during the mid-1950s, he was approached by Elizabeth Taylor and husband/producer Mike Todd, who were filming there. Encouraged by Todd to try his luck, Van arrived in Hollywood with no experience. Todd perished in a plane crash before he was able to help Van, but the young hopeful ventured on anyway, taking some acting/voice lessons, and was almost immediately cast in dramatic TV roles.
Warner Brothers had a keen eye for this type of photogenic hunk and smartly signed Van. Fitting in perfectly, he was soon showing just how irresistible he was as a clean-cut private eye on the series "Bourbon Street Beat (1959)". Although the show lasted only one season, Warners carried his Kenny Madison character into the more popular adventure drama Surfside 6 (1960) opposite fellow pin-up / blond beefcake bookend Troy Donahue. Series-wise, Van tried comedy next opposite "Walter Brennan in The Tycoon (1964)". After his contract expired at Warners, 20th Century-Fox handed him his most vividly recalled role, that of the emerald-suited superhero "The Green Hornet (1966)" with the late Bruce Lee as his partner Kato. The show, inspired by the huge cult hit "Batman (1966)" enjoyed a fast start but, like its predecessor, met an equally untimely finish.
Never a strong draw in films, Van revealed quite a bit of himself (literally) in his debut in "Tall Story (1960)" coming out of a shower. He was handed a typically staid second lead in "The Caretakers (1963)". Continuing well into the 1970s to guest sporadically on the TV scene in classics like "The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)", "Love, American Style (1969)", "Mission: Impossible (1966)", "The Big Valley (1965)", "Nanny and the Professor (1970)", "Barnaby Jones (1973)", and "The Rockford Files (1974)". Another starring series attempt with "Westwind (1975)" failed to make the grade and he soon let his career go. Van went on quite successfully in business with telecommunications, real estate and law enforcement supplies among his ventures. With his glossy, pretty-boy years far behind him, he has not felt the need to look back except for an occasional autograph convention.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
Filmography
| 2023 | Enter the Clones of Bruce · as The Green Hornet |
| 2012 | I Am Bruce Lee · as Britt Reid |
| 2000 | Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey · as Cast |
| 1999 | Television: The First Fifty Years · as Britt Reid |
| 1993 | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story · as Green Hornet Director |
| 1992 | Bruce Lee and Kung Fu Mania · as Cast |
| 1991 | Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories (TV Series) · as Mr. Fitzgerald (segment: Legend Of Kate Morgan) |
| 1989 | Batman and Robin and the Other Super Heroes · as The Green Hornet |
| 1989 | Action Heroes of Movies & T.V. · as Green Hornet |
| 1979 | The Night Rider · as Jim Hollister |
| 1979 | Mrs. Columbo (TV Series) · as Fielding |
| 1978 | Centennial (TV Series) · as George |
| 1977 | The Red Hand Gang (TV Series) · as Ok Okins |
| 1977 | Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series) |
| 1976 | Fury of the Dragon · as Britt Reid |
| 1976 | How the West Was Won (TV Series) · as Captain Macallister |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) · as Lt. Dwayne Kefir |
| 1974 | The Green Hornet · as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet |
| 1974 | Manhunter (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Apple's Way (TV Series) · as Ritchie Case |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Munson |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) · as Officer Morton |
| 1970 | Nanny and the Professor (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Love, American Style (TV Series) · as Bill |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Arnold Sanders |
| 1966 | The Green Hornet (TV Series) · as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet |
| 1966 | Batman: The Movie · as President Lyndon B. Johnson (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1966 | Batman (TV Series) · as The Green Hornet |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Sheriff Dave Barrett |
| 1963 | Temple Houston (TV Series) · as Joey Baker |
| 1963 | The Caretakers · as Dr. Larry Denning |
| 1962 | The Gallant Men (TV Series) · as Lt. Dave Cameron |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) |
| 1961 | The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series) |
| 1960 | SurfSide 6 (TV Series) · as Ken Madison |
| 1960 | Tall Story · as Young Man In Shower |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Bourbon Street Beat (TV Series) · as Kenny Madison |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) · as Ken Madison |
| 1958 | Lawman (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Colt .45 (TV Series) · as Tom Rucker |
| 1955 | |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Quincy |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Charlie |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Exton's Servant |