Adam Williams

Acteur, Schrijver

26 november 1922 — 4 december 2006 (84 years)
Adam Williams (born Adam William Berg, November 26, 1922 – December 4, 2006) was an American film and television actor. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the Navy Cross. In 1952, Williams played the lead, a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film Without Warning! In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in The Big Heat. He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie The Space Children. Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in Fear Strikes Out (1957) and Valerian in North by Northwest (1959).

During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated Sheriff of Cochise, set in Arizona and starring John Bromfield, and Have Gun – Will Travel in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on Joanne Dru's sitcom Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1960, he played the role of a sailor hitching a ride in The Twilight Zone season 1 episode "The Hitch-Hiker", where he is picked up by a terrified driver played by Inger Stevens, who is compelled to pick him up so that he may offer protection and safety to her from a mysterious hitchhiker who shows up at various times and places along the road while she travels across country. Many reviewers have cited this episode as one of The Twilight Zone's "10 Greatest" of the series. He had also appeared in the Twilight Zone episode "A Most Unusual Camera". Between 1959 and 1967 he appeared in six episodes of The Rifleman and in four episodes of Bonanza, and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday", in the ABC adventure series The Islanders. He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Lawman. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series The Americans, based on family conflicts stemming from the American Civil War, and in an episode of the 1961 series The Asphalt Jungle. One of his later roles was in the 1976 television movie Helter Skelter.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • North by Northwest
    North by Northwest1959
  • Bonanza
    Bonanza2 seasons
  • The Rifleman
    The Rifleman5 seasons
  • Cheyenne
    Cheyenne7 seasons
  • The F.B.I.
    The F.B.I.7 seasons
  • The Glory Guys
    The Glory Guys1965
  • The Westerner
    The Westerner1 season
  • Four Star Playhouse
    Four Star Playhouse4 seasons

Known For

  • North by Northwest
    North by Northwest1959
  • Tot het bittere einde
    Tot het bittere einde1953
  • Uit een andere wereld...
    Uit een andere wereld...1958
  • Flying Leathernecks
    Flying Leathernecks1951
  • De weg naar de roem
    De weg naar de roem1957
  • Drijfzand der begeerte
    Drijfzand der begeerte1961
  • Het meisje in kamer 17
    Het meisje in kamer 171953
  • The Badlanders
    The Badlanders1958
  • Gunfight at Comanche Creek
    Gunfight at Comanche Creek1963
  • De wildernis der samenleving
    De wildernis der samenleving1957
  • The Proud and Profane
    The Proud and Profane1956
  • De eenzame man
    De eenzame man1957
  • Angst op de stad
    Angst op de stad1957

Cinematografie

2009
The Rules of Film Noir · as Larry Gordon (clip From The Big Heat (1953))
1978
Sword of Justice · as Jansen
1977
Carter Country · as Bus Driver
1976
Helter Skelter · as Terrence Milik
1976
Helter Skelter · as Terrence Milik
1976
1975
Switch · as Henry Corwin
1973
This Is a Hijack · as Smitty
1971
1969
Room 222 · as Jack Ulmer
1969
Marcus Welby, M.D. · as Dr. Schmidt
1968
The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit · as Sergeant Roberts
1967
Mannix · as Prosecutor
1967
The High Chaparral · as Burton
1967
Custer · as Sergeant Carhew
1966
Follow Me, Boys! · as Sergeant (uncredited)
1966
1965
Honey West · as Gordon Forbes
1965
The F.B.I. · as David BriceOp Plex
1965
I Spy · as Miller Stevens
1965
1965
The Glory Guys · as Pvt. Lucas CrainOp Plex
1964
Daniel Boone · as Mose
1964
1964
The New Interns · as Wolanski
1963
1963
Kraft Suspense Theatre · as Ben Jorgenson
1963
Temple Houston · as Harmony Brown
1963
The Fugitive · as Truck Driver
1963
Arrest and Trial · as C.h. Littler
1963
1962
1962
Combat! · as Lt. Col. Nash
1962
The Virginian · as Roper
1962
Sam Benedict · as Burton Harper
1962
Convicts 4 · as Guard
1961
Dr. Kildare · as Ralph Walker
1961
The Last Sunset · as Calverton
1961
1961
1961
1960
The Roaring 20's · as Sammie
1960
The Law and Mr. Jones · as Phillip Harvey
1960
Stagecoach West · as Arnie Ames
1960
SurfSide 6 · as Mel Walters
1960
The Islanders · as Adam
1960
The Westerner · as PaukOp Plex
1960
1960
1960
Thriller · as Hymie Kralik
1960
1959
1959
Hawaiian Eye · as Harry Gulliver
1959
The Twilight Zone · as Sailor
1959
Bonanza · as Blackie MarxOp Plex
1959
North by Northwest · as ValerianOp Plex
1959
David Niven Show · as George Hilton
1959
The Untouchables · as Paul Meadows
1959
Black Saddle · as Clint Frome
1959
Rawhide · as Jeb
1958
The Badlanders · as Deputy Leslie
1958
U.S. Marshal · as Bert Reeves
1958
77 Sunset Strip · as Chuck Lynch
1958
Lawman · as Burley Keller
1958
The Rifleman · as Russell GanawayOp Plex
1958
The Texan · as Jebb Kilmer
1958
Northwest Passage · as Corporal Quill
1958
The Space Children · as Dave Brewster
1958
Darby's Rangers · as Heavy Hall
1957
Alcoa Theatre · as Wohlman
1957
Trackdown · as Cowboy
1957
Maverick · as Sam Elkins
1957
Perry Mason · as Jason Beckmeyer
1957
M Squad · as Denny Sutton
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel · as Simon Quill
1957
The Lonely Man · as Lon
1957
The Oklahoman · as Bob Randell
1957
1957
Fear Strikes Out · as Doctor Brown
1956
The Rack · as Sgt. Otto Pahnke
1956
Zane Grey Theatre · as Harlan Breckenridge
1956
Wire Service · as Wells
1956
Playhouse 90 · as Kimbrough
1956
The Proud and Profane · as Eustace Press
1956
1955
Crusader · as Sylvan Danzig
1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents · as Police Lt. King
1955
Cheyenne · as Jeb QuinnOp Plex
1955
Gunsmoke · as Slim Trent
1955
1955
The Sea Chase · as Kruger - Wireless Operator
1955
Science Fiction Theatre · as Lt. Frank Buchanan
1955
Crashout · as Fred Summerfield
1955
Stage 7 · as Danny Rawlings
1955
The Millionaire · as Todd Burke
1954
Climax! · as Cast
1954
Medic · as Dr. Max Pierson
1954
The Yellow Tomahawk · as Cpl. Maddock
1953
Dragonfly Squadron · as Capt. Wyler
1953
The Big Heat · as Larry Gordon
1953
1953
Vice Squad · as Marty Kusalich
1953
1952
Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre · as Private Littauer
1952
Four Star Playhouse · as GeorgeOp Plex
1952
Without Warning! · as Carl Martin
1951
Flying Leathernecks · as Lt. Bert Malotke
1951
Queen for a Day · as Chuck
1949
Fireside Theatre · as Harry

1958
The Rifleman · as TeleplayOp Plex