CI
Clarence Williams III
Actor
Died June 4, 2021 (81 years)
Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 – June 4, 2021) was an American actor. Williams was the son of a professional musician, Clarence "Clay" Williams Jr., and grandson of jazz and blues composer/pianist Clarence Williams and his singer-actress wife, Eva Taylor. Raised by his paternal grandmother, he became interested in acting after accidentally walking onto a stage at a theater below a Harlem YMCA.
Williams began pursuing an acting career after spending two years as a U.S. Army paratrooper in C Company, 506th Infantry, of the 101st Airborne Division. He first appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream (1960). Continuing his work on stage, he appeared in Walk in Darkness (1963), Sarah and the Sax (1964), Doubletalk (1964), and King John. His breakout theatrical role was in William Hanley's Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, for which he received a Tony Award nomination. The New York Times drama critic Howard Taubman wrote of his performance, "Mr. Williams glides like a dancer, giving his long, fraudulently airy speeches the inner rhythms of fear and showing the nakedness of terror when he ceases to pretend." He also served as artist-in-residence at Brandeis University in 1966.
Williams' breakout television role was as undercover cop Linc Hayes on the popular ABC counterculture police television series The Mod Squad (1968), along with fellow relative unknowns Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton. After the series ended in 1973, he worked in a variety of genres on stage and screen, from comedy (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Half-Baked) to sci-fi (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and drama (Purple Rain).
Spanning over forty years, his career included the role of Prince's tormented father, who was also a musician, in Purple Rain (1984), A guest appearance in Miami Vice (1985), a recurring role in the surreal TV series Twin Peaks (1990), a good cop in Deep Cover (1992), a rioter in the mini-series Against the Wall (1994), and Wesley Snipes' chemically dependent father in Sugar Hill (1993). His other roles on television include Hill Street Blues, the Canadian cult classic The Littlest Hobo, Miami Vice, The Highwayman, Burn Notice, Everybody Hates Chris, Justified, Cold Case, and Law & Order. He can be seen in films such as 52 Pick-Up, Life, The Cool World, Deep Cover, Tales from the Hood, Half-Baked, King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis, Hoodlum, Frogs for Snakes, Starstruck, The General's Daughter, Reindeer Games, Impostor, and as the early jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton in The Legend of 1900. He also played a supporting role as George Wallace's fictional African-American butler and caretaker in the 1997 TNT film George Wallace.
From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a recurring role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman film series on the Hallmark Channel. He appeared in all but the first of the eleven films alongside Kellie Martin (J.E. Freeman played Philby in the Mystery Woman first film). In the seventh (Mystery Woman: At First Sight) film, he reunited with his Mod Squad co-star Michael Cole. He played Bumpy Johnson in the film American Gangster. From 2005 to 2007 Williams had another recurring role as the voice of Councilor Andam on the Disney animated series American Dragon: Jake Long.
Williams died in Los Angeles, on June 4, 2021, at the age of 81, from colon cancer. He is buried in St Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.
Williams began pursuing an acting career after spending two years as a U.S. Army paratrooper in C Company, 506th Infantry, of the 101st Airborne Division. He first appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream (1960). Continuing his work on stage, he appeared in Walk in Darkness (1963), Sarah and the Sax (1964), Doubletalk (1964), and King John. His breakout theatrical role was in William Hanley's Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, for which he received a Tony Award nomination. The New York Times drama critic Howard Taubman wrote of his performance, "Mr. Williams glides like a dancer, giving his long, fraudulently airy speeches the inner rhythms of fear and showing the nakedness of terror when he ceases to pretend." He also served as artist-in-residence at Brandeis University in 1966.
Williams' breakout television role was as undercover cop Linc Hayes on the popular ABC counterculture police television series The Mod Squad (1968), along with fellow relative unknowns Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton. After the series ended in 1973, he worked in a variety of genres on stage and screen, from comedy (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Half-Baked) to sci-fi (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and drama (Purple Rain).
Spanning over forty years, his career included the role of Prince's tormented father, who was also a musician, in Purple Rain (1984), A guest appearance in Miami Vice (1985), a recurring role in the surreal TV series Twin Peaks (1990), a good cop in Deep Cover (1992), a rioter in the mini-series Against the Wall (1994), and Wesley Snipes' chemically dependent father in Sugar Hill (1993). His other roles on television include Hill Street Blues, the Canadian cult classic The Littlest Hobo, Miami Vice, The Highwayman, Burn Notice, Everybody Hates Chris, Justified, Cold Case, and Law & Order. He can be seen in films such as 52 Pick-Up, Life, The Cool World, Deep Cover, Tales from the Hood, Half-Baked, King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis, Hoodlum, Frogs for Snakes, Starstruck, The General's Daughter, Reindeer Games, Impostor, and as the early jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton in The Legend of 1900. He also played a supporting role as George Wallace's fictional African-American butler and caretaker in the 1997 TNT film George Wallace.
From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a recurring role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman film series on the Hallmark Channel. He appeared in all but the first of the eleven films alongside Kellie Martin (J.E. Freeman played Philby in the Mystery Woman first film). In the seventh (Mystery Woman: At First Sight) film, he reunited with his Mod Squad co-star Michael Cole. He played Bumpy Johnson in the film American Gangster. From 2005 to 2007 Williams had another recurring role as the voice of Councilor Andam on the Disney animated series American Dragon: Jake Long.
Williams died in Los Angeles, on June 4, 2021, at the age of 81, from colon cancer. He is buried in St Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | American Nightmares · as Roscoe |
| 2015 | Empire (2015) (TV Series) · as Huey Jarvis |
| 2013 | The Butler · as Maynard |
| 2010 | Memphis Beat (TV Series) · as Leroy Hitch |
| 2010 | Justified (TV Series) · as Jones |
| 2009 | A Day in the Life · as Sam |
| 2009 | The Way of War · as Mac |
| 2007 | American Gangster · as Bumpy Johnson (uncredited) |
| 2007 | Burn Notice (TV Series) · as Jean Pierre's Father |
| 2007 | Mystery Woman: In the Shadows · as Philby |
| 2007 | The Blue Hour · as Ridley |
| 2006 | Mystery Woman: Redemption · as Philby |
| 2006 | Mystery Woman: Oh Baby · as Philby |
| 2006 | Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery · as Philby |
| 2006 | Mystery Woman: At First Sight · as Philby |
| 2005 | Constellation · as Forest Boxer |
| 2005 | Everybody Hates Chris (TV Series) · as Tate |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Game Time · as Philby |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murder · as Philby |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder · as Philby |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Snapshot · as Philby |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend · as Philby |
| 2005 | American Dragon: Jake Long (TV Series) |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 | Skin (TV Series) · as Vincent Quordon |
| 2003 | Karen Sisco (TV Series) · as Detective Dave Campos |
| 2003 | Cold Case (TV Series) · as Henry 'pops' Walters |
| 2003 | Mystery Woman · as Man In Jail |
| 2003 | Mystery Woman (TV Series) · as Philby |
| 2003 | Miracles (TV Series) |
| 2003 | The Extreme Team · as Zachary |
| 2002 | Fastlane (TV Series) · as Mr. Hayes |
| 2002 | Happy Here and Now · as Bill |
| 2001 | Impostor · as Secretary Of Defense (uncredited) |
| 2001 | The Legend of Tarzan (TV Series) · as (voice) |
| 2001 | Blue Hill Avenue · as Benny |
| 2001 | Mindstorm · as Walter Golden |
| 2000 | Ali: An American Hero · as Marcellus Clay |
| 2000 | Ritual · as Leron Becker |
| 2000 | Resurrection Blvd. (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 2000 | Civility · as Glitterman |
| 2000 | Reindeer Games · as Merlin |
| 1999 | Judging Amy (TV Series) · as Joe Mckenzie |
| 1999 | The General's Daughter · as Colonel George Fowler |
| 1999 | Life · as Winston Hancock |
| 1998 | The Legend of 1900 · as Jelly Roll Morton |
| 1998 | Shepherd · as Cast |
| 1998 | Frogs for Snakes · as Huck Hanley |
| 1998 | Starstruck · as Jerry Wallace |
| 1998 | Last Rites · as Warden George Pierce |
| 1998 | Half Baked · as Samson Simpson |
| 1997 | The Love Bug · as Chuck |
| 1997 | Hoodlum · as Bub Hewlett |
| 1997 | George Wallace · as Archie |
| 1997 | The Brave · as Father Stratton |
| 1997 | Sprung · as Grand Daddy |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault · as Coach Pratt |
| 1996 | Millennium (TV Series) · as Patient Zero |
| 1996 | Profiler (TV Series) |
| 1996 | The Silencers · as General Greenboro |
| 1996 | Encino Woman · as Javier |
| 1996 | The Road to Galveston · as Christopher, The Caretaker |
| 1995 | The Immortals · as Benny |
| 1995 | Tales from the Hood · as Mr. Simms (segment "welcome To My Mortuary") |
| 1994 | The Cosby Mysteries (TV Series) · as Eugene Lukes |
| 1994 | New York Undercover (TV Series) · as Donald Brooks |
| 1994 | Against the Wall · as Chaka |
| 1993 | Sugar Hill · as Arthur Romello "a.r." Skuggs |
| 1993 | |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series) · as Deputy Commissioner Luther Dobbs |
| 1993 | On the Streets of L.A. · as Raymond |
| 1993 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) · as Omet'iklan |
| 1992 | Deep Cover · as Taft |
| 1991 | My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys · as Deputy Sheriff Virgil |
| 1990 | Law & Order (TV Series) · as Lateef Miller |
| 1990 | Gabriel's Fire (TV Series) · as Patrice White |
| 1990 | Maniac Cop 2 · as Blum |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) · as Fbi Agent Roger Hardy |
| 1990 | Nasty Boys (TV Series) · as John Culver |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Grady |
| 1988 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka · as Kalinga |
| 1988 | Perfect Victims · as Lt. Kevin White |
| 1987 | Jake and the Fatman (TV Series) · as Benjamin Tatsa |
| 1987 | The Highwayman (TV Series) · as Jessie |
| 1987 | Tough Guys Don't Dance · as Bolo |
| 1987 | The Last Innocent Man · as D.j. Johnson |
| 1986 | 52 Pick-Up · as Bobby Shy |
| 1985 | Hell Town (TV Series) · as Duval |
| 1984 | The House of Dies Drear · as Mayhew Skinner |
| 1984 | The Cosby Show (TV Series) · as Mr. Thornehill |
| 1984 | Miami Vice (TV Series) |
| 1984 | Purple Rain · as Father |
| 1982 | T.J. Hooker (TV Series) · as Walker Redding / Martin / Phil Decker |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues (TV Series) |
| 1979 | The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) · as David |
| 1979 | The Return of Mod Squad · as Lincoln Hayes |
| 1973 | Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (TV Series) · as John Cambridge |
| 1972 | The ABC Afterschool Special (TV Series) · as Mr. Simpson |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad (TV Series) |
| 1967 | The Danny Thomas Hour (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1966 | Tarzan (1966) (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Daktari (TV Series) · as Robert Oneko |
| 1963 | The Cool World · as Blood |
| 1959 | Pork Chop Hill · as Message Runner |