Clarence Williams III

Where to watch Clarence Williams III

• The Legend of 1900Movie · 1998

Biography

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.

Filmography

1. 2018American Nightmaresas Roscoe
2. 2015Empireas Huey Jarvis · 1 episode
3. 2013The Butleras Maynard
4. 2010Justifiedas Jones · 1 episode
5. 2009The Way of Waras Mac
6. 2007American Gangsteras Bumpy Johnson (uncredited)
7. 2007Burn Noticeas Jean Pierre's Father · 1 episode
8. 2007Mystery Woman: In the Shadowsas Philby
9. 2006Mystery Woman: Redemptionas Philby
10. 2006Mystery Woman: Oh Babyas Philby
11. 2006Mystery Woman: At First Sightas Philby
12. 2005Everybody Hates Chrisas Tate · 1 episode
13. 2005Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murderas Philby
14. 2005Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murderas Philby
15. 2005Mystery Woman: Snapshotas Philby
16. 2005American Dragon: Jake Long1 episode
17. 2003Blue Hill Avenueas Benny
18. 2002Fastlaneas Mr. Hayes · 2 episodes
19. 2001Impostoras Secretary of Defense (uncredited)
20. 2001The Legend of Tarzan(voice) · 1 episode
21. 2000Reindeer Gamesas Merlin
22. 1999Judging Amyas Joe McKenzie · 2 episodes
23. 1999The General's Daughteras Colonel George Fowler
24. 1999Lifeas Winston Hancock
25. 1998The Legend of 1900as Jelly Roll Morton
26. 1998Half Bakedas Samson Simpson
27. 1997The Love Bugas Chuck
28. 1997Hoodlumas Bub Hewlett
29. 1997George Wallaceas Archie
30. 1997The Braveas Father Stratton
31. 1997Sprungas Grand Daddy
32. 1996Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigaultas Coach Pratt
33. 1996Millenniumas Patient Zero · 1 episode
34. 1996Profileras Carl Adler · 1 episode
35. 1996The Silencersas General Greenboro
36. 1995The Immortalsas Benny
37. 1995Tales from the Hoodas Mr. Simms (segment "Welcome to My Mortuary")
38. 1994New York Undercoveras Donald Brooks · 1 episode
39. 1994Against the Wallas Chaka
40. 1994Sugar Hillas Arthur Romello "A.R." Skuggs
41. 1993Deadfallas Dean
42. 1993Walker, Texas Rangeras Deputy Commissioner Luther Dobbs · 1 episode
43. 1993Star Trek: Deep Space Nineas Omet'iklan · 1 episode
44. 1992Deep Coveras Taft
45. 1990Law & Orderas Lateef Miller · 1 episode
46. 1990Maniac Cop 2as Blum
47. 1990Twin Peaksas FBI Agent Roger Hardy · 2 episodes
48. 1989Tales from the Cryptas Grady · 1 episode
49. 1988I'm Gonna Git You Suckaas Kalinga
50. 1987Jake and the Fatmanas Benjamin Tatsa · 1 episode
51. 1987Tough Guys Don't Danceas Bolo
52. 198652 Pick-Upas Bobby Shy
53. 1984The Cosby Showas Mr. Thornehill · 1 episode
54. 1984Miami Viceas Maximilian 'Legba' Ildefonse · 1 episode
55. 1984Purple Rainas Father
56. 1982T. J. Hookeras Phil Decker · 1 episode
57. 1981Hill Street Bluesas Lester Menley · 1 episode
58. 1968The Mod Squadas Linc Hayes · 124 episodes
59. 1966Tarzan1 episode
60. 1964The Cool Worldas Blood