Barry Williams
Encyclopedia
Barry William Blenkhorn (born September 30, 1954), known professionally as Barry Williams, is an America
n actor
best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC
television series The Brady Bunch
.
to Doris May Moore and Canadian
-born Frank Millar Blenkhorn of English
, Scottish
and German ancestry. Williams decided as a child that he wanted to be an actor, and in 1967
made his television
debut in an episode of Dragnet. Williams was cast in guest roles on Adam-12
, The Invaders
, That Girl
, Mission: Impossible
and The Mod Squad
before being cast in 1969
as Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch
. As the eldest of the show's six children, his story lines often involved his romances. As Greg Brady reached his teenage years, the show's producers began to groom and promote Williams as a teen idol
.
, Williams found he was unable to attract the type of high profile roles that might have expanded on his earlier career success. He resumed playing guest roles on television, and became involved in musical theater, touring with productions such as Grease
, The Sound of Music
and West Side Story. He also made what would prove to be unsuccessful attempts in establishing a career as a recording artist. In 1988, Williams appeared on Broadway in the musical Romance/Romance
with Tony Award-nominee, Alison Fraser
. Williams took over the lead male role of Alfred/Sam when Scott Bakula
left the production. Years later, Williams was able to capitalize on being type-cast as Greg Brady. Amid a procession of appearances in TV and movies that played up his famous teen role, he ended up landing a role that was quite a departure from the Brady image, and that could have shaken off that image if the role was held longer: briefly in 1984, he was tapped to play English con man Hannibal, who conspired with Holly Sutton Scorpio (Emma Samms
) on the top-rated General Hospital
. Although the appearance was well-received, Williams was not asked back after his initial story arc was concluded.
His 1992
autobiography
, Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg
, written with Chris Kreski
, stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for three months. The book was adapted into a 2000 TV movie titled Growing Up Brady
, starring Adam Brody
as Williams.
Williams has appeared in various Brady Bunch TV movie reunions, including the 1988 Christmas movie A Very Brady Christmas, in which his sole family problem is missing his wife, Nora. The issue with his wife is solved when Nora shows up at the Brady house on Christmas, poinsettia in hand.
He also has created a cabaret
act that pays tribute to his past, and played himself in the 2003
film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
, the film involving the plight a former child star who finds himself out of work. In 2000
, Williams parodied Eminem
hit single "The Real Slim Shady
", with his version, "The Real Greg Brady." In 2001-2002, Barry played Manager Dean "The Machine" Strickland in 13 episodes of the TV sitcom S Club 7 in Hollywood which featured the British pop group S Club 7
.
Williams appeared briefly as an audience member in the music video of Peter Gabriel
's song "The Barry Williams Show" (2002), which is, however, not about the actor. Gabriel said he hadn't known about Williams when he wrote the song.
Williams appeared in the 2002 song Oakland Raiders
by San Francisco rap
group Luniz
. Delivering a humorous monologue as the song faded out, Williams asserted his status as a pimp
and stated his fondness for big dank.
Williams participated in a Celebrity Boxing
match with former Partridge Family TV star Danny Bonaduce
, but lost to Bonaduce, who is a martial arts black belt.
Williams also appeared with his former Brady Bunch co-star Christopher Knight (Peter Brady) on a 2006 episode of the Fox network sitcom That '70s Show
. He and Knight played a gay couple who moved in next door to the Formans. He and Knight have remained close friends since their Brady Bunch days, and he appeared in several episodes of Knight's reality show series My Fair Brady
.
Williams currently hosts The Real Greg Brady’s Totally '70s Pop Quiz starring Barry Williams Saturdays on Sirius Satellite Radio's
"Totally '70s" channel.
In December 2007 he launched a unique fan portal named The Greg Brady Project. The site features ongoing conversations with Barry, fans and other celebrities.
In 2008, Williams appeared in episode 6 of the Vh1
series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
. Williams participated as a friend of one of the patients, Chyna, and explained to her during a group session how her drinking had a negative impact on his own life and career.
In January 2010 he took a role in The Asylum
mockbuster
Mega Piranha
, who played alongside the former Teen-Pop singer Tiffany
.
On October 17, 2010, Williams took part in the judging panel for Classical Academies Got Talent, a contest between talents from three public charter schools in Escondido, California. The judging took place at Moonlight Amphitheatre, a regional theatre located in Vista, California
.
In 2011, Williams starred as the Camp Director for Camp Playboy. Camp Playboy is a show about playboy girls having topless slumber parties, water fights, and hikes au natural.
, the union
representing stage actors, for starring as Captain Von Trapp in a non-union tour of The Sound of Music
. According to Variety
, the production was picketed in several cities. Williams responded by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board
, arguing that the fine was illegal because he had resigned from the union in September 2000 before the tour began. Equity alleged that Williams, who joined the union in 1974, was still a member when he began contract negotiations for the role.
Williams was reinstated by Actor's Equity as a member in good standing in 2005 after he unionized a non-equity production of A Christmas Carol
in late 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
.
Early life and career
Barry Williams was born in 1954 in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
to Doris May Moore and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born Frank Millar Blenkhorn of English
English Canadian
An English Canadian is a Canadian of English ancestry; it is used primarily in contrast with French Canadian. Canada is an officially bilingual state, with English and French official language communities. Immigrant cultural groups ostensibly integrate into one or both of these communities, but...
, Scottish
Scottish Canadian
Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish descent or heritage living in Canada. As the third-largest ethnic group in Canada and among the first to settle in Canada, Scottish people have made a large impact on Canadian culture since colonial times...
and German ancestry. Williams decided as a child that he wanted to be an actor, and in 1967
1967 in television
The year 1967 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1967.For the American TV schedule, see: 1967-68 American network television schedule.-Events:...
made his television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
debut in an episode of Dragnet. Williams was cast in guest roles on Adam-12
Adam-12
Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
, The Invaders
The Invaders
The Invaders, a Quinn Martin Production , is an ABC science fiction television program created by Larry Cohen that ran in the United States for two seasons, from January 10, 1967 to March 26, 1968...
, That Girl
That Girl
That Girl is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who had moved from her hometown of Brewster, New York to make it big in New York City...
, Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
and The Mod Squad
The Mod Squad
The Mod Squad is a television series that ran on ABC from September 24, 1968, until August 23, 1973. This series starred Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III, and Tige Andrews...
before being cast in 1969
1969 in television
The year 1969 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1969.For the American TV schedule, see: 1969-70 American network television schedule.-Events:...
as Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
. As the eldest of the show's six children, his story lines often involved his romances. As Greg Brady reached his teenage years, the show's producers began to groom and promote Williams as a teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
.
Later career
Following the cancellation of The Brady Bunch in 19741974 in television
The year 1974 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1974.For the American TV schedule, see: 1974-75 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, Williams found he was unable to attract the type of high profile roles that might have expanded on his earlier career success. He resumed playing guest roles on television, and became involved in musical theater, touring with productions such as Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
and West Side Story. He also made what would prove to be unsuccessful attempts in establishing a career as a recording artist. In 1988, Williams appeared on Broadway in the musical Romance/Romance
Romance/Romance
Romance/Romance is a musical with a book and lyrics by Barry Harman and music by Keith Herrmann.The show is composed of two acts linked only by the common theme of love and one song performed in both acts...
with Tony Award-nominee, Alison Fraser
Alison Fraser
Alison Fraser is an American actress and singer who has appeared in concert at such venues as Carnegie Hall, The White House, Town Hall, The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, The Tisch Center for the Arts, The Folger Shakespeare Library, The Wilma, The Emelin, Joe's Pub and Symphony space.Fraser is a two...
. Williams took over the lead male role of Alfred/Sam when Scott Bakula
Scott Bakula
Scott Stewart Bakula is an American actor, known for his role as Sam Beckett in the television series Quantum Leap, for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 1991 and was nominated for four Emmy Awards. He also had a prominent role as Captain Jonathan...
left the production. Years later, Williams was able to capitalize on being type-cast as Greg Brady. Amid a procession of appearances in TV and movies that played up his famous teen role, he ended up landing a role that was quite a departure from the Brady image, and that could have shaken off that image if the role was held longer: briefly in 1984, he was tapped to play English con man Hannibal, who conspired with Holly Sutton Scorpio (Emma Samms
Emma Samms
Emma Samms is a British television actress best known for her role as Holly Sutton on the American daytime soap opera General Hospital and for replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Colby on the primetime soap opera Dynasty.-Early life:Samms was born in Willesden, London, England, the...
) on the top-rated General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. Although the appearance was well-received, Williams was not asked back after his initial story arc was concluded.
His 1992
1992 in literature
The year 1992 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Ben Aaronovitch - Transit*Julia Álvarez - How the García Girls Lost Their Accents*Paul Auster - Leviathan*Iain Banks - The Crow Road...
autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg
Growing Up Brady (book)
Growing Up Brady: I Was A Teenage Greg is a 1992 autobiography written by actor Barry Williams with Chris Kreski.In Growing Up Brady, Williams discusses his childhood, the production of the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch, his relationship with co-star Maureen McCormick, disputes between series star...
, written with Chris Kreski
Chris Kreski
Chris Kreski was an American writer, biographer and screenwriter.-Writing:In 1989, during his tenure as the head writer for Remote Control, Kreski met actor Barry Williams, who was one of three celebrity contestants during a "Brady Day" episode. When Williams said that he'd thought about writing a...
, stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for three months. The book was adapted into a 2000 TV movie titled Growing Up Brady
Growing Up Brady (TV movie)
Growing Up Brady is an American television movie based on the 1992 autobiography written by actor Barry Williams with Chris Kreski, Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg....
, starring Adam Brody
Adam Brody
Adam Jared Brody is an American film and television actor and part time musician. He began his career in 1995, appearing on Gilmore Girls and other series, and subsequently came to fame for his role as Seth Cohen on The O.C. Brody later appeared in several film roles, including Mr. & Mrs...
as Williams.
Williams has appeared in various Brady Bunch TV movie reunions, including the 1988 Christmas movie A Very Brady Christmas, in which his sole family problem is missing his wife, Nora. The issue with his wife is solved when Nora shows up at the Brady house on Christmas, poinsettia in hand.
He also has created a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
act that pays tribute to his past, and played himself in the 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...
, the film involving the plight a former child star who finds himself out of work. In 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
, Williams parodied Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
hit single "The Real Slim Shady
The Real Slim Shady
"The Real Slim Shady" is a hip hop song written by Eminem for his third studio album The Marshall Mathers LP . It was released as the lead single a week before the album's release...
", with his version, "The Real Greg Brady." In 2001-2002, Barry played Manager Dean "The Machine" Strickland in 13 episodes of the TV sitcom S Club 7 in Hollywood which featured the British pop group S Club 7
S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
.
Williams appeared briefly as an audience member in the music video of Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's song "The Barry Williams Show" (2002), which is, however, not about the actor. Gabriel said he hadn't known about Williams when he wrote the song.
Williams appeared in the 2002 song Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
by San Francisco rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
group Luniz
Luniz
The Luniz were an American platinum-selling rap duo from Oakland, California, formed by the rappers Yukmouth and Numskull. They released an internationally successful hit in 1995 entitled "I Got 5 on It", two versions of which appeared on their album Operation Stackola...
. Delivering a humorous monologue as the song faded out, Williams asserted his status as a pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
and stated his fondness for big dank.
Celebrity Boxing
Celebrity Boxing was a FOX television show, in which celebrities whose careers and/or notoriety had diminished were pitted against each other in exhibition boxing matches. The contestants wore headgear during the fights, which were scheduled for three rounds apiece...
match with former Partridge Family TV star Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce
Dante Daniel "Danny" Bonaduce is an American radio/television personality, comedian, professional wrestler, and former child actor...
, but lost to Bonaduce, who is a martial arts black belt.
Williams also appeared with his former Brady Bunch co-star Christopher Knight (Peter Brady) on a 2006 episode of the Fox network sitcom That '70s Show
That '70s Show
That '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
. He and Knight played a gay couple who moved in next door to the Formans. He and Knight have remained close friends since their Brady Bunch days, and he appeared in several episodes of Knight's reality show series My Fair Brady
My Fair Brady
My Fair Brady is a celebrity reality television show on VH1 that follows Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch, and Adrianne Curry, who won the first season of America's Next Top Model, a year after they met and fell in love on the reality show The Surreal Life.The show...
.
Williams currently hosts The Real Greg Brady’s Totally '70s Pop Quiz starring Barry Williams Saturdays on Sirius Satellite Radio's
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
"Totally '70s" channel.
In December 2007 he launched a unique fan portal named The Greg Brady Project. The site features ongoing conversations with Barry, fans and other celebrities.
In 2008, Williams appeared in episode 6 of the Vh1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
. Williams participated as a friend of one of the patients, Chyna, and explained to her during a group session how her drinking had a negative impact on his own life and career.
In January 2010 he took a role in The Asylum
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American film studio and distributor which focuses on producing low-budget, usually direct-to-video productions. The studio has produced titles that capitalize on productions by major studios; these titles have been dubbed "mockbusters" by the press.-History:The Asylum was founded...
mockbuster
Mockbuster
A mockbuster is a film created with the apparent intention of piggy-backing on the publicity of a major film with a similar title or theme and are often made with a low budget. Often these films are created to be released direct-to-video at the same time as the mainstream film reaches theaters or...
Mega Piranha
Mega Piranha
Mega Piranha is a 2010 science fiction disaster film produced by The Asylum.It was directed by Eric Forsberg and stars Tiffany, Paul Logan and Barry Williams...
, who played alongside the former Teen-Pop singer Tiffany
Tiffany (singer)
Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
.
On October 17, 2010, Williams took part in the judging panel for Classical Academies Got Talent, a contest between talents from three public charter schools in Escondido, California. The judging took place at Moonlight Amphitheatre, a regional theatre located in Vista, California
Vista, California
Vista is a city in north San Diego County, California. It was incorporated January 28, 1963 and became a charter city on June 13, 2007. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County, the City of Vista has a Mediterranean climate...
.
In 2011, Williams starred as the Camp Director for Camp Playboy. Camp Playboy is a show about playboy girls having topless slumber parties, water fights, and hikes au natural.
Actors' Equity dispute
In January 2001, Williams was fined $52,000 by Actors' Equity AssociationActors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
, the union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representing stage actors, for starring as Captain Von Trapp in a non-union tour of The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
. According to Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, the production was picketed in several cities. Williams responded by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
, arguing that the fine was illegal because he had resigned from the union in September 2000 before the tour began. Equity alleged that Williams, who joined the union in 1974, was still a member when he began contract negotiations for the role.
Williams was reinstated by Actor's Equity as a member in good standing in 2005 after he unionized a non-equity production of A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
in late 2004.