Billy Dee Williams
Encyclopedia
William December "Billy Dee" Williams, Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor
, artist
, singer
, and writer
.
, New York, the son of Loretta
Anne, a West Indian-born elevator operator
from Montserrat
, and William December Williams, Sr., an African-American caretaker
from Texas
. He has a twin sister, Loretta, and grew up in Harlem
, where he was raised by his maternal grandmother while his parents worked at several jobs. Williams graduated from Manhattan's School of Performing Arts
, where he was a classmate of Diahann Carroll, who coincidentally played the wife of his character Brady Lloyd on the 1980s prime-time soap Dynasty.
in 1945 in The Firebrand of Florence
. He returned to Broadway as an adult in 1960 in the play version of The Cool Word
.
He appeared in A Taste of Honey
in 1961.
A 1976 Broadway
production, I Have a Dream, was directed by Robert Greenwald
and starred Williams as Martin Luther King, Jr.
His most recent Broadway appearance was in August Wilson
's Fences, as a replacement for James Earl Jones
in the role of Troy Maxson in 1988.
, opposite Paul Muni
, in which he portrayed a delinquent. He rose to stardom after starring in the critically lauded blockbuster biographical TV movie
, Brian's Song
(1971), in which he played Chicago Bears star football player Gale Sayers
, who stood by his friend Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan), during his struggle with terminal cancer. Both Williams and Caan were nominated for Emmy Award
s for best actor for their performances.
After this breakthrough, Williams became America's leading black film actor in the 1970s after starring in a string of critically acclaimed and popular movies, many of them in the Blaxploitation
genre. In 1972, starred as Billie Holliday's husband Louis McKay in Motown Productions' Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. The film was was a box office blockbuster, becoming one of the highest grossing films of the year and received five Academy Award nominations. Diana Ross
starred in Lady Sings the Blues opposite Williams; Motown paired the two of them again three years later in the successful follow-up project Mahogany
.
The early 1980s brought Williams the role of Lando Calrissian
, which he played in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
and in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
. Calrissian's charm proved to be popular with audiences and Williams now had a substantial fanbase within the science fiction genre as well. He reprised this role when he lent his voice for the character in the 2002 video game Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
, as well as the audio dramatization of Dark Empire
, the National Public Radio adaptation of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
, and two productions for the Star Wars: Battlefront
series: Star Wars: Battlefront II
and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
. (However, the appearance in Battlefront II was archive footage and it is unknown whether it was him or another actor in the role of Calrissian in Elite Squadron however he appears through Archive footage for that games full-motion sequences). Between his appearances in the Star Wars films, he starred alongside Sylvester Stallone
as a cop in the critically aclaimed film Nighthawks
. He co-starred in 1989's Batman
as district attorney
Harvey Dent, a role that was planned to develop into Dent's alter-ego, the villain Two-Face
, in sequels (including a pay or play contract that would have guaranteed Williams the chance to play Two-Face). Unfortunately for Williams, that never came to pass; he was set to reprise the role in a more villainous light in the sequel, Batman Returns
, but his character was deleted and replaced with original villain Max Shreck. When Joel Schumacher
stepped in to direct Batman Forever
, where Two-Face was to be a secondary villain, Schumacher decided to pay Williams' penalty fee to hire Tommy Lee Jones
for the part.
. He has had a brief cameo in the TV show Scrubs
Season 5, where he plays the godfather of Julie (Mandy Moore
). Turk
hugs him, calling him "Lando," even though he prefers to be called Billy D. He is also well-known for his appearance in advertisements for Colt 45
(a brand of malt liquor
) in the 1980s
and early 1990s
, for which he received much criticism. Williams responded indifferently to the criticism of his appearances in the liquor commercials. When questioned about his appearances, he allegedly replied by saying, "I drink, you drink. Hell, if marijuana
was legal, I'd appear in a commercial for it."
Williams was paired with actress Marla Gibbs
on three different TV shows: The Jeffersons
(Gibbs's character, Florence, had a crush on Williams and challenged him on everything because she thought he was an impostor); 227
(her character, Mary, pretending to be royalty, met Williams at a banquet); and The Hughleys
(Gibbs and Williams portrayed Darryl's parents).
In 1992, he portrayed Berry Gordy
in The Jacksons: An American Dream
.
In 1993, Williams had a guest appearance on the spin off to The Cosby Show
, A Different World
as Langston Paige, a grumpy landlord.
Williams made a special guest appearance on the hit sketch comedy show, In Living Color
, in 1990. He portrayed Pastor Dan in an episode of That '70s Show
.. In this episode entitled "Baby Don't You Do It" (2004), his character is obsessed with Star Wars, and uses this to help counsel Eric Forman
(himself a major "Star Wars" fan) and Donna Pinciotti
about their premarital relationship.
Williams made a cameo appearance as himself on the TV series Lost
in the episode "Exposé
". He also appears regularly on short clips on the Jimmy Kimmel Live
as a semi-parody of himself.
He played Toussaint Dubois for General Hospital: Night Shift
in 2007 and 2008. Williams reprised his role as Toussaint on General Hospital
itself beginning in June 2009.
In July 2010, Williams appeared in the animated series The Boondocks
, where he voiced a fictionalized version of himself in the episode "The Story of Lando Freeman".
In February 2011, Williams appeared as a guest star on USA Network's White Collar
as Ford, an old friend of Neal Caffrey's landlady June, played by Diahann Carroll.
entitled Let's Misbehave
, on which he sang several swing standards. The album is currently out of print.
, which was released in March 2007. This made him the second former Star Wars actor to appear in a Command and Conquer game, with the first being James Earl Jones
as GDI General James Solomon in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
.
to appear in a video on FunnyOrDie.com in a mock political ad defending himself for leader of the Star Wars galaxy against vicious attack ads from Emperor Palpatine. The video is titled "Vote for Lando Calrissian! w/ BILLY DEE WILLIAMS"
Billy Dee is currently a cast member of Diary of a Single Mom, a web based original series directed by award-winning filmmaker Robert Townsend. The series debuted on PIC.tv in 2009.
First to Audrey Sellers, with whom he had a son Corey (b. 1960). They were divorced some years later, after which he apparently became quite depressed. ".... there was a period when I was very despondent, broke, depressed, my first marriage was on the rocks."
Williams was briefly married to actress Marlene Clark in the late 1960s, and divorced in 1971.
He married Teruko Nakagami on December 27, 1972. She brought a daughter, Miyako (b. 1962), from her previous marriage to musician Wayne Shorter
. They have a daughter Hanako (b. 1973). They filed for divorce in 1993, but were reported to have reconciled in 1997.
50,000 bail. Williams stated through his attorney that he expected to be fully exonerated of the charges. The Los Angeles city attorney's office filed misdemeanor charges of spousal battery and dissuading a witness against Williams. The woman, identified only as 'Patricia', later stated the incident was her fault and that she hoped the police would drop the case. In a plea bargain agreement to dismiss the charges, Williams was ordered to undergo 52 counselling sessions.
Short subjects:
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Early life
Williams was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York, the son of Loretta
Anne, a West Indian-born elevator operator
Elevator operator
An elevator operator is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator...
from Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
, and William December Williams, Sr., an African-American caretaker
Property caretaker
A Property caretaker is a person, group or organization that cares for real estate for trade or financial compensation, and sometimes as a barter for rent-free living accommodations...
from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He has a twin sister, Loretta, and grew up in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, where he was raised by his maternal grandmother while his parents worked at several jobs. Williams graduated from Manhattan's School of Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...
, where he was a classmate of Diahann Carroll, who coincidentally played the wife of his character Brady Lloyd on the 1980s prime-time soap Dynasty.
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
Stage
He first appeared on BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1945 in The Firebrand of Florence
The Firebrand of Florence
The Firebrand of Florence is a Broadway musical in two acts, written by Kurt Weill , Ira Gershwin , and Edwin Justus Mayer and Gershwin, based on Mayer's play. The show opened at the Alvin Theatre on March 22, 1945 and closed on April 28 of the same year after 43 performances...
. He returned to Broadway as an adult in 1960 in the play version of The Cool Word
The Cool World (novel)
The Cool World is a novel published 1959 written by American author Warren Miller. Subsequent adaptations for a play and film of the same title were subsequently released in 1960 and 1964 respectively....
.
He appeared in A Taste of Honey
A Taste of Honey
A Taste of Honey is the first play by the British dramatist Shelagh Delaney, written when she was 18. It was initially intended as a novel, but she turned it into a play because she hoped to revitalize British theatre and to address social issues that she felt were not being presented...
in 1961.
A 1976 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production, I Have a Dream, was directed by Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald is an American film director, film producer, and political activist.-Early life:Greenwald was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ruth and Harold Greenwald. He attended the city's High School of Performing Arts...
and starred Williams as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
His most recent Broadway appearance was in August Wilson
August Wilson
August Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama...
's Fences, as a replacement for James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
in the role of Troy Maxson in 1988.
Film
He made his film debut in 1959 in the Academy Award nominated The Last Angry ManThe Last Angry Man
The Last Angry Man is a drama film which tells the story of a television producer who profiles the life of a physician. It stars Paul Muni, David Wayne, Betsy Palmer, Billy Dee Williams , and Godfrey Cambridge....
, opposite Paul Muni
Paul Muni
Paul Muni was an Austrian-Hungarian-born American stage and film actor...
, in which he portrayed a delinquent. He rose to stardom after starring in the critically lauded blockbuster biographical TV movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, Brian's Song
Brian's Song
Brian's Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo , a Wake Forest University football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro, told through his friendship with Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale...
(1971), in which he played Chicago Bears star football player Gale Sayers
Gale Sayers
Gale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
, who stood by his friend Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan), during his struggle with terminal cancer. Both Williams and Caan were nominated for Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s for best actor for their performances.
After this breakthrough, Williams became America's leading black film actor in the 1970s after starring in a string of critically acclaimed and popular movies, many of them in the Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
genre. In 1972, starred as Billie Holliday's husband Louis McKay in Motown Productions' Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. The film was was a box office blockbuster, becoming one of the highest grossing films of the year and received five Academy Award nominations. Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
starred in Lady Sings the Blues opposite Williams; Motown paired the two of them again three years later in the successful follow-up project Mahogany
Mahogany (1975 film)
Mahogany is a 1975 feature film, produced by Motown Productions and released to theaters by Paramount Pictures on October 8, 1975. Directed by Motown founder Berry Gordy , Mahogany stars Diana Ross as Tracy Chambers, a poor African-American woman who rises to become a popular fashion designer in Rome...
.
The early 1980s brought Williams the role of Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, which he played in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
and in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. Calrissian's charm proved to be popular with audiences and Williams now had a substantial fanbase within the science fiction genre as well. He reprised this role when he lent his voice for the character in the 2002 video game Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, often abbreviated JK2 or JO, is a first- and third-person action game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts and Activision. The PC version was released in March and the Mac OS X, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube versions were released in November...
, as well as the audio dramatization of Dark Empire
Dark Empire
Dark Empire is a Star Wars comic book metaseries produced by Dark Horse Comics. It consists of a six-issue limited series written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Cam Kennedy , followed by a second six-issue limited series by Veitch and Kennedy and a two-issue limited series written by Veitch and drawn...
, the National Public Radio adaptation of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
, and two productions for the Star Wars: Battlefront
Star Wars: Battlefront (series)
The Star Wars: Battlefront series is a series of first-person/third-person shooter video games based on the Star Wars films by George Lucas. The game-play is very similar to Digital Illusion's/EA's Battlefield series. The series has installments available on the PC, Macintosh, Xbox, PlayStation 2,...
series: Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II is a first/third-person shooter video game developed by Pandemic Studios, and published by LucasArts. The game is the sequel to the successful Star Wars: Battlefront and features new vehicles, characters, game mechanics, maps, and missions...
and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron is a spin-off from the Star Wars Battlefront series released November 3, 2009 on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It has been called the sequel to Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron.-Plot:...
. (However, the appearance in Battlefront II was archive footage and it is unknown whether it was him or another actor in the role of Calrissian in Elite Squadron however he appears through Archive footage for that games full-motion sequences). Between his appearances in the Star Wars films, he starred alongside Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
as a cop in the critically aclaimed film Nighthawks
Nighthawks (film)
Nighthawks is a 1981 thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, and Nigel Davenport. It was directed by Bruce Malmuth. The original music score was composed by Keith Emerson.-Storyline:...
. He co-starred in 1989's Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
as district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Harvey Dent, a role that was planned to develop into Dent's alter-ego, the villain Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
, in sequels (including a pay or play contract that would have guaranteed Williams the chance to play Two-Face). Unfortunately for Williams, that never came to pass; he was set to reprise the role in a more villainous light in the sequel, Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
, but his character was deleted and replaced with original villain Max Shreck. When Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
stepped in to direct Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
, where Two-Face was to be a secondary villain, Schumacher decided to pay Williams' penalty fee to hire Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
for the part.
Television
Williams's television work included a recurring guest-starring role on the short-lived show Gideon's CrossingGideon's Crossing
Gideon's Crossing is a US medical drama starring Andre Braugher. The series was loosely based on the experience of real-life physician Jerome Groopman and his book The Measure of Our Days. It premiered on October 10, 2000, and ran for one season, with its last episode airing on April 9, 2001, with...
. He has had a brief cameo in the TV show Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
Season 5, where he plays the godfather of Julie (Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
). Turk
Christopher Turk
Christopher Duncan Turk, M.D., is a fictional character played by Donald Faison on the American comedy-drama Scrubs. Turk has appeared in every episode except three Season 8 episodes, "My Saving Grace", "My New Role" and "My Lawyer's in Love". Donald Faison is the only original cast member,...
hugs him, calling him "Lando," even though he prefers to be called Billy D. He is also well-known for his appearance in advertisements for Colt 45
Colt 45 (malt liquor)
Colt 45 is a brand of malt liquor introduced by National Brewing Company in the spring of 1963. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the National Brewing Company and its brands are today owned by the Pabst Brewing Company....
(a brand of malt liquor
Malt liquor
Malt liquor is a North American term referring to a type of beer with high alcohol content. In legal statutes, the term often includes any alcoholic beverage above or equal to 5% alcohol by volume made with malted barley. In common parlance, however, it is used for high-alcohol beers made with...
) in the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, for which he received much criticism. Williams responded indifferently to the criticism of his appearances in the liquor commercials. When questioned about his appearances, he allegedly replied by saying, "I drink, you drink. Hell, if marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
was legal, I'd appear in a commercial for it."
Williams was paired with actress Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs is an American television and film actress and singer. She is best remembered for playing Louise and George Jefferson's sarcastic maid, Florence Johnston, on The Jeffersons and spinoff Checking In...
on three different TV shows: The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
(Gibbs's character, Florence, had a crush on Williams and challenged him on everything because she thought he was an impostor); 227
227 (TV series)
227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins...
(her character, Mary, pretending to be royalty, met Williams at a banquet); and The Hughleys
The Hughleys
The Hughleys is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on the UPN network from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It starred comedian D. L...
(Gibbs and Williams portrayed Darryl's parents).
In 1992, he portrayed Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
in The Jacksons: An American Dream
The Jacksons: An American Dream
The Jacksons: An American Dream is a five-hour American miniseries broadcast in two halves on ABC and originally broadcast on November 15 through November 18, 1992...
.
In 1993, Williams had a guest appearance on the spin off to The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, A Different World
A Different World
A Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC . It was a spin-off series from The Cosby Show originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically black college in the state of Virginia...
as Langston Paige, a grumpy landlord.
Williams made a special guest appearance on the hit sketch comedy show, In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
, in 1990. He portrayed Pastor Dan in an episode of 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...
.. In this episode entitled "Baby Don't You Do It" (2004), his character is obsessed with Star Wars, and uses this to help counsel Eric Forman
Eric Forman
Eric Albert Forman is a fictional character and the male lead on the Fox Network's That '70s Show between seasons one through seven. Portrayed by Topher Grace, Eric is based on the adolescence of show creator Mark Brazill. Most of the show takes place at the Formans' home, particularly in the...
(himself a major "Star Wars" fan) and Donna Pinciotti
Donna Pinciotti
Donna Marie Pinciotti is a fictional character and one of the two female leads in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, appearing in all eight seasons...
about their premarital relationship.
Williams made a cameo appearance as himself on the TV series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
in the episode "Exposé
Exposé (Lost)
"Exposé" is the 14th episode of the 3rd season and 63rd episode overall of the American Broadcasting Company 's serial drama television series Lost. It was aired as on ABC in the United States and on CTV in Canada on March 28, 2007...
". He also appears regularly on short clips on the Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
as a semi-parody of himself.
He played Toussaint Dubois for General Hospital: Night Shift
General Hospital: Night Shift
General Hospital: Night Shift is an American prime time serial that first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. A spin-off of the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, the show is SOAPnet's first original scripted drama series and follows the nighttime...
in 2007 and 2008. Williams reprised his role as Toussaint on 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....
itself beginning in June 2009.
In July 2010, Williams appeared in the animated series The Boondocks
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
, where he voiced a fictionalized version of himself in the episode "The Story of Lando Freeman".
In February 2011, Williams appeared as a guest star on USA Network's White Collar
White Collar (TV series)
White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
as Ford, an old friend of Neal Caffrey's landlady June, played by Diahann Carroll.
Music
In 1961, Williams recorded a jazz LP produced by Prestige RecordsPrestige Records
Prestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
entitled Let's Misbehave
Let's Misbehave
"Let's Misbehave" is a famous song written by Cole Porter in 1927, originally intended for the female lead of his first major production, Paris...
, on which he sang several swing standards. The album is currently out of print.
Video games
Williams voiced Lando Calrissian in the video game Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars Battlefront as well as the spin-off Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (however, the Battlefront appearances were archive footage and his voice-appearance in Elite Squadron is left uncredited or unknown). He also played a live-action character, GDI Director Redmond Boyle, in the game Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium WarsCommand & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 platforms, and released internationally in March 2007...
, which was released in March 2007. This made him the second former Star Wars actor to appear in a Command and Conquer game, with the first being James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
as GDI General James Solomon in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun is a real-time strategy video game developed by Westwood Studios and released in . The main storyline follows the second major war between the Global Defense Initiative of the United Nations, and the global terrorist organization known as the Brotherhood of Nod who...
.
Internet
In 2008, Williams reprised his role as Lando CalrissianLando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
to appear in a video on FunnyOrDie.com in a mock political ad defending himself for leader of the Star Wars galaxy against vicious attack ads from Emperor Palpatine. The video is titled "Vote for Lando Calrissian! w/ BILLY DEE WILLIAMS"
Billy Dee is currently a cast member of Diary of a Single Mom, a web based original series directed by award-winning filmmaker Robert Townsend. The series debuted on PIC.tv in 2009.
Art
Even before he began acting, Williams attended the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design in New York. In the late 1980s, he resumed painting. Some of his work can be seen at his online gallery BDW World Art. He has had solo exhibitions in various galleries around the U.S., and his work hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, and The Schomburg Museum. The covers of the Thelonious Monk Competition programs since 1990 are by him.Marriages and family
Williams has been married three times:First to Audrey Sellers, with whom he had a son Corey (b. 1960). They were divorced some years later, after which he apparently became quite depressed. ".... there was a period when I was very despondent, broke, depressed, my first marriage was on the rocks."
Williams was briefly married to actress Marlene Clark in the late 1960s, and divorced in 1971.
He married Teruko Nakagami on December 27, 1972. She brought a daughter, Miyako (b. 1962), from her previous marriage to musician Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
. They have a daughter Hanako (b. 1973). They filed for divorce in 1993, but were reported to have reconciled in 1997.
Legal problems
Williams was arrested on January 30, 1996 after allegedly beating his live-in girlfriend, whom the Police did not identify. He was freed from custody the following day after posting a $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50,000 bail. Williams stated through his attorney that he expected to be fully exonerated of the charges. The Los Angeles city attorney's office filed misdemeanor charges of spousal battery and dissuading a witness against Williams. The woman, identified only as 'Patricia', later stated the incident was her fault and that she hoped the police would drop the case. In a plea bargain agreement to dismiss the charges, Williams was ordered to undergo 52 counselling sessions.
Films
- The Last Angry ManThe Last Angry ManThe Last Angry Man is a drama film which tells the story of a television producer who profiles the life of a physician. It stars Paul Muni, David Wayne, Betsy Palmer, Billy Dee Williams , and Godfrey Cambridge....
(19591959 in filmThe year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
) - The Out-of-TownersThe Out-of-Towners (1970 film)The Out-of-Towners is a 1970 comedy film written by Neil Simon, directed by Arthur Hiller, and starring Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. It was released by Paramount Pictures on May 28, 1970....
(19701970 in filmThe year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
) - Black Brigade (1970)
- The Final ComedownThe Final ComedownThe Final Comedown is a 1972 blaxploitation drama film written, produced and directed by Oscar Williams and starring Billy Dee Williams and D'Urville Martin. The film is an examination of racism in the United States and depicts a shootout between a radical black nationalist group and the police,...
(19721972 in filmThe year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
) - Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
- Hit!Hit!Hit! is a 1973 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor. It is about a federal agent trying to destroy a drug zone after his daughter dies from a heroin overdose.-Cast:*Billy Dee Williams - Nick Allen...
(19731973 in filmThe year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
) - The Take (19741974 in filmThe year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
) - Mahogany (19751975 in filmThe year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London....
) - The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsThe Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsThe Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is a comedic sports film about a team of enterprising ex-Negro League baseball players in the era of racial segregation. Loosely based upon William Brashler's novel of the same name, it starred Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor...
(19761976 in filmThe year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
) - Scott JoplinScott Joplin (film)Scott Joplin is a 1977 biography film directed by Jeremy Kagan and based on the life of composer and pianist Scott Joplin. It stars Billy Dee Williams and Clifton Davis...
(19771977 in filmThe year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
) - Lonesome DoveLonesome DoveLonesome Dove is a 1985 Pulitzer Prize–winning western novel written by Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the Lonesome Dove series, but the third installment in the series chronologically...
(1994 TV) - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
(19801980 in film- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
) - NighthawksNighthawks (film)Nighthawks is a 1981 thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, and Nigel Davenport. It was directed by Bruce Malmuth. The original music score was composed by Keith Emerson.-Storyline:...
(19811981 in film-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
) - Marvin & Tige (19831983 in film-Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of...
) - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
(1983) - Fear CityFear CityFear City is a 1984 American action-thriller directed by Abel Ferrara. The lead roles are played by Billy Dee Williams and Tom Berenger.-Plot:...
(19841984 in film-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
) - Terror in the AislesTerror in the AislesTerror in the Aisles is a 1984 documentary film about horror films featuring clips from Friday the 13th I and/or II, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween I and II, Jaws 1 and 2, Alien, John Carpenter's The Thing, The Shining and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and The Birds. The film is hosted by...
(1984) - Number One with a BulletNumber One with a BulletNumber One with a Bullet is a 1987 American police detective film directed by Jack Smight and starring Robert Carradine, Billy Dee Williams, Valerie Bertinelli, Peter Graves, Doris Roberts, Bobby Di Cicco, Ray Girardin, Barry Sattels, Mykelti Williamson and Jon Gries.- Plot :The film opens with...
(19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Deadly Illusion (1987)
- BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
(19891989 in film-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
) - Secret Agent OO Soul (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Driving Me Crazy (19911991 in filmThe year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November...
) - Giant Steps (19921992 in filmThe year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
) - Alien IntruderAlien IntruderAlien Intruder is a 1993 action/science fiction film by Nick Stone and Ricardo Jacques Gale. It starred Maxwell Caulfield, Tracy Scoggins, Billy Dee Williams, Gary Roberts, Richard Cody, and Stephen Davies.-Plot synopsis:...
(19931993 in filmThe year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
) - Steel Sharks (19961996 in filmMajor releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
) - The Prince (1996)
- Mask of Death (1996)
- Moving Target (19971997 in film-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
) - The Contract (19981998 in film-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
) - WooWoo (film)Woo is a 1998 romantic comedy film, directed by Daisy V.S. Mayer, and starring Jada Pinkett Smith in the title role. Tommy Davidson co-stars.-Plot:...
(1998) - Fear Runs Silent (19991999 in filmThe year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
) - The VisitThe Visit (2000 film)The Visit is the story of Alex Waters , a dying young man serving out a prison sentence for a rape he says he didn't commit. The movie follows Alex, his family, and his girlfriend as they try to come to an emotional resolution....
(20002000 in filmThe year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
) - The Ladies ManThe Ladies Man (2000 film)The Ladies Man is a 2000 American comedy film that stars actor, comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Tim Meadows. It was directed by Reginald Hudlin. The movie focuses on the exploits of radio host and sex therapy expert Leon Phelps....
(2000) - Good NeighborGood NeighborGood Neighbor A.K.A The Killer Next Door is a 2001 thriller with Billy Dee Williams, Danica McKeller, Tobin Bell.-Cast:* Billy Dee Williams as Sgt. Paul Davidson.* Danica McKellar as Molly Wright.* Tobin Bell as Geoffrey Martin....
(20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) - The Last Place on Earth (20022002 in filmThe year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
) - Undercover BrotherUndercover BrotherUndercover Brother is a 2002 American comedy film starring Eddie Griffin and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The screenplay is by Michael McCullers and co-executive producer John Ridley, who created the original internet animation characters. It spoofs blaxploitation films of the 1970s as well as a...
(2002) - The Maintenance Man (20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) - ConstellationConstellation (film)Constellation is a film that was released by Codeblack Entertainment and 20th Century Fox in 2007. Prior to theatrical release the film won several Audience and Jury Awards at Festivals. It had its French Premiere in Cannes,...
(20052005 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
) - Hood of HorrorHood of HorrorHood of Horror is a horror film adaptation of a fictional comic book, which is an anthology of three short tales set in an urban milieu in a style reminiscent of Tales From The Crypt and Tales from the Hood. The movie debuted at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival...
(20062006 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
) - iMurdersIMurdersiMurders is a 2008 horror film starring Gabrielle Anwar, William Forsythe, and Billy Dee Williams.-Plot:When the participants of an internet chat room are brutally murdered in succession, one person's past holds the key to the gruesome mystery.-Cast:...
(20082008 in filmThis is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
) - Fanboys (20092009 in filmThe year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
) - Barry Munday (2009)
- This Bitter Earth (2009)
- The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollThe Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollThe Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll is a music-themed drama film starring Kevin Zegers and Jason Ritter and directed by Scott Rosenbaum. The screenplay was written by Scott Rosenbaum and Jasin Cadic...
(2009) - Blondie: The Florence Ballard Story (2012)
Short subjects:
- Very Heavy Love (20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) - Oedipus (20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) (voice)
Television work
- Guiding LightGuiding LightGuiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
(cast member in 19661966 in televisionThe year 1966 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1966.For the American TV schedule, see: 1966-67 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - Lost FlightLost FlightLost Flight is a 1969 dramatic film written and produced for television based on producer Frank Price's unsuccessful 1966 TV pilot, Stranded, but had a brief theatrical release in Australia in 1970 and 1971 in a limited New York showing...
(19691969 in televisionThe 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:...
) - Carter's ArmyBlack Brigade (film)Black Brigade is the DVD release title of the television movie Carter's Army, which aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on January 27, 1970...
(19701970 in televisionThe year 1970 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1970.For the American TV schedule, see: 1970-71 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - Mission Impossible (guest starred in "The Miracle" episode 19711971 in televisionThe year 1971 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1971.For the American TV schedule, see: 1971-72 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - Brian's SongBrian's SongBrian's Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo , a Wake Forest University football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro, told through his friendship with Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale...
(19711971 in televisionThe year 1971 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1971.For the American TV schedule, see: 1971-72 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - The Glass House (19721972 in televisionThe year 1972 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1972.For the American TV schedule, see: 1972-73 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - The JeffersonsThe JeffersonsThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
(1978) (1 episode, "Me and Billy Dee", as himself) - Christmas Lilies of the FieldChristmas Lilies of the FieldChristmas Lilies of the Field is a 1979 made-for-TV sequel to the classic film Lilies of the Field. In this sequel, directed by Ralph Nelson, Homer Smith returns to the Arizona desert where he had built the chapel for the nuns. This time Smith is played by Billy Dee Williams instead of Sidney Poitier...
(19791979 in televisionThe year 1979 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1979.For the American TV schedule, see: 1979-80 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - The Hostage Tower (19801980 in televisionThe year 1980 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1980.For the American TV schedule, see: 1980-81 American network television schedule.-Events:...
) - Children of Divorce (1980)
- Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, ForeverMotown 25: Yesterday, Today, ForeverMotown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to commemorate Motown's twenty-fifth year of existence. Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to...
(19831983 in televisionThe year 1983 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1983.For the American TV schedule, see: 1983-84 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
) - Shooting Stars (1983)
- ChiefsChiefs (TV miniseries)Chiefs is a miniseries based upon the novel of the same name by Stuart Woods. It was broadcast on CBS over three nights in November 1983. It was directed by Jerry London, and stars Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine, Stephen Collins, Danny Glover, Wayne Rogers and Billy Dee Williams...
(1983) (miniseries) - Time Bomb (19841984 in televisionThis article is a list of television-related events in 1984.-Events:*January 9 – Wendy's "Fluffy Bun" ad first airs, which propels Clara Peller and her "Where's the beef?" catchphrase to national prominence....
) - The Imposter (1984)
- DynastyDynasty (TV series)Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
(cast member from 1984-19851985 in televisionThe year 1985 involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1985.For the American TV schedule, see: 1985-86 United States network television schedule.-Events:*January 1 – VH1 launches in the United States....
) - Double Dare (1985) (canceled after 3 episodes)
- Blood, Sweat and Tears (19861986 in televisionThe year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...
) (unsold pilot) - The Right of the People (1986)
- Oceans of Fire (1986)
- Courage (1986)
- Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm & BluesRed Hot Rhythm & BluesRed Hot Rhythm & Blues is a 1987 album released by Diana Ross on the RCA label. The album was the last contractual album the singer released on RCA before heading back to Motown Records the end of the following year...
(19871987 in televisionThe year 1987 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1987.For American TV schedule, see: 1987–88 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
) - The Return of Desperado (19881988 in televisionThe year 1988 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1988.For the American TV schedule, see: 1988-89 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
) - Dangerous Passion (19901990 in televisionFor the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - WISEGUY -- "Changing Houses" (19901990 in televisionFor the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - In Living ColorIn Living ColorIn Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
(19921992 in televisionThe year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
) - The Jacksons: An American DreamThe Jacksons: An American DreamThe Jacksons: An American Dream is a five-hour American miniseries broadcast in two halves on ABC and originally broadcast on November 15 through November 18, 1992...
(19921992 in televisionThe year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
) - Marked for Murder (19931993 in televisionThe year 1993 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1993.For the American TV schedule, see: 1993-94 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - A Different World (1993)
- MartinMartin (TV series)Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
(1993) - Percy & Thunder (1993)
- Message from NamMessage from NamMessage From Nam is a fiction novel, authored by Danielle Steel and published by Dell Publishing in October, 1990. The novel follows Paxton Andrews, a fictional character who is stationed in Vietnam as a journalist, focusing on the men she enounters and how her life and the lives of the people she...
(1993) - Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book IIINorth and South (TV miniseries)North and South is the title of three American television miniseries broadcast on the ABC network in 1985, 1986, and 1994. Set before, during, and immediately after the American Civil War, they are based on the 1980s trilogy of novels North and South by John Jakes. The 1985 first installment, North...
(19941994 in televisionThe year 1994 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
) (miniseries) - Triplecross (19951995 in televisionThe year 1995 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1995.For the American TV schedule, see: 1995-96 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - Falling for You (1995)
- The Fourth King (19971997 in televisionThe year 1997 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1997.- Events :-Debuts:-Miniseries:*Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, a reunion of the 1979–93 series*The Last Don...
) - Hard Time (19981998 in televisionThe year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - 18 Wheels of Justice (19981998 in televisionThe year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) - Epoch: Evolution (2000–2001)
- That 70s Show (2004) (1 episode)
- Half & HalfHalf & HalfHalf & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
(2004) (1 episode) - ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
(2006) (1 episode) - General Hospital: Night ShiftGeneral Hospital: Night ShiftGeneral Hospital: Night Shift is an American prime time serial that first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. A spin-off of the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, the show is SOAPnet's first original scripted drama series and follows the nighttime...
(cast member in 20072007 in television2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television...
) - LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
(2007) (1 episode) - Mind of MenciaMind of MenciaMind of Mencia is an American television comedy series on the cable channel Comedy Central. Hosted by Carlos Mencia, it aired from 2005 to 2008.- History :...
(2008) - Private Practice (2008) (1 episode)
- Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
(2008) (2 episodes) - Bring Back...Bring Back...Bring Back... is a British television series comprising one-off shows where Justin Lee Collins tries to locate people from music, TV or film backgrounds to reunite them for a one-off performance or get-together...
Star Wars (2008) - General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral 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....
(2009) - Titan MaximumTitan MaximumTitan Maximum is an American stop motion animated television series created by Tom Root and Matthew Senreich. The series premiered on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, on September 27, 2009. A teaser premiered during the "Robot Chicken on Wheels" tour and at the 2009 San...
(2009) - Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night (2010)
- The BoondocksThe Boondocks (TV series)The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
(2010) (episode 10) - White CollarWhite Collar (TV series)White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
(2011) - The Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
(2011)
Video game work
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi OutcastStar Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi OutcastStar Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, often abbreviated JK2 or JO, is a first- and third-person action game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts and Activision. The PC version was released in March and the Mac OS X, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube versions were released in November...
(As Lando Calrissian) - Star Wars Battlefront II (Archive Footage) (As Lando Calrissian)
- Star Wars Battlefront: Elite SquadronStar Wars Battlefront: Elite SquadronStar Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron is a spin-off from the Star Wars Battlefront series released November 3, 2009 on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It has been called the sequel to Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron.-Plot:...
(Possibly Archive Footage) (As Lando Calrissian) - Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium WarsCommand & Conquer 3: Tiberium WarsCommand & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 platforms, and released internationally in March 2007...
(As GDI Director Redmond Boyle) For his performance as Boyle, Williams himself ranked Game InformerGame InformerGame Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
's eighth biggest dork of 2007.
Books
- PSI/Net (1999), ISBN 978-0-312-86766-9
- JUST/In Time (2001), ISBN 978-0-8125-7240-7
- Twilight: A Novel (2002), ISBN 978-0-312-87909-9
Further reading
- Nishikawa, Kinohi. "Billy Dee Williams." The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature. Ed. Hans Ostrom and J. David Macey, Jr. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2005. 1742-43.
External links
- Billy Dee Williams at Internet Off-Broadway Database