Clarence Williams III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clarence Williams III
Williams in 1971
Born	(1939-08-21)August 21, 1939 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	June 4, 2021(2021-06-04) (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	St Charles Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1960–2018
Spouse(s)	Gloria Foster ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1984)​

Clarence Williams III (born August 21, 1939 – died June 4, 2021) was a talented American actor. He was best known for playing the cool character Linc Hayes in the TV show The Mod Squad from 1968 to 1973. He also appeared in many popular movies like Purple Rain, Tales from the Hood, and American Gangster.

About Clarence Williams III

Early Life and Family

Clarence Williams III was born in New York City. He came from a family of musicians. His father, Clarence "Clay" Williams Jr., was a professional musician. His grandfather, Clarence Williams, was a famous jazz and blues composer and pianist. His grandmother, Eva Taylor, was a singer and actress.

Clarence was raised by his paternal grandmother. He became interested in acting by chance. He walked onto a stage at a theater below a Harlem YMCA and discovered his passion.

Starting His Acting Career

Before becoming an actor, Williams spent two years as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. After his military service, he began his acting journey.

He first appeared on Broadway in a play called The Long Dream in 1960. He continued to act on stage in several plays. His big break in theater was in a play called Slow Dance on the Killing Ground. For this role, he was nominated for a Tony Award, which is a very important award for theater actors. Critics praised his performance, saying he moved like a dancer and showed deep emotions.

Famous TV and Movie Roles

Williams' most famous role on television was as Linc Hayes. He played an undercover police officer in the popular ABC series The Mod Squad. This show was very popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He starred alongside Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton.

After The Mod Squad ended in 1973, Williams worked in many different types of shows and movies. He acted in comedies like Half Baked and sci-fi shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appeared in dramas such as Purple Rain.

Over his forty-year career, he played many memorable characters. He was Prince's father in the movie Purple Rain (1984). He had a recurring role in the TV series Twin Peaks (1990). He also played a good police officer in Deep Cover (1992).

His other TV roles included shows like Miami Vice, The Cosby Show, Everybody Hates Chris, and Law & Order. In films, he appeared in Life, Tales from the Hood, and The General’s Daughter. He even played the famous jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton in the movie The Legend of 1900.

From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a regular role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman film series on the Hallmark Channel. He was in almost all of the eleven films. In one of these films, he even reunited with his Mod Squad co-star Michael Cole. He also voiced Councilor Andam in the Disney animated series American Dragon: Jake Long.

His Final Years

Clarence Williams III passed away in Los Angeles on June 4, 2021. He was 81 years old and died from colon cancer. He is buried in St Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

Personal Life

Foster and Williams in The Mod Squad episode in 1970. Foster guest-starred as a blind friend of Linc Hayes.

Clarence Williams III married actress Gloria Foster in 1967. They worked together on The Mod Squad, where Gloria made two guest appearances. They also acted in a 1964 film called The Cool World. They divorced in 1984 but remained good friends. They did not have any children. Williams announced Gloria Foster's death in 2001.

Selected Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Clarence Williams III para niños