Samm-Art Williams facts for kids

Samuel Arthur Williams (January 20, 1946 – May 13, 2024) was an American writer, producer, and actor. He wrote plays and TV shows, often about the experiences of African Americans. Williams was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his play Home in 1979. This play later moved to Broadway. He also received two Emmy nominations for his TV work in the 1980s.

About Samm-Art Williams

His Early Life and Career Beginnings

Samm-Art Williams was born on January 20, 1946, in Burgaw, North Carolina. His mother, Valdosia Williams, was a school teacher. She taught English and drama. Williams said his mother helped him love words and reading. He read many different authors, from Langston Hughes to Edgar Allan Poe.

Williams went to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied political science and psychology there. For a while, he thought about becoming a lawyer. But his dream of writing plays won out.

After college, Williams moved to Philadelphia. He worked as an actor with the New Freedom Theatre. He also worked as a salesman to pay his bills. In his free time, he wrote. Later, he moved to New York City to focus on writing. He knew he would still need to act to earn money.

Becoming an Actor and Playwright

Williams started acting in New York City in 1973. He appeared in a play called Black Jesus. He also worked with the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). He acted in plays like Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. Later, he started using the name Samm-Art Williams for his acting roles.

A fun fact about Williams is that he was very tall, at 6 feet 8 inches. He was once a sparring partner for the famous boxer Muhammad Ali. Williams was left-handed, and Ali wanted to practice with left-handed boxers.

Williams also worked as an understudy for a Broadway play called The First Breeze of Summer. He acted in other plays like Eden and The Brownsville Raid.

Williams also began writing plays. He wrote Welcome to Black River in 1975. He also wrote The Coming and Do Unto Others in 1976. Another play, A Love Play, was produced by the NEC that same year.

Williams learned a lot from playwright Steve Carter. Carter was a playwright-in-residence at the NEC. Williams said that Carter influenced his writing more than anyone else.

The Famous Play Home

One of Williams' most well-known plays is the comedy Home. The Negro Ensemble Company first performed it in 1979. It was so popular that it moved to Broadway in 1980. The play ran for many months.

Home earned Williams nominations for two major awards. He was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. These awards are very important in theater.

Working in Television and Film

In the 1980s, Williams also worked in television and film. He played Matthew Henson in a TV movie called Cook and Peary: The Race to the Pole. He also starred in two PBS dramas. He played the main role in Denmark Vesey and Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Williams appeared in TV shows like The New Mike Hammer and 227. He was also on Frank's Place, a CBS show. For Frank's Place, he helped edit the stories. His film work included a role in Blood Simple in 1984.

Williams also wrote for many TV shows. He wrote episodes for Cagney and Lacey, The New Mike Hammer, and Miami Vice. He even wrote for The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. He also wrote a special called Motown Returns to the Apollo in 1986.

Later Career and Teaching

In 2000, Williams wrote and directed a comedy called The Dance on Widows' Row. It was performed in Manhattan. In 2011, a theater company in St. Louis, Missouri, performed his play The Montford Point Marine. This play was about the first black Marines who trained at Montford Point.

Williams also taught at North Carolina Central University. He was an Artist-in-Residence there. He taught classes about theater and how to write plays.

He continued to work as a producer and writer for television. He worked on shows like Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Martin.

Samm-Art Williams passed away in Burgaw on May 13, 2024. He was 78 years old.

Awards and Recognitions

Samm-Art Williams received several important awards and honors for his work:

• 1980 Tony Award Nomination - Best Play: Home
• 1980 Drama Desk Award Nomination - Outstanding New Play: Home
• 1985 Emmy Award Nomination - Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: Motown Returns to the Apollo
• 1988 Emmy Award Nomination - Outstanding Comedy Series: Frank's Place (as a story editor)
• He received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
• In 2010, he was inducted into the NC Literary Hall of Fame.