Dick Anthony Williams

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Dick Anthony Williams
Born
Richard Anthony Williams

(1934-08-09)August 9, 1934
Van Nuys, California U.S.
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2011
Spouse
Gloria Edwards
(m. 1974; died 1988)
Children3

Richard Anthony Williams (August 9, 1934 – February 16, 2012)[1] was an American actor. Williams is best known for his starring performances on Broadway in The Poison Tree, What the Wine-Sellers Buy and Black Picture Show. Williams also had notable roles in 1970s blaxploitation films such as The Mack and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off.[2]

Early life

Born in

Chicago, Illinois, Williams was raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood.[citation needed] During his early childhood, Williams spent several years in a local hospital due to having polio.[1] For high school, Williams attended Hyde Park Academy High School. Williams later attended Herzl Junior College (now known as City Colleges of Chicago).[citation needed
]

Career

Williams began his career during his late teens as a member of Williams Brothers Quartet, a singing group founded in Chicago. He later moved to Los Angeles and began his acting career. Some of Williams roles included Pretty Tony in The Mack (1973), the limo driver in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Denzel Washington's father in Mo' Better Blues (1990) and Officer Allen in Edward Scissorhands (1990), and his other film credits include Uptight (1968), The Anderson Tapes (1971), Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), Five on the Black Hand Side (1973), Deadly Hero (1975), The Deep (1977), An Almost Perfect Affair (1979), The Jerk (1979), The Night the City Screamed (1980), The Star Chamber (1983), Gardens of Stone (1987), The Players Club (1998), and Blood and Bone (2009).

On television, Williams guest starred in the Season 1 episode of

Homefront (1991-1993), appearing in all 42 episodes as chauffeur Abe Davis. In 1996, he played the father of Larry's assistant Beverley in an episode of The Larry Sanders Show. Williams also starred in the documentary film The Meeting, about Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. discussing the fate of black people in America. In 1971–1972, Williams appeared in Melvin Van Peebles' acclaimed off-Broadway musical Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death.[3] One of Williams' co-stars in the production was actress Gloria Edwards, who would later become his wife.[4]

Awards and nominations

Williams won the 1974

Tony Award, and was nominated in 1975 for both a Tony and a Drama Desk Award for his performance in Black Picture Show.[5]

Personal life

Williams was married twice and had three children. In 1974, he married actress Gloria Edwards and together they had two children; Jason Edward Williams and Mikah Lauren Williams.

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ a b Dick Anthony Williams, Actor and Theater Producer, Dies at 77
  2. IMDb
  3. ^ "Pittsburgh Courier". 1 April 1972 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c "Black Stars Mourn Death of Actress Gloria Edwards". Jet. 21 March 1988.
  5. ^ IBDB Persons Awards, Dick Anthony Willians
  6. ^ Amsterdamn News - Noted actor Dick Anthony Williams dead at 77 - April 16, 2013

External links