Billy Dee Williams

William December “Billy Dee” Williams was born April 6, 1937, in New York, New York. Williams attended The New York City High School of the Performing Arts where he was classmates with actress and singer Diahann Carroll.

Williams’s mother was an elevator operator for Broadway’s Lyceum Theater. Learning that the new stage production was in need of child actors, she immediately volunteered Williams. The successful show lent Williams a glimmer into the acting life, but he ultimately chose not to pursue acting during his childhood. The remainder of his upbringing was fairly normal.

Williams always demonstrated a talent for the arts, but acting was not his first aspiration. Instead, he took small acting jobs to fund his studies as an art student. Williams was very successful, even selling pieces for tens of thousands of dollars.

Williams’s film debut was in 1959 with The Last Angry Man, opposite Paul Muni. The actor continued to stay busy throughout the 60s appearing in productions and receiving his training from Paul Mann, Herbert Berghof, and Sidney Poitier, who many say Williams rivaled as the preeminent African American actor of the 1970s. After his first film, Williams debuted on Broadway and consequently spent much of the 60s on stage as well as in front of the camera.

Williams’s first major role was as football player Gale Sayers alongside James Caan in Brian’s Song in 1971. Based upon the real-life friendship between Brian Piccolo and Sayers in the face of terminal illness, both Caan and Williams were nominated for Emmys. Finding success after this film, Williams took several roles in 1972. The first was in Truman Capote’s Glass House directed

by Tom Gries and starring Alan Alda and Vic Morrow.

Most people will remember 1972 for his portrayal of Louis McKay in the Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Acting beside Diana Ross in her debut, Ross earned an Oscar nomination and Williams earned further accolades and respect. In 1973, Williams hooked up again with Lady Sings the Blues director Sidney J. Furie for Hit! What appeared to be a black exploitation film surprised many as it turned out to be a serious statement on the drug war within the United States. Williams and Richard Pryor starred. In 1975, Williams and Ross scored another hit as they formed the romantic leads in Berry Gordy’s Mahogany.

Seemingly poised on the edge of superstardom, Williams remained relatively obscure due to lack of quality roles. However, he did deliver standout performances alongside James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor in the Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings in 1976, and the well-received if not somewhat sugarcoated biopic Scott Joplin in 1977.

Little did Williams know, his most famous role was about to commence. In 1976, Williams auditioned to play Han Solo in George Lucas’s new film Star Wars. The part eventually went to Harrison Ford. Later, Lucas cast Williams in the 1980 installment The Empire Strikes Back as well as The Return of the Jedi in 1983. His character of Lando Calrissian and his association with Star Wars in general ensured that Williams would be financially settled for many years to come.

For the remainder of the 80s Williams played off his newfound popularity to star in many productions. Notable appearances included a stint on Dynasty as Brady Lloyd and an appearance in Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989, in which Williams played Harvey Dent. When the Batman sequel was released, many were surprised Williams was not asked to reprise his role as Dent/Two Face.

Instead, the role went to Tommy Lee Jones.

At this time, Williams’s love of painting became strongly rekindled. The early 90s were a very creative time for him, and he held many solo exhibitions.

More critical acclaim was bestowed upon Williams when he tackled the role of Berry Gordy in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. He is also known for his work on Lonesome Dove: The Series and the comedies The Ladies Man in 2000 and Undercover Brother in 2002. A renewed interest in acting led him to take more challenging roles such as in the independent film The Visit in 2000. Encouraged by his praise, Williams worked again with The Visit’s director in Constellation in 2005.

Keeping busy, Williams is currently in post-production for the comedy Fanboys and pre-production

for another comedy entitled Barry Munday.

Williams is also the co-author of several books including Twilight, Psi/Net, and Just/in Time.

Williams has been married three times. His first two marriages were early in his life, the first being to Audrey Sellers and the second to Marlene Clark. His third marriage was definitely the most substantial, lasting for about twenty years until the couple divorced. However, they allegedly reconciled in 1997. Williams has three children and one stepdaughter.

YUDDY