Clarence Williams III, the intense actor who played Linc Hayes in TV’s “Mod Squad,” Samson Simpson in “Half Baked” and Prince’s father in “Purple Rain,” has died.
As FOX News reports, Williams died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon cancer. He was 81.
A native New Yorker, Williams was born into an artistic family, mainly raised by his grandparents. His grandfather was a jazz composer and pianist, his father a musician, and his mother, Eva Taylor, a singer and actress.
He got his start on Broadway, eventually gaining a Tony nomination for his role in William Hanley’s "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground" in 1964.
At the end of the 1960s, Bill Cosby suggested Williams to producer Aaron Spelling (Charlie’s Angels, Love Boat, Dynasty, Melrose Place) to play the role of Linc Hayes in “Mod Squad.” With Linc, Williams essentially defined the strong young black man for middle America TV viewers who were still acclimating to the new, diverse, post-Civil Rights era, if not yet flocking to the blacksploitation films that were filling urban movie theaters.
“Mod Squad” became a hit for ABC, and ran from 1968-73. Led by a trio of good-looking young hipsters who played undercover cops, the show mostly dodged a lot of the corny pitfalls of network TV’s attempt to portray hippies back then, and stands up well, Williams being one of the main reasons.
“Mod Squad”s popularity did not immediately lead to a ton of work for Williams. A return to Broadway and some TV movies eventually came, but the next big break for Williams was being cast as Prince’s father in the fictionalized biopic, “Purple Rain,” in 1984.
While remembered primarily for “Mod Squad” (which was rebooted as a 1999 film starring Claire Danes), Williams had a tall, strong, focused presence that wasn’t just the usual early ‘70s cool, but included a mysterious center he really brought out in the dark, defeated dad in “Purple Rain.” And there’s a reason the ever-odd David Lynch nabbed him the recurring role of an FBI agent in “Twin Peaks.”
Director John Frankenheimer frequently nabbed Williams for a number of his films, including “Reindeer Games” and the 1986 adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s "52 Pick-Up," at a time when Williams was not having much luck in Hollywood and crashing on Bill Cosby’s couch.
"He asked me to read for the part of one of the blackmailers,” said Williams in a 1999 interview, “but after only four lines, he told me to stop. I thought it was all over, but he said, ‘Have your agent call me. It will be a 10-week shoot. Thank you for coming in.’ That was it."
Despite his intensity, Williams could sweep right into over-the-top comedy roles too, as he did well in Dave Chappelle’s "Half Baked" and Keenen Ivory Wayans' blaxploitation parody film, "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.”
Consistent TV appearances (Tales from the Crypt, Miami Vice, Mystery Woman, Everybody Hates Chris, Empire) and film work (Sugar Hill, The Butler) occurred throughout the rest of his life (though there is a lingering feeling that Tarantino really should have cast Williams at some point for a big comeback film role).
Social media tributes flowed over the weekend.
"Tales from the Hood" director Rusty Cundieff tweeted that his sadness over Williams' passing, "cannot be overstated. His artistry and sheer coolness was extraordinary. I will forever be in his debt for his brilliant performance in Tales From the Hood. Loved working with him! Blessed travels good sir!"
Lenny Kravitz wrote on Twitter, "When I was a kid growing up in NYC Clarence Williams III was a face on TV that I identified with and that inspired me. From the Mod Squad, to Purple Rain and Sugar Hill, he always performed with dynamic energy. Rest in power, king."
Often, after a long life of solid acting work, actors can feel a bit bitter about mainly being remembered for one role. But Williams harbored no such feelings about his beloved “Mod Squad” character.
"All most people know about me is the two hours they’ve invested in a movie theater or the time spent in front of their TV," he said in 1999. "There’s so much entertainment out there right now, it’s difficult to break through and become part of the national consciousness. It’s nice to be recognized, and I have no problem with it at all."
Audacy may earn commission for products purchased via affiliate links.
Lights, camera, action! Get the latest updates on movies and television from The Reel Buzz on Audacy.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram