LOS ANGELES, CA: Actor Clarence Williams III arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere "Lee Daniels' The ... [+]
Clarence Williams III, who is remembered as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes on ABC’s then trendy The Mod Squad from 1968 to 1973, lost his battle with colon cancer on Friday, June 4. He was 81 years old.
Born on August 21, 1939 in Harlem, New York, Clarence Williams III was raised by the legendary jazz and boogie-woogie composer/pianist Clarence Williams (who wrote such classics as "T'Aint Nobody's Business If I Do" and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home”) and blues singer Eva Taylor. While attending a local YMCA as a teen, Williams became interested in dramatics.
Following his active duty as a paratrooper in C Company, 506th Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division, Williams segued into a career as a actor with a role on Broadway in The Long Dream in 1960. Continuing his work on stage, he appeared in Walk in Darkness, Sarah and the Sax, Doubletalk, King John, and William Hanley’s three person drama Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, the latter which resulted in a Tony Award nomination.
Following guest appearances on television in action dramas Daktari and Tarzan, Williams began his five season stint on The Mod Squad opposite Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton. The trio were referred to as "the hippest and first young undercover cops on TV".
circa 1969: American actors Michael Cole (left), Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III, all cast ... [+]
After The Mod Squad, Williams appeared on the big screen in a wide range of films including Purple Rain (1984), 52 Pick-Up (1986), I’m Gonna Get You Sucka (1988), Sugar Hill (1993), Tales From the Hood (1995), The Legend of 1900 (1998), Half-Baked (1998) , The General’s Daughter (1999), and Reindeer Games (2000).
His guest spots on television post The Mod Squad included Hill Street Blues, T.J. Hooker, The Cosby Show, Miami Vice, Nasty Boys, Jake and the Fatman, The Cosby Mysteries, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Everybody Hates Chris. From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a recurring role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman movie series opposite Kellie Martin on the Hallmark Channel. In between, from 2005 to 2007, Williams had another recurring role as the voice of Councilor Andam on the Disney series American Dragon: Jake Long.
Williams is survived by his sister Sondra Pugh, daughter Jamey Phillips, niece Suyin Shaw, grandnephews Elliot Shaw and Ese Shaw and grandniece Azaria Verdin.
