Van Williams
Biography
Van Williams was an actor born on February 27, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas, with the birth name Van Zandt Jarvis Williams. He was the son of a cattle rancher and majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University before moving to Hawaii. During the mid-1950s, he operated a salvage company and a skin-diving school. He was later approached by Elizabeth Taylor. Contemporaries of his time included Tom Tryon and John Gavin, and Williams was known for portraying heroic images and colorless heroes on film and television. He had 42 known credits in his acting career and passed away on November 28, 2016, at the age of 82.
Career overview
Van Zandt Jarvis Williams was born on February 27, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas, as the son of a cattle rancher. He majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University before moving to Hawaii. While operating a skin-diving school and a salvage company during the mid-1950s, he was approached by Elizabeth Taylor, which changed the course of his life.
Williams worked as an actor, accumulating 42 known credits on film and television. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he fit alongside contemporaries Tom Tryon and John Gavin as a tall, dark, and handsome heartthrob who conveyed a heroic image. However, like his peers, Williams was frequently cast in colorless hero roles on film and television that relied on his charm rather than testing his acting talent.
Throughout his life and career, Williams was also known as Van Zandt. His acting career spanned numerous known credits on the database before his death on November 28, 2016, at the age of 82.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
43 titles- The Green Hornet (2005) as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001)
- The GREATEST : Bruce Lee (1998) as Comentador
- Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) as Green Hornet Director
- Mrs. Columbo (1979) as Fielding
- The Night Rider (1979) as Jim Hollister
- Colorado C.I. (1978) as Capt. Cochran
- How the West Was Won (1977) as Captain MacAllister
- Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (1977)
- Fury of the Dragon (1976) as Britt Reid
- Westwind (1975)
- The Runaways (1975) as Joe Ringer
- The Rockford Files (1974) as Dwayne Kefir
- The Manhunter (1974)
- The Green Hornet (1974) as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet
- Barnaby Jones (1973) as Munson
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972) as Officer Morton
- Nanny and the Professor (1970)
- Love, American Style (1969) as Bill
- Ironside (1967)
- Mannix (1967)
- Batman (1966) as The Green Hornet
- Mission: Impossible (1966) as Arnold Sanders
- The Green Hornet (1966) as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet
- Batman (1966) as President Lyndon B. Johnson (voice) (uncredited)
- The Big Valley (1965) as Sheriff Dave Barrett
- Temple Houston (1963) as Joey Baker
- The Caretakers (1963) as Dr. Larry Denning
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)
- Red Nightmare (1962) as Air Force Sergeant
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)
- Surfside 6 (1960) as Ken Madison
- Tall Story (1960) as Young Man in Shower (uncredited)
- Hawaiian Eye (1959)
- Bourbon Street Beat (1959) as Kenny Madison
- Lawman (1958)
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958)
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Ken Madison
- Cheyenne (1955) as Ray Masters
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Quincy
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Charlie
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Exton's Servant
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Van Williams best known for?
Van Williams is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001), Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), Mrs. Columbo (1979), How the West Was Won (1977).
When and where was Van Williams born?
Van Williams was born on February 27, 1934 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. They passed away on November 28, 2016.
How many credits does Van Williams have?
Van Williams has accumulated over 43 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2005.
What is Van Williams's background in cinema and television?
Van Williams was an actor born on February 27, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas, with the birth name Van Zandt Jarvis Williams. He was the son of a cattle rancher and majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University before moving to Hawaii. During the mid-1950s, he operated a salvage company and a skin-...
Van Williams by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Exton's Servant — aged about 17
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001) — aged about 67
- The Rockford Files (1974) as Dwayne Kefir — aged about 40
- Mission: Impossible (1966) as Arnold Sanders — aged about 32
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) — aged about 27
- The Green Hornet (1966) as Britt Reid / The Green Hornet — aged about 32
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