Clarence Williams III

Actor · Died June 4, 2021, aged 81 · New York City, New York, USA

Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 – June 4, 2021) was an American actor. Williams was the son of a professional musician, Clarence "Clay" Williams Jr., and grandson of jazz and blues composer/pianist Clarence Williams and his singer-actress wife, Eva Taylor. Raised by his paternal grandmother, he became interested in acting after accidentally walking onto a stage at a theater below a Harlem YMCA. Williams began pursuing an acting career after spending two years as a U.S. Army paratrooper in C Company, 506th Infantry, of the 101st Airborne Division. He first appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream (1960). Continuing his work on stage, he appeared in Walk in Darkness (1963), Sarah and the Sax (1964), Doubletalk (1964), and King John. His breakout theatrical role was in William Hanley's Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, for which he received a Tony Award nomination. The New York Times drama critic Howard Taubman wrote of his performance, "Mr. Williams glides like a dancer, giving his long, fraudulently airy speeches the inner rhythms of fear and showing the nakedness of terror when he ceases to pretend." He also served as artist-in-residence at Brandeis University in 1966. Williams' breakout television role was as undercover cop Linc Hayes on the popular ABC counterculture police television series The Mod Squad (1968), along with fellow relative unknowns Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton. After the series ended in 1973, he worked in a variety of genres on stage and screen, from comedy (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Half-Baked) to sci-fi (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and drama (Purple Rain). Spanning over forty years, his career included the role of Prince's tormented father, who was also a musician, in Purple Rain (1984), A guest appearance in Miami Vice (1985), a recurring role in the surreal TV series Twin Peaks (1990), a good cop in Deep Cover (1992), a rioter in the mini-series Against the Wall (1994), and Wesley Snipes' chemically dependent father in Sugar Hill (1993). His other roles on television include Hill Street Blues, the Canadian cult classic The Littlest Hobo, Miami Vice, The Highwayman, Burn Notice, Everybody Hates Chris, Justified, Cold Case, and Law & Order. He can be seen in films such as 52 Pick-Up, Life, The Cool World, Deep Cover, Tales from the Hood, Half-Baked, King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis, Hoodlum, Frogs for Snakes, Starstruck, The General's Daughter, Reindeer Games, Impostor, and as the early jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton in The Legend of 1900. He also played a supporting role as George Wallace's fictional African-American butler and caretaker in the 1997 TNT film George Wallace. From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a recurring role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman film series on the Hallmark Channel. He appeared in all but the first of the eleven films alongside Kellie Martin (J.E. Freeman played Philby in the Mystery Woman first film). In the seventh (Mystery Woman: At First Sight) film, he reunited with his Mod Squad co-star Michael Cole. He played Bumpy Johnson in the film American Gangster. From 2005 to 2007 Williams had another recurring role as the voice of Councilor Andam on the Disney animated series American Dragon: Jake Long. Williams died in Los Angeles, on June 4, 2021, at the age of 81, from colon cancer. He is buried in St Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

Biography from TMDB.

Born: August 21, 1939
Died: June 4, 2021 (aged 81)
From: New York City, New York, USA
Works as: Actor
Titles: 64 on MovieCove · 93 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Clarence Williams III's films like?

Across their 38 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Morality

41%

Self

21%

Bonds

17%

Power

Survival

Ideas

Society

Justice19 Identity9 Deception9 Family bonds8 Betrayal6 Friendship5 Truth4 Loyalty3

What they feel like to watch

their average across 38 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 3 · Wry 3 · Earnest 30

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 12 · Dark 12

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 25 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 6

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 15 · Intense 12

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 16 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 8

Some laughs

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 4

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 3

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 15 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 3

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 22 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 10

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 9 of 21 analyzed roles.

Ally

9 of 21

Mentor

6 of 21

Shapeshifter

2 of 21

Shadow

2 of 21

Hero

1 of 21

Trickster

1 of 21

Show the 21 roles

Heroas Linc Hayes in The Return of Mod Squad (1979)
Mentoras Father in Purple Rain (1984)
Shapeshifteras Mayhew Skinner in The House of Dies Drear (1984)
Mentoras A.R. Skuggs in Sugar Hill (1994)
Allyas Benny Hayes in The Immortals (1995)
Tricksteras Mr. Simms in Tales from the Hood (1995)
Allyas Grand Daddy in Sprung (1997)
Mentoras Father Stratton in The Brave (1997)
Shadowas 'Jelly Roll' Morton in The Legend of 1900 (1998)
Shadowas Samson Simpson in Half Baked (1998)
Mentoras Bill in Happy Here and Now (2002)
Allyas Elliot in Mystery Woman: Snapshot (2005)
Allyas Philby in Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend (2005)
Allyas Philby in Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder (2005)
Mentoras Philby in Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murder (2005)
Allyas Philby in Mystery Woman: Redemption (2006)
Allyas Philby in Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery (2006)
Mentoras Philby in Mystery Woman: Oh Baby (2006)
Allyas Philby in Mystery Woman: In the Shadows (2007)
Shapeshifteras Philby in Mystery Woman: In the Shadows (2007)
Allyas Mac in The Way of War (2009)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

Contemplative

Warm

Melancholic

Absurd

Other

How their films linger

Feel-good13 Fun13 Thought-provoking8 Bittersweet9 Haunting6 Cathartic6

How their films end · 11 with a twist

Happy16
Bittersweet11
Tragic5
Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Clarence Williams III's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 46 of their 64 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Also on these channels

UP Faith & Family10 titles, show their 10 titles on UP Faith & Family
MovieSphere+4 titles, show their 4 titles on MovieSphere+
Howdy3 titles, show their 3 titles on Howdy
ALLBLK2 titles, show their 2 titles on ALLBLK
Marquee TV1 title, show their title on Marquee TV
Midnight Pulp1 title, show their title on Midnight Pulp
Screambox1 title, show their title on Screambox
Sony Pictures Core1 title, show their title on Sony Pictures Core
Wonder Project1 title, show their title on Wonder Project

Subscription and free streaming for Clarence Williams III's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

93 credits, 64 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

American Nightmares(2018)
as Roscoe
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Empire(2015)
Show 1 episode · as Huey Jarvis
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
The Butler(2013)
as Maynard
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Justified(2010)
Show 1 episode · as Jones
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
A Day in the Life(2009)
as Sam
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
The Way of War(2009)
as Mac
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
American Gangster(2007)
as Bumpy Johnson (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Burn Notice(2007)
Show 1 episode · as Jean Pierre's Father
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Constellation(2005)
as Forest Boxer
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: In the Shadows(2007)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
The Blue Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
as Ridley
Mystery Woman: Redemption(2006)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: Oh Baby(2006)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery(2006)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: At First Sight(2006)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Everybody Hates Chris(2005)
Show 1 episode · as Tate
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
Mystery Woman: Game Time(2005)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murder(2005)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder(2005)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Mystery Woman: Snapshot(2005)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
American Dragon: Jake Long(2005)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows
Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend(2005)
as Philby
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Blue Hill Avenue(2001)
as Benny
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Miracles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 1 episode · as Dr. Bauer
The Extreme Team (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
as Zachary
Fastlane(2002)
Show 2 episodes · as Mr. Hayes
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
Happy Here and Now(2002)
as Bill
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Impostor(2001)
as Secretary of Defense (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
The Legend of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Show 1 episode · as (voice)
Mindstorm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
as Walter Golden
Civility (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
as Glitterman
Ali: An American Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
as Marcellus Clay
Ritual (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
as Leron Becker
Reindeer Games(2000)
as Merlin
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Show 2 episodes · as Joe McKenzie
The General's Daughter(1999)
as Colonel George Fowler
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Last Rites (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
as Warden George Pierce
Life(1999)
as Winston Hancock
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Legend of 1900(1998)
as Jelly Roll Morton
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Frogs for Snakes(1998)
as Huck Hanley
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Starstruck(1998)
as Jerry Wallace
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Half Baked(1998)
as Samson Simpson
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
The Love Bug(1997)
as Chuck
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Hoodlum(1997)
as Bub Hewlett
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
George Wallace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
as Archie
George Wallace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Show 2 episodes · as Archie
The Brave(1997)
as Father Stratton
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Sprung(1997)
as Grand Daddy
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault(1996)
as Coach Pratt
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Millennium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Show 1 episode · as Patient Zero
Profiler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Show 1 episode · as Carl Adler
The Silencers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
as General Greenboro
Encino Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
as Javier
The Road to Galveston(1996)
as Christopher, the Caretaker
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Judgement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
as Bryant
The Immortals(1995)
as Benny
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Tales from the Hood(1995)
as Mr. Simms (segment "Welcome to My Mortuary")
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
New York Undercover(1994)
Show 1 episode · as Donald Brooks
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
Against the Wall(1994)
as Chaka
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Sugar Hill(1994)
as Arthur Romello "A.R." Skuggs
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Deadfall(1993)
as Dean
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
Walker, Texas Ranger(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Deputy Commissioner Luther Dobbs
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations(1993)
as Raymond
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Omet'iklan
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Deep Cover(1992)
as Taft
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys(1991)
as Deputy Sheriff Virgil
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Shades of L.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Law & Order(1990)
Show 1 episode · as Lateef Miller
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
Maniac Cop 2(1990)
as Blum
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Twin Peaks(1990)
Show 2 episodes · as FBI Agent Roger Hardy
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Nasty Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Show 2 episodes · as John Culver
Nasty Boys, Part 2: Lone Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Actor
Tales from the Crypt(1989)
Show 1 episode · as Grady
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka(1988)
as Kalinga
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Perfect Victims (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
as Lt. Kevin White
Jake and the Fatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Show 1 episode · as Benjamin Tatsa
Tough Guys Don't Dance(1987)
as Bolo
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
The Last Innocent Man(1987)
as D.J. Johnson
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
52 Pick-Up(1986)
as Bobby Shy
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
The Cosby Show(1984)
Show 1 episode · as Mr. Thornehill
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
Miami Vice(1984)
Show 1 episode · as Maximilian 'Legba' Ildefonse
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Purple Rain(1984)
as Father
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
The House of Dies Drear(1984)
as Mayhew Skinner
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Hero Who Couldn't Read (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
as Mr. Simpson
T.J. Hooker(1982)
Show 1 episode · as Martin · as Phil Decker · as Walker Redding
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
Hill Street Blues(1981)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
The Littlest Hobo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Show 1 episode · as David
The Return of Mod Squad(1979)
as Lincoln Hayes
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Show 1 episode · as John Cambridge
The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Show 124 episodes · as Linc Hayes
The Danny Thomas Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
Show 1 episode · Actor
The Cool World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)
as Blood

Career shape

Star power in the 98^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 93 titles from 1964 to 2018; peak year 1998.

Biggest box office

The General's Daughter (1999)

$150M worldwide

Highest rated

The Legend of 1900 (1998)

Midcredits 98^th

Film career

19642018

Peak 1998 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

1968Screen debut· The Mod Squad
1984First film· Purple Rain
1995First top-billed film· Tales from the Hood
1995Career best· Tales from the Hood

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting93 of 93 · 62^nd

By decade

1960s4 · acting1970s3 · acting1980s14 · acting1990s38 · acting2000s30 · acting2010s4 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 8% of 25 roles

10%

13%

849499

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Clarence Williams III's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60^th percentile, the median of all 48; across their 38 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 38

Approval · how many liked their films

61^stpercentile

Typical film, the median of 38

Reach · how many have seen their films

51^stpercentile

Typical film, the median of 38

Midcredits score across 64 titles, by percentile

75^th and up19
50^th to 74^th23
25^th to 49^th11
Below 25^th11

Shape of the crowd

30 of their 64 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved8
Divisive2
Cult Classic2
Crowd Pleaser30
Broadly Agreed5
Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

Constellation (2005)

93^rd percentile spread · 60% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

American Gangster (2007)

Midcredits 98^th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 36 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 40. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Clarence Williams III's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore9 titles25–89 · median 81 · severeheavier than most films

Sex & Nudity12 titles41–67 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most films

Profanity9 titles63–94 · median 86 · severeheavier than most films

Alcohol & Drugs6 titles31–83 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most films

Frightening / Intense7 titles14–83 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most films

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.