Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series "The Mod Squad" and Prince's father in "Purple Rain," has died. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. We all rushed over. Michael Cole at The Hollywood Show held at The Westin Hotel LAX on January 24, 2015 | Photo: Getty Images. Known for his signature gap-toothed smile and simmering intensity, he was nominated four times for the NAACP's Image Awards. It started with a sip, and soon, Cole discovered that he preferred it to the juice box boys his age loved. Mr. Cole has been married to Shelley Funes since 1996. Department of Emergency Medicine. Also in the cast were Nina Siemaszko as Cassie and Casey Sander as Chief Connors. Clarence also made guest appearances on TV programs, "Cold Case," "Memphis Beat," "Justified" and "Empire," to name a few. In 2006, Williams told The Buffalo News about how much he loved playing Linc Hayes. The book also covers his time on "The Mod Squad.". Clarence Williams III, who starred as the brooding undercover cop Lincoln Hayes on the countercultural 1968-73 ABC drama The Mod Squad, has died. He was best known for playing Linc Hayes on The Mod Squad and Prince's father in Purple Rain. I said, Clarence, Clarence, what happened? He said, Ive never driven before. I said, Why didnt you tell me that? He said, Because I wanted the job. I hired him that night for Mod Squad.'. We had known each Other for many years and her beautiful girls were the loves of her life. Cole has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, beginning in 1961 with a role in the film drama Forbid Them Not. Williams died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon . We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. He was 81. He was married three times and divorced twice. Williams died on June 4 in Los Angeles of colon cancer, his management company confirmed to USA TODAY. A representative for Williams. Co-Director, Interdisciplinary Trauma Team Training. He was 81. Addiction is like a thief that sneaks up on an unsuspecting victim. In her 2005 memoir, Breathing Out, she revealed that as a child she had been sexually molested by an uncle. After the show ended, Mr. Williams dropped out of sight for a while, expressing disappointment in the kinds of roles available to Black men. They were most definitely the hippest and coolest undercover cops on television at the time, notes the website Groovy History. The prolific actor was also known for. Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series "The Mod Squad" and Prince's father in "Purple Rain," has died. Williams died Friday in Los. So sad to hear about #PeggyLiptonFrom the #ModSquad to #TwinPeaks and everything in between.Sweet, kind, beautiful & very cool.What a career what a life.Love, light, strength & prayers for Quincy, Kidada & Rashida.She always made me smile and ALWAYS made my heart flutter. Powered by. In high school, his schoolmates made fun of him because he reeked of beer, and he once said about tasting alcohol early, "I think it had a lot to do with [my addiction], but if I had said anything, it would have sounded like an excuse.". The news was confirmed by her two daughters Kidada and Rashida Jones (star of TV's "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation"), from Lipton's 15-year marriage to music producer Quincy Jones. Sometimes its just the little things you notice, she said. ammy Davis Jr., Michael Cole, Clarence Williams III, Peggy Lipton on "The Mod Squad" | Photo: Getty Images. Wed to wife Kelly until his death, Clarence was first married to actress Gloria Foster (1967-1984). Williams added that he loved acting and wasnt interested in switching to directing the movies. Asked about her on Sunday, a family member declined to give her name and described her as largely absent. He was raised by his paternal grandparents. Michael Cole (born July 3, 1940) is an American actor. In the 1980s and 1990s, he worked on Nickel Mountain. He was 81. After . He was married once, to actress Gloria Foster, from 1967 to 1984. He also said that he enjoyed the way the movies are presented in general: allowing viewers to slowly learn more clues and solve each mystery themselves, too. The series which aired for five years beginning from '68 starred Cole as "Pete Cochran," Clarence Williams III as "Linc Hayes," and Peggy Lipton as "Julie Barnes." Out of the three, the latter passed away in 2019. He was 81 years old. She shared her story consistently, hoping that it would help one person, just as Cole does, and hopefully, the good will outweigh the bad in the end. There was Ms. Lipton seemingly untouched by time, with the same long, silky blond hair, slim figure, radiant skin and air of vulnerability as Norma Jennings, the unhappily married but beatific owner of the Double R Diner. After serving in the US Air Force he started out on stage, earning a Tony nomination in 1965 for Slow Dance on the Killing Ground. So many Hollywood stars like Dick Van Dyke, and Mary Tyler Moore, battled with a form of addiction. Read about our approach to external linking. Weve lost a beautiful soul. Then you [the actor] put it on stage or on film and add a little something they didnt have and make it more enriching, READ NEXT: Hallmarks Schedule of New Movies for June 2021, Clarence Williams III Dies: Hallmark Mystery Woman Stars Cause of Death, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. The veteran actor starred on the counter-culture police series "The Mod Squad" alongside. Inside Robin Williams' $30M Estate Which He Called 'Villa of Smiles' & Enjoyed for 11 Years before His Death. Clarence Williams III, the reflectively intense actor who starred as Linc Hayes, a young, hip undercover police officer on ABCs The Mod Squad, died on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor had a troubled childhood, and at age 12, he already had his first taste of alcohol. His father, Clarence Jr., known as Clay, was a musician. It starts with one taste until a person becomes hooked, and would do anything for that which they are addicted to. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. "From the #ModSquad to #TwinPeaks and everything in between. We stopped in 1972 and people still bring it up to me when Im walking in airports or down the boulevard. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. University of Michigan Medical School. [9] [10] He is buried in St Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York . Then [Williams] drove off and smashed right into a telephone pole. He played Princes abusive father in Purple Rain (1984) and Wesley Snipess heroin-addicted father in Sugar Hill (1993). Williams died in Los Angeles on June 4, 2021, from colon cancer at the age of 81. He has a deep appreciation for the life he has, and do not take it for granted. A bit. In the latter's case, it was genetic, and affected her mother, sister, and son; they all died before her. Williams' management confirmed his. Prince's estate paid tribute to him for. I love that character, he said. Foster guest-starred as a blind friend of Linc Hayes. Addiction is a terrible thing, and no one knows it better than "The Mod Squad" star, Michael Cole, whose relationship with the bottle stopped him from becoming all that he could be. "Shes the one I always wanted to be," said actress Helen Hunt. Did Clarence Williams lll die? Being a biracial couple Mr. Jones is black was not without its difficulties. He got over a hundred stitches in his head, but it still wasn't a wakeup call. He returned to Broadway, appearing as an African head of state, with Maggie Smith, in a Tom Stoppard drama, Night and Day (1979). Clarence Williams III, left with his Mod Squad costars, Peggy Lipton and Michael Cole. The three starred in "The Mod Squad," which ran on ABC from 1968 to 1973. . The cause was colon cancer, his manager, Allan Mindel, said. The actor best known for his breakout role playing undercover police officer Linc Hayes on the 1960s TV series "The Mod Squad," alongside costars Peggy Lipton and Michael Cole passed away . Transcript. His interest in acting began when he visited a Harlem Y.M.C.A., where his sister was working, and dropped in to watch a plays run-through. Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series "The Mod Squad" and Prince's father in "Purple Rain," died June 4 at his home in Los Angeles.. The Mod Squad, which ran from 1968 to 1973, was one of the first of its kind a prime-time network series that focused on members of the hippie generation at the same time that it exploited them. Williams also displayed a flair for comedy, playing a former leader of the Peoples Revolutionary Army in Keenen Ivory Wayans blaxploitation parody Im Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) and the maniacal drug lord Samson Simpson in the classic Half-Baked (1998), starring Dave Chappelle. Writing on Twitter, the director said he was an "extraordinary" actor who had been "ahead of his time". This article is about the actor. So I kept an eye on her because she has a tendency to run out and do things.. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. Diahann Carroll starred in the sitcom Julia three years later the same season that The Mod Squad began. He did a great deal of stage work after The Mod Squad went off the air, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The two appeared together in the movie The Cool World (1963). The tag line First they got busted, then they got badges referred to three attractive, streetwise flower children (One black, one white, one blonde, as another tag line explained) who, after some trouble with the law, joined the police force and worked undercover. He was 81. He was a prolific actor with numerous credits to his name. The trio's investigation of a cover-up in a construction-site murder leads them to a pair of bad heavies.The trio's investigation of a cover-up in a construction-site murder leads them to a pair of bad heavies.The trio's investigation of a cover-up in a construction-site murder leads them to a pair of bad heavies. He was a crazed blackmailer in John Frankenheimers 52 Pick-Up (1986) and a wild-eyed storytelling mortician in Tales From the Hood (1995). Michael Cole, Clarence Williams III and Peggy Lipton starred in the 1960s show 'The Mod Squad' which was considered groundbreaking for featuring an interracial cast. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. In his memoir, "I Played the White Guy," he wrote, "Jennifer recalled that when she was younger I was either drinking, drunk or hungover.". 85 likes, 5 comments - EPIC MA'AT (@epic_maat) on Instagram: "#Repost with @fastsave_photo_video credit: @kishlb Clarence Williams III, 'The Mod Squad' and 'P." EPIC MA'AT on Instagram: "#Repost with @fastsave_photo_video credit: @kishlb Clarence Williams III, 'The Mod Squad' and 'Purple Rain' star, dies at 81 His career in film, television . The unfortunate news was shared by the actor's management to the publication Variety over the weekend, citing colon cancer as the cause behind his death. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. ", #PeggyLiptons generosity, wild sense of humor and style, and deeply sensitive wisdom inspired all who had the joy of meeting her. Back home, he played on Broadway in The Great Indoors and served as an artist-in-residence at Brandeis University before his big break on The Mod Squad. With Kellie Martin, Clarence Williams III, Nina Siemaszko, Casey Sander. For the American football tight end, see, King: A Filmed Record Montgomery to Memphis, "Clarence Williams: Composer, Producer, Director, Performer, Writer, Lyricist, Musical Director", "The Theater: 'Slow Dance on the Killing Ground'; William Hanley Makes His Broadway Debut Story of Tortured Trio Opens at Plymouth", "Review: Brilliant Washington powers 'Gangster', "Clarence Williams III Dies, Mod Squad and Tales from the Hood Star Was 81", "Clarence Williams III Dies: 'Linc' On 'The Mod Squad' Was 81", "Clarence Williams III, Linc on 'The Mod Squad,' Dies at 81", "Clarence Williams III: Tributes paid to late star of Purple Rain and The Mod Squad", "Clarence Williams III, cop Linc Hayes on The Mod Squad, dies aged 81", "Clarence Williams III Dies: Tales From the Hood Star Was 81", "Clarence Williams III, Played Linc on The Mod Squad, Dead at 81", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clarence_Williams_III&oldid=1151719229, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episode: "Maniac at Large" Season 4, Episode 10, This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 20:34. Williams was exposed to acting as a teenager when he stumbled upon a rehearsal for Dark of the Moon at the Harlem YMCA Cicely Tyson was starring in it and the director gave him a couple of lines in the play. "I'd done all I could with the part," he told the Chicago Tribune in 1997. Clarence Williams III, an actor known for portraying Linc Hayes on "The Mod Squad" and Prince's father in "Purple Rain," died on June 4. Embed. Lipton played Julie Barnes, one of a trio of Los Angeles undercover "hippie cops"on the counter-culture "The Mod Squad" with Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III. The RR diner is dark today. Ms. Lipton contended that the vulnerability of her character required little acting on her part. In the 1990s, she played the role of Norma Jennings in the TV series "Twin Peaks." Later, Cole appeared as adult Henry Bowers in Stephen King's 1990 two-part TV miniseries It. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Peggy Lipton, the actress who rose to fame in TV's groundbreaking 1960s series "The Mod Squad" and starred in the 1990s series "Twin Peaks," has died at age 72 of cancer. Prince's drummer Sheila E also paid tribute, saying he had done an "incredible job" in Purple Rain and had been "one of the cool actors" she had watched on TV as a child. The actor's other roles included ageing manservant Maynard in Lee Daniels' 2013 film The Butler. Actress Kellie Martin was among others to remember him fondly, saying it had been "an honour" to work with him on the 2000s TV series Mystery Woman. He is best known for his role as Pete Cochran on the television crime drama The Mod Squad (19681973). Hulton Archive/Getty. Shes the one I always wanted to be. From 2003 to 2007, Williams had a recurring role as Philby Cross in the Mystery Woman film series on the Hallmark Channel. Williams died Friday in Los. Williams made his breakthrough in the 1968 counterculture police crime series, . The show addressed issues such as the Vietnam War, drugs and domestic violence. Known for his prodigious afro and gap-toothed smile, Williams also worked regularly with famed director John Frankenheimer, first on Elmore Leonards 52 Pick-Up (1986) and then on The Generals Daughter (1999), Reindeer Games (2000) and two telefilms, the Attica-set Against the Wall in 1994 and George Wallace in 1997. June 6, 2021 Clarence Williams III, the reflectively intense actor who starred as Linc Hayes, a young, hip undercover police officer on ABC's "The Mod Squad," died on Friday in Los Angeles. For a while. Williams married the actress Gloria Foster in 1967. Williams owed a debt of gratitude to Bill Cosby, who had seen Slow Dance on the Killing Ground and recommended the actor to producer Aaron Spelling, who was casting The Mod Squad. His big break came in 1968 when he was cast in The Mod Squad as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, one of three former juvenile delinquents recruited as an undercover cop. Williams management shared that the star died of colon cancer at the age of 81, NBC News reported. Director Robert Michael Lewis Writers Mann Rubin Buddy Ruskin Tony Barrett Stars Michael Cole Clarence Williams III Peggy Lipton Michael Cole attends the weSpark Cancer Support's 15th Anniversary Celebration Comedy Night at Skirball Cultural Center on September 15, 2016 | Photo: Getty Images. Although she was best known for her television work, Ms. Lipton appeared in more than a dozen feature films, including The Postman (1997) and A Dogs Purpose (2017). Promotional studio portrait of actors Michael Cole (L), Clarence Williams III and Peggy Lipton for the television series, 'The Mod Squad,' c. 1968. The series which aired for five years beginning from '68 starred Cole as "Pete Cochran," Clarence Williams III as "Linc Hayes," and Peggy Lipton as "Julie Barnes." Spelling was on hand for Williams scene. "We are heartbroken that our beloved mother passed away from cancer today," the statement said. He was formerly a York city councillor and Metro Toronto councillor, where he . He was a leader of the Attica prison riots in HBOs Against the Wall (1994); a segregationist governors manservant in the mini-series George Wallace (1997); Muhammad Alis father in Ali: An American Hero (2000); and a retired C.I.A. However, five years on the show was enough for him. "She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side. She made her television debut as a secretary on an episode of the sitcom Bewitched in 1965 and followed that with guest spots on series including Mr. Mr. Cosby saw him on the New York stage and recommended him to Mr. Spelling, who was casting The Mod Squad at the time. Their daughters, Kidada and Rashida Jones, were her only children. Peggy Lipton, the angel-faced actress who starred in The Mod Squad and made a television comeback in the Twin Peaks series, died on Saturday in Los Angeles. It also didn't help that his locker was full of alcohol. My heart is with you Rashida (@iamrashidajones) and Kidada ( @kiddejones ) pic.twitter.com/KfEtUZBaFZ, And actress Rosanna Arquette also called out Lipton's daughters while shemourned the loss of her friend: "We had known each Other for many years and her beautiful girls were the loves of her life. Crown Media They wanted to go six or seven years, and I decided I didnt want to do that, Williams told the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He first appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream (1960). He also portrayed Princes father in Purple Rain in 1984, played FBI agent Robert Hardy on Twin Peaks, and starred in Reindeer Games in the 2000s. He played Bumpy Johnson in the film American Gangster. Clarence Williams III was born in Manhattan on Aug. 21, 1939. She works primarily with the mediums of photography, video, tapestry, sculpture, watercolour and uses money in her works. Ms. Lipton on The Mod Squad with, from left, Clarence Williams III, Tige Andrews, and Michael Cole. This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Peggy Lipton with Michael Cole, left, and Clarence Williams III. Showmanship was in Williams' blood as he was born into a musical family. The actor's management team confirmed that Williams . Other film credits include the role of Mark in the 1966 science fiction film The Bubble, later re-titled Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth; Spivey in the western Chuka (1967); Alan Miller in The Last Child (1971),[2] which was nominated for a Golden Globe Award;[3] and as Cliff Norris in Beg, Borrow or Steal (1973). Michael Cole, Clarence Williams III and Peggy Lipton as they appeared in The Mod Squad, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Ms. Lipton with Glenn Ford in 1971, when she won the Golden Globe for best actress in drama for her role as Julie Barnes on The Mod Squad.. The showaired on ABC from 1968 to 1973. He has performed multiple on-screen hosting and commentary roles across his two-decade-plus-long . Comedian Kathy Griffin said she was "heartbroken":"Ive honestly always thought of Peggy asperfect. Clarence Williams III, the US actor who played Prince's father in Purple Rain and also starred in 1960s show The Mod Squad, has died at the age of 81. He was born in 1939 and began his career on stage in 1957, earning a Tony nomination in 1965 before adding acclaimed appearances in TV and movies to his repertoire. Read about our approach to external linking. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Clarence Williams III passed away in Los Angeles, California after a battle with colon cancer. He owed his screen career to Bill Cosby, then a rising star. There is no denying that Cole had talent, and would have perhaps made it as an A-lister if he didn't love the bottle more. Honest, funny, nurturing, oh and loved some good, juicy, gossip", Im heartbroken. He starred alongside Michael Cole and the late Peggy Lipton in the ABC detective show, appearing in more than 120 episodes over the next five years. The three starred in The Mod Squad, which ran on ABC from 1968 to 1973. Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 June 4, 2021) was an American actor. Michael Cole on "No Way to Treat a Victim" | Photo: Getty Images. Unlike her co-star, she had a stable family life and left behind her daughters, Kidada and Rashida Jones, from her marriage to Quincy Jones. In a 2006 interview, Williams told The Buffalo News that Philbys mysterious past with the government appealed to him and was part of the reason he wanted the role. Peggy grew up in Lawrence, one of the so-called five towns clustered at the southwest corner of Nassau County on Long Island. He portrayed Linc Hayes, a hip undercover police officer who was teamed with Peggy Lipton and Michael Cole. They had no children. Clarence Williams III, star of The Mod Squad, Purple Rain, and 10 Hallmark movies, has died. At the time, she also pursued a singing career, releasing her album, Peggy Lipton, in 1968. Clarence Williams III, star of The Mod Squad and known among Hallmark fans as a lead character in the Mystery Woman series, has died at the age of 81. He also appeared in films such as Purple Rain, 52 Pick-Up, Tales from the Hood, Hoodlum, Half Baked, Life, American Gangster and Reindeer Games. Death of a Nobody Episode aired Dec 7, 1971 TV-PG 1h IMDb RATING 7.5 /10 29 YOUR RATING Rate Action Crime Drama The trio investigates after an innocent bystander is killed by a speeding car after it narrowly misses Pete. 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.