biography
Born Grant John Williams in New York on August 18, 1931 (some sources cite 1930 as his date of birth), Grant Williams began acting in summer stock
while still a child. Upon graduating from high school, Williams enlisted in the Air Force. After completing his stint, which included a tour of Korea,
Williams returned home to New York, where he began acting lessons with Lee Strasberg and enrolled in college courses. Although he was initially interested
in singing, he soon was bitten by the acting bug. By 1953, he took on small roles in Broadway shows such as Late Arrival, but these plays were
largely unsuccessful. He had more luck doing television work in New York on the shows Climax and Kraft Television Theatre, which were usually
broadcast live. A talent scout spotted Williams for films during his first appearance on Kraft Theatre in 1954. 
Stills of Grant WilliamsWhen Grant Williams' contract with Universal-International lapsed in 1959, he inked a deal with Warner Bros. to act in the studio's films and television series. His first assignment came when he was added to the cast of the TV series Hawaiian Eye in December 1960 in the role of Greg McKenzie. Other actors in the cast of Hawaiian Eye include Connie Stevens, Anthony Eisley, Robert Conrad, and Troy Donahue. |
the films of grant williamsFour Girls in Town (1956)
With Elsa Martinelli in Four Girls in TownOutside the Law (1956)
With Leigh Snowden in the crime drama Outside the LawRed Sundown (1956)
From Universal-International's Red SundownShowdown at Abilene (1956)
With Jock Mahoney in Showdown at AbileneThe Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) 
Williams in the Universal-International cult classic The Incredible Shrinking Man, probably his best-known film. The left photo features Randy StuartThe Leech Woman (1960) 
Stills from the campy Universal horror flick The Leech Woman. LEFT: With Coleen Gray and Gloria Talbott. RIGHT: With Coleen GrayHawaiian Eye (ABC TV series, 1959-1963)
From the ABC series Hawaiian Eye, produced by Warner Bros. From left to right: Robert Conrad, Connie Stevens, Anthony Eisley, Poncie Ponce, and Grant WilliamsThe Iron Horseman (unaired pilot, 1960)
Williams as Ben Scott from the pilot of The Iron HorsemanSusan Slade (1961)
With Connie Stevens in the Warner Bros. tearjerker Susan SladeThe Couch (1962)
Williams as a serial killer in The Couch. Also pictured is Shirley KnightBrain of Blood (1972)  
From William's final film, Brain of Blood, directed by Al Adamson. LEFT: Grant Williams and Kent Taylor try to fend off Gor (John Bloom). CENTER: Williams tends to one of Gor's victims. RIGHT: With Regina Carrollater yearsBefore being cast in Hawaiian Eye, Grant Williams shot a pilot for a proposed NBC-TV western series titled The Iron Horseman along with co-star Barry Kelley. However, with the explosion of TV westerns beginning to fade, NBC pulled the plug on this series before the debut of the 1960-1961 season. Warner Bros. cast Williams in several higher profile films, including Susan Slade (1961 with Connie Stevens and Troy Donahue); The Couch (1962 with Shirley Knight); and PT 109 (1963 with Cliff Robertson and Ty Hardin). But when his Warner Bros. contract lapsed in 1963, Williams' career slid badly, as his reputation for being difficult took hold, not to mention his increasing reliance on alcohol. In the late 1960s, he attempted to make a comeback on television. However, after a bitter disagreement with Jack Webb during the shooting of a 1969 Dragnet episode, Williams walked away from television. He resurfaced again in the early 1970s with a couple of ultra-low-budget exploitation flicks, How's Your Love Life? (1971; with Mary Beth Hughes) and Brain of Blood (1972; with Kent Taylor and Regina Carrol), directed by Al Adamson.In the mid 1970s, Grant Williams started an acting school in West Hollywood and settled into the life of an acting coach, and he never accepted another film or television role. His last appearance on television was on the ABC game show Family Feud in 1983 with selected cast members from Hawaiian Eye. About two years after appearing on the show, Grant Williams passed away from peritonitis on July 28, 1985. The lifelong bachelor was 53 years old. He was survived by a brother, Robert. |
filmographyFILM
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This page premiered April 13, 2000.
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