Steven Williams

Last updated
Steven Williams
Born (1949-01-07) January 7, 1949 (age 76)
Education Wendell Phillips High School [1]
OccupationActor
Years active1975present
SpouseAnn Geddes
Children2

Steven Williams (born January 7, 1949) is an American actor in films and television. He is known for his roles as Captain Adam Fuller on 21 Jump Street , NYPD Detective Lt. Jefferson Burnett on The Equalizer , Det. August Brooks on L.A. Heat , X on The X-Files , Russell "Linc" Lincoln in Linc's , and Rufus Turner in Supernatural .

Contents

Throughout his career, Williams has appeared in numerous films, including The Blues Brothers (1980), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), 22 Jump Street (2014), It (2017), and Birds of Prey (2020).

He has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and one NAACP Image Award.

Early life

Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and was predominantly reared in Chicago. His parents were divorced, and he was raised at separate times by his father in Michigan, his mother in Chicago and by his maternal grandparents in Millington, Tennessee. [2] In Chicago, he attended Wendell Phillips High School. After graduating, he matriculated at the General Motors Institute, an automaker's engineering school. [1] [3] Williams later worked as a postal carrier, salesman, and model. [4] [5]

He was drafted into the United States Army, serving in the 2nd Armored Division, stationed in Gelnhausen, Germany and became Divisional Champion with the United States Army Boxing Team, Middleweight Division. [2] Upon receiving an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, Williams worked for the United States Postal Service as a mailman. [1] After delivering the mail in subzero temperatures, he went to work in Chicago's garment district as an apparel salesman. [1]

Career

Williams made his acting debut in the 1975 film Cooley High . [2] He appeared in musical comedy The Blues Brothers (1980) as Trooper Mount, [2] and played Lt. Jefferson Burnett on the CBS drama series The Equalizer in 1985. [2] He portrayed renegade Capt. David Nester in the 1985 film Missing in Action 2: The Beginning , [6]

He landed the role of Captain Adam Fuller, [7] a senior police officer supervising younger cops, [2] on Fox Network's TV series 21 Jump Street in 1987. [8] Williams replaced Frederic Forrest, who played a similar character, early in the series. [2] He continued playing the character until the series ended in 1991. While acting in the series, Williams played Lieutenant Gallagher in Under the Gun (1988), which featured Vanessa Williams in the cast. [9]

Following his stint on 21 Jump Street, Williams portrayed the title character in The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage . [10] He played the role of Det. August Brooks on the TNT series L.A. Heat in 1996. He recurred as X on the Fox hit science fiction series The X-Files . [11] He earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1997 for his work as X. [12]

Williams appeared as main character Russell "Linc" Lincoln, a bartender, [13] in comedy Linc's . [14] In 2000, he received an NAACP Image Award nomination, in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. [15] Concurrently, Williams portrayed Isaac in short-lived UPN series Legacy . [16]

He portrayed Rufus Turner in fantasy series Supernatural (2008−16), [17] and was Quentin in drama The Chi (2018−present). [18] Williams' work on the latter has been well received, with reviewers finding him "strong" [19] and "powerful" [20] as Quentin. Williams garnered several recurring roles in the 2010s and 2020s, including attorney Stephen Carlisle in Ambitions (2019) [21] and teacher Joe Ridgeway in Locke & Key (2020), [22] both dramas.

Williams has appeared extensively in guest roles on television. He portrayed an Army friend of the protagonist in MacGyver , [23] and was Robin Dumars' father on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper . [24] Other guest appearances include The Dukes of Hazzard , The A-Team , Booker , Stargate SG-1 , Martin , Veronica Mars , The Bernie Mac Show , Criminal Minds and iZombie .

Other film roles include a bar patron in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), [25] bounty hunter Creighton Duke in horror film Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) [26] and Carlos in Adventures of Power (2009). [27] In TV movies, Williams was a Panamanian boat captain named Mo in Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story (1986) [28] and portrayed pitcher Satchel Paige in The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (1990). [29]

Personal life

He was previously married to talent agent Ann Geddes. [8] He has two daughters and six grandchildren. [2] His eldest granddaughter is an artist based in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1975 Cooley High Jimmy Lee
1976 The Monkey Hustle Manager
1978Big Apple BirthdayMore Fairy Tale FolkShort
1979 Dummy Julius LangTV movie
1980 The Blues Brothers Trooper Mount
1981 The Marva Collins Story McCloud
1983 Doctor Detroit Junior Sweet
Twilight Zone: The Movie Bar Patron
1984 The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck Les AverbackTV movie
1985 Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Captain David Nester
International Airport FrazierTV movie
Better Off Dead Tree Trimmer
Silent Witness Ted GunningTV movie
House Cop #4
1986TriplecrossKyle BanksTV movie
NorthstarNational Security Agent #2TV movie
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story MoTV movie
1988 Under the Gun Gallagher
1990 The Forbidden Dance Weed
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson Satchel Paige TV movie
1991 The Whereabouts of Jenny MickTV movie
The Heroes of Desert Storm Jonathan AlstonTV movie
1992RevolverKen SeymourTV movie
1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Creighton Duke
1994 Deep Red Sergeant Eldon JamesTV movie
Corrina, Corrina Anthony T. Williams
1995Legacy of Sin: The William Coit StoryDetective SextonTV movie
Bloodfist VII: Manhunt Captain DoyleVideo
1998The SenderLockwood
2001The EliteMcKay
FiretrapFirefighter Chief Sheehan
Seduced by a ThiefSheehan
Route 666 Fred 'Rabbit' Smith
Van HookColonel Jeffries
2002 L.A. Law: The Movie Albert HutchinsonTV movie
Banged Out-Video
2003 Dark Wolf HartiganVideo
2004 Sexual Life Jerry's Father
Guarding EddyJack
2005Graves EndPaul Rickman
Crimson ForceWilliamsTV movie
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire Detective Mike BurtonTV movie
Halfway DecentCervondo
2006Special Ops: Delta ForceSmithers
2007Forfeit-
Richard III Lord StanleyTV movie
Not Another High School ShowCaptain FullerTV movie
2008 Adventures of Power Carlos
Kings of the Evening Mr. GambaTV movie
2009The Fear ChamberCaptain Bradley
2011BreatheMr. Burgin
3 Musketeers PlanchetVideo
2012Who Killed Soul Glow?Police Captain
Christmas TwisterTerryTV movie
2013 Jack the Giant Slayer Master of Secrets
The Call Terrence (voice)
2014Last Curtain CallGeorge
22 Jump Street Captain Adam Fuller
CruMax
2015My Favorite FiveRobert Colburn
Fifty and Over ClubLawsonTV movie
2016 The Trust Cliff
The Stakelander'Doc' Earl
Street CreditReverend StreetShort
2017 It Leroy Hanlon
2018Glass JawHarry Sterling
BFA New OrleansJames 'Pops' Blake ITV movie
2019 Velvet Buzzsaw VA Janitor
2020Emerald RunPastor Winfield
Birds of Prey Captain Patrick Erickson
2021AfterlifetimeCharon the FerrymanShort

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982–1983 The Dukes of Hazzard Leeman/PercyEpisode: "Dukes in Danger" & "High Flyin' Dukes"
1983 Wizards and Warriors SoldierEpisode: "The Kidnap"
Hotel ProtesterEpisode: "Confrontations"
Dallas BailiffEpisode: "Ray's Trial" & "The Oil Baron's Ball"
Hill Street Blues Sonny FreemanEpisode: "Moon Over Uranus: The Final Legacy"
1984 Steambath Chuck SkerritEpisode: "A Preacher and a Jock"
The A-Team Eddie DevaneEpisode: "Double Heat"
Remington Steele LieutenantEpisode: "A Pocketful of Steele"
1984-1985 Hunter King Hayes/Parker LeMayEpisode: "Hunter" & "The Beach Boy"
1985 The Equalizer Lt. Jefferson Burnett
6 episodes


"The Equalizer" (S1.E1 Pilot)
"China Rain" (S1.E2)
"The Defector" (S1.E3)
"Lady Cop" (S1.E5)
"The Confirmation Day" (S1.E6)
"Mama's Boy" (S1.E9)

1986 MacGyver Charlie RobinsonEpisode: "Countdown"
Gimme a Break! HarveyEpisode: "Getting to Know You"
1987 Stingray Tommy Miller, "The Greeter"Episode: "The Greeter"
227 Billy BobEpisode: "Got a Job"
Hill Street Blues JohnsonEpisode: "The Cookie Crumbles"
L.A. Law Detective Sgt. PhippsEpisode: "Oy Vey! Wilderness!"
1987–1991 21 Jump Street Captain Adam FullerMain cast
1989 Wiseguy Jail InmateEpisode: "The One That Got Away"
1989–1990 Booker Captain Adam FullerRecurring cast
1991 The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage Jack 'Black Jack' SavageMain cast
L.A. Law John MerrillEpisode: "Spleen It to Me, Lucy"
1992 In Living Color -Episode: "George Bush Meets Tommy Wu"
Civil Wars VictorEpisode: "Das Boat House"
1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Chip DumarsEpisode: "Unforgettable"
Street Justice TysonEpisode: "Countdown"
1994 seaQuest DSV The President of The USAEpisode: "Better Than Martians"
Martin SimonEpisode: "I Don't Have the Heart"
Models Inc. Marcus BallardEpisode: "Skin Deep" & "Old Models Never Die"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman CaptainEpisode: "The Washington Affair: Part 1 & 2"
Diagnosis: Murder Butch ReillyEpisode: "Standing Eight Count"
Renegade DannyEpisode: "South of 98"
1994–2002 The X-Files Mr. XRecurring cast: season 2–3, guest: season 4–5 & 9
1995 University Hospital John JenkinsEpisode: "Til Death Do Us Part"
Sister, Sister GreggEpisode: "The Twins Get Fired"
NYPD Blue Lt. Nathan StackhouseEpisode: "E.R."
1996 Renegade Major Peter FloodEpisode: "Hard Evidence"
1998 Suddenly Susan CarlEpisode: "A Tale of Two Pants: Part 2"
1998–1999 Legacy Isaac PetersRecurring cast
1998–2000 Linc's Russell 'Linc' LincolnMain cast
1999 Total Recall 2070 Jonas BrackEpisode: "Assessment"
L.A. Heat Detective August BrooksMain cast
Any Day Now Percy TuckerEpisode: "Heads or Tails"
2000 City of Angels Emerill JordanEpisode: "Cry Me a Liver"
2000–2003 Stargate SG-1 General Maurice VidrineRecurring cast: season 4 & 7
2001 The Hughleys Mr. WalkerEpisode: "South Side Story"
Resurrection Blvd. JesseEpisode: "Sangre de la Mano" & "Con Cuidado"
2002 The District Judge ThompsonEpisode: "Convictions"
Arli$$ Greg HarveyEpisode: "Profiles in Agenting"
The Agency Joel WhittmanEpisode: "C.S. Lie"
2003 Jake 2.0 General FreewaldEpisode: "Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot"
2003–2004 The Bernie Mac Show LloydEpisode: "Meet the Grandparents" & "Make Room for Caddy"
2004 Veronica Mars Tom DanielsEpisode: "The Girl Next Door"
2005 Monk Sergeant ParnellEpisode: "Mr. Monk Gets Stuck in Traffic"
2007 Criminal Minds Captain WrightEpisode: "Legacy"
2008 Desperate Housewives FrankEpisode: "There's Always a Woman"
2008–2016 Supernatural Rufus Turner Guest Cast: season 3 & 5–7 & 11
2009 Cold Case Ronde Brooks '09Episode: "Soul"
2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Alonzo BearwalkerEpisode: "Wasilla Hills Cop"
2013 Belle's Judge CrawfordEpisode: "One Big Happy Family"
2015 Bones Pastor Desmond SimmonsEpisode: "The Psychic in the Soup"
Chicago P.D. BishopEpisode: "Climbing Into Bed" & "You Never Know Who's Who"
iZombie BarberEpisode: "Max Wager"
The Leftovers VirgilRecurring cast: season 2
Minority Report Bridege KaneEpisode: "Memento Mori" & "Everybody Runs"
2017 Training Day CannonballEpisode: "Wages of Sin"
One Mississippi Frank HollingsworthRecurring cast: season 2
2018–2022 The Chi Quentin "Q" DickinsonRecurring cast: season 1 & 5
2019 Project Blue Book NateEpisode: "The Lubbock Lights"
True Detective Junius "Mr. June" WattsRecurring cast: season 3
Yellowstone CowboyRecurring cast: season 2
Bluff City Law Connor MarkesEpisode: "25 Years to Life"
Black-ish PhillipEpisode: "Father Christmas"
Ambitions Stephen CarlisleRecurring cast
2020 Locke & Key Joe RidgewayRecurring cast: season 1
Stumptown Lionel HoffmanRecurring cast
2020–2021 The Family Business Alexander CoraRecurring cast: season 2, guest: season 3
2020–2023 All Rise Tony CarverGuest: season 1 & 3, recurring cast: season 2
2021 Home Before Dark Mr. MortonEpisode: "Not Giving Up"
2021–2023 Snowfall Paul DavisRecurring cast: seasons 4 & 6
2024–2025 FBI: Most Wanted Ray Cannon Sr.Recurring cast

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 The Great Black Music Project, Steven Williams, actor
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Buck, Jerry (October 27, 1988). "Steven Williams Is 'Father Figure' of '21 Jump Street'". Schenectady Gazette . p. 3.
  3. Chicago Tribune, Phillips High School is cradle of history , December 15, 2002.Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  4. Steven Williams Film Reference biography
  5. "Steven Williams". www.thegreatblackmusicproject.org. Retrieved 2018-08-17.
  6. Francis, Mark (March 8, 1985). "Chuck Norris does good job in sequel". Williamson Daily News . p. 3.
  7. Brennan, Patricia (December 13, 1987). "Fox TV's '21 Jump Street' a heavy hit with teens". Boca Raton News . p. 9C.
  8. 1 2 Werner, Laurie (November 11, 1988). "Off duty in Key West". Bangor Daily News . p. 6.
  9. Rauch Klotman, Phyllis; Gibson, Gloria J. (1997). Frame by Frame II: A Filmography of the African American Image, 1978-1994. Indiana University Press. p. 500. ISBN   9780253211200.
  10. "Celebrity Scoop". The Vindicator . April 28, 1991. p. D14.
  11. Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. p. 76. ISBN   0-06-105330-9.
  12. Johnson, Ted (January 23, 1997). "'Patient' charts top noms for SAG Awards". Variety . Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  13. "Pam Grier, Steven Williams And Georg Stanford Brown Star In Showtime Comedy Series 'Linc's'". Jet . Johnson Publishing Company. August 3, 1998. pp. 62−65.
  14. Olkon, Sara (August 3, 1998). "Showtime's black 'Cheers'". The Free-Lance Star . p. C3.
  15. "The 31st NAACP Image Awards Presents Image 2000: Visions for a New Millennium". The Crisis . National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 1999.
  16. Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Company. p. 592. ISBN   9780786486410.
  17. Highfill, Samantha (March 23, 2016). "Supernatural: Bobby and Rufus reunite in exclusive sneak peek". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  18. "Steven Williams Joins 'The Chi'; Alejandro Edda In 'Cocaine Godmother'". Deadline . June 23, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  19. Goodman, Tim (January 4, 2018). "'The Chi': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  20. Ray-Harris, Ashley (February 26, 2018). "The Chi focuses on consequences in an uneven episode". The A.V. Club . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  21. Pedersen, Erik (December 4, 2018). "'Ambitions': Steven Williams & Christina Kirkman Join Will Packer's OWN Drama Series". Deadline . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  22. Petski, Denise (January 25, 2019). "'Locke & Key': Griffin Gluck Cast As Regular, Steven Williams To Recur In Netflix Series". Deadline . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  23. Zuckerman, Faye B. (September 8, 1986). "Actors brighten bio of Eugene O'Neill". Spokane Chronicle . p. B5.
  24. "Tonight's Other Highlights". The Item . January 5, 1993. p. 7A.
  25. Canby, Vincent (June 24, 1983). "'TWILIGHT ZONE' IS ADAPTED TO THE BIG SCREEN". The New York Times . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  26. Holden, Stephen (August 14, 1993). "Review/Film; Jason's End? You Gotta Have Heart". The New York Times . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  27. Genzlinger, Neil (October 8, 2009). "Playing Drums That Aren't There". The New York Times . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  28. Flander, Judy (November 15, 1986). "Robertson Stars As Gold Hunter". Ocala Star-Banner . p. 9C.
  29. O'Connor, John J. (October 16, 1990). "Review/Television; 2 Cable Movies of Substance". The New York Times . Retrieved November 5, 2022.