Steven Williams

For other people, see Stephen Williams.
Steven Williams
Born (1949-01-07) January 7, 1949 (age 75)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
EducationWendell Phillips High School[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1975–present
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, 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.

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

Year Title Role Notes
1975 Cooley High Jimmy Lee
1976 The Monkey Hustle Manager
1978 Big Apple Birthday More Fairy Tale Folk Short
1979 Dummy Julius Lang TV 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 Averback TV movie
1985 Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Captain David Nester
International Airport Frazier TV movie
Better Off Dead Tree Trimmer
Silent Witness Ted Gunning TV movie
House Cop #4
1986 Triplecross Kyle Banks TV movie
Northstar National Security Agent #2 TV movie
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story Mo TV 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 Mick TV movie
The Heroes of Desert Storm Jonathan Alston TV movie
1992 Revolver Ken Seymour TV movie
1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Creighton Duke
1994 Deep Red Sergeant Eldon James TV movie
Corrina, Corrina Anthony T. Williams
1995 Legacy of Sin: The William Coit Story Detective Sexton TV movie
Bloodfist VII: Manhunt Captain Doyle Video
1998 The Sender Lockwood
2001 The Elite McKay
Firetrap Firefighter Chief Sheehan
Seduced by a Thief Sheehan
Route 666 Fred 'Rabbit' Smith
Van Hook Colonel Jeffries
2002 L.A. Law: The Movie Albert Hutchinson TV movie
Banged Out - Video
2003 Dark Wolf Hartigan Video
2004 Sexual Life Jerry's Father
Guarding Eddy Jack
2005 Graves End Paul Rickman
Crimson Force Williams TV movie
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire Detective Mike Burton TV movie
Halfway Decent Cervondo
2006 Special Ops: Delta Force Smithers
2007 Forfeit -
Richard III Lord Stanley TV movie
Not Another High School Show Captain Fuller TV movie
2008 Adventures of Power Carlos
Kings of the Evening Mr. Gamba TV movie
2009 The Fear Chamber Captain Bradley
2011 Breathe Mr. Burgin
3 Musketeers Planchet Video
2012 Who Killed Soul Glow? Police Captain
Christmas Twister Terry TV movie
2013 Jack the Giant Slayer Master of Secrets
The Call Terrence (voice)
2014 Last Curtain Call George
22 Jump Street Captain Adam Fuller
Cru Max
2015 My Favorite Five Robert Colburn
Fifty and Over Club Lawson TV movie
2016 The Trust Cliff
The Stakelander 'Doc' Earl
Street Credit Reverend Street Short
2017 It Leroy Hanlon
2018 Glass Jaw Harry Sterling
BFA New Orleans James 'Pops' Blake I TV movie
2019 Velvet Buzzsaw VA Janitor
2020 Emerald Run Pastor Winfield
Birds of Prey Captain Patrick Erickson
2021 Afterlifetime Charon the Ferryman Short

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982–1983 The Dukes of Hazzard Leeman/Percy Episode: "Dukes in Danger" & "High Flyin' Dukes"
1983 Wizards and Warriors Soldier Episode: "The Kidnap"
Hotel Protester Episode: "Confrontations"
Dallas Bailiff Episode: "Ray's Trial" & "The Oil Baron's Ball"
Hill Street Blues Sonny Freeman Episode: "Moon Over Uranus: The Final Legacy"
1984 Steambath Chuck Skerrit Episode: "A Preacher and a Jock"
The A-Team Eddie Devane Episode: "Double Heat"
Remington Steele Lieutenant Episode: "A Pocketful of Steele"
1984-1985 Hunter King Hayes/Parker LeMay Episode: "Hunter" & "The Beach Boy"
1985 The Equalizer Lieutenant Jefferson Burnett Recurring cast: season 1
1986 MacGyver Charlie Robinson Episode: "Countdown"
Gimme a Break! Harvey Episode: "Getting to Know You"
1987 Stingray Tommy Miller, "The Greeter" Episode: "The Greeter"
227 Billy Bob Episode: "Got a Job"
Hill Street Blues Johnson Episode: "The Cookie Crumbles"
L.A. Law Detective Sgt. Phipps Episode: "Oy Vey! Wilderness!"
1987–1991 21 Jump Street Captain Adam Fuller Main cast
1989 Wiseguy Jail Inmate Episode: "The One That Got Away"
1989–1990 Booker Captain Adam Fuller Recurring cast
1991 The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage Jack 'Black Jack' Savage Main cast
L.A. Law John Merrill Episode: "Spleen It to Me, Lucy"
1992 In Living Color - Episode: "George Bush Meets Tommy Wu"
Civil Wars Victor Episode: "Das Boat House"
1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Chip Dumars Episode: "Unforgettable"
Street Justice Tyson Episode: "Countdown"
1994 seaQuest DSV The President of The USA Episode: "Better Than Martians"
Martin Simon Episode: "I Don't Have the Heart"
Models Inc. Marcus Ballard Episode: "Skin Deep" & "Old Models Never Die"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Captain Episode: "The Washington Affair: Part 1 & 2"
Diagnosis: Murder Butch Reilly Episode: "Standing Eight Count"
Renegade Danny Episode: "South of 98"
1994–2002 The X-Files Mr. X Recurring cast: season 2–3, guest: season 4–5 & 9
1995 University Hospital John Jenkins Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part"
Sister, Sister Gregg Episode: "The Twins Get Fired"
NYPD Blue Lt. Nathan Stackhouse Episode: "E.R."
1996 Renegade Major Peter Flood Episode: "Hard Evidence"
1998 Suddenly Susan Carl Episode: "A Tale of Two Pants: Part 2"
1998–1999 Legacy Isaac Peters Recurring cast
1998–2000 Linc's Russell 'Linc' Lincoln Main cast
1999 Total Recall 2070 Jonas Brack Episode: "Assessment"
L.A. Heat Detective August Brooks Main cast
Any Day Now Percy Tucker Episode: "Heads or Tails"
2000 City of Angels Emerill Jordan Episode: "Cry Me a Liver"
2000–2003 Stargate SG-1 General Maurice Vidrine Recurring cast: season 4 & 7
2001 The Hughleys Mr. Walker Episode: "South Side Story"
Resurrection Blvd. Jesse Episode: "Sangre de la Mano" & "Con Cuidado"
2002 The District Judge Thompson Episode: "Convictions"
Arli$$ Greg Harvey Episode: "Profiles in Agenting"
The Agency Joel Whittman Episode: "C.S. Lie"
2003 Jake 2.0 General Freewald Episode: "Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot"
2003–2004 The Bernie Mac Show Lloyd Episode: "Meet the Grandparents" & "Make Room for Caddy"
2004 Veronica Mars Tom Daniels Episode: "The Girl Next Door"
2005 Monk Sergeant Parnell Episode: "Mr. Monk Gets Stuck in Traffic"
2007 Criminal Minds Captain Wright Episode: "Legacy"
2008 Desperate Housewives Frank Episode: "There's Always a Woman"
2008–2016 Supernatural Rufus Turner Guest Cast: season 3 & 5–7 & 11
2009 Cold Case Ronde Brooks '09 Episode: "Soul"
2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Alonzo Bearwalker Episode: "Wasilla Hills Cop"
2013 Belle's Judge Crawford Episode: "One Big Happy Family"
2015 Bones Pastor Desmond Simmons Episode: "The Psychic in the Soup"
Chicago P.D. Bishop Episode: "Climbing Into Bed" & "You Never Know Who's Who"
iZombie Barber Episode: "Max Wager"
The Leftovers Virgil Recurring cast: season 2
Minority Report Bridege Kane Episode: "Memento Mori" & "Everybody Runs"
2017 Training Day Cannonball Episode: "Wages of Sin"
One Mississippi Frank Hollingsworth Recurring cast: season 2
2018–2022 The Chi Quentin "Q" Dickinson Recurring cast: season 1 & 5
2019 Project Blue Book Nate Episode: "The Lubbock Lights"
True Detective Junius "Mr. June" Watts Recurring cast: season 3
Yellowstone Cowboy Recurring cast: season 2
Bluff City Law Connor Markes Episode: "25 Years to Life"
Black-ish Phillip Episode: "Father Christmas"
Ambitions Stephen Carlisle Recurring cast
2020 Locke & Key Joe Ridgeway Recurring cast: season 1
Stumptown Lionel Hoffman Recurring cast
2020–2021 The Family Business Alexander Cora Recurring cast: season 2, guest: season 3
2020–2023 All Rise Tony Carver Guest: season 1 & 3, recurring cast: season 2
2021 Home Before Dark Mr. Morton Episode: "Not Giving Up"
2021–2023 Snowfall Paul Davis Recurring cast: seasons 4 & 6

References

  1. ^ a b c d The Great Black Music Project, Steven Williams, actor
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b 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.