Billy Dee Williams Movies
One of the most handsome leading men in Hollywood with his soulful brown eyes, neat, thick moustache, great physique, and natural poise, Billy Dee Williams was a major star during the 1970s, but his acting career dates back to 1947 when he debuted on the Broadway stage opposite German actress Lotte Lenya in the play The Firebrand of Florence. It was Williams' mother, an elevator operator at the Lyceum Theater where the play was produced, who brought him before the producers after she heard that they needed a child. As a teen, Williams studied drama at the prestigious High School of Music and Art in New York; he also studied at the National Academy of Fine Arts and then at the Harlem Actors Workshop where he was tutored by Sidney Poitier. As an adult, he returned to Broadway, but did not make his feature film debut until he landed a substantial supporting role in The Last Angry Man (1959). It would be a decade before Williams starred in another film. He made a favorable impression playing Gayle Sayers in the touching made-for-TV movie Brian's Song, but did not become a movie star until he appeared opposite Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). In 1975, the pair reteamed for the highly successful melodrama Mahogany (1975). At his popularity's peak, Williams was referred to as "the black Gable." Though he went on to star in other pictures throughout the decade, Williams' star was beginning to fade by 1980 until he played a dashing role in George Lucas' Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back and its sequel, Return of the Jedi (1983). He was also particularly memorable as the district attorney in Tim Burton's Batman (1989). Through the '90s, Williams' career slowed, but for a few television movies in 1993, his appearances became sporadic. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In this drama, a teenage trumpeter makes friends with Slate Thompson, a jazz pianist whom he idolizes. The legendary Thompson is obsessed with remaining true to his art. When the moody pianist meets the idealistic lad, he begins to remember the joy he once felt when he played. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Dee Williams, Michael Mahonen, (more)
Former Evening Shade costars Burt Reynolds and Charles Durning are reunited in this made-for-TV action thriller, the first entry in a three-picture deal between star-director Reynolds and the TNT cable network. Framed for murder after a botch stakeout, maverick cop Logan McQueen (Reynolds) escapes from maximum security and heads to Miami in search of the man who set him up. He is hotly pursued by the minions of a politically ambitious DA (Billy Dee Williams), who sees McQueen's capture as a stepping-stone to the governor's mansion. The film is so spectacularly violent that the cameo appearance by pro wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper seems a model of decorum in comparison. And Durning? He plays McQueen's ageing partner, as fast with a quip as with a gun. Originally telecast on December 13, 1998, Hard Time was followed by a brace of sequels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, (more)
- 1973
- R
In Sidney J. Furie's interminable caper film, Billy Dee Williams is a federal agent who takes matters into his own hands after the government refuses to do anything about French drug trafficking. After his daughter dies of an overdose of heroine and the authorities seem unconcerned, Nick Allen (Williams) takes it upon himself to organize a small independent task force of mercenaries to travel to France in order to kill the nine leaders of a Marseilles drug syndicate. This motley group of angry American citizens who are out for blood include the rabid Mike Willmer (Richard Pryor); the sedate Sherry Nielson (Gwen Welles); the robust Dutch Schiller (Warren Kammerling); and the kindly old Jewish couple, Ida (Janet Brandt) and Herman (Sid Melton), who want to inflict Old Testament revenge upon the dope peddlers. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, (more)
Diana Ross plays the magnificent, tragic song stylist Billie Holiday, who while writhing in a strait jacket in a prison cell, awaiting sentencing on drug charges, reflects on her turbulent life. Raped in her youth by a drunk (Adolph Caesar), then compelled to work as a domestic in a Harlem whorehouse, Holliday is encouraged to try for a singing career by the bordello's pianist (Richard Pryor). She rises as high as it is possible to go in the white-dominated show business world of the 1930s, but can't handle the pressure and turns to narcotics. The film takes several liberties with the 44-year existence of "Lady Day." Among the Billie Holiday standards performed by Ross are "My Man," "I Cried for You," "Lover Man," "Them There Eyes," and the title song. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
- 1969
In 1966, producer Frank Price came up with a TV series concept about a group of people lost on an uncharted island who are forced to carve out their own civilization. No, it wasn't Gilligan's Island, but a more serious endeavor titled Stranded. When the pilot episode didn't sell, Price put the idea on the back burner until 1969 when, in collaboration with writer Dean Riesner, he dreamed up the two-hour pilot film, Lost Flight. This time, an airliner captained by Steve Bannerman (Lloyd Bridges) crashes on a remote island in the Pacific. Among Bannerman's fellow castaways are Gina Talbot (Anne Francis), Merle Barnaby (Billy Dee Williams), Glenn Wallup (Ralph Meeker), Jonesey (Andrew Prine), Charlie Burnett (the character who gets killed off early, played by Michael-James Wixted), and, as the resident troublemaker, Eddie Randolph (Bobby Van). Given a one-shot telecast in early 1970, Lost Flight didn't fly as a series...nor did Price's like-minded effort, 1976's Stranded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Directed by Berry Gordy, Jr. as a vehicle for his star Diana Ross, Mahogany traces the life of a poor girl who makes it in the fashion world (first as a model, then designer) and deserts her boyfriend (Billy Dee Williams) in the meantime, hooking up instead with a photographer (Anthony Perkins). The song "Do You Know When You're Going To" (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser) was Oscar-nominated. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
- 1993
A former criminal is recruited to help cops in this made-for-television movie. Powers Boothe stars as Mace Moutron, also known as The Sandman, a former convict who is used by the police to help fight crime. More familiar and more satisfied with the swiftness of street justice, the Sandman decides to take some police matters into his own hands. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1983
- PG
In this weakly limned melodrama, Marvin (John Cassavetes) is a homeless man who stops the 11-year-old Tige (Gibran Brown) from killing himself one night, and after a bumpy start, the two become as close as a father and son. Tige's real father left him long ago, his mother has just died, and Tige is seriously ill himself. Marvin takes this in and then hunts down Tige's father (Billy Dee Williams), who is married and the father of three other children. After some initial reluctance, the father finally accepts Tige into his household, but the boy's life does not necessarily get any better from there. With a plot that is transparently melodramatic and characters barely etched on the surface, the intention to manipulate viewers with "tragic" scenes is uncomfortably apparent. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cassavetes, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this crime thriller, a detective's face is destroyed when he is shot by a hit man. With nothing left to lose, the gumshoe agrees to undergo radical reconstructive surgery so that he can resemble an FBI fugitive who has connections to the Russian mob. The ensuing plan of action involves a rendezvous with a Russian operative and the pilfering of a valuable microchip. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorenzo Lamas, Rae Dawn Chong, (more)
- 1971
Written by Dan Ullman, "The Miracle" focuses in on $8,000,000 worth of heroin. The IMF must determine the location of the heroin and put Syndicate operatives Taynor (Ronald Feinberg) and Kearney (Joe Don Baker) out of business. The gimmick: a phony heart transplant, which will convert the homicidal Kearney into a religious pacifist. Filmed at Southern California's Marineland, "The Miracle" was originally telecast on October 23, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1996
- R
In this fast-paced actioner, Michael Dudikoff plays a bounty hunter whose latest quest for a bail jumper lands him in the middle of war between rival Russian mafia gangs. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Dudikoff, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
Deke DaSilva (Sylvester Stallone) and Matthew Fox (Billy Dee Williams) are New York police officers specially assigned to a special multi-national team dedicated to tracking down terrorist Wulfgar (Rutger Hauer). Wulfgar planted a bomb in a London department store, killing several children and he is now an outcast, hunted by both the police and his fellow gang members. He has extensive plastic surgery and resumes his activities aided by Shakka (Persis Khambutta), a completely psychotic fellow outcast. Soon DaSilva and Wulfgar are engaged in a violent battle of wits as Wulfgar resumes his terrorist activities and threatens New York . This very effective thriller features a chilling performance by Rutger Hauer as the handsome, ruthless cold-blooded killer who charms women into helping him and then kills them. Sylvester Stallone gives an unusually understated emotionally vulnerable performance as a man trying to save lives while he saves his own marriage. The film makes excellent use of New York locales, particularly during a terrifying hijacking of a cable car where Wulfgar coolly decides which of the hostages will live or die. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
- 1987
- R
Detective Berzak (Robert Carradine) and his suave partner Hazeltine (Billy Dee Williams) combine forces to track down a notorious drug lord in this routine action feature. Captain Ferris (Peter Graves) monitors the progress of the decidedly different detectives. The trail leads to Dacosta (Barry Sattels) a respected member of the social elite and the community. Valerie Bertanelli plays Berzak's daughter Teresa, who is pumped for information by her father about his ex-wife (Doris Roberts). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carradine, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
This exciting disaster film chronicles the raw courage of five ex-cons and their leader when the South American off-shore oil rig they work upon suddenly explodes and only they can stop the ensuing fire. Unfortunately, they must not only deal with the elements, they must also cope with company bureaucracy and greed and their own considerable personal differences. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1993
An ex-championship boxer (James Earl Jones) sees a chance at recapturing a taste of his former glory after discovering that Thunder (Courtney B. Vance), one of the amateurs he trains, has real potential. Unfortunately, Thunder has entangled himself with crooked, gang-connected manager Ralph Tate (Billy Dee Williams), and he is not to let the young fighter go without a fight. This drama was made for cable and was aired as part of Steven Spielberg's "Screenworks" project. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
In the final episode of the Star Wars saga, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) emerges intact from the carbonite casing in which he'd been sealed in The Empire Strikes Back. The bad news is that Solo, together with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), is prisoner to the grotesque Jabba the Hutt. But with the help of the charismatic Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), our heroes and our heroine manage to escape. The next task is to rid the galaxy of Darth Vader (body by David Prowse, voice by James Earl Jones) and the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid), now in command of a new, under-construction Death Star. On the forest moon Endor, the good guys enlist the help of a feisty bunch of bear-like creatures called the Ewoks in their battle against the Empire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, (more)
- 1977
Billy Dee Williams stars as legendary ragtime pianist/composer Scott Joplin in this 1977 biopic. Despite his brilliance, Joplin (1868-1917) was confined by the color of his skin to the dregs of show business in the late 19th century. While competing in a musical contest, Joplin introduces his most famous composition, "The Maple Leaf Rag", thereby commanding the attention of a white music publisher. Offered a ridiculously low price for the song, Joplin nevertheless agrees to sell his composition, figuring that he has a better chance at fame and fortune once he's published. Before long, Ragtime music has become a national craze, and Joplin is rich beyond his wildest dreams. But the composer realizes that his brand of music is not considered respectable, and yearns to write something of more lasting value--a concerto, perhaps, or even an opera. Alas, Joplin's talents begin failing him, and by age 49 he is on the brink of death, a victim of syphilis. Originally made for television by Motown Films, Scott Joplin was released theatrically by Universal Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Dee Williams, Clifton Davis, (more)
Hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg takes horror fans on a ride through the scary underside of life in the 'hood in this horror anthology. The self-described "gatekeeper of the after-party" (Snoop Dogg) introduces three stories of life in a ghetto neighborhood in which the unscrupulous get what's coming to them. Posie (Daniella Alonso) is a nice girl who turns mean when a gang of thugs murder her mother. Posie swears revenge against the gangsters, but isn't sure what to do until she encounters a member of the undead (Danny Trejo) who gives her some lessons in bloodthirsty behavior. Next, Tex Woods Jr. (Anson Mount) is a ugly-spirited Southerner who claims ownership of a house belonging to his father after the old man dies at Tex's hands. Tex and his wife, Tiffany (Brande Roderick), waste no time in evicting a handful of impoverished war veterans who were friendly with Tex's dad, but he pushes them too far and Roscoe (Ernie Hudson) leads the former soldiers in a shocking act of revenge. And finally, a rapper who has betrayed most of his friends on the way up gets his just deserts on the way down. Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror also features Billy Dee Williams, Method Man, Jason Alexander, Lin Shaye, and Aries Spears. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Snoop Dogg, Ernie Hudson, (more)
