Richard Treat Williams Jr. (December 1, 1951 – June 12, 2023) was an American actor, whose career on stage and in film and television spanned five decades. He received many accolades for his work, including nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and an Independent Spirit Award.
Williams began his career on Broadway, portraying Danny Zuko in the original run of Grease (1972). After supporting roles in the films The Ritz and The Eagle Has Landed (both 1976), he rose to fame with starring roles in Milos Forman’s film version of the musical Hair and in Steven Spielberg’s historical comedy 1941, both released in 1979. He received further acclaim for his performance in the Sidney Lumet crime drama Prince of the City (1981).
He appeared in many other films throughout his career, both in leading and supporting roles, including Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Flashpoint (1984), Smooth Talk (1985), The Men’s Club (1986), Dead Heat (1988), The Phantom (1996), The Devil’s Own (1997), Deep Rising (1998), the Substitute franchise (1998-2001), The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), Miss Congeniality 2 (2005), and 127 Hours (2010). Among his television roles, he starred as Dr. Andy Brown on the drama series Everwood (2002-2006), for which he received a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor. Subsequent television work included White Collar (2012-2013), Chicago Fire (2013-2018), and Blue Bloods (2016-2023). He also starred as Mick O’Brien on the Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores (2016-2022) and as Bill Paley in the FX miniseries Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (2024), the latter being his final appearance on screen.
Throughout his career, Williams returned to the Broadway stage, appearing in productions of Over Here! (1974), Once in a Lifetime (1978), The Pirates of Penzance (1981), Love Letters (1989), and Follies (2001).