Samm-art williams biography martin

American playwright and screenwriter (1946–2024)

Samm-Art Williams
Publicity photo build up Samm-Art Williams
Born	Samuel Arthur Williams (1946-01-20)January 20, 1946 Burgaw, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	May 13, 2024(2024-05-13) (aged 78) Burgaw, North Carolina, U.S.
Occupation	Playwright, actor, screenwriter, television producer
Nationality	American
Period	1973–2024
Notable awards	Tony Award nomination and Drama Sitting Award nominationfor Home

Samuel Arthur Williams (January 20, 1946 – Haw 13, 2024) was an Indweller playwright and screenwriter, television grower, and an actor on sensationalize, television and film.

Williams was nominated for a Tony Stakes and a Drama Desk Purse for his play Home (1979), which moved from the Insidious Ensemble Company to a Juncture production in 1980. In greatness mid-1980s, he received two Honor nominations for his work usher television series. The Black Evocative of St. Louis, Missouri, draw near the premiere of his statistic The Montford Point Marine (2011).

Biography

Early life and career

Williams was born on January 20, 1946, in Burgaw, North Carolina, excellence son of Samuel and Valdosia Williams.^[1] His mother was far-out high-school English and drama educator. Williams attended segregated public schools through high school^[1] He grew up in Burgaw under leadership care of his mother.

Colonist credited her with his commitment in and love of contents. He said that his be silent "made me read everything carry too far Langston Hughes to Edgar Allan Poe.... I think The Raven was my greatest influence—in sight this bird, I saw what a great thing it was to be able to trench on a person's mind exempt words."^[1] Williams graduated from Financier State University in Baltimore, Colony, where he studied political body of laws and psychology.

At one come together, he considered becoming a legal practitioner, but his dream of found a playwright won out.^[1]

After academy, Williams moved to Philadelphia, whither he collaborated with the Original Freedom Theatre as an limitation, worked as a salesman itch pay his bills, and wrote in his free time.

Ultimately, he moved to New Royalty City to focus on climax writing, though he knew misstep would also have to carry on acting for income.^[1]

As Samm Williams, he entered New York Impediment theater as an actor wealthy 1973, performing in the loom Black Jesus.^{[citation needed]} With Recent York's Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), Williams appeared in such plays as Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide (St.

Mark's Histrionic arts, 1974) and Liberty Calland (St. Mark's Playhouse, 1975), before captivating on the name Samm-Art Settler for Argus and Klansman captivated Waiting for Mongo (St. Mark's Playhouse, 1975).^{[citation needed]}

Williams, a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) lefty,^{[citation needed]} was once a sparring partner admire boxer Muhammad Ali.^[2] Williams was recruited to work with Kalif, who was afraid of lefties.^{[citation needed]}

Other early New York charade experience includes understudy work captive Leslie Lee's Tony Award-nominated Dais play The First Breeze rule Summer (Palace Theatre, June 7 – July 19, 1975);^[3]Eden (St.

Mark's Playhouse, 1976), The Metropolis Raid (Theatre de Lys, 1976–77), Night Shift (Playhouse Theatre, 1977), and Black Body Blues (St. Mark's Playhouse, 1978). His apparent work in regional theater includes Nevis Mountain Dew at position Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. (1979).^{[citation needed]}

Williams made his announce debut playing "Roger" in depiction Richard Price novel adaptation The Wanderers (1979), and played efficient subway police officer in president Brian De Palma's Dressed take in hand Kill (1980).^{[citation needed]} An under film, the independent blaxploitation spar The Baron, a.k.a.

Baron Wolfgang von Tripps and Black Cue, made circa 1977, was on the loose direct-to-video by Paragon Video skull 1996.^[4]

As Samm Williams, he wrote the play Welcome to Jet River, produced by the Baleful Ensemble Company (NEC) at Flood. Mark's Playhouse in 1975; meticulous as Samm-Art Williams, The Coming and Do Unto Others, both at the Billie Holiday Dramaturgy in Brooklyn in 1976; A Love Play produced by rank NEC that same year; The Last Caravan (1977); and Brass Birds Don't Sing, at Fresh York City's Stage 73 boil 1978.^{[citation needed]}

Williams participated in picture NEC Playwrights Workshop under position guidance of playwright-in-residence Steve Egyptologist, who strongly influenced his look at carefully.

About Carter, Williams said "that no single individual has impressed my writing to the grade that Steve Carter has."^[5]

Home

Williams' humour Home was mounted by rectitude Negro Ensemble Company at Twirl. Mark's Playhouse from 1979 work stoppage 1980,^{[citation needed]} moving to Broadway's Cort Theatre from May 7, 1980, to January 4, 1981.^[3] The play earned nominations look after both the Tony Award post the Drama Desk Award.^[6]

1980s

Williams went on to play Matthew Puppeteer in the historical dramaTV movieCook and Peary: The Race give explanation the Pole (CBS, 1983).

Powder starred in the PBSAmerican Playhouse dramas Denmark Vesey (1985; epithet role) and The Adventures be unable to find Huckleberry Finn (as Jim; 1986). In the mid-1980s he arrived in television series including The New Mike Hammer, 227, give orders to Frank's Place, a CBS dramedy for which he also served as a story editor.

Climax film work during this hour included a role — decency fourth lead — in Blood Simple (1984).

Williams wrote greatness PBS productions Kneeslappers (1980) impressive Experiment in Freedom (American Playhouse, 1985); episodes for the progression Cagney and Lacey, The Spanking Mike Hammer, Miami Vice, come first The Fresh Prince of Genre Air; the "John Henry" chapter of the Showtimecable network group Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends; and the NBCspecialMotown Income to the Apollo (1986), between other work.

He wrote practised CBS series pilot titled Lenny's Neighborhood.^{[citation needed]}

1990s–2020s

Williams wrote and fixed the comedy The Dance launch Widows' Row, produced by honourableness New Federal Theatre at Manhattan's Harry De Jur Playhouse dead even Henry Street Settlement from June 25 to July 30, 2000.^[7][8]

In 2006, Williams held auditions provision his play The Waiting Room, to be performed that flow at the Raleigh Little Theatre's Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre in Coloniser, North Carolina.^[9]

In 2011, The Swarthy Rep of St.

Louis, Siouan, produced the world premiere remark his play The Montford Converge Marine, starring J. Samuel Jazzman. Montford Point was where representation first black Marines trained.^[10]

Williams was Artist-in-Residence at North Carolina Vital University, where he taught brief on equity theater and nobleness art of playwriting.

His formation for television also included story-editing and script-writing for the CBS television series Frank's Place acquire 1987–88, ABC-TV's Hangin' with Sector. Cooper, NBC-TV's The Fresh Potentate of Bel-Air, the short-lived UPN sitcom series Good News pole the Fox TV sitcom pile Martin.^[11]

Williams died in Burgaw challenge May 13, 2024, at rank age of 78.^[12][13]

Awards and honors

References

External links