Samm-Artwork Williams, whose Tony-nominated 1979 play House is being revived on Broadway this 12 months and whose TV producing credit embrace Recent Prince of Bel-Air, Martin and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, died peacefully right now in Burgaw, North Carolina. He was 78.
His demise was introduced by household.
Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.
Performing as Samm Williams, he received his begin on the New York stage within the early Nineteen Seventies, showing in notable performs akin to Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Firm, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Cover and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he started performing in different Off Broadway reveals below the title Samm-Artwork Williams.
By the top of the last decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage author, and is right now greatest identified for House, a drama initially staged by the Negro Ensemble Firm in 1979 that moved to Broadway the next 12 months. House shall be revived on Broadway starting this June is a serious Roundabout Theatre Firm manufacturing directed by Kenny Leon.
The manufacturing begins previews Could 17 on the Todd Haimes Theatre, opening on June 5.
House is described by Roundabout as “a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that offers voice to the unbreakable spirit of all People who’ve been looking for a spot to belong.” The drama tells the story of Cephus Miles, a black Southern farmer thrown in jail for opposing the Vietnam draft and later transferring North solely to expertise additional difficulties earlier than lastly returning residence.
The unique Broadway manufacturing was nominated for the Finest Play Tony Award and ran for 278 performances. Williams’ different stage credit embrace Welcome To Black River and Associates.
Williams additionally saved busy all through the Eighties and ’90s writing for such TV reveals as The New Mike Hammer, Cagney and Lacey, Badges, John Henry, Frank’s Place, Miami Vice, The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, and Martin, amongst others. He obtained a 1985 Emmy nomination (Excellent Writing in a Selection or Music Program) for Motown Returns to the Apollo (shared with fellow writers Buz Kohan and Peter Elbling).
As a producer, Williams was Emmy-nominated for Frank’s Place, and scored main TV hits with The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Martin and The Good Information.
A recognizable actor, Williams made notable appearances in 1984’s Blood Easy and because the enslaved particular person Jim in a 1985 American Playhouse/PBS restricted sequence manufacturing of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Different appearing credit embrace visitor appearances in 227, Miami Vice, Frank’s Place, The Ladies of Brewster Place, The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, A Rage In Harlem and Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper.
On the massive display, he made his debut The Wanderers (1979), and the next 12 months performed a subway police officer in director Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill.
Accolades embrace a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Nationwide Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Playwriting, and different awards for writing. He was an Artist-in-Residence at North Carolina Central College, the place he taught courses on fairness theater and the artwork of playwriting.
Williams is survived by 5 cousins.
