FILE - In this Aug. 12, 2013 file photo, Clarence Williams III arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of Lee Daniels The Butler at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium. Williams died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon cancer, his manager Allan Mindel said Sunday, June 6, 2021. He was 81. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)
Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series “The Mod Squad” and Prince’s father in “Purple Rain,” has died. He was 81.
Williams died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon cancer, his manager Allan Mindel said Sunday.
Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series “The Mod Squad” and Prince’s father in “Purple Rain,” has died. He was 81.
USA TODAY
Clarence Williams III, who starred as the cool detective Linc Hayes on ABC s The Mod Squad, and Prince s abusive father in 1984 s Purple Rain has died. He was 81.
Williams died on June 4 in Los Angeles of colon cancer, his management company confirmed to USA TODAY.
The late actor starred on the counter-culture police series alongside Peggy Lipton (who died in 2019) as Julie Barnes and Michael Cole as Pete Cochran from 1968 to 1973. The trio portrayed young adults who had previous police run-ins, but later became LAPD undercover cops under the command of Capt. Adam Greer (Tige Andrews).
It was ground-breaking for a Black actor at the time to have the starring role during five seasons on the series executive produced by Aaron Spelling, as Williams discussed in a 1995 Los Angeles Times interview.
Clarence Williams III (Matt Sayles/AP)
Sign up for our daily newsletter featuring the top stories from The Press and Journal.
Thank you for signing up to The Press and Journal newsletter.
Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up
Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series The Mod Squad and Prince’s father in Purple Rain, has died.
He was 81.
Williams died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon cancer, his manager Allan Mindel said on Sunday.
A native of New York, Williams career spanned over five decades in theatre, television and film.