Barry Williams (actor)
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| Barry Williams | |
|---|---|
| File:Barry Williams 2017.jpg Williams at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2017 | |
| Born | Barry William Blenkhorn September 30, 1954 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1967–present |
| Spouse(s) | Diane Martin (m. 1990; div. 1992)[1] Eila Mary Matt (m. 1999; div. 2005) Tina Mahina (m. 2017)[2][3][1] |
| Children | 2 |
Barry William Blenkhorn (born September 30, 1954),[4] known professionally as Barry Williams, is an American actor and singer best known for his role as the eldest of the Brady sons, Greg Brady, on the ABC television series The Brady Bunch.
Early life and career[edit]
Williams, the youngest of three boys, was born in 1954 in Santa Monica, California,[4] to Doris May Moore and Canadian-born Frank Millar Blenkhorn, of English, Scottish, and German ancestry.[5] Barry and siblings Craig and Scott Blenkhorn[4] grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, where actor Peter Graves was a neighbor.[6] Williams decided, as a child, that he wanted to be an actor, and in 1967 he made his television debut in a "Christmas" episode of Dragnet 1967.
Williams continued to be cast in guest roles on other TV series including Adam-12, The Invaders, That Girl, Mission: Impossible, The Mod Squad, Here Come the Brides, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Highway to Heaven and Bartleby, the Scrivener[7] before being cast in 1969 as Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch.
Later career[edit]
Following the cancellation of The Brady Bunch in 1974, Williams continued to appear in guest roles on television, and became involved in musical theater, touring with productions such as Grease, The Sound of Music, Pippin, and West Side Story.
In 1988, Williams appeared on Broadway in the musical Romance/Romance with Tony Award-nominee Alison Fraser. Williams took over the lead male role of "Alfred/Sam" when Scott Bakula left the production. Years later, Williams was able to capitalize on being typecast as Greg Brady. Amid a procession of appearances in TV and movies that played up his famous teen role, he ended up landing a role that was a departure from the Brady image. He was tapped to play English con man Hannibal in 1984, who conspired with Holly Sutton Scorpio (Emma Samms) on the top-rated General Hospital.
Williams has appeared in various Brady Bunch TV movie reunions, including the 1988 Christmas movie, A Very Brady Christmas.
In 1989, Williams was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for his role as Greg Brady.[8]
His 1992 autobiography, Growing Up Brady: I Was A Teenage Greg, co-written with Chris Kreski, was a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a 2000 TV movie titled Growing Up Brady starring Adam Brody as Williams.
In 2000, Williams sang a parody of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady" called "The Real Greg Brady"; the song was co-written by Williams, comedy writer and radio producer, David Brody of Z100 NY WHTZ, and Jay Gilbert of Froggy Radio in Cincinnati.[9]
Williams appeared briefly as an audience member in the 2002 music video of Peter Gabriel's song, "The Barry Williams Show". The song is actually about a fictional Jerry Springer-like talk show host, not the actor; Gabriel later revealed that he did not know of the Brady Bunch star when he wrote the song.
Williams has made multiple appearances as a paid featured dancer at the World's Largest Disco in Buffalo, New York.
In 2001–2002, he played Manager Dean "The Machine" Strickland in 13 episodes of the sitcom, Hollywood 7, which featured the British pop group S Club 7.
Williams played himself in the 2003 film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.
In 2008, Williams appeared in Episode 6 of the VH1 series, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Williams participated as a friend of one of the patients, Chyna, and explained to her during a group session how drinking had a negative impact on his own life and career.[10]
In January 2010, he took a role in The Asylum mockbuster, Mega Piranha,[11] who played alongside the former teen pop singer Tiffany.[12]
As of 2019, he makes Branson, Missouri, his home and tours with the musical group Barry Williams and the Traveliers. He also joined with the other Brady Bunch kids in the 2019 television series A Very Brady Renovation on HGTV.[13] In 2021, Williams starred in the Lifetime Christmas movie, Blending Christmas, alongside his Brady Bunch co-stars Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen, and Robbie Rist.[14]
With the death of Florence Henderson on November 24, 2016, Williams became the oldest surviving (adult) cast member from The Brady Bunch.
Actors' Equity Association dispute[edit]
In January 2001, Williams was fined $52,000 by Actors' Equity Association, the union representing stage actors, for starring as Captain Von Trapp in a non-union tour of The Sound of Music. According to Variety, the production was picketed in several cities. Williams responded by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that the fine was illegal because he had resigned from the union in September 2000 before the tour began.[15] Equity alleged that Williams, who joined the union in 1974, was still a member when he began contract negotiations for the role.[16]
Williams was reinstated by Actor's Equity as a member in good standing in 2005 after he unionized a non-Equity production of A Christmas Carol in late 2004.[citation needed]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Wild in the Streets | Young Max Frost |
| 1969 | Bartleby | Ginger Nut |
| 1974 | Goodnight Jackie | Barry |
| 1995 | Brady Bunch Movie, TheThe Brady Bunch Movie | Music Producer |
| 2010 | Mega Piranha | Bob Grady |
| 2018 | Flea | Marsh Man |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Run for Your Life | Stanley | "The Company of Scoundrels" |
| 1967 | Dragnet 1967 | John Heffernan | "The Christmas Story" |
| 1968 | Invaders, TheThe Invaders | Paper Boy | "The Pursued" |
| 1968 | F.B.I., TheThe F.B.I. | Boy | "The Messenger" |
| 1968 | Lancer | Ben Price | "Blood Rock" |
| 1968 | That Girl | Autograph Seeker | "7 1/4: Part 2" |
| 1968 | Gomer Pyle, USMC | Boy No. 1 | "A Star Is Not Born" |
| 1968 | Mod, TheThe Mod | Newspaper Boy | "The Guru" |
| 1969 | Here Come the Brides | Peter | "A Kiss Just for So" |
| 1969 | It Takes a Thief | Herbie DuBois | "A Matter of Grey Matter: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1969 | Adam-12 | Johnny Grant | "Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone" |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Pancho McGurney | "The Chemistry of Hope" |
| 1969–1974 | Brady Bunch, TheThe Brady Bunch | Greg Brady | 117 episodes |
| 1970 | Hastings Corner | Junior Fandango | TV film |
| 1970 | Mission: Impossible | King Victor | "Gitano" |
| 1972 | ABC Saturday Superstar Movie, TheThe ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Greg Brady (voice) | "The Brady Kids on Mysterious Island" |
| 1972 | Brady Kids, TheThe Brady Kids | Greg Brady (voice) | 17 episodes |
| 1973 | The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl | Greg Brady | TV film |
| 1976 | Police Woman | Steve Glass | "Generation of Evil" |
| 1976–77 | Brady Bunch Hour, TheThe Brady Bunch Hour | Greg Brady | 9 episodes |
| 1979 | Greatest Heroes of the Bible | Jacob | "Jacob's Challenge" |
| 1981 | Brady Girls Get Married, TheThe Brady Girls Get Married | Greg Brady | TV film |
| 1982 | Three's Company | David Winthrop | "Up in the Air" |
| 1984 | General Hospital | Hannibal | TV series |
| 1985 | Highway to Heaven | Miki Winner | "A Song for Jason: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1986 | Rocky Road | Wayne Kincaid | "The Wrong Mr. Right" |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | Nate Findley | "Night of the Headless Horseman" |
| 1988 | Very Brady Christmas, AA Very Brady Christmas | Dr. Greg Brady | TV film |
| 1990 | Bradys, TheThe Bradys | Dr. Greg Brady | 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Kids Incorporated | Ana's Dad | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" |
| 1993 | Bradymania: A Very Brady Special | Barry Williams | TV special |
| 1994 | Summertime Switch | Frederick Egan II | TV film |
| 1994 | Full House | Barry Williams | "Making Out Is Hard to Do" |
| 1997 | Perversions of Science | Neighbor | "People's Choice" |
| 2001 | Hollywood 7 | Dean Strickland | Main role |
| 2004 | The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special | Barry Williams | TV special |
| 2006 | According to Jim | Ben | "Sex Ed Fred" |
| 2006 | That '70s Show | Jeff | "We Will Rock You" |
| 2009 | Scrubs | Barry Williams | "My Soul on Fire: Part 1" |
| 2010 | Mega Piranha | Bob Grady | TV film |
| 2011 | A.N.T. Farm | Game Show Host | "America Needs TalANT"
2011 Camp Director "Camp Playboy" |
| 2012 | Bigfoot | Simon Quint | TV film |
| 2017 | Loud House, TheThe Loud House | Bumper Sr. (voice) | "Future Tense" |
| 2019 | A Very Brady Renovation | Barry Williams | 7 episodes |
| 2021 | Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch[17] | Mike Brady | Paramount Plus TV special |
| 2021 | Blending Christmas | John | TV film |
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Silverman, Stephen M. (January 28, 2005). "In Brief". People. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ↑ Dam, Julie K.L.; Miller, Samantha (December 13, 1999). "The Family Still Matters". People. Vol. 52, no. 23. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Experience Matt". Seawinds Asset Management. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2015. Note: Some sources erroneously give first name as "Ella"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Barry Williams". TV Guide. Retrieved January 23, 2015.[dead link]
- ↑ Family Tree[dead link]
- ↑ Williams, Barry. "Greg's Story". The Greg Brady Project. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Bartleby the Scrivener". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ↑ "10th Annual Youth in Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ↑ "Please Stand Up" (PDF). Gavin Report. August 25, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ↑ Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, Season 1, Episode 6. VH1. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ↑ "First Pics From Megapiranha Stink Like Fish". Dread Central. Retrieved March 1, 2015.[dead link]
- ↑ "Megapiranha Artwork Everything You Could Have Hoped For". Dread Central. January 29, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ↑ Lee, Luaine (September 8, 2019). "Bradys go 'home' again for HGTV". The Baltimore Sun. p. A&E 4.
- ↑ Jones, Marcus (May 19, 2021). "Lifetime reunites High School Musical, Brady Bunch stars for holiday movies". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ↑ "Sound of Music 's Barry Williams Says Equity's $50K Fine Is Political". Playbill. February 6, 2001. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ↑ Jones, Chris (June 25, 2001). "Williams battles fine by Equity". Variety.
- ↑ D'Addario, Daniel (June 30, 2021). "'Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch' Delivers a Satisfying Twist on a Beloved Sitcom: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
