# Treat Williams
**Treat Williams** was the stage name of Richard Treat Williams, an American actor whose nearly 50-year career spanned Broadway musicals, Hollywood films, and television, and who was best known for the movie musical *Hair* (1979), the police drama *Prince of the City* (1981), and the series lead role of Dr. Andy Brown on The WB's *Everwood* (2002–2006).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/) • [2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams) He appeared in more than 120 television and film roles before his death in a motorcycle crash in Vermont in June 2023 at the age of 71.[3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Treat Williams; "Treat" is a family name on his mother's side, traced to Declaration of Independence signer Robert Treat Paine[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/treat-williams/) |
| Born / died | 1951 in Stamford, Connecticut; June 12, 2023, after a motorcycle crash in Dorset, Vermont[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/) • [3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58) |
| Breakthrough | George Berger in Miloš Forman's film of the musical *Hair* (1979), his first lead role, earning a Golden Globe nomination[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) • [6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/treat-williams/1922/) |
| Signature film role | Detective Danny Ciello in Sidney Lumet's *Prince of the City* (1981), a second Golden Globe nomination[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) |
| Television lead | Dr. Andy Brown on *Everwood* (2002–2006), bringing two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams) |
| Emmy nominations | Michael Ovitz in HBO's *The Late Shift* (1996); posthumously, Bill Paley in *Feud: Capote vs. The Swans* (2024)[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams) |
| Other pursuits | Licensed pilot for single- and multi-engine aircraft; published the children's book *Air Show!* in 2010[7](https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/june/13/actor-pilot-treat-williams-dies-in-motorcycle-accident) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/treat-williams/bio/3030057802/) |
## Early life and stage career
Williams was born in [Stamford, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/stamford-connecticut), in 1951, the son of Marian Andrews, an antiques dealer, and Richard Norman Williams, a corporate executive; the family moved to nearby Rowayton when he was three.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) He was educated at [Kent School](https://www.edgepedia.org/kent-school) in [Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/connecticut), where he began acting, and studied theater at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, earning his BA.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/treat-williams/) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) As a student he performed with the Actors' Company of Pennsylvania and the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, a venue he remained connected to for the rest of his life.[9](https://playbill.com/person/treat-williams-vault-0000052529)
**Broadway.** After moving to New York, Williams was hired in 1973 as an understudy to [John Travolta](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-travolta) in the Broadway musical *Grease*, understudying four parts including Doody, and eventually took over the lead role of Danny Zuko, which he played for three years.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/treat-williams/) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) His Broadway credits also included *Over Here!* (1974), *Once in a Lifetime* (1978), *The Pirates of Penzance* (1981), where he took over the Pirate King from [Kevin Kline](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-kline), *Love Letters* (1989), and *Follies* (2001).[9](https://playbill.com/person/treat-williams-vault-0000052529) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary)
## Film breakthrough
Williams made his feature film debut in *Deadly Hero* (1976) and appeared in *The Ritz* (1976) and *The Eagle Has Landed* (1976).[10](https://awsprxdam.crownmediadev.com.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highRes/2612609.pdf) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) Director Miloš Forman spotted him on stage and cast him as the hippie leader George Berger in the 1979 film version of *Hair*, his first lead role and the part that made him famous; the audition reportedly took 13 tries, ending with him standing naked before the casting panel.[10](https://awsprxdam.crownmediadev.com.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highRes/2612609.pdf) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) The role brought a Golden Globe nomination.[6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/treat-williams/1922/) The same year he played an ill-tempered army corporal in [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg)'s wartime comedy *1941*.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary)
**Prince of the City.** After a run of box-office disappointments, [Sidney Lumet](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidney-lumet) cast him as Detective Danny Ciello, a corrupt narcotics detective who informs on his colleagues, in *Prince of the City* (1981). The character was based on the detective Robert Leuci, with whom Williams lived while preparing for the part; he also attended drug busts and spent time with police officers.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) The performance brought his second Golden Globe nomination, though the film's length and complicated story limited its audience.[6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/treat-williams/1922/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/treat-williams/)
[Sergio Leone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sergio-leone) cast him as union boss Jimmy O'Donnell in *Once Upon a Time in America* (1984).[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) In Joyce Chopra's *Smooth Talk* (1985), based on [Joyce Carol Oates](https://www.edgepedia.org/joyce-carol-oates)'s short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", he played Arnold Friend opposite [Laura Dern](https://www.edgepedia.org/laura-dern), an Independent Spirit Award-nominated performance.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/treat-williams/bio/3030057802/)
## Television and later career
Williams worked steadily across film and television for four decades. His television roles included the boxer [Jack Dempsey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-dempsey) in the TV movie *Dempsey* (1983), [Stanley Kowalski](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-kowalski) opposite [Ann-Margret](https://www.edgepedia.org/ann-margret) in *A Streetcar Named Desire* (1984), a Golden Globe-nominated performance, and J. Edgar Hoover in a 1987 television production.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) • [11](https://awsprxdam.crownmediadev.com.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highRes/642541.pdf) His portrayal of talent agent Michael Ovitz in HBO's *The Late Shift* (1996) earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams)
**Everwood.** In 2002 Williams took the lead role of Dr. Andrew Brown on The WB's *Everwood*, a widowed Manhattan neurosurgeon who moves with his two children to a Colorado mountain town; the series ran from 2002 to 2006 and brought him two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams) • [12](https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/malcolm-mcdowell-wendell-pierce-mark-hamill-kim-cattrall-hair-b2356489.html) Later television work included recurring roles as NYPD detective Lenny Ross on *Blue Bloods* (2016–2023) and as Mick O'Brien on *Chesapeake Shores* (2016–2022).[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary)
His later films included [Danny Boyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-boyle)'s *127 Hours* (2010), in which he played the trapped hiker [Aron Ralston](https://www.edgepedia.org/aron-ralston)'s father, and *Howl* (2010).[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) His final television appearance was as retired Baltimore detective Brian Grabler in the miniseries *We Own This City* (2022).[13](https://www.the-independent.com/tv/culture/treat-williams-last-film-death-accident-b2356473.html) In 2024 he received a posthumous Emmy nomination for playing William Paley in *Feud: Capote vs. The Swans*.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams)
## Death
On June 12, 2023, Williams was riding his motorcycle on Route 30 in Dorset, Vermont, when an SUV turning left into a parking lot collided with him; he was thrown from the motorcycle and, despite wearing a helmet, suffered critical injuries.[3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58) • [14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/06/13/treat-williams-hair-star-dead/) He was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in New York, where he was pronounced dead at 71.[3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58) The driver, Ryan Koss, 35, the managing creative director of the Dorset Theatre Festival, initially pleaded not guilty to gross negligent operation with death resulting, a charge carrying up to 15 years; in March 2024 he pleaded guilty to the reduced misdemeanor charge of negligent driving with death resulting and received a one-year deferred sentence with a one-year license revocation.[3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58) • [15](https://apnews.com/article/4e2d267505b885cec60b35a1d43f3cbf)
Williams had lived in Manchester Center, Vermont, and was married to actress Pam Van Sant since 1988; they had two children, Gill and Ellie.[3](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary) Fellow actors including John Travolta, Kim Cattrall, Mark Hamill, Wendell Pierce, and Malcolm McDowell paid tribute after his death.[12](https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/malcolm-mcdowell-wendell-pierce-mark-hamill-kim-cattrall-hair-b2356489.html)
## References
1. [Treat Williams Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001852/bio/)
2. [Treat Williams, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/treat-williams)
3. [Driver pleads not guilty in Vermont crash that killed actor Treat Williams, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/f81eb5e819c235a36451ec91dc7d8b58)
4. [Treat Williams, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/treat-williams/)
5. [Treat Williams obituary, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/13/treat-williams-obituary)
6. [Treat Williams Biography, Tribute.ca](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/treat-williams/1922/)
7. [Actor, pilot Treat Williams dies in motorcycle accident, AOPA](https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/june/13/actor-pilot-treat-williams-dies-in-motorcycle-accident)
8. [Treat Williams Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/treat-williams/bio/3030057802/)
9. [Treat Williams (Performer), Playbill](https://playbill.com/person/treat-williams-vault-0000052529)
10. [Treat Williams filmography biography, Crown Media press kit](https://awsprxdam.crownmediadev.com.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highRes/2612609.pdf)
11. [Treat Williams press release, Crown Media](https://awsprxdam.crownmediadev.com.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highRes/642541.pdf)
12. [Stars pay tribute to actor Treat Williams after death in motorcycle accident, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/malcolm-mcdowell-wendell-pierce-mark-hamill-kim-cattrall-hair-b2356489.html)
13. [Treat Williams: Actor's last TV appearance before death aged 71, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/tv/culture/treat-williams-last-film-death-accident-b2356473.html)
14. [Treat Williams, versatile star of film, TV and stage, dies at 71, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/06/13/treat-williams-hair-star-dead/)
15. [Driver pleads guilty to reduced charge in Vermont crash that killed actor Treat Williams, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/4e2d267505b885cec60b35a1d43f3cbf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Wh to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license