The Tragic Death of 'Mod Squad'/'Purple Rain' Actor Clarence Williams III: Three Years Later

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Actor Clarence Williams III, best known as the super cool undercover cop Lincoln "Linc" Hayes on TV's classic crime drama, The Mod Squad, died three years ago from colon cancer at 81 years old. This is the story of a talent that lives on.

A Closer Look

A native of New York, Clarence Williams III made an indelible mark with a diverse career that spanned more than fifty years, across live theatre, TV, and on the big screen.

Williams was born into a creative family in 1939 and raised by his musical grandparents. His grandfather was a jazz composer and pianist, his father a musician, and his mother, Eva Taylor, a singer and actress.

Following a brief stint as a paratrooper, Williams began his career in 1964 on Broadway with live stage productions of Dark of the Moon, The Great Outdoors, and William Hanley's Slow Dance on the Killing Ground - the latter of which earned him a Tony nomination and a Theatre World Award.

A short time later, Williams was cast as Linc on TV's The Mod Squad, which also starred Peggy Lipton (who died in 2019) and Michael Cole. As three "hippie" cops ("one white, one black, one blonde"), who knew the streets, Williams, Lipton, and Cole became three of the most popular characters of the era.

A groundbreaking series during its original on ABC from 1968 to 1973, The Mod Squad was executive produced by Aaron Spelling (Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Family), who considered the show his favorite of all the staples.

With pioneering plots that addressed controversial social issues (racism, the Vietnam War, the drug culture), Squad also starred Tige Andrews (who died in 2007) as the young trio's stern but compassionate captain.

Beyond Mod

Beyond The Mod Squad, Clarence Williams III starred in several other TV shows, as well as feature films, including 52 Pick-Up, Against the Wall, Reindeer Games, and Purple Rain (in which he played Prince's father).

In 1979, he reunited on-screen with Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, and Tige Andrews for the TV -movie, Return of The Mod Squad, which was a hit with the viewers.

Conclusion

Clarence Williams III was a trailblazing actor with a charisma and style rarely seen in actors today.