R.I.P. Treat Williams, Everwood actor

Williams died in a motorcycle accident near his home in Vermont. He was 71.

By Matt Schimkowitz | June 13, 2023 | 3:42am

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Treat Williams Photo: Cindy Ord (Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

Treat Williams, the prolific Hollywood actor best known, perhaps, for his four-season stint on the TV drama Everwood, has died. With more than 120 credits, Williams’ matinee good looks, effortless charm, and natural ease on camera helped him remain one of the most dependable screen presences of the last 50 years. As confirmed by Deadline, Williams was killed in a motorcycle accident near his home in Vermont. He was 71.

Born in Rowayton, Connecticut, in 1951, Williams’ family tree is almost as surprising as his filmography. A distant relative of both P.T. Barnum and a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, Williams appeared destined for great things. He gravitated to acting in college, joining the Fulton Repertory Theatre Troupe in Lancaster, Pa, before moving to New York to give Broadway a shot in 1973. He didn’t have to wait long, landing a plumb spot as the understudy for Danny Zuko in a little show called Grease. He’d later take over the role of Danny Zuko before trying his hand at film acting.

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In what would be a recurring theme throughout his career, he didn’t wait long for on-camera work. The mid-70s saw his star rise with performances in Deadly Hero and Richard Lester’s farce, The Ritz. But it was Miloš Forman’s adaptation of Hair that would be Williams’ breakthrough, earning him a Golden Globe nomination and the attention of some of the world’s most in-demand filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Sidney Lumet, and Sergio Leone. He even nabbed an uncredited role in The Empire Strikes Back.

Williams never hurt for work and was willing to stretch his creativity in an array of different kinds of parts. Throughout his career, he could be seen playing a corrupt cop in Prince Of The City, a James Dean wannabe in Smooth Talk, a maniacal comic book villain in The Phantom, a killer teacher in The Substitute sequels, the romantic interest in numerous Hallmark Christmas movies, and a fast-talking cool-headed agent in The Late Shift. Regardless of the role, Williams brought an effortless charm to the work.

While Williams would continue to appear on the big screen throughout his career, in the early 2000s, he found success on the small one. In 2002, he joined the cast of Everwood, starring as series lead Dr. Andy Brown. The show served as a launching pad for Chris Pratt, Emily VanCamp, and Gregory Smithy, in addition to earning Williams two SAG nominations.

Described as an “actor’s actor” by his agent, Williams could do it all on-screen—he was also an experienced (and licensed) commercial pilot, helicopter pilot, and flight instructor. But it was his ability to slot into any project and quietly and assuredly make it better that would be his legacy.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Pam Van Sant, and his two children, Gille and Elle.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly credited John Travolta as playing “Danny Zuko” in the stage version of Grease. Travolta played the role of “Doody” on stage before playing “Danny Zuko” in the film adaptation. We regret the error.