Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 – June 4, 2021)
Williams was best known for playing the character "Linc Hayes" on The Mod Squad from 1968 to 1973. He also appeared prominently in films such as Purple Rain, 52 Pick-Up, Tales from the Hood, Half Baked and Reindeer Games, and had a recurring role on Season 2 of Twin Peaks. Williams began pursuing an acting career after spending two years as a paratrooper in C Company, 506th Infantry, of the 101st Airborne Division. He first appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream (1960). Continuing his work on stage, he appeared in Walk in Darkness (1963), Sarah and the Sax (1964), Doubletalk (1964), and King John. Other TV roles include Hill Street Blues, the Canadian cult classic The Littlest Hobo, Miami Vice, The Highwayman, Burn Notice, Everybody Hates Chris, Justified, Law & Order. He also played a supporting role as George Wallace's fictional African-American butler and caretaker in the 1997 TNT movie George Wallace. Williams married the actress Gloria Foster in 1967. They worked together on The Mod Squad; Foster made two guest appearances. The two were also in a movie, The Cool World, in 1964. In 1984 they filed for divorce, but remained friends. They had no children. Williams died from colon cancer at age 81 on June 4, 2021.