Adam Williams (actor): Difference between revisions

Adam Williams
Adam Williams
	Adam Williams in Without Warning, 1952
Born	Adam William Berg; November 26, 1922; Wall Lake, Iowa, U.S.
Died	December 4, 2006 (aged 84); Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Film and television actor, flight school owner
Years active	1951–1978
Spouse(s)	Marilee Phelps (?–1970; 3 children); Carole Berg (1974–2006; 3 children, 4 stepchildren)

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Adam Williams (born Adam William Berg; November 26, 1922 – December 4, 2006)^[2] was an American film and television actor.

Life and career

Williams was born Adam William Berg in Wall Lake, Iowa, and likely raised in New York. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the Navy Cross. Berg was commended for his valor while operating a dive bomber off the USS Wasp in June 1944, in which he attacked a Japanese fleet oiler in the East Philippine Sea, and ditched upon his return without suffering casualties to his crew.^[3] An accomplished pilot, Williams also served the general aviation community as a fixed wing Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for the FAA.^{[citation needed]}

In 1952, Williams played the lead, as a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film Without Warning! In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in The Big Heat. He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie The Space Children. Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in Fear Strikes Out (1957) and Valerian in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959).

During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated The Sheriff of Cochise, set in Arizona and starring John Bromfield, and Have Gun – Will Travel in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on Joanne Dru's sitcom Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1960, he appeared in the iconic The Twilight Zone season 1 episode "The Hitch-Hiker", starring Inger Stevens. He also appeared in the Twilight Zone episode "A Most Unusual Camera".^[4]

Between 1959 and 1967 he appeared in six episodes of The Rifleman and in four episodes of Bonanza, and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday", in the ABC adventure series The Islanders. He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Lawman. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series The Americans, based on family conflicts stemming from the American Civil War, and in an episode of the 1961 series The Asphalt Jungle. One of his later roles was in the 1976 television movie Helter Skelter.

Death

On December 4, 2006, Williams died in Los Angeles of lymphoma at the age of 84. He was cremated.^[2]

Selected filmography

Queen for a Day (1951) - Chuck, High Diver segment
Flying Leathernecks (1951) - Lieutenant Bert Malotke
Without Warning! (1952) - Carl Martin
Vice Squad (1953) - Marty Kusalich
The Big Heat (1953) - Larry Gordon
Dragonfly Squadron (1954) - Captain Wyler
The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) - Corporal Maddock
Crashout (1955) - Fred Summerfield
The Sea Chase (1955) - Kruger, Wireless Operator (uncredited)
The Proud and Profane (1956) - Eustace Press
The Rack (1956) - Sergeant Otto Pahnke
Fear Strikes Out (1957) - Dr. Brown
The Garment Jungle (1957) - Ox
The Oklahoman (1957) - Bob Randell
The Lonely Man (1957) - Lon
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958) (Season 3 Episode 32: "Listen, Listen...!") - Police Lieutenant King
Darby's Rangers (1958) - Heavy Hall
The Space Children (1958) - Dave Brewster
The Badlanders (1958) - Leslie
North by Northwest (1959) - Valerian
The Twilight Zone (1959) (Season 2 Episode 10: "A Most Unusual Camera") - Woodward
Thriller (1961) (Season 1 episode "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper") - Hymie
The Last Sunset (1961) - Calverton
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962) (Season 7 Episode 30: "What Frightened You, Fred?") - Dr. Cullen
Convicts 4 (1962) - Guard #1
The Rifleman (1963) (S5 E24 "Old Man Running") - Mal Sherman
Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963) - Jed Hayden
The New Interns (1964) - Wolanski
The Glory Guys (1965) - Private Lucas Crain
The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968) - Sergeant Roberts
Helter Skelter (1976) - Terrence Milik

References

^ "U.S. Navy Memorial". navymemorial.org. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 810. ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
^ "Adam William Berg: Awards". The Hall of Valor Project. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
^ Cruz, Gilbert (October 2, 2009). "The Hitch Hiker (1960)". Time. Retrieved September 7, 2018.

External links

Adam Williams at IMDb

[1] "U.S. Navy Memorial". navymemorial.org. Retrieved February 7, 2024.

[rp-2] Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 810. ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4. Retrieved June 14, 2020.

[3] "Adam William Berg: Awards". The Hall of Valor Project. Retrieved September 7, 2018.

[4] Cruz, Gilbert (October 2, 2009). "The Hitch Hiker (1960)". Time. Retrieved September 7, 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 | birth_name    = Adam William Berg
 | birth_date    = {{birth date|1922|11|26}}
-| birth_place   = New York City, U.S.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I3zGCwAAQBAJ&q=%22Williams+was+born+Adam+Berg+in+New+York+City%22&pg=PA401 | title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006 | first=Harris M. III | last=Lentz | publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-7864-2933-2 | accessdate=September 7, 2018}}</ref>
+| birth_place   = [[Wall Lake, Iowa]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://navylog.navymemorial.org/berg-adam| website=navymemorial.org  | title=U.S. Navy Memorial| accessdate=February 7, 2024}}</ref>
 | death_date    = {{death date and age|2006|12|4|1922|11|26}}
 | death_place   = [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 | children      =
 }}
 [[File:Four Star Playhouse (Night Ride) 1.jpg|thumb|Adam Williams (left) and [[David Niven]] on TV's ''[[Four Star Playhouse]]'', episode "Night Ride" (1953)]]
-'''Adam Williams''' (born '''Adam William Berg''', November 26, 1922 – December 4, 2006)<ref name="rp">{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Scott |title=Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-7992-4 |page=810 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7-DgDAAAQBAJ&q=%22Adam+William+Berg%22&pg=PA810 |accessdate=June 14, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> was an American film and television actor.
+'''Adam Williams''' (born '''Adam William Berg'''; November 26, 1922 – December 4, 2006)<ref name="rp">{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Scott |title=Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-7992-4 |page=810 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7-DgDAAAQBAJ&q=%22Adam+William+Berg%22&pg=PA810 |accessdate=June 14, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> was an American film and television actor.
 ==Life and career==
+{{Moresources | section|date=February 2024}}
-Born Adam William Berg in [[Wall Lake, Iowa]], and raised in New York City. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=19768 | title=Adam William Berg: Awards | website=The Hall of Valor Project | accessdate=September 7, 2018}}</ref> In 1952, Williams played the lead, a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film ''[[Without Warning! (1952 film)|Without Warning!]]'' In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in ''[[The Big Heat]]''. He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie ''[[The Space Children]]''. Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in ''[[Fear Strikes Out]]'' (1957) and Valerian in ''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959).
+Williams was born '''Adam William Berg''' in [[Wall Lake, Iowa]], and likely raised in New York. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]]. Berg was commended for his valor while operating a [[dive bomber]] off the ''[[USS Wasp (CV-18)|USS Wasp]]'' in June 1944, in which he attacked a Japanese fleet [[Oiler (ship)|oiler]] in the [[Philippine Sea|East Philippine Sea]], and ditched upon his return without suffering casualties to his crew.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=19768 | title=Adam William Berg: Awards | website=The Hall of Valor Project | accessdate=September 7, 2018}}</ref> An accomplished pilot, Williams also served the general aviation community as a fixed wing Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for the [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]].{{cn|date=February 2024}}
+In 1952, Williams played the lead, as a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film ''[[Without Warning! (1952 film)|Without Warning!]]'' In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in ''[[The Big Heat]]''. He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie ''[[The Space Children]]''. Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in ''[[Fear Strikes Out]]'' (1957) and Valerian in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959).
+During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated ''[[The Sheriff of Cochise]]'', set in Arizona and starring [[John Bromfield]], and ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]'' in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on [[Joanne Dru]]'s sitcom ''[[Guestward, Ho!]]'', set on a [[dude ranch]] in New Mexico. In 1960, he appeared in the iconic ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' season 1 episode "[[The Hitch-Hiker (The Twilight Zone)|The Hitch-Hiker]]", starring [[Inger Stevens]].
-An accomplished pilot, Williams also worked as an examiner for the [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]].
+He also appeared in the ''Twilight Zone'' episode "[[A Most Unusual Camera]]".<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://entertainment.time.com/2009/10/02/top-10-twilight-zone-episodes/slide/the-hitch-hiker-1960/ | title=The Hitch Hiker (1960) | last=Cruz | first=Gilbert | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=October 2, 2009 | access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref>
-During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated ''[[Sheriff of Cochise]]'', set in Arizona and starring [[John Bromfield]], and ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]'' in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on [[Joanne Dru]]'s sitcom ''[[Guestward, Ho!]]'', set on a [[dude ranch]] in New Mexico. In 1960, he played the role of a sailor hitching a ride in ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' season 1 episode "[[The Hitch-Hiker (The Twilight Zone)|The Hitch-Hiker]]", where he is picked up by a terrified driver played by [[Inger Stevens]], who is compelled to pick him up so that he may offer protection and safety to her from a mysterious hitchhiker who shows up at various times and places along the road while she travels across country. Many reviewers have cited this episode as one of ''The Twilight Zone''{{'}}s "10 Greatest" of the series.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://entertainment.time.com/2009/10/02/top-10-twilight-zone-episodes/slide/the-hitch-hiker-1960/ | title=The Hitch Hiker (1960) | last=Cruz | first=Gilbert | work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=October 2, 2009 | accessdate=September 7, 2018}}</ref> He had also appeared in the ''Twilight Zone'' episode "[[A Most Unusual Camera]]". Between 1959 and 1967 he appeared in six episodes of ''[[The Rifleman]]'' and in four episodes of ''[[Bonanza]]'', and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday", in the ABC adventure series ''[[The Islanders (TV series)|The Islanders]]''. He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/[[Warner Brothers]] western series ''[[Lawman (TV series)|Lawman]]''. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series ''[[The Americans (1961 TV series)|The Americans]]'', based on family conflicts stemming from the [[American Civil War]], and in an episode of the 1961 series ''[[The Asphalt Jungle (TV series)|The Asphalt Jungle]]''. One of his later roles was in the 1976 television movie ''[[Helter Skelter (1976 film)|Helter Skelter]]''.
+Between 1959 and 1967 he appeared in six episodes of ''[[The Rifleman]]'' and in four episodes of ''[[Bonanza]]'', and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday", in the ABC adventure series ''[[The Islanders (TV series)|The Islanders]]''. He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/[[Warner Brothers]] western series ''[[Lawman (TV series)|Lawman]]''. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series ''[[The Americans (1961 TV series)|The Americans]]'', based on family conflicts stemming from the [[American Civil War]], and in an episode of the 1961 series ''[[The Asphalt Jungle (TV series)|The Asphalt Jungle]]''. One of his later roles was in the 1976 television movie ''[[Helter Skelter (1976 film)|Helter Skelter]]''.
 ==Death==
 On December 4, 2006, Williams died in Los Angeles of [[lymphoma]] at the age of 84. He was cremated.<ref name="rp" />
+==Selected filmography==
-==Filmography==
 {{div col}}
 *''[[Queen for a Day (film)|Queen for a Day]]'' (1951) - Chuck, High Diver segment
-*''[[Flying Leathernecks]]'' (1951) - Lt. Bert Malotke
+*''[[Flying Leathernecks]]'' (1951) - Lieutenant Bert Malotke
 *''[[Without Warning!]]'' (1952) - Carl Martin
 *''[[Vice Squad (1953 film)|Vice Squad]]'' (1953) - Marty Kusalich
 *''[[The Big Heat]]'' (1953) - Larry Gordon
-*''[[Dragonfly Squadron]]'' (1954) - Capt. Wyler
+*''[[Dragonfly Squadron]]'' (1954) - Captain Wyler
-*''[[The Yellow Tomahawk]]'' (1954) - Cpl. Maddock
+*''[[The Yellow Tomahawk]]'' (1954) - Corporal Maddock
 *''[[Crashout]]'' (1955) - Fred Summerfield
-*''[[The Sea Chase]]'' (1955) - Kruger - Wireless Operator (uncredited)
+*''[[The Sea Chase]]'' (1955) - Kruger, Wireless Operator (uncredited)
 *''[[The Proud and Profane]]'' (1956) - Eustace Press
-*''[[The Rack (1956 film)|The Rack]]'' (1956) - Sgt. Otto Pahnke
+*''[[The Rack (1956 film)|The Rack]]'' (1956) - Sergeant Otto Pahnke
 *''[[Fear Strikes Out]]'' (1957) - Dr. Brown
 *''[[The Garment Jungle]]'' (1957) - Ox
 *''[[The Oklahoman]]'' (1957) - Bob Randell
 *''[[The Lonely Man]]'' (1957) - Lon
+*''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' (1958) (Season 3 Episode 32: "Listen, Listen...!") - Police Lieutenant King
+*''[[Darby's Rangers]]'' (1958) - Heavy Hall
 *''[[The Space Children]]'' (1958) - Dave Brewster
 *''[[The Badlanders]]'' (1958) - Leslie
-*''[[Darby's Rangers]]'' (1958) - T/5 Heavy Hall
 *''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959) - Valerian
+*''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' (1959) (Season 2 Episode 10: "A Most Unusual Camera") - Woodward
+*''[[Thriller (American TV series) |Thriller]]'' (1961) (Season 1 episode "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper") - Hymie
 *''[[The Last Sunset (film)|The Last Sunset]]'' (1961) - Calverton
+*''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' (1962) (Season 7 Episode 30: "What Frightened You, Fred?") - Dr. Cullen
 *''[[Convicts 4]]'' (1962) - Guard #1
+*''[[The Rifleman]]'' (1963) (S5 E24 "Old Man Running") - Mal Sherman
 *''[[Gunfight at Comanche Creek]]'' (1963) - Jed Hayden
 *''[[The New Interns]]'' (1964) - Wolanski
-*''[[The Glory Guys]]'' (1965) - Pvt. Lucas Crain
+*''[[The Glory Guys]]'' (1965) - Private Lucas Crain
-*''[[Follow Me, Boys!]]'' (1966) - Sergeant (uncredited)
 *''[[The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit]]'' (1968) - Sergeant Roberts
+*''[[Helter Skelter (1976 film)|Helter Skelter]]'' (1976) - Terrence Milik
-*''This Is a Hijack'' (1973) - Smitty
 {{div col end}}
 ==Further reading==
-*{{cite news |first=Edwin |last=Schallert |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=Big-Game Hunter Brings African Film; Top Heavy Goes to Adam Williams |page=25 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/426303851.html?dids=426303851:426303851&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI |date=March 25, 1953}}
+*{{cite news |first=Edwin |last=Schallert |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=Big-Game Hunter Brings African Film; Top Heavy Goes to Adam Williams |page=25 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/426303851.html?dids=426303851:426303851&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106084727/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/426303851.html?dids=426303851:426303851&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |date=March 25, 1953}}
 *{{cite news |first=Fred |last=Childress |work=[[Youngstown Vindicator]] |title=Direction Adds Tense Excitement To 'Big Heat' on Palace Screen |page=14 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fGBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1509,4637532&dq=adam-williams+big-heat&hl=en |date=October 30, 1953}}
+*{{cite news |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=Victor Jory 'Shot' by Western Actor |page=19 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/448206192.html?dids=448206192:448206192&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |date=November 11, 1961 |quote=Observers said a gun in the hands of actor Adam Williams discharged accidentally at a range of 6 in., inflicting powder burns. |access-date=July 5, 2017 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106084743/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/448206192.html?dids=448206192:448206192&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |url-status=dead }}
-*{{cite news |work=[[The Miami News]] |title=Actor 'Rocketing' Up |page=7A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lKEyAAAAIBAJ&pg=5491,3578630&dq=adam-williams+actor&hl=en |date=July 26, 1958 |quote=Adam Williams, one of the industry's fastest-rising actors, portrays a rocket expert in Paramount's "The Space Children."}}
-*{{cite news |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=Victor Jory 'Shot' by Western Actor |page=19 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/448206192.html?dids=448206192:448206192&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |date=November 11, 1961 |quote=Observers said a gun in the hands of actor Adam Williams discharged accidentally at a range of 6 in., inflicting powder burns.}}
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
-{{Portal|California|World War II|Film|Television|Biography}}
+{{Portal|California|Film|Television|Biography}}
 ==External links==
 * {{IMDb name|0929965|Adam Williams}}
-* {{tcmdb name|id=206450|name=Adam Williams}}
 {{authority control}}
@@ Line 83: / Line 90: @@
 [[Category:American male television actors]]
 [[Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)]]
-[[Category:Male actors from Los Angeles]]
+[[Category:Male actors from Iowa]]
-[[Category:Deaths from cancer in California]]
+[[Category:Male actors from New York (state)]]
-[[Category:Deaths from lymphoma]]
+[[Category:Deaths from lymphoma in California]]
-[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
 [[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]
-[[Category:Jewish American male actors]]
 [[Category:United States Navy pilots of World War II]]