Samm-Art Williams

Biography

Samm-Art Williams was an American playwright and screenwriter who also produced for television and entered New York theater as an actor in 1973. He worked with the Negro Ensemble Company and wrote for the stage. His play Home, first produced by that company, later moved to Broadway and earned Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations. Williams made his screen debut in The Wanderers (1979), appeared in Dressed to Kill (1980) and Blood Simple (1984), and acted in television movies including Cook and Peary: The Race to the Pole and Denmark Vesey. He wrote episodes of Cagney and Lacey, Miami Vice and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and was a story editor on Frank's Place, which brought an Emmy nomination. He also wrote and directed The Dance on Widows' Row and wrote The Montford Point Marine, premiered by The Black Rep in 2011. He died in 2024.

78years old at death

Born January 20, 1946Burgaw
Died May 13, 2024
Star sign: AquariusFirst day of the sign, on the Capricorn cusp
Also credited as Samuel Arthur Williams and Samm Williams

Movie Career

Films: 5
Career span: 14 years1977 to 1991

Every film, newest first

1991A Rage in HarlemIMDb rating 5.9
1984Blood SimpleIMDb rating 7.5
1980Dressed to KillIMDb rating 7.0
1979The WanderersIMDb rating 7.3
1977The BaronIMDb rating 5.4

Genres

Did you know?!

Own stunts
Samm-Art Williams was once a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali, who recruited him because he was a lefty and Ali was afraid of lefties.
First role
Using the name Samm Williams, he began acting in New York City theater in 1973, appearing in the play Black Jesus.
Early training
Williams joined the NEC Playwrights Workshop, where playwright-in-residence Steve Carter guided him and strongly shaped his work. Williams said no single individual had influenced his writing as much as Carter had.
Behind the camera
The New Federal Theatre staged The Dance on Widows' Row, a comedy Williams both wrote and directed, at Manhattan's Harry De Jur Playhouse at Henry Street Settlement, where it ran from June 25 to July 30, 2000.