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<\/p>\nClarence Williams III, who broke new ground as \u201chippie\u201d Detective Linc Hayes on \u201cThe Mod Squad\u201d from 1968 to 1973, has died after a battle with colon cancer. He was 81.<\/p>\n
Williams passed away Friday at his home in Los Angeles, his manager Allan Mindel confirmed in a statement Sunday.<\/p>\n
Born Aug. 21, 1939, in New York City, the veteran talent got his big break on Broadway. He earned a Tony nod as best featured actor for his stellar work in 1964\u2019s \u201cSlow Dance on the Killing Ground,\u201d launching a career that spanned five decades on stage and in television and film.<\/p>\n
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Although best known for his TV work in \u201cThe Mod Squad,\u201d Williams III also had scene-stealing roles in a pair of big-screen cult classics: He played Prince\u2019s flawed father \u2014 the guy who inspired \u201cWhen Doves Cry\u201d \u2014 in 1984\u2019s \u201cPurple Rain,\u201d and played way against type as flamboyant drug lord Sampson Simpson in Dave Chappelle\u2019s cult classic stoner comedy \u201cHalf Baked\u201d in 1998.<\/p>\n
Still, it was his ultra-cool counter-culture cop that fans remembered best \u2014 and he didn\u2019t mind one bit.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll most people know about me is the two hours they\u2019ve invested in a movie theater or the time spent in front of their TV,\u201d Williams III said in a 1999 interview, according to the Daily Mail. \u201cThere\u2019s so much entertainment out there right now, it\u2019s difficult to break through and become part of the national consciousness. It\u2019s nice to be recognized, and I have no problem with it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
His enduring work left an indelible mark on generations of fans.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen I was a kid growing up in NYC, Clarence Williams III was a face on TV that I identified with and that inspired me,\u201d singer-actor Lenny Kravitz, 57, said in homage to the late actor. \u201cFrom the Mod Squad, to Purple Rain and Sugar Hill, he always performed with dynamic energy. Rest in power, king.\u201d<\/p>\n
The actor\u2019s myriad other small-screen credits include guest-starring roles on \u201cThe Cosby Show,\u201d \u201cHill Street Blues,\u201d \u201cT.J. Hooker,\u201d \u201cMiami Vice,\u201d \u201cTales from the Cyrpt,\u201d \u201cStar Trek\u201d and \u201cTwin Peaks\u201d opposite his old \u201cMod Squad\u201d co-star Peggy Lipton.<\/p>\n
His other feature film appearances include \u201cThe General\u2019s Daughter,\u201d \u201cReindeer Games,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m Gonna Git You Sucka\u201d and \u201cThe Butler.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Clarence Williams III, who broke new ground as \u201chippie\u201d Detective Linc Hayes on \u201cThe Mod Squad\u201d from 1968 to 1973, has died after a battle with colon cancer. He was 81. Williams passed away Friday at his home in Los Angeles, his manager Allan Mindel confirmed in a statement Sunday. Born Aug. 21, 1939, in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":70280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11185],"tags":[74513,74527,74517,74521,74515,74519,74501,74511,74523,74505,74509,74525,74503,74507],"yoast_head":"\n