American actor, known for his roles in the movies Hair and Prince of the City and TV shows including Blue Bloods and Chicago Fire, has been killed in a motorcycle accident in Vermont. He was 71.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a Honda SUV was turning left into a parking lot when it collided with Williams’ motorcycle in the town of Dorset, according to a statement from Vermont State Police.
“Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead,” according to the statement.
Williams was wearing a helmet, police said.
The SUV’s driver received minor injuries and wasn’t hospitalized. He had signaled the turn and wasn’t immediately detained although the crash investigation continued, police said.
Williams, whose full name was Richard Treat Williams, lived in Manchester Center in southern Vermont, police said.
His agent, Barry McPherson, also confirmed the actor’s death.
“I’m just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented,” McPherson told People magazine.
“He was an actor’s actor,” McPherson said. “Filmmakers loved him. He’s been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s.”
The Connecticut-born Williams made his movie debut in 1975 as a police officer in the movie Deadly Hero and went on to appear in more than 120 TV and film roles, including the movies The Eagle Has Landed, Prince of the City and Once Upon a Time in America.
He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role as hippie leader George Berger in the 1979 movie version of the hit musical Hair.
He appeared in dozens of television shows but was perhaps best known for his starring role from 2002 to 2006 in Everwood as Dr. Andrew Brown, a widowed brain surgeon from Manhattan who moves with his two children to the Colorado mountain town of that name.
Williams also had a recurring role as Lenny Ross on the TV show Blue Bloods.
Williams’ stage appearances included Broadway shows, including Grease and Pirates of Penzance.
He is survived by his wife Pam Van Sant and two children.
