Van (Van Zandt) Williams is an American actor (born February 22, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas) best known for his brief yet world famous television role as "Britt Reid" aka "Green Hornet" with the late Bruce Lee as his sidekick Kato, in the 1966-1967 ABC The Green Hornet television series.
Williams found himself at odds with his television producers, fighting to provide more on screen time for his friend and martial arts teacher Bruce Lee, at a time when nonwhite actors were shunned by Hollywood. The Green Hornet aired 25 episodes of 30 minutes each, with an additional five crossover episodes featuring the Green Hornet and Kato on the Batman television series.
A diving instructor in Hawaii in 1956, Williams was discovered there by producer Mike Todd in 1957, who invited him to come to Hollywood and try his hand at acting. Mr. Todd died in a plane crash, but his discovery had made his way to Hollywood for vocal and acting lessons. Williams was signed to a cotract by Warner Brothers in 1959. His big break came as costar of the Bourbon Street Beat television series 1959-1960. He later worked in a General Electric production with Ronald Reagan, and appeared as Ken Madison on the Surfside 6 television series opposite Troy Donahue . Williams also appeared in the movies Tall Story (1960) and The Caretakers (1963) and on the television series The Tycoon . When his Warner Brothers contract lapsed in 1964, Williams signed with 20th Century Fox to portray newspaper editor Britt Reid on The Green Hornet.
His friend Bruce Lee died of a cerebral edema in 1973. Van's acting career faded around that time, though he made a few television guest appearances . Today Williams owns a small business that markets telecommunications products, and spends several months a year in Southern California as a reserve deputy with the Malibu station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He is also a partner in the 4000 acre Waialua Ranch on Oahu, Hawaii. Williams keeps in touch with the American public at autograph conventions from time to time, where he remains popular among Green Hornet and Bruce Lee fans. Syndication on cable television has brought back many old television series, introducing Williams to a new generation of viewers.
He and his wife Vicki have three grown children. Williams resides today in Ketchum, Idaho. Ironically, his neighbor and longtime friend is Adam West, star of the Batman television series on which The Green Hornet and Kato appeared several times. The two aging late night episode rerun pop culture celebrities remain a target for jokes from the local population!
Filmography
Cinema
- Tall Story (1960)
- The Caretakers (1963)
Television
- includes cross-over episodes on Batman
- Surfside 6 as Ken Madison
- The Tycoon
Sources
