Treat Williams, the versatile actor known for such films as Hair and Smooth Talk, and who was later a success on TV, has died at 71 as the result of a motorcycle accident in Dorset, Vermont, People reports.
His longtime agent Barry McPherson told the outlet on Monday:
"He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented. He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of the Hollywood since the late 1970s. He was really proud of his performance this year. He's been so happy with the work that I got him. He's had a balanced career."
Williams was born December 1, 1951, in Rowayton, Connecticut.
A jock in school, he made his movie debut in Deadly Hero (1975), and in 1976 made a big impression high-voiced undercover cop Michael Brick in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Ritz.
It was a natural step for Williams, a natural and prolific stage actor. Among his many stage shows, he won two Drama League Awards, for Captains Courageous (1999) and Follies (2001).
His most prominent early work was as the star of Hair (1979), another Broadway hit translated to the silver screen. His performance led to his first of several Golden Globe nominations.
Other major films included 1941 (1979), Prince of the City (1981; second Golden Globe nomination), The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), the acclaimed indie Smooth Talk (1985), Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Critical Mass (2000), Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005), Drunk Parents (2019) and Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020), among many others.
Among his many TV appearances, Williams is remembered as a regular on Good Advice (1993-1994) with Shelley Long (b. 1949), four seasons of Everwood (2002-2006), Heartland (2007) and Chesapeake Stories (2016-2022), and for work on Against the Wall (2011), White Collar (2012-2013), Chicago Fire (2013-2018), American Odyssey (2015) and Blue Bloods (2016-present).
He played boxer Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) in the TV film Dempsey (1983), was nominated for a third Golden Globe for A Streetcar Named Desire (1984) opposite Ann-Margret (b. 1941) and was Emmy-nominated playing Michael Ovitz (b. 1946) in 1996's The Late Shift.
At the time of his death, Williams may have been known to the widest audience of his career for his work in Hallmark TV movies.
Williams is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Pam, and his two children.
