BILLY DEE WILLIAMS BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Billy Dee Williams was born on April 6th, 1937 in New York City, New York with the birth name William December Williams. His mother Loretta worked as an elevator operator and his father, William Sr. worked as a caretaker.  He studied at New York's High School of Music and Art as well as the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design. 
 
Before he became involved in the acting industry he built up a decent career as an artist.  He had a professional gallery displaying his oil canvas paintings which sold for a decent amount of money.
 
In 1945 he began getting involved in the acting industry, first with a career as a stage actor.  He first appeared on Broadway in, "The Firebrand of Florence".  He worked as a stage actor for a number of years before becoming involved in films. 
 
In 1959 he made his film debut on, "The Last Angry Man".  He continued to alternate between stage and film acting.  Some of his other more well know stage roles were in such productions as, "The Cool World" (1960), "A Taste of Honey" (1961), "I have a Dream" (1976) and most recent was a role in, "Fences" (1988).
 
In 1971, he finally gained attention from critics when he took a role on a television movie called, "Brian's Song" for which he was nominated for an Emmy.  He also became quite well known for his appearances in advertisements for Colt 45, which was a type of malt liquor.  Some other well known television appearances were on, "227", "The Jefferson's" and "The Hughleys". 

Williams is most well known for the role of Lando Calrissian for which he portrayed in the Star Wars Episode V: "The Empire Strikes Back" and in episode VI, "Return of the Jedi".  He was also cast in the film, "Batman" (1989), "Moving Target" (1996) and "Undercover Brother" (2002).
 
Along with being an accomplished actor and artist, Williams was also a musician recording a jazz album with Prestige Records called, "Let's Misbehave" (1961).  Billy also did voice over work for the video game, "Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast" and Star Wars, "Battlefront" amongst others.

He is also a cast member of an Internet Web based series called, "Diary of a Single Mom" (2009) and his final screen appearance thus far was in, "The Bitter Earth" (2010).  He has married three times throughout his life.  His first marriage was to  Audrey Sellers very briefly before he then married Marlen Clark in 1968 through 1971.  His third marriage was to Teruko Nakagami from December 27th, 1972 and they had one child together Corey and a step daughter Miyako.  However it is reported in 1993, they filed for divorce, but might have reconciled in 1997 and today are still a couple.         
 

Filmography

2010 This Bitter Earth 
2011 The Cleveland Show
2011 White Collar 
2009-2010 Diary of a Single Mom 
2010 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III
2010 Barry Munday
2009 Titan Maximum
2009 General Hospital
2009 The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll 
2008 Private Practice
2008 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II 
2007-2008 General Hospital: Night Shift
2008 Murders 
2008 Fanboys 
2007 Robot Chicken
2007 Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars 
2006 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 
2006 Hood of Horror 
2005 Weekends at the DL 
2005 Clubhouse
2005 Constellation 
2004 Half & Half
2004 The Maintenance Man 
2004 That '70s Show 
2004 Oedipus 
2003 Epoch: Evolution 
2003 Today Will Be Yesterday Tomorrow 
2003 Street Time
2002 Undercover Brother
2002 Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast 
2002 The Last Place on Earth
2000-2001 18 Wheels of Justice
2001 Gideon's Crossing 
1999-2001 The Hughleys
2001 Very Heavy Love 
2001 Good Neighbor 
2000 The Ladies Man 
2000 Code Name: Eternity
2000 The Visit 
2000 Fear Runs Silent 
1999 The Contract 
1999 Promised Land 
1998 Hard Time 
1997 The Fourth King 
1997 Steel Sharks 
1996 Moving Target 
1996 Mask of Death 
1996 The Prince 
1995 Triplecross 
1995 Falling for You 
1994 Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III  
1994 Lonesome Dove: The Series
1993 Message from Nam 
1993 Percy & Thunder 
1993 Alien Intruder 
1993 Marked for Murder 
1993 A Different World
1992 The Jacksons: An American Dream 
1992 Giant Steps 
1991 Driving Me Crazy 
1990 Dangerous Passion 
1990 Wiseguy
1990 Secret Agent OO Soul 
1989 Batman 
1989 227
1988 The Return of Desperado 
1987 Deadly Illusion 
1987 Number One with a Bullet
1986 Courage
1986 Oceans of Fire 
1986 The Right of the People 
1985 Double Dare 
1984-1985 Dynasty
1984 The Impostor
1984 Fear City 
1984 Time Bomb 
1984 ABC Weekend Specials 
1983 Chiefs 
1983 Shooting Stars 
1983 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 
1983 Marvin & Tige
1981 Nighthawks 
1980 Children of Divorce 
1980 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back 
1980 The Hostage Tower 
1979 Christmas Lilies of the Field 
1977 Scott Joplin 
1976 The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings 
1975 Mahogany 
1974 The Take 
1974 The Conversation 
1973 Hit! 
1972 Lady Sings the Blues 
1972 The Final Comedown 
1972 The Glass House 
1971 Brian's Song 
1971 Mission: Impossible
1971 Mod Squad 
1971 Dan August 
1970 The Most Deadly Game 
1969-1970 The F.B.I. 
1970 The Out of Towners 
1970 Carter's Army 
1969 The New People 
1969 Lost Flight 
1968 Premiere
1967 Coronet Blue
1966 Guiding Light 
1965 The Doctors and the Nurses
1964 Another World
1964 The Defenders
1959 The Last Angry Man 
1959 Look Up and Live