1. Van Zandt Jarvis Williams was an American actor best known for his leading role as Kenny Madison in both Warner Bros.
23 Facts About Van Williams
1. 2.
Van Williams moved to Hawaii in 1956 after differences with his father on how the ranch should be run.
3.
Todd died in a plane crash in 1958, but Van Williams took voice and acting lessons.
4.
Van Williams managed to get cast in an episode of General Electric Theatre and was seen by executives from Warner Bros.
5.
Van Williams guest starred on episodes of General Electric Theater, Lawman, and Colt.
6.
Van Williams appeared in Tall Story, in which he stepped naked out of the men's locker room shower in front of Jane Fonda's character and comically said "If it is alright with you, it is alright with me".
7.
Van Williams appeared in a Warners anti-communist short, Red Nightmare.
8.
Van Williams starred in a World War II television pilot titled The Leathernecks that was shown as an episode of The Gallant Men.
9.
Van Williams had a supporting role in The Caretakers.
10.
Van Williams played the role straight, unlike the comedy approach of the same producer's Batman show.
11.
Van Williams returned to the lead in a regular series with Westwind, a children's adventure series.
12.
Van Williams retired from acting in 1982 to open a communications company in Santa Monica, California that leases time on six two-way radio repeater stations.
13.
Van Williams was a longtime reserve deputy sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and worked at the substation in Malibu, California.
14.
In 1993, Van Williams made a cameo in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story as the director of The Green Hornet television program.
15.
In 2010, the filmmakers of the 2011 Green Hornet film adaptation had wanted him to make a cameo appearance as a cemetery guard, but Van Williams turned it down.
16.
Van Williams stated he did not care much for acting, citing some reasons being his resentment toward the people in the industry and their unfair method of going about things.
17.
Van Williams was wary of typecasting, pointing to examples of failures it caused in people's acting careers, such as the case of George Reeves when he became too affiliated with his portrayal of Superman.
18.
Van Williams stated that his only interest in acting was taking it up as a business rather than to gain celebrity status.
19.
Van Williams had twin daughters from a previous marriage to Drucilla Greenhaw, which included four grandchildren.
20.
In 1988, Van Williams owned houses in Sun Valley, Idaho, Fort Worth, and Hawaii.
21.
Van Williams said it was the fruits of good investments.
22.
Outside his acting career, Van Williams was closely affiliated with co-star Adam West.
23.
Producer Kevin Burns revealed on December 5,2016, that Van Williams died on November 28,2016, from kidney failure at the age of 82 in Scottsdale, Arizona.