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Paul Hamilton Williams Jr. (born September 19, 1940) is an American composer, singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for writing and co-writing popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s, including Three Dog Night's " An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "
Out in the Country "Out in the Country" is a song written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and performed by Three Dog Night. It was produced by Richard Podolor, and was featured on their 1970 album, '' It Ain't Easy''. In the US, "Out in the Country" peaked at ...
",
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
's " You and Me Against the World",
Biff Rose Paul "Biff" Rose (born October 15, 1937) is an American comedian and singer-songwriter. Biography Born in New Orleans, Rose moved to Hollywood where he found a job working as a comedy sketch writer with George Carlin working sometimes on the M ...
's "Fill Your Heart" and the Carpenters' " We've Only Just Begun" and " Rainy Days and Mondays". Williams is also known for writing the score and lyrics for '' Bugsy Malone'' (1976) and his musical contributions to other films, including the Oscar-nominated song "
Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film ''The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reached ...
" from ''
The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'', and writing the lyrics to the #1 chart-topping song "
Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
", the love theme from the
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
film '' A Star Is Born'', for which he won a
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Song of the Year and an
Academy Award for Best Original Song The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed ...
. He wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for the television show '' The Love Boat'', with music previously composed by Charles Fox, which was originally sung by
Jack Jones Jack Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *Jack Jones (American singer) (born 1938), American jazz and pop singer *Jack Jones, stage name of Australian singer Irwin Thomas (born 1971) *Jack Jones (Welsh musician) (born 1992), Welsh mu ...
and, later, by
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
. Williams had a variety of high-profile acting roles, such as Little Enos Burdette in the action-comedy '' Smokey and the Bandit'' (1977) and the villainous Swan in Brian De Palma's '' Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), which Williams also co-scored, receiving an Oscar nomination in the process. Since 2009, Williams has been the president and chairman of the American songwriting society
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
.


Early life

Williams was born in
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest ...
, the son of Paul Hamilton Williams, an architectural engineer, and his wife, Bertha Mae (née Burnside), a
homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American and Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational, day-to-day operations of a hous ...
. One of his brothers was John S. Williams, a
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
rocket scientist, who participated in the Mercury and Apollo programs and was awarded the
NASA Distinguished Service Medal The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. The medal may be presented to any member of the federal government, including both milita ...
, their highest honor, in 1969. His other brother was
Mentor Williams Mentor Ralph Williams (June 11, 1946 – November 16, 2016) was an American songwriter and producer. He is best known for writing "Drift Away," a popular song first performed by John Henry Kurtz in 1972 and popularized by Dobie Gray the followin ...
, a songwriter as well who wrote Dobie Gray's 1973 hit "
Drift Away "Drift Away" is a song by Mentor Williams written in 1970 and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album ''Reunion''. Mentor Williams was a country songwriter, and John Henry Kurtz was an actor and swamp rock singer. It was later ...
".


Musical career

Williams began his professional songwriting career with
Biff Rose Paul "Biff" Rose (born October 15, 1937) is an American comedian and singer-songwriter. Biography Born in New Orleans, Rose moved to Hollywood where he found a job working as a comedy sketch writer with George Carlin working sometimes on the M ...
in Los Angeles. The two men first met while working together on a television comedy show. Together, they wrote the song "Fill Your Heart" which was recorded by Rose on his first album, ''The Thorn in Mrs. Roses Side''. Tiny Tim covered it as the B-side of his hit " Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (1968).
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
recorded a version of the song on his album ''
Hunky Dory ''Hunky Dory'' is the fourth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 17December 1971 through RCA Records. Following the release of his 1970 album, '' The Man Who Sold the World'', Bowie took time off from recording and tourin ...
'' (1971). Rose and Williams wrote "I'll Walk Away" (recorded by Rose on his third, eponymous album). Rose was instrumental in getting Williams his break with
A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...
which resulted in Williams working with songwriter Roger Nichols. Williams and Nichols were responsible for a number of successful pop hits from the 1970s, including several hits for Three Dog Night (" An Old Fashioned Love Song", "
The Family of Man ''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, the exhibitio ...
" and "
Out in the Country "Out in the Country" is a song written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and performed by Three Dog Night. It was produced by Richard Podolor, and was featured on their 1970 album, '' It Ain't Easy''. In the US, "Out in the Country" peaked at ...
"),
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
(" You and Me Against the World"), and the Carpenters, most notably " Rainy Days and Mondays", "
I Won't Last a Day Without You "I Won't Last a Day Without You" is a song by the Carpenters with lyrics written by Paul Williams and music composed by Roger Nichols. It was released in the U.K. in September 1972, paired with " Goodbye to Love" as a double-A side. The sing ...
", and " We've Only Just Begun", originally a song for a Crocker National Bank television commercial featuring newlyweds, and which has since become a cover-band standard and ''de rigueur'' for weddings throughout North America. An early collaboration with Roger Nichols, "Someday Man", was covered by the Monkees (a group for which he auditioned but was not chosen) on a 1969 single, and was the first Monkees' release not published by
Screen Gems Screen Gems is an American brand name used by Sony Pictures' Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, a subsidiary of Japanese multinational conglomerate, Sony Group Corporation. It has served several different purposes for its parent ...
. A frequent co-writer of Williams' was musician Kenneth Ascher. Their songs together included "
Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film ''The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reached ...
", sung by Jim Henson (as Kermit the Frog) in ''
The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'' (1979). Williams worked on the music for a number of films, including writing and singing on '' Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974) in which he starred and earned an Oscar nomination for the music, and '' Bugsy Malone'' (1976). Williams wrote and sang the song "Where Do I Go from Here", which was used in the end credits of the film '' Thunderbolt and Lightfoot''. He contributed lyrics to the '' Cinderella Liberty'' song "You're So Nice to Be Around" with music by
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
, and it earned them an Oscar nomination. Along with Ascher and Rupert Holmes, he wrote the music and lyrics to '' A Star Is Born'' (also 1976), with
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
and Kris Kristofferson. The love ballad, "
Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
", (lyrics by Paul Williams, melody by Barbra Streisand) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy for Song of the Year. He has been nominated on other occasions for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
and several
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
s. In 1987 he wrote the songs performed by Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in the film ''
Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...
''. He wrote the music for a musical production of '' Happy Days'' that debuted in 2007 and made a cameo appearance as an animated version of himself singing "Breathe in the Sunshine" in the animated series ''
Dexter's Laboratory ''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It follows Dexter, a short, enthusiastic boy-genius with a hi ...
''. He wrote and sang "What Would They Say", the theme song from the made-for-television film '' The Boy in the Plastic Bubble'' (1976). Williams wrote music and lyrics of "Silence is Our Song" for Richard Barone's 2010 album ''Glow'' and collaborated with Scissor Sisters on their second album, ''
Ta-Dah ''Ta-Dah'' is the second studio album by American alternative band Scissor Sisters, released on September 15, 2006. It was produced by the band and includes collaborations with Elton John, Carlos Alomar, and Paul Williams. The album debuted at n ...
''. In March 2012, it was announced that Williams had "written a couple of tunes" on '' Random Access Memories'', the album of French electronic duo
Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
. He co-wrote and sang vocals on "Touch" and co-wrote "Beyond". Williams and
Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
were the only featured artists to speak on behalf of Daft Punk at the
2014 Grammy Awards The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid compe ...
upon their receipt of the
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
award for ''Random Access Memories''. Williams told an anecdote about his work with Daft Punk: "Back when I was drinking, I would imagine things that weren't there and I'd get frightened. Then I got sober and two robots called and asked me to make an album." He communicated a "message from the robots" to the audience: "As elegant and as classy as the Grammy has ever been is the moment when we saw those wonderful marriages and "
Same Love Same may refer to: *Sameness or identity Places * Same (Homer), an island mentioned by Homer in the ''Odyssey'' * Same (polis), an ancient city * Same, East Timor, the capital of the Manufahi district * Samé, Mali * Same, Tanzania * Same Dist ...
" is fantastic. It is the height of fairness and love and the power of love for all people at any time in any combination.
Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...
uses the Enterprise. They sail on a ship called Generosity. They are generous in spirit ... This is a labor of love and we are all so grateful." Williams is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and his songs have been performed by both
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
and
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
artists. In April 2009, Williams was elected President and Chairman of the
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
(ASCAP). In September 2015, Williams, along with bass player Kasim Sulton, led a global virtual songwriting collaboration at Hookist.com. The mission was to write the first crowd-sourced anthem to be performed at FacingAddiction.org's concert and rally on The
National Mall The National Mall is a landscaped park near the downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institution, art galleries, cultural institutions, and va ...
on October 4, 2015, headlined by
Steven Tyler Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...
,
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...
and
Joe Walsh Joseph Fidler Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has been a member of three successful rock bands: the James Gang, Eagles, and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr ...
among others. The theme of the song was "Celebrate Recovery" and the goal was to reduce the stigma associated with addiction. Williams, Sulton and
Dr. Mehmet Oz Mehmet Cengiz Öz (; born June 11, 1960), known professionally as Dr. Oz (), is an Turkish American former professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, television presenter, author and former political candidate. The son of Tur ...
opened the show and led 10,000 people in a singalong of "Voice Of Change" at the base of the
Washington Monument The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and ...
. Sulton led a singalong of the song on '' The Dr. Oz Show'' which went viral.


Film and television career

Although predominantly known for his music, Williams has appeared in films and many television guest spots, such as the Faustian record producer Swan in Brian DePalma's film '' Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974)—a
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
adaptation of '' The Phantom of the Opera'', '' Faust'', and ''
The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...
'', for which Williams wrote the songs—and as
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...
, the genius orangutan in ''
Battle for the Planet of the Apes ''Battle for the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and final installment in the original ''Planet of the Apes'' series, produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, following ''Conquest of ...
'' (1973). On February 9, 1973, Williams made a joke appearance on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'' in which he sang a song in full make-up as Virgil. He played Migelito Loveless, Jr. in ''The Wild Wild West Revisited'' (1979), a reunion film featuring the original cast of the television series ''
The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels ...
''. He played himself, singing a song to Felix Unger's daughter Edna, on the television series '' The Odd Couple'' in 1974. He made his film debut as Gunther Fry in the satire ''
The Loved One ''The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy'' (1948) is a short satirical novel by British novelist Evelyn Waugh about the funeral business in Los Angeles, the British expatriate community in Hollywood, and the film industry. Conception ''The ...
'' (1965). After appearing on ''
The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...
'' in 1976, Williams worked closely with Jim Henson's Henson Productions on ''
The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'', working on the soundtrack and appearing in a cameo part as the piano player in the nightclub where Kermit meets Fozzie Bear. He was also the lyricist for ''
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas ''Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas'' is a 1977 television special directed by Jim Henson, based on the 1971 children's book of the same name by Russell Hoban. The special features an ensemble cast of Henson's Muppet characters as well as chara ...
''. Williams was hired by TV producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas to write title tracks for two of their ABC comedies, '' It Takes Two'' (1982–1983), on which he sang a duet with
Crystal Gayle Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Initially, Gayle's management and record label were the same as that of her oldest sist ...
, and ''
Condo A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
'' (1983), in which Williams' theme was sung by Drake Frye. Williams composed and performed the theme to the McLean Stevenson sitcom ''
The McLean Stevenson Show ''The McLean Stevenson Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC on Wednesday nights from December 1, 1976, to March 23, 1977. Premise The series centered on Mac Ferguson, the owner of a hardware store in Evanston, Illinois (McLean Stevenso ...
'' in 1976. Williams composed, and sang "Flying Dreams" for the animated film '' The Secret of NIMH''. Williams has appeared in many minor roles. He provided the voice of the
Penguin Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adap ...
in '' Batman: The Animated Series''. He appeared on an episode of ''
Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film '' Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the ...
'' as a radio DJ covering a modern-day
Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...
. He appeared in 2008 in an episode of Nickelodeon's children's show '' Yo Gabba Gabba!'' entitled "Weather", where he performed "Rainbow Connection". He has also appeared on Cartoon Network's ''
Dexter's Laboratory ''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It follows Dexter, a short, enthusiastic boy-genius with a hi ...
'' where he played Professor Williams in an episode entitled "Just An Old Fashioned Lab Song". He made numerous television appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, including on '' The Odd Couple'', '' Hawaii Five-O'', '' Match Game '79'', '' Hollywood Squares'', '' The Love Boat'','' Police Woman'', ''
Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...
'', '' The Hardy Boys'', '' The Fall Guy'', ''The Flip Wilson Special'', ''Gimme A Break'', and '' The Gong Show''. He has also guest-starred in the '' Babylon 5'' episode " Acts of Sacrifice" (Season 2 Episode 12) as Taq, the aide to Correlilmurzon, an alien ambassador whose species finalizes treaties and agreements by having sex with the other signees. In October 1980, Williams was host of the ''Mickey Mouse Club 25th Anniversary Special'' on NBC-TV. He stated that he tried out for the show in early 1955 and was turned down. He was a frequent guest and performer on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. He appears as the man making the phone call at the beginning of the music video for Hank Williams Jr.'s song "
All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. It was released in October 1984 as the second single from his album '' Major Moves''. It peaked at number ten on the country music ...
". In 2014, he appeared on ''
Community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, t ...
'' as an illegal textbook dealer who declines to purchase a batch of misprinted chemistry textbooks. Williams appeared in the 2017 film ''
Baby Driver ''Baby Driver'' is a 2017 action film written and directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Ansel Elgort as a getaway driver seeking freedom from a life of crime with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Jamie ...
'' as the Butcher, an arms dealer. He portrayed the character of Little Enos Burdette in '' Smokey and the Bandit'' (1977), ''
Smokey and the Bandit II ''Smokey and the Bandit II'' is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise. The film is the sequel to the 1977 film ''Smokey and the Bandit''. ...
'' (1980), and '' Smokey and the Bandit Part 3'' (1983). He has a recurring role as a former lawyer and information source in 2018's season 2 and 2019's season 3 of ''
Goliath Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant defeated by the young David in single combat. The story signified King Sau ...
''.


Personal life

Williams has been married three times. He has two children, Sarah and
Cole Williams Christopher Cole Williams (born July 28, 1981) is an American film and TV actor. He has films including '' North Country'', and '' Harry + Max'' (playing a gay teen idol). He also had a recurring role as Anthony W. on ''8 Simple Rules''. Willia ...
(born 1981), from his first marriage (1971) to Kate Clinton. In 1993 he married Hilda Keenan Wynn, daughter of actor
Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in most ...
. His third wife is writer Mariana Williams. An experienced skydiver, Williams completed over 100 jumps in the 1970s. In September 2011, director Stephen Kessler's documentary '' Paul Williams Still Alive'' premiered at the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
. Williams struggled with alcohol and substance abuse during the 1970s and 1980s. Sober since 1990, Williams has been active in the field of recovery from addictions and became a Certified Drug Rehabilitation Counselor through UCLA. In 2014, he co-authored ''Gratitude and Trust: Recovery is Not Just for Addicts'', with Tracey Jackson.


Songwriting


Notable songs

* "Love Dance", (Williams provided the lyrics. Written with Ivan Lins and Victor Martins, it was recorded by Ivan Lins,
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
, and
Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and " The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Award ...
, among others. It is considered a
jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive li ...
.) * " Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)", (#1 hit for
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
- ''Billboard Hot 100'') * "
I Won't Last a Day Without You "I Won't Last a Day Without You" is a song by the Carpenters with lyrics written by Paul Williams and music composed by Roger Nichols. It was released in the U.K. in September 1972, paired with " Goodbye to Love" as a double-A side. The sing ...
", (#1 hit for Carpenters - ''Billboard Adult Contemporary'') * " Rainy Days and Mondays", (#1 hit for Carpenters - ''Billboard Adult Contemporary'') * " We've Only Just Begun" (#1 hit for Carpenters - ''Billboard Adult Contemporary'') * "
The Family of Man ''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, the exhibitio ...
" (US #12 & Canadian #5 hit for Three Dog Night) *" An Old Fashioned Love Song" (#4 hit for Three Dog Night) * "
Out in the Country "Out in the Country" is a song written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and performed by Three Dog Night. It was produced by Richard Podolor, and was featured on their 1970 album, '' It Ain't Easy''. In the US, "Out in the Country" peaked at ...
" (#15 hit for Three Dog Night) * " Talk It Over in the Morning" (Canadian #1 hit for
Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...
) * " You and Me Against the World" (US Easy Listening #1 hit for
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
) * "
Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film ''The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reached ...
" (Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated song, Entered into the US Library of Congress Archive, #25 hit for Kermit the Frog - ''Billboard Hot 100'') * "Flying Dreams" (from '' The Secret of NIMH'' soundtrack) * " Let Me Be the One" (#18 U.S R&B chart hit for The Carpenters and
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, an ...
) * "Someday Man" ( The Monkees – 1969 – "B" Side of " Listen to the Band" single) * "Touch" (
Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
– 2013 – '' Random Access Memories'') * " You're Gone" (US Country #4 hit for
Diamond Rio Diamond Rio is an American country music band. The band was founded in 1982 as an attraction for the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee, and was originally known as the Grizzly River Boys, then the Tennessee River Boys. It was f ...
)


Notable recordings

* "
The Family of Man ''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, the exhibitio ...
" (from ''A Little Bit of Love'' 974 * "
Out in the Country "Out in the Country" is a song written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and performed by Three Dog Night. It was produced by Richard Podolor, and was featured on their 1970 album, '' It Ain't Easy''. In the US, "Out in the Country" peaked at ...
" (from ''Life Goes On'' 972


Scores


Films

* '' Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974) * '' Bugsy Malone'' (1976) * ''
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas ''Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas'' is a 1977 television special directed by Jim Henson, based on the 1971 children's book of the same name by Russell Hoban. The special features an ensemble cast of Henson's Muppet characters as well as chara ...
'' (1977) * '' Smokey and the Bandit'' (1977) * '' The End'' (1978) * ''
The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'' (1979) * ''
The Night They Saved Christmas ''The Night They Saved Christmas'' is a 1984 American made-for-television fantasy drama film directed by Jackie Cooper and executive produced by Jack Haley Jr. and Robert Halmi Jr. The film, about an oil company dynamiting in the North Pole in s ...
'' (1984) * ''
Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...
'' (1987) * '' The Muppet Christmas Carol'' (1992) * '' The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement'' (2004)


Theatre

* ''Bugsy Malone'' (1997) * '' Happy Days'' (2007) * ''Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas'' (2008)


Notable songs written for film soundtracks

* "Where Do I Go From Here" (composed and performed by Williams for '' Thunderbolt and Lightfoot'') (1974) * "Evergreen (Love Song from ''A Star Is Born'')" (lyrics written by Williams, Academy and Golden Globe winner for Best Original Song) (1976) * "What Would They Say?" (for '' The Boy in the Plastic Bubble'' starring John Travolta and Diana Hyland) (1976) * "Rainbow Connection" (co-composed by Williams for ''
The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...
'', 2020
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservat ...
inductee) (1979) * "Flying Dreams" (co-composed with
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the ''Rambo'' franc ...
and performed by Williams for '' The Secret of N.I.M.H'') (1982) * "When Love is Gone" (co-composed by Williams for '' The Muppet Christmas Carol'') (1992) * "If We Could Remember" (co-composed with Jerry Goldsmith for '' The Sum of All Fears'') (2002) * "Still Alive" (composed and performed by Williams for ''Paul Williams Still Alive'') (2011) * "I Love You Too Much" and "The Apology Song" (co-composed with
Gustavo Santaolalla Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla (born 19 August 1951) is an Argentine musician, composer, and record producer. He is known for composing his film scores with his collaborator and acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu, which composed the ...
for '' The Book of Life'') (2014) * "Time and Tide" (composed by Paul Williams and performed by Dale Menten for ''
Lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park A water park (or waterpark, water world) is an amusement park that features ...
'') (1976)


Discography


Albums


Soundtracks


Compilations


Other releases

* ''The Holy Mackerel'' (with The Holy Mackerel) (1969) * ''We've Only Just Begun'' (by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams) (2001) * '' Random Access Memories'' (Daft Punk) (Williams features on two tracks) (2013)


Filmography


Film


Television


Legacy

''The Rainbow Connection'' was inducted into the
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservat ...
in 2020.


References


Bibliography

* * * ASCAP (1980)
The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, 4th ed., p. 545
' . *
Colin Larkin Colin Larkin (born 1949) is a British writer and entrepreneur. He founded, and was the editor-in-chief of, the '' Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', described by '' The Times'' as "the standard against which all others must be judged". Along w ...
(ed.) (1992)
The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1st ed., p. 2698
', .


External links


Official website

gratitudeandtrust.com
Williams blog on recovery]
''Paul Williams Still Alive''
documentary * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Paul 1940 births Living people American male composers 21st-century American composers American male film actors American soft rock musicians American male television actors American male voice actors Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters Golden Globe Award-winning musicians Grammy Award winners Musicians from Omaha, Nebraska American substance abuse counselors University of California, Los Angeles alumni A&M Records artists American male singer-songwriters American male pop singers Wilson Classical High School alumni Reprise Records artists 21st-century American male musicians Singer-songwriters from Nebraska