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A photo of Adam Williams

Adam Williams 1922 - 2006

Adam Williams was born on November 26, 1922 at Ozone Park in Queens, NY, Iowa United States, and died at age 84 years old on December 4, 2006 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. Adam Williams was buried in 2006 at Griffin Mortuary & Crematory, Cremated. 5600 Lindero Canyon Road., in West Lake Village, Los Angeles.

Adam Williams
Adam William Berg (at birth)
Name
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Last residence
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November 26, 1922
Ozone Park in Queens, NY, Iowa, United States
Birth
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December 4, 2006
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Death
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Biography ID: 192740272 What's this
Adam Williams Adam Williams (1922 - 2006)
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Adam Williams' History: 1922 - 2006

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  • Introduction

    Adam Williams in Without Warning, 1952 Born Adam William Berg November 26, 1922 Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, U.S. Died December 4, 2006 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Occupation Film and television actor, flight school owner Years active 1951–1978 Spouse(s) Marilee Phelps (?–1970; 3 children) Carole Berg (1974–2006; 3 children, 4 stepchildren) Adam Williams (born Adam Berg; November 26, 1922 – December 4, 2006) was an American film and television actor. Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the Navy Cross. In 1952, Williams played the lead, a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film Without Warning! In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in The Big Heat. He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie The Space Children. Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in Fear Strikes Out (1957) and Valerian in North by Northwest (1959). An accomplished pilot, Williams also worked as an examiner for the FAA. During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated Sheriff of Cochise, set in Arizona and starring John Bromfield, and Have Gun – Will Travel in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on Joanne Dru's sitcom Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1960, he played the role of a sailor hitching a ride in The Twilight Zone season 1 episode "The Hitch-Hiker", where he is picked up by a terrified driver played by Inger Stevens, who is compelled to pick him up so that he may offer protection and safety to her from a mysterious hitchhiker who shows up at various times and places along the road while she travels across country. Many reviewers have cited this episode as one of The Twilight Zone's "10 Greatest" of the series. He had also appeared in the Twilight Zone episode "A Most Unusual Camera". In the ABC adventure series The Islanders, he appeared in a couple of episodes of The Rifleman and Bonanza, and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday". He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Lawman. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series The Americans, based on family conflicts stemming from the American Civil War, and in an episode of the 1961 series The Asphalt Jungle. One of his later roles was in the 1976 television movie Helter Skelter. Death Williams died in Los Angeles of lymphoma in 2006 at the age of 84. His cremains are interred in California.
  • 11/26
    1922

    Birthday

    November 26, 1922
    Birthdate
    Ozone Park in Queens, NY, Iowa United States
    Birthplace
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  • Ethnicity & Family History

    He was born in Iowa but raised in New York City, to Ethel and Adam Louis Berg. His parents were of German descent.

  • Nationality & Locations

    Born in Iowa but raised in New York.

  • Military Service

    Born Adam William Berg in Wall Lake, Iowa, and raised in New York City. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the Navy Cross.

  • Professional Career

    Filmography Queen for a Day (1951) - Chuck, High Diver segment Flying Leathernecks (1951) - Lt. Bert Malotke Without Warning! (1952) - Carl Martin Vice Squad (1953) - Marty Kusalich The Big Heat (1953) - Larry Gordon Dragonfly Squadron (1954) - Capt. Wyler The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) - Cpl. Maddock Crashout (1955) - Fred Summerfield The Sea Chase (1955) - Kruger - Wireless Operator (uncredited) The Proud and Profane (1956) - Eustace Press The Rack (1956) - Sgt. Otto Pahnke Fear Strikes Out (1957) - Dr. Brown The Garment Jungle (1957) - Ox The Oklahoman (1957) - Bob Randell The Lonely Man (1957) - Lon The Space Children (1958) - Dave Brewster The Badlanders (1958) - Leslie Darby's Rangers (1958) T/5 Heavy Hall North by Northwest (1959) - Valerian The Last Sunset (1961) - Calverton Convicts 4 (1962) - Guard Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963) - Jed Hayden The New Interns (1964) - Wolanski The Glory Guys (1965) - Pvt. Lucas Crain Follow Me, Boys! (1966) - Sergeant (uncredited) The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968) - Sergeant Roberts This Is a Hijack (1973) - Smitty
  • 12/4
    2006

    Death

    December 4, 2006
    Death date
    Lymphoma.
    Cause of death
    Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
    Death location
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  • 2006

    Gravesite & Burial

    2006
    Funeral date
    Griffin Mortuary & Crematory, Cremated. 5600 Lindero Canyon Road., in West Lake Village, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California U.S.A.
    Burial location

  • Obituary

    Adam Williams Born November 26, 1922 in Wall Lake, Iowa, USA Died December 4, 2006 in Los Angeles, California, USA (lymphoma) Birth Name Adam William Berg Height 5' 11" (1.8 m) Adam Williams was born on November 26, 1922 in Wall Lake, Iowa, USA as Adam Berg. He was an actor and writer, known for North by Northwest (1959), The Big Heat (1953) and Darby's Rangers (1958). He was married to Marilee Phelps. He died on December 4, 2006 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Spouse (1) Marilee Phelps (? - 17 July 2000) ( her death) ( 1 child) Veteran "bad guy" actor of 50s film and TV who began his career after decorated WWII military service as a U.S. Navy pilot (Navy Cross). Typed into playing gunslingers, psychos and menacing men. Particularly after his lead role in Without Warning! (1952) set the pace. Father of music supervisor Madeleine Smith. He was born in New York City, to Ethel and Adam Louis Berg. His parents were of German descent.
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12 Memories, Stories & Photos about Adam

Adam Williams and Cary Grant
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
03/21/2019
Adam Williams and Cary Grant
A photo of Adam Williams with Cary Grant as his kidnapper in NORTH BY NORTHWEST.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
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11/06/2018
Adam Williams (actor)
Born Adam William Berg November 26, 1922
New York City, U.S.
Died December 4, 2006 (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death Lymphoma
Occupation Film and television actor, flight school owner
Years active 1951–1978
Spouse(s) Marilee Phelps (?–1970; 3 children)
Carole Berg (1974–2006; 3 children, 4 stepchildren)
was an American film and television actor.
An accomplished pilot, Williams also worked as an examiner for the FAA.
Life and career
Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa. A veteran "bad guy" actor of 1950s film and TV, he began his career after distinguished World War II military service as a United States Navy pilot, for which he received the Navy Cross. In 1952, Williams played the lead, a Los Angeles woman killer, in the film Without Warning! In 1953, he was cast as Larry, a car bomber, in The Big Heat.
He had a leading role in the 1958 science fiction movie The Space Children.
Other notable film roles include the psychiatrist in Fear Strikes Out (1957) and Valerian in North by Northwest (1959).
During the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared on dozens of television series, including the syndicated Sheriff of Cochise, set in Arizona and starring John Bromfield, and CBS's Have Gun – Will Travel in the episode "The Reasonable Man". He portrayed private detective and murderer Jason Beckmeyer in the 1957 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Runaway Corpse." In 1961, he was cast as Jim Gates in the episode "Frontier Week" on Joanne Dru's ABC sitcom Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1960 he played the role of a sailor hitching a ride in The Twilight Zone season 1 episode "The Hitch-Hiker", where he is picked up by a terrified driver played by Inger Stevens, who is compelled to pick him up so that he may offer protection and safety to her from a mysterious hitchhiker who shows up at various times and places along the road while she travels across country. Many reviewers have cited this episode as one of The Twilight Zone's "10 Greatest" of the series. He had also appeared in another Twilight Zone episode, "A Most Unusual Camera".
In the ABC adventure series The Islanders, he appeared in a couple of episodes of The Rifleman and Bonanza, and in 1961 as Adam in "A Rope for Charlie Munday."
He was cast as Burley Keller in the 1961 episode "The Persecuted" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Lawman. He guest-starred in an episode of the 1961 NBC series The Americans, based on family conflicts stemming from the American Civil War, and in an episode of the 1961 ABC series The Asphalt Jungle. One of his last roles was in the 1976 television movie Helter Skelter.

Death
Williams died in Los Angeles of lymphoma in 2006 at eighty-four.
He is interred in California.

Filmography
Queen for a Day (1951) - Chuck, High Diver segment
Flying Leathernecks (1951) - Lt. Bert Malotke
Without Warning! (1952) - Carl Martin
Vice Squad (1953) - Marty Kusalich
The Big Heat (1953) - Larry Gordon
Dragonfly Squadron (1954) - Capt. Wyler
The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) - Cpl. Maddock
Crashout (1955) - Fred Summerfield
The Sea Chase (1955) - Kruger - Wireless Operator (uncredited)
The Proud and Profane (1956) - Eustace Press
The Rack (1956) - Sgt. Otto Pahnke
Fear Strikes Out (1957) - Dr. Brown
The Garment Jungle (1957) - Ox
The Oklahoman (1957) - Bob Randell
The Lonely Man (1957) - Lon
The Space Children (1958) - Dave Brewster
The Badlanders (1958) - Leslie
Darby's Rangers (1958) T/5 Heavy Hall
North by Northwest (1959) - Valerian
The Last Sunset (1961) - Calverton
Convicts 4 (1962) - Guard
Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963) - Jed Hayden
The New Interns (1964) - Wolanski
The Glory Guys (1965) - Pvt. Lucas Crain
Follow Me, Boys! (1966) - Sergeant (uncredited)
The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968) - Sergeant Roberts
This Is a Hijack (1973) - Smitty
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Adam Williams and Gloria Grahame
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
03/21/2019
Adam Williams and Gloria Grahame
I had lunch with him the day he kidnapped Cary Grant in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. I met her on a separate occasion.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
02/07/2023
During a break in North By Northwest Adam Williams invited me to lunch.
It was already a memorable day because I met Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock.
At lunch, in the Plaza, we saw Elizabeth Taylor with Eddie Fisher. The scandal came later.
Adam was very polite and easy-going, and it was more exciting to see the movie in years to come because of that memorable day.
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Adam Williams
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
03/21/2019
Adam Williams
A photo of Adam Williams
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
03/21/2019
Adam Williams
A photo of Adam Williams
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
11/06/2018
Adam Williams
A photo of Adam Williams
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams and Cary Grant.
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
11/06/2018
Adam Williams and Cary Grant.
A photo of Adam Williams in the elevator with Cary Grant.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
11/06/2018
Adam Williams
A photo of Adam Williams
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams
Photo of Amanda S. Stevenson Amanda S. Stevenson
17.8k+ favorites
11/06/2018
Adam Williams
A photo of Adam Williams
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Adam Williams' Family Tree & Friends

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Adam Williams Nov 26, 1922 - Dec 4, 2006
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Other Biographies

Other Adam Williams Biographies

Williams, Adam (Born 1914) Williams, Adam Williams, Adam (Aug 21, 1942 - Aug 25, 1992) Williams, Adam (Nov 16, 1927 - Aug 10, 1976) Williams, Adam (Apr 25, 1926 - May 2, 1978) Williams, Adam (Apr 5, 1961 - Oct 10, 1980) Williams, Adam (Mar 6, 1911 - May 1965) Williams, Adam (Feb 20, 1897 - Feb 1986) Williams, Adam (Oct 13, 1989 - Sep 4, 2007) Williams, Adam (Jun 20, 1989 - Sep 16, 2008)
Williams, Adam (Jun 7, 1993 - Jul 17, 2009) Williams, Adam (Feb 19, 1986 - Nov 7, 2010) Williams, Adam (Sep 11, 1919 - Jun 23, 1999) Williams, Adam (Dec 6, 1929 - May 1, 1999) Williams, Adam (Jul 17, 2004 - Dec 30, 2006) Williams, Adam (Dec 6, 1985 - Apr 21, 2003) Williams, Adam (Jul 13, 1986 - Nov 3, 2008) Williams, Adam (Mar 8, 1975 - Mar 7, 1998) Williams, Adam (Nov 1, 1979 - Jan 15, 2006) Williams, Adam (Mar 12, 1987 - Apr 17, 2009)

Other Williams Family Biographies

Williams, Emily (Born Sep 29, 1914) Williams, Myrtle (Born Sep 10, 1889) Downing/williams, Fannie (Born Jul 28, 1869) Crooks, Elsie (Jul 18, 1895 - Nov 7, 1971) Semken, Rosemary (Nov 26, 1921 - Jul 16, 1994) Williams, Mary (Apr 20, 1862 - Nov 11, 1930) Williams, John (Born May 13, 1867) Williams, Alma Nee (Born Jun 21, 1900) Williams, June (Born Jun 9, 1923) Williams, Richard (Oct 11, 1897 - Jul 29, 1963)
Crow, Dora (Born Nov 1895) Williams, Bertha (Born Apr 21, 1921) Williams, Elizabeth (Born Sep 1839) Hulsey, Jessie (Feb 17, 1901 - Feb 22, 1920) Williams, Burl Edgar (Born Mar 16, 1871) Williams, Colbert (Apr 10, 1896 - Dec 1976) Williams, Cosby (Born Sep 17, 1898) Williams, Bonzie (Born 1901) Williams, Susan (Born Apr 23, 1875) Williams, Lucille (Born Feb 17, 1894)

Other people named A Williams - Amaza Williams

A  -  Abendith Williams Abenezer  -  Ackely Williams Ackerman  -  Addam Williams Addean  -  Adeline Williams Adelita  -  Adlega Williams Adlena  -  Adoracion Williams Adothfus  -  Aeola Williams Aeretus  -  Ahkeem Williams Ahkii  -  Aimie Williams Aina  -  Alair Williams Alamanca  -  Albertean Williams Alberteen  -  Albyna Williams Alcado  -  Aldo Williams Aldon  -  Aleene Williams Aleese  -  Alexandery Williams
Alexandra  -  Alfleeta Williams Alfloyd  -  Alfrieda Williams Alfurd  -  Alila Williams Alina  -  Allean Williams Alleane  -  Ally Williams Allyn  -  Almerta Williams Almertha  -  Alois Williams Aloise  -  Alphius Williams Alphonce  -  Altamease Williams Altamese  -  Altovise Williams Altre  -  Alverne Williams Alvernia  -  Alvoide Williams Alvonzo  -  Alzenia Williams Alzia  -  Amaza Williams
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