Guinn Williams (actor)

infobox actor
name=Guinn Williams
birthdate=birth date|1899|4|26
birthplace=Decatur, Texas
deathdate=death date and age|1962|6|6|1899|4|26
deathplace=Hollywood, California
occupation=Film actor
spouse=Barbara Weeks,
Dorothy Peterson

Guinn "Big Boy" Williams (26 April 1899 – 6 June 1962) was an American actor who appeared in memorable westerns such as "Dodge City" (1939), "Santa Fe Trail" (1940), and "The Comancheros" (1961). He was nicknamed "Big Boy" as he was 6' 2" and muscular from years of working on ranches and playing semi-pro and pro baseball.

Williams made his screen debut in the 1919 comedy "Almost A Husband" opposite Will Rogers and Cullen Landis and was featured in a large supporting role ten years later in Frank Borzage's "Lucky Star" with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Throughout the 1920s Williams would have a string of successful films, mostly westerns.

He then starred in "The Great Meadow" alongside Johnny Mack Brown, which was Brown's breakout film. Throughout the 1930s Williams starred in several supporting cast roles, mostly in either westerns, sports, or outdoor dramas. Although not the lead actor in any of them, he was always employed, and was successful as a supporting actor. He often played alongside Hoot Gibson and Harry Carey during that period. In 1941 he became one of many actors cast by Universal Pictures in their large film series titled "Riders of Death Valley".

His father, Guinn Williams Sr, represented the 13th Texas Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1922 to 1932. Williams was frequently teamed with Alan Hale, Sr. as sidekicks to Errol Flynn in several of his pictures. In 1960 he was cast in the epic film "The Alamo". His last role was opposite John Wayne, with whom Williams had a close friendship, and Stuart Whitman in "The Comancheros".

Williams died unexpectedly of uremic poisoning on June 6th, 1962, at the age of sixty three. He had married three actresses in his lifetime, the first being silent film actress Kathleen Collins. For a time he was married to B-movie actress Barbara Weeks. His last wife was Dorothy Peterson, whom he had first met in the 1940s.

External links

*imdb name|id=0930711|name=Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
*amg name|2:76454|Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
* [http://www.b-westerns.com/bigboy.htm Guinn "Big Boy" Williams full biography]