In the early 1960s, Williams began acting in community theater in Ohio. Williams worked as a postal worker and corrections officer before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career in 1968. Williams began pursuing his acting career full-time in 1970. In 1973 he appeared as a guest star on the television series
Kung Fu, playing a friend of Caine named Caleb in the second-season premiere. In 1975 he reprised the role in the 24th episode of the third season. Willams has appeared in movies such as
Paul Schrader's
Hardcore,
Howard Zieff's
Private Benjamin. He woud reprise the role of Sgt L.C. "Ted" Ross in the
television series of the same name. In 1990 he appeared in
Clint Eastwood's
The Rookie. In the early to mid-1990s, he starred in many of comic
Sinbad's productions, including
The Sinbad Show and
The Cherokee Kid. Williams portrayed Howard Jones, the father to
Bernie Mac's character, in the 2005 film
Guess Who. In 2024 Williams played Autry in the second episode of the TV series
Matlock, and reprised the role the following year in the series' tenth episode. ==Selected credits==