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Barry Williams (actor)

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Barry Williams
Williams at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2017
Born
Barry William Blenkhorn

(1954-09-30) September 30, 1954 (age 70)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Known forThe Brady Bunch
The Brady Kids
A Very Brady Christmas
The Bradys
Spouse(s)
Diane Martin
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 1992)​
[1]
Eila Mary Matt
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2005)​

Tina Mahina (m. 2017)[2][3][1]
Children2

Barry William Blenkhorn (born September 30, 1954),[4] better known by his stage name Barry Williams, is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the eldest of the Brady sons, Greg Brady, on the ABC television series The Brady Bunch (1969–1974), a role he reprised in several sequels and spin-offs.

Early life and career

Williams, the youngest of three boys, was born in 1954 in Santa Monica, California,[4] to Doris May Moore and Canadian-born Frank Millar Blenkhorn, of English, Scottish, and German ancestry.[5] Barry and siblings Craig and Scott Blenkhorn[4] grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, where actor Peter Graves was a neighbor.[6] Williams decided, as a child, that he wanted to be an actor, and in 1967 he made his television debut in a "Christmas" episode of Dragnet 1967.

Williams' most famous role was as oldest son Greg Brady on the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch.

Williams continued to be cast in guest roles on other TV series including Adam-12, The Invaders, That Girl, Mission: Impossible, The Mod Squad, Here Come the Brides, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and Bartleby, the Scrivener[7] before being cast in 1969 as Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch.

Later career

Following the cancellation of The Brady Bunch in 1974, Williams continued to appear in guest roles on television, and became involved in musical theater, touring with productions such as Grease, The Sound of Music, Pippin, and West Side Story.

In 1988, Williams appeared on Broadway in the musical Romance/Romance with Tony Award-nominee Alison Fraser. Williams took over the lead male role of "Alfred/Sam" when Scott Bakula left the production. Years later, Williams was able to capitalize on being typecast as Greg Brady. Amid a procession of appearances in TV and movies that played up his famous teen role, he ended up landing a role that was a departure from the Brady image. He was tapped to play English con man Hannibal in 1984, who conspired with Holly Sutton Scorpio (Emma Samms) on the top-rated General Hospital.

Williams has appeared in various Brady Bunch TV movie reunions, including the 1988 Christmas movie, A Very Brady Christmas.

In 1989, Williams was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for his role as Greg Brady.[8]

His 1992 autobiography, Growing Up Brady: I Was A Teenage Greg, co-written with Chris Kreski, was a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a 2000 TV movie titled Growing Up Brady starring Adam Brody as Williams.

In 2000, Williams sang a parody of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady" called "The Real Greg Brady"; the song was co-written by Williams, comedy writer and radio producer, David Brody of Z100 NY WHTZ, and Jay Gilbert of Froggy Radio in Cincinnati.[9]

Williams appeared briefly as an audience member in the 2002 music video of Peter Gabriel's song, "The Barry Williams Show". The song is actually about a fictional Jerry Springer-like talk show host, not the actor; Gabriel later revealed that he did not know of the Brady Bunch star when he wrote the song.

Williams has made multiple appearances as a paid featured dancer at the World's Largest Disco in Buffalo, New York.

In 2001–2002, he played Manager Dean "The Machine" Strickland in 13 episodes of the sitcom, Hollywood 7, which featured the British pop group S Club 7.

Williams signing autographs in 2003 at "Barry Williams Disco Night"

Williams played himself in the 2003 film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.

In 2008, Williams appeared in Episode 6 of the VH1 series, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Williams participated as a friend of one of the patients, Chyna, and explained to her during a group session how drinking had a negative impact on his own life and career.[10]

In January 2010, he took a role in The Asylum mockbuster, Mega Piranha,[11] who played alongside the former teen pop singer Tiffany.[12]

With the death of Florence Henderson on November 24, 2016, Williams became the oldest surviving (adult) cast member from The Brady Bunch.

Williams performing in Branson, Missouri in October 2014

As of 2019, he makes Branson, Missouri, his home and tours with the musical group Barry Williams and the Traveliers. He also joined with the other Brady Bunch kids in the 2019 television series A Very Brady Renovation on HGTV.[13] In 2021, Williams starred in the Lifetime Christmas movie, Blending Christmas, alongside his Brady Bunch co-stars Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen, and Robbie Rist.[14]

In 2022, Williams, Knight, and Lookinland competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Mummies". They were eliminated on "TV Theme Night" alongside Daymond John as "Fortune Teller".

Actors' Equity Association dispute

In January 2001, Williams was fined $52,000 by Actors' Equity Association, the union representing stage actors, for starring as Captain Von Trapp in a non-union tour of The Sound of Music. According to Variety, the production was picketed in several cities. Williams responded by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that the fine was illegal because he had resigned from the union in September 2000 before the tour began.[15] Equity alleged that Williams, who joined the union in 1974, was still a member when he began contract negotiations for the role.[16]

Williams was reinstated by Actor's Equity as a member in good standing in 2005 after he unionized a non-Equity production of A Christmas Carol in late 2004.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
1968 Wild in the Streets Young Max Frost
1969 Bartleby Ginger Nut
1974 Goodnight Jackie Barry
1995 The Brady Bunch Movie Music Producer
2004 Santa's Rockin'! Himself
2010 Mega Piranha Bob Grady
2018 Flea Marsh Man

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1967 Run for Your Life Stanley "The Company of Scoundrels"
1967 Dragnet 1967 John Heffernan "The Christmas Story"
1968 The Invaders Paper Boy "The Pursued"
1968 The F.B.I. Boy "The Messenger"
1968 Lancer Ben Price "Blood Rock"
1968 That Girl Autograph Seeker "7 1/4: Part 2"
1968 Gomer Pyle, USMC Boy No. 1 "A Star Is Not Born"
1968 The Mod Newspaper Boy "The Guru"
1969 Here Come the Brides Peter "A Kiss Just for So"
1969 It Takes a Thief Herbie DuBois "A Matter of Grey Matter: Parts 1 & 2"
1969 Adam-12 Johnny Grant "Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone"
1969 Marcus Welby, M.D. Pancho McGurney "The Chemistry of Hope"
1969–1974 The Brady Bunch Greg Brady 117 episodes
1970 Hastings Corner Junior Fandango TV film
1970 Mission: Impossible King Victor "Gitano"
1972 The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie Greg Brady (voice) "The Brady Kids on Mysterious Island"
1972 The Brady Kids Greg Brady (voice) 17 episodes
1973 The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl Greg Brady TV film
1976 Police Woman Steve Glass "Generation of Evil"
1976–77 The Brady Bunch Hour Greg Brady 9 episodes
1979 Greatest Heroes of the Bible Jacob "Jacob's Challenge"
1981 The Brady Girls Get Married Greg Brady TV film
1982 Three's Company David Winthrop "Up in the Air"
1984 General Hospital Hannibal TV series
1985 Highway to Heaven Miki Winner "A Song for Jason: Parts 1 & 2"
1986 Rocky Road Wayne Kincaid "The Wrong Mr. Right"
1987 Murder, She Wrote Nate Findley "Night of the Headless Horseman"
1988 A Very Brady Christmas Dr. Greg Brady TV film
1990 The Bradys Dr. Greg Brady 6 episodes
1991 Kids Incorporated Ana's Dad "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
1993 Bradymania: A Very Brady Special Barry Williams TV special
1994 Summertime Switch Frederick Egan II TV film
1994 Full House Barry Williams "Making Out Is Hard to Do"
1997 Perversions of Science Neighbor "People's Choice"
2001 Hollywood 7 Dean Strickland Main role
2004 The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special Barry Williams TV special
2006 According to Jim Ben "Sex Ed Fred"
2006 That '70s Show Jeff "We Will Rock You"
2009 Scrubs Barry Williams "My Soul on Fire: Part 1"
2010 Mega Piranha Bob Grady TV film
2011 A.N.T. Farm Game Show Host "America Needs TalANT"

2011 Camp Director "Camp Playboy"

2012 Bigfoot Simon Quint TV film
2017 The Loud House Bumper Sr. (voice) "Future Tense"
2019 A Very Brady Renovation Barry Williams 7 episodes
2021 Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch[17] Mike Brady Paramount Plus TV special
2021 Blending Christmas John TV film

References

  1. ^ a b Silverman, Stephen M. (January 28, 2005). "In Brief". People. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  2. ^ Dam, Julie K.L.; Miller, Samantha (December 13, 1999). "The Family Still Matters". People. Vol. 52, no. 23. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  3. ^ "Experience Matt". Seawinds Asset Management. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2015. Note: Some sources erroneously give first name as "Ella"
  4. ^ a b c "Barry Williams". TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  5. ^ "Family Tree". Archived from the original on November 6, 2007. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
  6. ^ Williams, Barry. "Greg's Story". The Greg Brady Project. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "Bartleby the Scrivener". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "10th Annual Youth in Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  9. ^ "Please Stand Up" (PDF). Gavin Report. August 25, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  10. ^ Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, Season 1, Episode 6. VH1. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
  11. ^ "First Pics From Megapiranha Stink Like Fish". Dread Central. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "Megapiranha Artwork Everything You Could Have Hoped For". Dread Central. January 29, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Lee, Luaine (September 8, 2019). "Bradys go 'home' again for HGTV". The Baltimore Sun. p. A&E 4.
  14. ^ Jones, Marcus (May 19, 2021). "Lifetime reunites High School Musical, Brady Bunch stars for holiday movies". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  15. ^ "Sound of Music 's Barry Williams Says Equity's $50K Fine Is Political". Playbill. February 6, 2001. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  16. ^ Jones, Chris (June 25, 2001). "Williams battles fine by Equity". Variety.
  17. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (June 30, 2021). "'Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch' Delivers a Satisfying Twist on a Beloved Sitcom: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022.

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