Billy Dee Williams was born in New York, the son of Loretta Anne (1915-2016), a West Indian-born elevator operator from Montserrat, and William December Williams, Sr. (1910-2007), an African-American caretaker from Texas. He has a twin sister, Loretta, and grew up in Harlem, where he was raised by his maternal grandmother while his parents worked at several jobs. Williams graduated from The High School of Music & Art (later merged with the High School of Performing Arts to become the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art) in Manhattan, where he was a classmate of Diahann Carroll, who would later play the wife of his character Brady Lloyd on the 1980s prime-time soap opera Dynasty.
Movie | STZ | Broadcaster (voice) | 2024-11-21 |
Movie | Is That Black Enough for You?!? | Self | 2022-10-09 |
Movie | Stallone: Frank, That Is | Self | 2021-01-19 |
Movie | The Skywalker Legacy | Self | 2020-03-18 |
Movie | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Lando Calrissian | 2019-12-18 |
Movie | Quincy | Self | 2018-09-21 |
Movie | The Lego Batman Movie | Two-Face (voice) | 2017-02-08 |
Movie | Dirty Dancing | Tito | 2017-05-24 |
Movie | Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal | Lando Calrissian (voice) | 2015-04-18 |
Movie | The Man in 3B | Cain | 2015-11-06 |
Movie | The Lego Movie | Lando (voice) | 2014-02-06 |
Movie | The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll | Ace Millstone | 2011-08-05 |
Movie | Barry Munday | Lonnie Green | 2010-03-13 |
Movie | Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III | Lando Calrissian / Teacher (voice) | 2010-12-19 |
Movie | Fanboys | Judge Reinhold | 2009-02-06 |
Movie | Diary of a Single Mom | Uncle Bo | 2009-01-27 |
Movie | Pitching Man: Satchel Paige Defying Time | Narrator | 2009-04-29 |
Movie | iMurders | Robert Delgado | 2008-08-09 |
Movie | Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II | Lando Calrissian / Man (voice) | 2008-11-16 |
Movie | Constellation | Helms Boxer | 2007-02-01 |
Series | General Hospital: Night Shift | 2007-07-12 | |
Movie | Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror | Pastor Charlie | 2006-06-27 |
Series | Black in the 80s | 2005-02-01 | |
Movie | Merry F#%$in' Christmas | Self | 2005-11-27 |
Movie | Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy | Self | 2004-09-12 |
Movie | When Star Wars Ruled the World | Self | 2004-09-18 |
Movie | Epoch Evolution | Ferguson | 2003-11-29 |
Movie | Undercover Brother | Gen. Warren Boutwell | 2002-05-31 |
Movie | It's Black Entertainment | Self | 2002-02-08 |
Movie | Good Neighbor | Sgt. Paul Davidson | 2001-01-01 |
Movie | The Visit | Henry | 2001-04-20 |
Movie | The Ladies Man | Lester | 2000-10-13 |
Series | 18 Wheels of Justice | Burton Hardesty | 2000-01-12 |
Movie | Fear Runs Silent | Sheriff Hammond | 2000-03-10 |
Movie | The Contract | Senator Harmon | 1999-05-29 |
Movie | Woo | Himself | 1998-05-08 |
Movie | Hard Time | Leo Barker | 1998-12-12 |
Movie | The Fourth King | Gasparre | 1997-12-27 |
Movie | Afro Promo | Self (archive footage) | 1997-01-31 |
Movie | Steel Sharks | Adm. Jim Perry | 1997-10-10 |
Movie | Mask of Death | Agent Jeffries | 1996-05-25 |
Movie | Moving Target | Detective Don Racine | 1996-11-26 |
Movie | Falling For You | Lieutenant Frank Lazaro | 1995-02-21 |
Movie | Triplecross | Agent Oscar Pierce | 1995-05-28 |
Movie | Marked for Murder | Capt. Jack Reilly | 1993-01-17 |
Movie | Alien Intruder | Commander Skyler | 1993-02-24 |
Movie | Message from Nam | Felix | 1993-10-17 |
Movie | Giant Steps | Slate Thompson | 1992-09-12 |
Series | The Jacksons: An American Dream | Berry Gordy | 1992-11-15 |
Movie | Driving Me Crazy | Max | 1991-05-16 |
Movie | Voices That Care | Self - Choir Member | 1991-02-28 |
Movie | Secret Agent 00 Soul | Secret Agent Zero | 1990-02-01 |
Movie | Dangerous Passion | Lou | 1990-02-28 |
Movie | Batman | Harvey Dent | 1989-06-21 |
Movie | Liberian Girl | Billy Dee Williams | 1989-07-03 |
Movie | The Return of Desperado | Daniel Lancaster | 1988-02-15 |
Movie | Number One with a Bullet | Det. Hazeltine | 1987-02-27 |
Movie | Deadly Illusion | Hamberger | 1987-10-16 |
Movie | Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary | Self | 1986-01-14 |
Movie | The Right of the People | Mike Trainor | 1986-01-13 |
Movie | Oceans of Fire | Jim McKinley | 1986-09-16 |
Movie | Courage | Bobby Jay | 1986-09-24 |
Movie | Marvin & Tige | Richard Davis | 1985-03-08 |
Movie | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985-03-10 |
Series | North and South | Francis Cardozo | 1985-11-03 |
Movie | Time Bomb | Jake Calahan | 1984-03-25 |
Movie | Fear City | Wheeler | 1984-07-18 |
Movie | The Impostor | Matthew Raines | 1984-11-08 |
Movie | Terror in the Aisles | Matthew Fox (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1984-10-26 |
Movie | Return of the Jedi | Lando Calrissian | 1983-05-25 |
Movie | Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever | Self | 1983-05-16 |
Movie | Shooting Stars | Douglas Hawk | 1983-07-28 |
Series | Chiefs | Tyler Watts | 1983-11-13 |
Movie | Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi | Narrator (voice) / Self | 1983-11-21 |
Movie | Las Vegas Lady | Delivery Guy | 1981-01-01 |
Movie | Nighthawks | Matthew Fox | 1981-03-17 |
Series | Dynasty | 1981-01-12 | |
Movie | The Empire Strikes Back | Lando Calrissian | 1980-05-20 |
Movie | Children of Divorce | Walter Williams | 1980-11-24 |
Movie | The Hostage Tower | Clarence Whitlock | 1980-09-19 |
Movie | Christmas Lilies of the Field | Homer Smith | 1979-12-16 |
Movie | Scott Joplin | Scott Joplin | 1977-02-11 |
Movie | The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Bingo | 1976-07-16 |
Movie | Carter's Army | Pvt. Lewis | 1975-05-25 |
Movie | Mahogany | Brian | 1975-10-08 |
Movie | The Take | Sneed | 1974-05-01 |
Movie | The Conversation | Man in Yellow Hat (uncredited) | 1974-04-07 |
Movie | Hit! | Nick Allen | 1973-09-18 |
Movie | The Glass House | Lennox | 1972-02-04 |
Movie | The Final Comedown | Johnny Johnson | 1972-05-31 |
Movie | Lady Sings the Blues | Louis McKay | 1972-10-12 |
Movie | Brian's Song | Gale Sayers | 1971-11-30 |
Movie | The Out-of-Towners | Clifford Robinson, Lost & Found Clerk | 1970-05-28 |
Movie | Lost Flight | Merle Barnaby | 1970-08-13 |
Movie | The Last Angry Man | Josh Quincy | 1959-10-22 |