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 | 2018-09-09 |
Movie | Dirty Dancing | Tito | 2017-05-24 |
Movie | The Lego Batman Movie | Two-Face (voice) | 2017-02-08 |
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 | Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III | Lando Calrissian / Teacher (voice) | 2010-12-19 |
Movie | Barry Munday | Lonnie Green | 2010-03-13 |
Movie | Diary of a Single Mom | Uncle Bo | 2009-01-27 |
Movie | Pitching Man: Satchel Paige Defying Time | Narrator | 2009-04-29 |
Movie | Fanboys | Judge Reinhold | 2009-02-06 |
Movie | iMurders | Robert Delgado | 2008-08-09 |
Movie | Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II | Lando Calrissian / Man (voice) | 2008-11-16 |
Series | General Hospital: Night Shift | 2007-07-12 | |
Movie | Constellation | Helms Boxer | 2007-02-01 |
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 | When Star Wars Ruled the World | Self | 2004-09-18 |
Movie | Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy | Self | 2004-09-12 |
Movie | Epoch Evolution | Ferguson | 2003-11-29 |
Movie | The Last Place on Earth | Dr. Davis | 2002-01-01 |
Movie | It's Black Entertainment | Self | 2002-02-08 |
Movie | Undercover Brother | Gen. Warren Boutwell | 2002-05-31 |
Movie | Good Neighbor | Sgt. Paul Davidson | 2001-01-01 |
Movie | The Visit | Henry | 2001-04-20 |
Movie | Fear Runs Silent | Sheriff Hammond | 2000-03-10 |
Series | 18 Wheels of Justice | Burton Hardesty | 2000-01-12 |
Movie | The Ladies Man | Lester | 2000-10-13 |
Movie | The Contract | Senator Harmon | 1999-05-29 |
Movie | Woo | Himself | 1998-05-08 |
Movie | Hard Time | Leo Barker | 1998-12-12 |
Movie | Afro Promo | Self (archive footage) | 1997-01-31 |
Movie | Steel Sharks | Adm. Jim Perry | 1997-10-10 |
Movie | The Fourth King | Gasparre | 1997-12-27 |
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 | Alien Intruder | Commander Skyler | 1993-02-24 |
Movie | Marked for Murder | Capt. Jack Reilly | 1993-01-17 |
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 | Voices That Care | Self - Choir Member | 1991-02-28 |
Movie | Driving Me Crazy | Max | 1991-05-16 |
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 | 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 | The Right of the People | Mike Trainor | 1986-01-13 |
Movie | Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary | Self | 1986-01-14 |
Movie | Courage | Bobby Jay | 1986-09-24 |
Movie | Oceans of Fire | Jim McKinley | 1986-09-16 |
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 |
Series | Chiefs | Tyler Watts | 1983-11-13 |
Movie | Shooting Stars | Douglas Hawk | 1983-07-28 |
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 |