Paul Williams
Williams atGalaxyCon Raleigh in 2022
Background information
Born	Paul Hamilton Williams Jr. (1940-09-19)September 19, 1940 (age 85) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles,California, U.S.
Genres	Folk pop soft rock film score
Occupations	Musician singer composer songwriter actor writer
Years active	1964–present
Labels	A&M,Reprise,Portrait
Website	paulwilliamsofficial.com

Paul Hamilton Williams Jr.^[1] (born September 19, 1940)^[1][2] is an American composer, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for writing and co-writing popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s, includingThree Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country",Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",Biff Rose's "Fill Your Heart", andthe Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays". He also wrote "Cried Like a Baby" for teen idolBobby Sherman.

Williams is also known for writing the score and lyrics forBugsy Malone (1976) and his musical contributions to other films, including theOscar-nominated song "Rainbow Connection" fromThe Muppet Movie, and writing the lyrics to the No. 1 chart-topping song "Evergreen", the love theme from theBarbra Streisand filmA Star Is Born, for which he won aGrammy forSong of the Year and anAcademy Award for Best Original Song. He wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for the television showThe Love Boat, with music previously composed by Charles Fox, which was originally sung byJack Jones and, later, byDionne Warwick.^[3]

Williams has had a variety of high-profile acting roles, such as Little Enos Burdette in the action-comedySmokey and the Bandit (1977) and the villainous Swan inBrian De Palma'sPhantom of the Paradise (1974),^[4] which Williams also co-scored, receiving an Oscar nomination in the process.^[5] Since 2009, Williams has been the president and chairman of the American songwriting societyASCAP.

Williams was born inOmaha, Nebraska,^[6] the son of Paul Hamilton Williams Sr., an architectural engineer, and his wife, Bertha Mae (née Burnside), ahomemaker.^[1]

One of his brothers was John J. Williams, aNASA rocket scientist, who participated in the Mercury and Apollo programs and was awarded theNASA Distinguished Service Medal, their highest honor, in 1969.^[7] His other brother wasMentor Williams, also a songwriter, who wroteDobie Gray's 1973 hit "Drift Away".^[8]

Williams began his professional songwriting career withBiff Rose in Los Angeles.^[9] The two men first met while working together on a television comedy show.^[9] Together, they wrote the song "Fill Your Heart",^[9] which was recorded by Rose on his first album,The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side (1968).Tiny Tim covered it as the B-side of his hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (1968). In 1969 he formed a studio band called The Holy Mackerel, which produced and released an LP with songs like "Scorpio Red", which however failed to chart.^[9]David Bowie recorded a version of the song^[9] on his albumHunky Dory (1971). Rose and Williams wrote "I'll Walk Away" (recorded by Rose on his third, eponymous album). Rose was instrumental in getting Williams his break withA&M Records which resulted in Williams working with songwriterRoger Nichols. Williams and Nichols were responsible for a number of successful pop hits from the 1970s, including several hits forThree Dog Night ("An Old Fashioned Love Song", "The Family of Man", and "Out in the Country"),Helen Reddy ("You and Me Against the World"), andthe Carpenters, most notably "Rainy Days and Mondays", "I Won't Last a Day Without You", and "We've Only Just Begun", originally a song for aCrocker National Bank television commercial featuring newlyweds, and which has since become a cover-band standard andde rigueur for weddings throughout North America.^[10]

An early collaboration with Roger Nichols, "Someday Man", was covered bythe Monkees (a group for which he unsuccessfully auditioned).^[11]

A frequent co-writer of Williams' was musicianKenneth Ascher. Their songs together included "Rainbow Connection", sung byJim Henson (asKermit the Frog) inThe Muppet Movie (1979).^[12]

Williams worked on the music for a number of films, including writing and singing onPhantom of the Paradise (1974) in which he starred and earned an Oscar nomination for the music, andBugsy Malone (1976). Williams wrote and sang the song "Where Do I Go from Here", which was used in the end credits of the filmThunderbolt and Lightfoot. He contributed lyrics to theCinderella Liberty song "You're So Nice to Be Around" with music byJohn Williams, and it earned them anOscar nomination. Along with Ascher andRupert Holmes, he wrote the music and lyrics toA Star Is Born (also 1976), withBarbra Streisand andKris Kristofferson. The love ballad, "Evergreen", (lyrics by Paul Williams, melody by Barbra Streisand) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy for Song of the Year. He has been nominated on other occasions for anAcademy Award^[13] and severalGolden Globe Awards.^[14]

In 1987 he wrote the songs performed by Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in the filmIshtar.^[15]

He wrote the music for a musical production ofHappy Days that debuted in 2007. Williams wrote and sang "What Would They Say", the theme song from the made-for-television filmThe Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976).^[16]

Williams wrote music and lyrics of "Silence Is Our Song" forRichard Barone's 2010 albumGlow,^[17] and collaborated withScissor Sisters on their second album,Ta-Dah.^[18]

In March 2012, it was announced that Williams had "written a couple of tunes" onRandom Access Memories, the album of French electronic duoDaft Punk.^[19] He co-wrote and sang vocals on "Touch" and co-wrote "Beyond". Williams andNile Rodgers were the only featured artists to speak on behalf of Daft Punk at the2014 Grammy Awards upon their receipt of theAlbum of the Year award forRandom Access Memories. Williams told an anecdote about his work with Daft Punk: "Back when I was drinking, I would imagine things that weren't there and I'd get frightened. Then I got sober and two robots called and asked me to make an album." He communicated a "message from the robots" to the audience: "As elegant and as classy as the Grammy has ever been is the moment when we saw those wonderful marriages and 'Same Love' is fantastic. It is the height of fairness and love and the power of love for all people at any time in any combination is what [Daft Punk] wanted me to say.Captain Kirk usesthe Enterprise. [Daft Punk] sail on a ship called Generosity. They are generous in spirit ... This is a labor of love and we are all so grateful."^[20]

Williams is a member of theSongwriters Hall of Fame,^[21] and his songs have been performed by bothpop andcountry music artists. In April 2009, Williams was elected president and chairman of theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).^[22]

In September 2015, Williams, along with bass playerKasim Sulton, led a global virtual songwriting collaboration at Hookist.com.^[23] The mission was to write the first crowd-sourced anthem to be performed at FacingAddiction.org's concert and rally on TheNational Mall on October 4, 2015, headlined bySteven Tyler,Sheryl Crow, andJoe Walsh among others.^[24] The theme of the song was "Celebrate Recovery" and the goal was to reduce the stigma associated with addiction. Williams, Sulton andDr. Mehmet Oz opened the show and led 10,000 people in a singalong of "Voice of Change" at the base of theWashington Monument.^[25] Sulton led a singalong of the song onThe Dr. Oz Show which went viral.^[26]

Although predominantly known for his music, Williams has appeared in films and many television guest spots, such as the Faustian record producer Swan in Brian DePalma's filmPhantom of the Paradise (1974)—arock and roll adaptation ofThe Phantom of the Opera,Faust, andThe Picture of Dorian Gray, for which Williams wrote the songs^[27]—and asVirgil, the genius orangutan inBattle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).^[28]

On February 9, 1973, Williams made a joke appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in which he sang a song in full make-up as Virgil.^[29] He played Miguelito Loveless, Jr. inThe Wild Wild West Revisited (1979), a reunion film featuring the original cast of the television seriesThe Wild Wild West. He played himself, singing a song to Felix Unger's daughter Edna, on the television seriesThe Odd Couple in 1974. He made his film debut as Gunther Fry in the satireThe Loved One (1965).^[16]

After appearing onThe Muppet Show in 1976, Williams worked closely withJim Henson's Henson Productions onThe Muppet Movie, working on the soundtrack and appearing in a cameo part as the piano player in the nightclub where Kermit meetsFozzie Bear. He was also the lyricist forEmmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.^[30]

Williams was hired by TV producersPaul Junger Witt andTony Thomas to write title tracks for two of their ABC comedies,It Takes Two (1982–1983), on which he sang a duet withCrystal Gayle, andCondo (1983), in which Williams' theme was sung by Drake Frye. Williams composed and performed the theme to theMcLean Stevenson sitcomThe McLean Stevenson Show in 1976.^[31]

Williams composed, and sang "Flying Dreams" for the animated filmThe Secret of NIMH.^[32]

Williams has appeared in many minor roles. Heprovided the voice of thePenguin inBatman: The Animated Series and other series in theDC Animated Universe. He appeared on an episode ofWalker, Texas Ranger as a radio DJ covering a modern-dayBonnie and Clyde. He appeared in 2008 in an episode of Nickelodeon's children's showYo Gabba Gabba! entitled "Weather", where he performed "Rainbow Connection". Williams also appeared in theDexter's Laboratory episode "Just An Old Fashioned Lab Song" as Professor Williams, Dexter's piano teacher.^[33]

He made numerous television appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, including onThe Odd Couple,Hawaii Five-O,Match Game '79,Hollywood Squares,The Love Boat,Police Woman,Fantasy Island,The Hardy Boys,The Fall Guy,The Flip Wilson Special,Gimme a Break!, andThe Gong Show. He has also guest-starred in theBabylon 5 episode "Acts of Sacrifice" (Season 2 Episode 12) as Taq, the aide to Correlilmurzon, an alien ambassador whose species finalizes treaties and agreements by having sex with the other signees.^[34]

In October 1980, Williams was host of theMickey Mouse Club 25th Anniversary Special on NBC-TV. He stated that he tried out for the show in early 1955 and was turned down. He was a frequent guest and performer onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He appears as the man making the phone call at the beginning of the music video for Hank Williams Jr.'s song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight". In 2014, he appeared onCommunity^[35] as an illegal textbook dealer who declines to purchase a batch of misprinted chemistry textbooks.^[36] Williams appeared in the 2017 filmBaby Driver as the Butcher, an arms dealer.^[37][38]

He portrayed the character of Little Enos Burdette inSmokey and the Bandit (1977),Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), andSmokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). He had a recurring role as a former lawyer and information source in 2018's season 2 and 2019's season 3 ofGoliath.^[39]

Williams has been married three times. He has two children, Sarah andCole Williams (born 1981),^[40] from his first marriage (1971) to Kate Clinton.^[41] In 1993, he married Hilda Keenan Wynn,^[42] daughter of actorKeenan Wynn. His third wife is writer Mariana Williams.^[43]

An experienced skydiver, Williams completed over 100 jumps in the 1970s.^[44]

In September 2011, director Stephen Kessler's documentaryPaul Williams Still Alive premiered at theToronto International Film Festival.^[45]

Williams struggled with alcohol and substance abuse during the 1970s and 1980s.^[16] Sober since 1990, Williams has been active in the field of recovery from addictions and became a Certified Drug Rehabilitation Counselor through UCLA.^[39] In 2014, he co-authoredGratitude and Trust: Recovery is Not Just for Addicts, with Tracey Jackson.^[46]

• "Love Dance" (Williams provided the lyrics. Written withIvan Lins and Victor Martins, it was recorded byIvan Lins,Barbra Streisand, andSarah Vaughan, among others. It is considered ajazz standard.)^{[47][48][49][50]}
• "Flying Dreams" (fromThe Secret of NIMH soundtrack)
• "Touch" (Daft Punk – 2013 –Random Access Memories – Williams also provided lead vocals)
• "You're Gone" (US Country number 4 hit forDiamond Rio)
• "Waking Up Alone" was written and recorded by Williams in 1971. It peaked on the pop chart at number 60 in April 1972, spending nine weeks on the chart.

• The Loved One (1965)
• The Chase (1966)
• Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
• Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
• Bugsy Malone (1976)
• Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
• Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
• The Cheap Detective (1978)
• The End (1978)
• The Muppet Movie (1979)
• The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
• Ishtar (1987)
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
• The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
• Georgia Rule (2007)
• Baby Driver (2017)

• Bugsy Malone (1997)
• Happy Days (2007)
• Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (2008)

• "Where Do I Go From Here" (composed and performed by Williams forThunderbolt and Lightfoot) (1974)
• "Evergreen (Love Song fromA Star Is Born)" (lyrics written by Williams, Academy and Golden Globe winner for Best Original Song) (1976)
• "What Would They Say?" (forThe Boy in the Plastic Bubble starring John Travolta and Diana Hyland) (1976)
• "Rainbow Connection" (co-composed by Williams forThe Muppet Movie, 2020National Recording Registry inductee^[51]) (1979)
• "Flying Dreams" (co-composed withJerry Goldsmith and performed by Williams forThe Secret of N.I.M.H) (1982)
• "When Love is Gone" (co-composed by Williams forThe Muppet Christmas Carol) (1992)
• "If We Could Remember" (co-composed with Jerry Goldsmith forThe Sum of All Fears) (2002)
• "Still Alive" (composed and performed by Williams forPaul Williams Still Alive) (2011)
• "Old Souls", "The Hell of It" and "The Phantom's Theme (Beauty and the Beast)" composed forThe Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
• "I Love You Too Much" and "The Apology Song" (co-composed withGustavo Santaolalla forThe Book of Life) (2014)
• "Time and Tide" (composed by Paul Williams and performed by Dale Menten forLifeguard) (1976)

• The Holy Mackerel (with The Holy Mackerel, 1969)
• We've Only Just Begun (Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, 2001)
• Random Access Memories (Daft Punk, 2013) : Williams co-wrote and featured on "Touch", and co-wrote "Beyond"
• Chris Black Changed My Life (Portugal. The Man, 2023) : Williams features on one track

"Rainbow Connection" was inducted into theNational Recording Registry in 2020.^[56]

• Skinner, Curtis (2001),Contemporary Authors Online, Detroit: Gale,ISBN 978-0-7876-3995-2
• Williams, Paul;Jackson, Tracey (2015),Gratitude and Trust: Six Affirmations That Will Change Your Life, Plume,ISBN 978-0147517968
• ASCAP (1980)The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, 4th ed., p. 545ISBN 0-8352-1283-1 .
• Colin Larkin (ed.) (1992)The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1st ed., p. 2698,ISBN 1-882267-04-4 .

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPaul Williams.

Wikiquote has quotations related toPaul Williams (songwriter).

• Official website
• Paul Williams atIMDb
• Paul Williams at theTCM Movie Database
• Paul Williams discography atDiscogs
• Paul Williams Interview atNAMM Oral History Collection
• Gratitude and Trust, Williams blog on recovery
• Paul Williams Still AliveArchived June 9, 2012, at theWayback Machine, documentary

• 1940 births
• Living people
• 21st-century American composers
• 21st-century American male musicians
• A&M Records artists
• American male composers
• American male film actors
• American male pop singers
• American male singer-songwriters
• American male television actors
• American male voice actors
• American soft rock musicians
• American substance abuse counselors
• Best Original Song Academy Award–winning songwriters
• Golden Globe Award–winning musicians
• Grammy Award winners
• Musicians from Omaha, Nebraska
• Reprise Records artists
• Singer-songwriters from Nebraska
• University of California, Los Angeles alumni
• Wilson Classical High School alumni

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from April 2022
• Articles with hCards
• Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts
• Commons category link is on Wikidata
• Turner Classic Movies person ID different from Wikidata
• TCMDb name template using non-numeric ID
• Webarchive template wayback links