Gary Anthony Williams

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Gary Anthony Williams
Williams performing with Laughing Matters at Manuel's in May 2007
Born	(1966-03-14) March 14, 1966 (age 55) Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian director producer writer
Years active	1987–present
Spouse(s)	Leslie Williams
Children	1
Comedy career
Medium	Film television
Genres	Improvisational comedy

Gary Anthony Williams (born March 14, 1966)^[1] is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer. He played the character of Uncle Ruckus on The Boondocks, and a number of video game characters. He also appeared on the television series Weeds, Boston Legal, Blue Collar TV and as Abe Kenarban in Malcolm in the Middle. Williams co-founded and is Artistic Director of the L.A. Comedy Shorts film festival in Hollywood, California. He starred alongside Cedric the Entertainer on the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man. Since 2013, he became a recurring cast member on the improv comedy TV series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and is a regular member of the live improv comedy show The Black Version.

Early life and career[]

Born in Fayetteville, Georgia,^[2] Williams was involved in theater, comedy and television in Atlanta, where his credits include acting with the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, performing and writing for Agatha's: A Taste of Mystery and being a longtime member of Atlanta's longest running improv troupe, Laughing Matters.^[3][4][5] Williams had recurring roles in the television series I'll Fly Away and In the Heat of the Night, both filmed in the Atlanta area. He moved to Los Angeles in 1998.^[6]

Television[]

Williams' past roles include Abe Kenarban (Stevie's dad) in the Fox TV sitcom Malcolm in the Middle^[7] and as Judge Trudy's Bailiff on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show.^[8] Williams was a series regular on the WB Television Network sketch comedy series, Blue Collar TV.^[9]

In 2003, Williams had a small role in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, "Invisible Evidence." During season three and four of Boston Legal, Williams appeared as part-time lawyer Clarence Bell, a pathologically shy man who expresses himself through characters, including crossdressing as women (including a nun and celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey).^[10] The role of Clarence/Clarice was originally to appear in one episode, but was expanded into a recurring role and then a regular role.^[10]

Williams plays parts in five different shows on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim, one being a STRATA technician on Saul of the Molemen, another as the self-hating African American, Uncle Ruckus on The Boondocks,^[2] Coroner Rick, a recurring character on Stroker and Hoop, he also played the role of Paul Revere on the television special, The Young Person's Guide to History, and served as the voice-over announcer for The Eric Andre Show until 2013. He also voiced Riff Tamson in the opening three episodes of season four of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He is also the voice of Mr. Dos on Special Agent Oso. He appeared on an episode of Hot in Cleveland as a drama teacher and soccer coach.

In 2009 and 2010, Williams provided the voice of the supervillain Mongul for several episodes of the animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold. On one occasion, he voiced the character's sister, Mongal. He also voiced the supervillain Thunderball in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Williams is currently working on a new Mike Judge animated series. He was part of a segment in the show Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, and guest-starred on How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men. Williams also guest stars as the halfway house director in the 7th season of the TV show Weeds. In 2011, he joined the cast of the animated series China, IL as the voice of Doctor Falgot. Williams was also in an episode of the show Workaholics. He was a series regular for the animated sketch comedy series Mad and is currently voicing Mr. McStuffins for the animated Disney Junior series, Doc McStuffins^[11] and Dirty Dan and Dusty for the animated Disney Junior series Sheriff Callie's Wild West. He is also the narrator for the TV One series UNSUNG.^[12] From 2012 to 2016, Williams appeared as the recurring character Lester on the TV Land original sitcom The Soul Man.

Since 2013, Williams has been a replacement performer on the CW revival of the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, where he improvises scenes and songs. He also provides the voice for Mufasa in The Lion Guard replacing James Earl Jones, and has provided voices for Star Wars Rebels. In 2017, he voiced Bark Knight and Baboo from the animated Disney Junior series Puppy Dog Pals.

Film[]

Williams has appeared in films such as Undercover Brother, appearing as Smart Brother (having previously voiced the Undercover Brother character in the original internet animated series),^[8] Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,^[13] and Soul Plane. On the Boondocks second-season premiere, "...Or Die Trying", Riley Freeman and Robert Freeman are seen watching the Soul Plane 2 trailer, when they distinctly hear Williams and voice of grandad, John Witherspoon (who also had an acting role in Soul Plane), having a conversation on the plane. He also voiced Sweet in The Trumpet of the Swan. Williams also appeared in the film The Factory, starring John Cusack (with whom he also appeared in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)). In 2011, Williams narrated the feature-length documentary Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged.^{[citation needed]} Perhaps his most well known role is as Melvin (a father) in House Party: Tonight's the Night. Williams played Anton Zeck/Bebop in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016).^[14] He voiced the demon in the horror film Truth or Dare (2018).

Improvisational comedy[]

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Williams is a regular performer with the Flying Fannoli Brothers, an improv comedy band.^[15] He performs in the improvisational shows Cookin' With Gas and The Black Version at The Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles. Williams also returns to Atlanta to perform with Laughing Matters once or twice a year. Since 2013 he has been a recurring performer on The CW's revival of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Video games[]

Williams provided the voice for the character of Yancy Westridge in the video game Alpha Protocol, and Horace Warfield in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.

Personal life[]

Williams is married to Leslie.^[16] Together they have a son, Ethan.^[17]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Television[]

Video games[]

Crew work[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gary Anthony Williams.

• Gary Anthony Williams at IMDb
• Ex-Fayetteville Resident Goes Legal by Rodney Ho for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 16, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2007
• Comic Makes Time for a Pal in Need by Richard L. Eldredge for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 3, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2007
• Gary Anthony Williams Causes a 'Ruckus' by Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn for the Associated Press, November 11, 2007. Retrieved on November 11, 2007.