Paul Williams (songwriter)

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Paul Hamilton Williams (born September 19, 1940, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American composer, songwriter, and actor.

Contents 1 Film and Television Career 2 Musical career 3 Personal life 4 Acting career 4.1 Movies 4.2 Plays 4.3 Television 5 Songwriter career 5.1 Albums 5.2 Notable songs 5.3 Film music 5.4 Television 6 External links

[edit] Film and Television Career

Although predominately known for his music, Paul Williams is also an actor, appearing in films and many television guest appearances, notably as the Faustian record producer Swan in the cult film Phantom of the Paradise, a rock and roll remake of Phantom of the Opera, and as "Virgil", the genius orangutan on Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Williams worked closely with Jim Henson's Henson Productions on The Muppet Movie, most specifically on the soundtrack.

He provided the voice of The Penguin in Batman:The Animated Series.

He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and his songs have been performed by both pop and country music artists. He has won one Academy Award, two Grammy Awards and several Golden Globes.

[edit] Musical career

Williams is responsible for a number of enduring pop hits from the 1970s, including "(Just an) Old Fashioned Love Song", a U.S. top-ten hit for the band Three Dog Night in late 1971, and a number of Carpenters hits, most notably "We've Only Just Begun", which has since become a cover-band standard and de rigueur for weddings throughout North America. An early collaboration with Roger Nichols, "Someday Man", was covered by The Monkees (in which he also auditioned for but did not make it) on a 1969 single, and was the first Monkees' release not published by Screen Gems.

A frequent cowriter of Williams was musician Kenneth Ascher; their songs together included the popular children's favorite "The Rainbow Connection", sung by Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie. Most recently, he collaborated with Scissor Sisters on their sophomore album, Ta-Dah.

[edit] Personal life

Williams has been active in the field of recovery from addictions. Paul Williams is married to writer Mariana Williams. He has two children, Sarah and Cole. Paul's brother, Mentor Williams, is a successful songwriter in his own right and penned Dobie Gray's 1972 hit, "Drift Away."

[edit] Acting career

[edit] Movies

• The Loved One, 1965
• The Chase, 1966
• Watermelon Man, 1970
• Battle for the Planet of the Apes, 1973
• Phantom of the Paradise, 1974
• Smokey and the Bandit, 1977, as Little Enos, a recurring part
• The Cheap Detective, 1978
• The Muppet Movie, 1979
• Smokey and the Bandit II, 1980
• Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, 1983
• The Doors, 1991
• Headless Body in Topless bar, 1995
• The Rules of Attraction, 2002
• The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, 2004

[edit] Plays

• Under the Sycamore Tree
• Tru on Broadway, 1989

[edit] Television

He made numerous television appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, including guest appearances on Match Game '79, The Love Boat, The Hardy Boys and The Muppet Show. He has also appeared on an episode of Babylon 5 as the aide to an alien ambassador whose species finalizes treaties and agreements by having sex with the other signees. Williams appeared on an episode of Picket Fences as the brother of the just deceased Ginny Weedon (Zelda Rubinstein). He starred as Ferdinand the Bull in a musical 1/2 hour TV production of the same name written by the Sherman Brothers.

He is also known as the voice of the Penguin in Batman: The Animated Series.

[edit] Songwriter career

[edit] Albums

• Words & Music
• The Holy Mackerel
• We've Only Just Begun
• Someday Man
• Just An Old Fashioned Love Song
• Life Goes On
• Here Comes Inspiration
• A Little Bit Of Love
• Phantom Of The Paradise
• Ordinary Fool
• A Little On The Windy Side
• Crazy For Loving You

[edit] Notable songs

• "We've Only Just Begun"
• "Rainy Days and Mondays"
• "I Won't Last a Day Without You"
• "What Would They Say"
• "Someday Man"
• "To Put Up With You"
• "Waking Up Alone"
• "Rainbow Connection"
• "(Just An) Old Fashioned Love Song"
• "The Hell of It"
• "One More Angel"
• "Theme to the Love Boat"
• "Evergreen"
• "Let Me Be the One"
• "You and Me Against the World"

[edit] Film music

• The Getaway, 1972
• The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, 1972
• Cinderella Liberty, 1973
• Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, 1974
• Phantom of the Paradise, 1974
• The Day of the Locust, 1975
• Bugsy Malone, 1976
• A Star Is Born, 1976
• One on One, 1977
• The End, 1978
• Agatha, 1979
• The Muppet Movie, 1979
• The Secret of NIMH, 1982
• Ishtar, 1987
• The Muppet Christmas Carol, 1992

[edit] Television

• The Love Boat
• The McLean Stevenson Show
• It Takes Two
• Sugar Time!
• Baretta
• Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, produced by Jim Henson
• "The Muppet Show"
• "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson"
• "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour"
• "The Odd Couple ~ Season 5 1974-1974"
• "Fantasy Island--Man who wanted to be Don Quixote"

[edit] External links

• Paul joins, Melissa Manchester and Willie Nelson!
• PaulWilliams Connection - site includes biography, discography, acting bio, photos, media downloads any thing and everything Paul Williams including information on service organizations.
• Paul Williams (songwriter) at the Internet Movie Database
• Paul Williams' Music & Acting Page
• Complete brief biography
• Interview

Preceded by Danny DeVito

Actors to portray the Penguin 1992-2004

Succeeded by Tom Kenny (voice only)