Guy Williams

1924-1989

Updated 5/4/2007 with more films available on DVD.

biography

Born Armand Catalano in New York in January 1924, Guy Williams attended the Peekskill Military High School but had little interest in his studies. Wanting to be an actor, his good looks and 6'3" frame helped him land work as a model in the 1940s. His photographs appeared in a number of ads for products in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar. When he wasn't on a modeling assignment, Williams studied drama. He met fellow model Janice Cooper while on a shoot, and the couple married a short time later. With the rise of television, Williams began doing television commercials in New York in the late 1940s, and in the early 1950s, he moved to Hollywood and was put under contract by Universal.

Universal shots of Williams, circa 1952

After a year at Universal, Williams had appeared in only a few films, including Bonzo Goes to College (1952; with Maureen O'Sullivan and Charles Drake) and The Man from the Alamo (1953; with Glenn Ford and Julie Adams). In 1953, he left Universal and freelanced, working in films for Allied Artists and Warner Brothers, and building his TV resume. In 1957, Disney executives who were casting for the proposed Zorro TV series spotted Williams in a small role in the American International release I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957; with Whit Bissell and Michael Landon).

More photos of Guy Williams

Williams was put under contract by Disney and began shooting episodes of the series. The series lasted from 1957 through 1959, and two films---actually edited episodes of the series--were released: The Sign of Zorro (1958) and Zorro, the Avenger (1960). Although the series was very popular, a dispute between Disney and ABC forced the series off the air. Disney kept Williams under contract through 1961, in case the dispute was resolved. With the exception of The Prince and the Pauper (1962), Williams had little work for two years, and therefore he asked to be let out of the contract. he then headed for Europe and made a couple of films.

the films of guy williams

Zorro (1957-1959 ABC TV Series)

Guy Williams as Zorro

Damon and Pythias (1962)

From the MGM release Damon and Pythias

Captain Sindbad (1963)

Lobby photos from Captain Sindbad. Shot in Germany early in 1963, this film borrows heavily from Williams' Zorro persona. To avoid rights issues, producers added a "D" to the title, but the film follows the conventions of a Sinbad tale

Lost in Space (1965-1968 CBS TV Series)

Lost in Space cast photo. From left to right: Jonathan Harris, Angela Cartwright, Mark Goddard, June Lockhart, Billy Mumy, Williams, and Marta Kristen

later years

After Lost in Space left the air in 1968, Guy Williams decided to retire from acting and persue other interests. In April 1989, Williams was found dead in his apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of natural causes. He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

guy williams films available from movies unlimited

Rock Hudson: Screen Legend Collection [DVD] DVD
Man's man Rock Hudson heats up the screen in a three-disc, five-film set! When a rich, old man (Charles Coburn) leaves a fortune to the family of a woman he once loved, a soda jerk (Hudson) finds he's no longer the perfect lad for the clan's daughter, in "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" (1952). Piper Laurie, Gigi Perreau co-star. Rock flexes his pecs in the Arabian-flavored costume epic "The Golden Blade" (1953), journeying to Baghdad on a mission of vengeance. Laurie, Gene Evans co-star. Hudson wears the white hat, and Kirk Douglas the black, in the muscular Western "The Last Sunset" (1961), with Dorothy Malone and Joseph Cotten. Giving an intense performance, Hudson plays an egotistical doctor working in the jungle, in "The Spiral Road" (1962). Burl Ives, Gena Rowlands also star. And playboy Rock is asked to woo psychiatrist Leslie Caron by her father (Charles Boyer) in the romantic comedy "A Very Special Favor" (1965). Walter Slezak, Larry Storch co-star. 8 3/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.
Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 2 [DVD] DVD
Prairie fires, snowstorms, hostile Indians, and a gun-smuggling Joan Bennett are just some of the problems trail boss Randolph Scott has to cope with on a 10,000-head cattle drive to Kansas, in "The Texans" (1938). With May Robson, Robert Cummings, Walter Brennan. Barbara Stanwyck is a gambling queen with a shady past who joins forces with an Army deserter and an old-time miner to face off against a powerful land baron, in "California" (1946). Ray Milland, Barry Fitzgerald also star. Then, Audie Murphy is a gunman who is wrongly accused of helping the Dalton gang in a train robbery--then joins them for real, in "The Cimarron Kid" (1952). With Beverly Tyler, James Best. Finally, Glenn Ford stars as "The Man from the Alamo" (1953). Branded a coward for his actions at the doomed fortress, Ford must fight to prove himself during the Mexican War. Julia Adams, Victor Jory, Hugh O'Brian co-star. 6 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.
The Last Frontier [DVD](1955) DVD
After having his furs stolen by the Indians, a fur trapper (Victor Mature) joins his two partners as a scout at a cavalry fort overseen by a demented colonel (Robert Preston). After the colonel plans to send his troops on a mission against hostile Indians, the trapper attempts to stop him. With Guy Madison, Anne Bancroft; Anthony Mann directs. AKA: "Savage Wilderness." 98 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English, Japanese.
Damon And Pythias [VHS](1962) VHS
Guy Williams (Disney's "Zorro") stars in this classic tale from ancient Greece in which he plays Damon, who volunteers himself to die in place of close friend Pythias, who has been accused of plotting the assassination of King Dionysis I. With Don Burnett.
Lost In Space: The Complete First Season [DVD](1965) DVD
All 29 episodes from the debut season--including "The Reluctant Stowaway," "There Were Giants in the Earth," the two-part "The Keeper," "War of the Robots," and "The Magic Mirror"--are featured in an eight-disc set. 23 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; unaired pilot episode; CBS promo.
Lost In Space: Season 2, Vol. 1 [DVD](1966) DVD
The first 16 episodes from season two--including "Blast Off Into Space," "The Prisoners of Space," "The Android Machine," "The Golden Man," and "The Girl from the Green Dimension"--are featured in an four-disc set. 13 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English, French, Spanish; Subtitles: English, Spanish.
Lost In Space: Season Two, Vol. 2 [DVD](1967) DVD
The final 14 episodes from season two--including "The Questing Beast," "Rocket to Earth," "Trip Through the Robot," "The Phantom Family," and "The Galaxy Gift"--are featured in a four-disc set. 12 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; interviews; photo gallery.
Lost In Space: Season Three, Vol. 1 [DVD](1967) DVD
The first 15 episodes from season three--including "Condemned of Space," "Visit to a Hostile Planet," "The Haunted Lighthouse," "The Space Creature," and "The Anti-Matter Man"--are featured in a four-disc set. 12 1/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; featurettes; interviews.
Lost In Space: Season Three, Vol. 2 [DVD](1968) DVD
The final nine episodes from season three--including "Target: Earth," "The Time Merchant," "Fugitives in Space," "The Great Vegetable Rebellion," and "Junkyard of Space"--are featured in a three-disc set. 7 1/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; interviews; outtakes.
Lost In Space: Unaired Pilot [VHS] VHS
There's no Dr. Smith or robot to be found in "No Place to Hide," the original pilot for the '60s sci-fi series, although the rest of the cast is intact. The Robinson family leaves Earth in 1997 headed for Alpha Centauri, but 3 1/2 years into the voyage a meteor shower redirects their flight to an unknown planet filled with all sorts of dangers. Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Bill Mumy star. 50 min.
The Many Faces Of Zorro [DVD](1999) DVD
One of the movie and TV worlds' greatest heroes is given a 10-sword salute in this thrilling program about the screen history of the masked avenger. You'll see clips of famous Zorros from the past, including Guy Williams and Douglas Fairbanks, plus interviews with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins from 1998's "The Mask of Zorro." 60 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby stereo; interactive menus.

filmography

FILM
Captain Sindbad (1963) with Pedro Armendáriz
The Prince and the Pauper (1962) with Jane Asher
Damon and Pythias (1962) with Liana Orfei
Zorro, the Avenger (1960)
The Sign of Zorro (1958)
I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) with Michael Landon and Whit Bissell
The Last Frontier (1955) with Guy Madison, Victor Mature, and Anne Bancroft
Sincerely Yours (1955) with Liberace, Joanne Dru, Dorothy Malone, Lori Nelson, and Alex Nicol
Seven Angry Men (1955) with Jeffrey Hunter, Debra Paget, and Raymond Massey
Take Me to Town (1953) with Sterling Hayden and Ann Sheridan
The Man from the Alamo (1953) with Julie Adams and Glenn Ford
The Golden Blade (1953) with Rock Hudson and Piper Laurie
The Mississippi Gambler (1953) with Julie Adams, Tyrone Power, and Piper Laurie
Bonzo Goes to College (1952) with Maureen O'Sullivan, Charles Drake, Edmund Gwenn, and Irene Ryan

TELEVISION SERIES
Lost in Space, 1965-1968 CBS TV Series. Williams portrayed Professor John Robinson
Bonanza, 1959-1973 NBC TV series. Williams portrayed Will Cartwright during the 1964 season
Zorro, 1957-1959 ABC TV Series. Williams portrayed Don Diego de la Vega (Zorro)

guy williams links

The Offical Guy Williams Family Page
Run by Guy Williams Jr., this website honors his famous father.

The Guy Williams WebShrine
A nice fansite devoted to Guy Williams, mostly devoted to his role as Zorro.

Click on the logo to go back to Brian's Drive-In Theater

This page premiered February 20, 2002.
Copyright and Disclaimer Information