Rhys Williams
(1897 - 1969)This great Welsh character actor was discovered by director John Ford as he worked as technical advisor and language consultant on the film "How Green Was My Valley." Born in Wales on December 31, 1897, he was a topnotch actor with his round face, smiling eyes, thick dark hair and honey-smooth voice. He began in Britain working in many Shakespearean stock companies including the Globe Theatre troupe. His versatility is evident in the varied roles he played. Among his credits are: "How Green Was My Valley" (1941) as Dai Bando, his film debut; "This Above All" (1942) as Sergeant; Remember Pearl Harbor" (1942) as Senor Anderson; "Mrs. Miniver" (1942) as Horace; "Eagle Squadron" (1942) as Sgt. Johns; "Cairo" (1942) as Strange Man; "Gentleman Jim" (1942) as Harry Watson; "Underground Agent" (1942) as Henry Miller; "Random Harvest" (1942) as Sam; "No Time for Love" (1943) as Clancy; "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945) as Dr. McKay; "The Corn is Green" (1945) as Mr. Jones; "Blood on the Sun" (1945) as Joseph Cassell; "You Came Along" (1945) as Col. Stubbs; "Voice of the Whistler" (1945) as Ernie Spartow; "The Spiral Staircase" (1946) as Mr. Oates; "So Goes My Love" (1946) as Magel; The Strange Woman" (1946) as Deacon Adams; "Cross My Heart" (1947) as Prosecutor; "Easy Come, Easy Go" (1947) as Priest; "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947) in a rare, evil role as Adolph Petree; "The Imperfect Lady" (1947) as Inspector Carston; "Moss Rose" (1947) as Evans; "If Winter Comes" (1947) as Mr. Bright; "The Black Arrow" (1948); "Tenth Avenue Angel" (1948) as Blind Mac; "Hills of Home" (1948) as Mr. Milton; "Bad Boy" (1949) as Arnold Strawn; "The Crooked Way" (1949) as Lt. Williams; "Tokyo Joe" (1949) as Col. Dahlgren; "Fighting Man of the Plains" (1949) as Justice of the Peace Chandler Leach; "The Inspector General" (1949) as Inspector General; "Tyrant of the Sea" (1950) as Capt. William Blake; "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" (1950) as Vic Mason; "The Showdown" (1950) as Chokecherry; "Devil's Doorway" (1950) as Scotty MacDougall; "California Passage" (1950) as John Norris; "One Too Many" (1950) as Michael H. Sullivan; "The Sword of Monte Cristo" (1951) as Mayor of Varonne; "Lightning Strikes Twice" (1951) as Father Paul; "Million Dollar Pursuit" (1951) as Waxey Wilk; "Never Trust a Gambler" (1951) as Quentin McCoy; "The Law and the Lady" (1951) as Inspector McGraw; "Son of Dr. Jekyll" (1951) as Michaels the Butler; "The Light Touch" (1952) as Mr. MacWade; "Okinawa" (1952) as Robby Roberg; "Mutiny" (1952) as Redlegs; "Carbine Williams" (1952) as Redwick Karson; "Les Miserables" (1952) as Brevet; "The World in His Arms" (1952) as Eben Cleggett; "Plymouth Adventure" (1952) uncredited as Mr. Weston; "Meet Me at the Fair" (1953) as Pete McCoy; "Scandal at Scourie" (1953) as Bill Swazey; "Julius Caesar" (1953) as Lucillus; "Man in the Attic" (1954) as William Harley; "Bad for Each Other" (1953) as Doc Scobee; "Johnny Guitar" (1954) as Mr. Andrews; "The Black Shield of Falworth" (1954) as Diccon Bowman; "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954) as Father Dineen; "Battle Cry" (1955) as Enoch Rogers; "Many Rivers to Cross" (1955) as Lige Blake; "How to Be Very, Very Popular" (1955) as Cedric Flagg; "The Scarlet Coat" (1955) as Peter Andre; "The Kentuckian" (1955) as Constable; "The King's Thief" (1955) as Turnkey; "Mohawk" (1956) as Clem Jones; "Nightmare" (1956) as Deputy Torrence; "The Fastest Gun Alive" (1956) as Brian Tibbs; "The Boss" (1956) as Stanley Millard; "The Desperadoes Are In Town" (1956) as Jud Collins; "Raintree County" (1957) as Ezra Gray; "The Restless Breed" (1957) as Rev. Simmons; "Merry Andrew" (1958) as Constable; "Midnight Lace" (1960) as Victor Elliot; "Our Man Flint" (1965) as Dr. Krupov and "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965) as Charlie Bob Striker and "Skullduggery" (1970) as Judge
Draper,his last film. He was quite a prolific actor working from the 1940s thru to the late 1960s. He did much Television work also including: "Brigadoon" (1966) as MacLaren and guest roles on such series as: "The Adventures of Superman"; "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"; "Perry Mason"; "Wagon Train"; "Maverick"; "Mission: Impossible" and "The Wild, Wild West." He was married to the former Elsie Dvorak and they had two sons: Evan and Tudor. He died on May 28, 1969 at age 71 in Santa Monica, California.
From Great Character Actors, Page 1.
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