IDOLOS DE LOS 60´S

Van Williams   

Ken Madison, Surfside 6.

 

 Warner Bros. quickly cast the handsome young actor in a new TV series titled Bourbon Street Beat (1959-1960). Although popular, the show was canceled, so Warner Bros. moved Williams and his character, Ken Madison, to a new series, Surfside 6. The studio also put Williams in a couple of movies, Tall Story (1960; with Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda) and The Caretakers (1963; with Polly Bergen). After Williams’ contract lapsed in 1964, he took a role on the series The Tycoon, and later signed with 20th Century Fox to portray The Green Hornet.

Born in February 1934 in Fort Worth, Texas, handsome Van Williams didn’t set out to be an actor. After completing his college studies, Williams headed for Hawaii, where he worked as a diver. He was discovered for films in Hawaii by producer Mike Todd in 1957. Todd was killed in a plane crash shortly thereafter, yet Williams eventually made his way to Hollywood. After some acting lessons and vocal coaching, Williams found work in television, and after a few guest spots, he signed a contract with Warner Bros. in early 1959.

 

The films and tv series of Van Williams:
**Bourbon Street Beat (1959-1960 ABC TV Series) 

**Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story [DVD](1993) DVDE nthralling biography of late martial arts master Bruce Lee, covering his courtship and marriage to his American wife; his rise to karate prominence, competing in tournaments and teaching; and his meteoric but short-lived film career. Jason Scott Lee is dynamic in the title role; Lauren Holly and Robert Wagner also star. 120 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital Surround, French Dolby Digital Surround; Subtitles: Spanish; audio commentary; «making of» featurette; theatrical trailer. 

  

**FILM

The Night Rider (1979) with David Selby, Kim Cattrall, George Grizzard, Anna Lee, and Pernell Roberts
Fury of the Dragon (1976) with Bruce Lee
The Runaways (1975) with Dorothy McGuire
Batman (1966)

 

**TELEVISION SERIES Raymond Burr, Robert Conrad, Jorge Rivero, Marshall Thompson, Clint Walker, Reb Brown,  West Was Won, 1978 miniseries Westwind, 975-1976 TV series.

Williams portrayed Steve Andrews.>
The Green Hornet, 1966-1967 ABC TV series.

Williams portrayed Britt Reid, the Green Hornet.
The Tycoon, 1964-1965 TV series. Williams portrayed Pat Burns.
Surfside 6, 1960-1962 ABC TV series. Williams portrayed Ken Madison. Also in the cast were Troy Donahue and Lee PattersonBourbon Street Beat, 1959-1960 ABC TV series.
Williams portrayed Ken Madison. Also in the cast were Richard Long and Nita Talbot.

Additionally, Van Williams guest-starred on many popular television series, including Love, American Style, The Beverly Hillbillies, Batman, and Cheyenne from the 1950s through the late 1970s. Centennial, 1978 NBC miniseries. Williams portrayed George. Also in the cast were Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton, and Stafford Repp The Caretakers (1963) with Robert Stack, Polly Bergen, Diane McBain, Joan Crawford, Janis Paige, and Constance Ford, Tall Story (1960) with Anthony Perkins, Jane Fonda, Ray Walston, and Tom Laughlin