Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
Guinn Terrell Williams Jr. was an American actor who appeared in memorable Westerns such as Dodge City, Santa Fe Trail, and The Comancheros. He was nicknamed "Big Boy" because he was 6' 2" and had a muscular build from years of working on ranches and playing semiprofessional and professional baseball. At the height of his movie career, he was frequently billed above the title simply as "Big Boy" Williams, or as Guinn "Big Boy" Williams or "Big Boy" Guinn Williams on posters and in the film itself.
Biography
His father, Guinn Williams, a Democratic congressman, represented the 13th Texas Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1922 to 1932. When Williams Jr. returned from World War I as an Army officer, he found out his father had secured for him an appointment to West Point that Williams Jr. saw no need to attend after his war service; he decided to become a baseball player, instead. He was introduced by Will Rogers into motion pictures and polo, where he became a champion player and was given the name "Big Boy" by Rogers.Williams made his screen debut in the 1919 comedy, Almost a Husband, with Will Rogers and Cullen Landis, was the titular leading man to singing comedienne Fannie Brice in My Man, and was featured in a large supporting role in Frank Borzage's Lucky Star with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Throughout the 1920s, Williams had a string of successful films, mostly Westerns in which he wore a ten-gallon hat.
He then appeared in The Great Meadow alongside Johnny Mack Brown, which was Brown's breakout film. Throughout the 1930s, Williams acted in supporting roles, mostly in Westerns, sports, or outdoor dramas. He was always employed, and was successful as both a B-picture leading man and a supporting actor in A pictures. He often played alongside Hoot Gibson and Harry Carey during that period. In 1944, he was cast in a large role as sidekick to Robert Mitchum in Mitchum's first leading role in Zane Grey's Nevada, a remake of a 1927 film starring Gary Cooper. In 1941, he became one of many actors cast by Universal Pictures in their large film serial, Riders of Death Valley. From the late 1930s to the mid-1940s, Williams appeared in supporting roles in a number of A pictures, sometimes with high billing, such as You Only Live Once, and in Columbia's first Technicolor film, The Desperadoes.
Williams was frequently teamed with Alan Hale as sidekicks to Errol Flynn in several of his pictures. In 1960, he was cast in the epic film The Alamo and in Home from the Hill with Robert Mitchum. His last role was opposite his close friend John Wayne and Stuart Whitman in The Comancheros.
On television, he appeared in the Western series Gunsmoke as Groat, a gruff, bully cowboy in the 1957 episode "Skid Row".
Personal life
In the 1920s, he had an affair with Mary Philbin while she was engaged to Paul Kohner.He was married to three actresses, the first being silent film actress Kathleen Collins. For a time, he was married to B-movie actress Barbara Weeks. His last wife was Dorothy Peterson, whom he first met in the 1940s. Prior to meeting her, he had been engaged to Lupe Vélez, but she broke off the engagement at their friend Errol Flynn's home by breaking a framed portrait of Williams over his head and then urinating on the picture.
Like his father, Williams was active in an array of notable and state-related causes. He worked with the regional Agricultural Credit Association, the Production Credit Corporation, the Goat Raisers Association, the Texas Wool and Mohair Company, and the Bankers Association.
Throughout his life, Williams was active both in community affairs and the Methodist churches of Decatur, Texas, San Angelo, Texas, and Los Angeles, California.
Williams died unexpectedly of uremic poisoning on June 6, 1962, aged 63. Williams was interred in the Enduring Faith section at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.
Filmography
Almost a Husband Jubilo – Man Shooting Pool with BertCupid the Cowpuncher – Hairoil JohnsonGodless Men – SeamanThe Vengeance Trail – Big Boy BronsonWestern Firebrands – Billy FargoAcross the Border – Andy FowlerRounding Up the Law – Larry ConnellThe Cowboy King – Dud SmileyRemembrance The Trail of Hate – Silent Kerry- Blaze Away – Big BoyThe Freshie – Charles TaylorCyclone Jones – Cyclone JonesRiders at Night End of the Rope $1,000 Reward The Avenger – Nat SherwoodThe Eagle's Claw – Dan CarsonRed Blood and Blue – Tom ButlerFangs of Wolfheart Wolfheart's Revenge – Jack StanleySporting West Black Cyclone – Jim LawsonWhistling Jim – Whistling JimRose of the Desert Riders of the Sand Storm – The CowboyCourage of Wolfheart The Big Stunt Brown of Harvard – Hal WaltersThe Desert's Toll Quarantined Rivals – Joe, the plumberSlide, Kelly, Slide – McLeanBackstage – Mike DonovanArizona Bound – CowboySnowbound – Bull MorganBabe Comes Home – Baseball PlayerThe Woman Who Did Not Care – LarsLightning – Cuth StewartThe Down Grade – Ed HoldenThe College Widow – Don WhiteBurning Daylight – English HarryLadies' Night in a Turkish Bath – SweeneyVamping Venus – MarsBeggars of Life – Baker's Cart DriverNoah's Ark – Al / HamMy Man – Joe HalseyFrom Headquarters – Gunnery Sgt. WilmerLucky Star – Sgt. Martin WrennThe Forward Pass – Honey SmithCity Girl – ReaperThe Big Fight – TigerThe Bad Man – Red GiddingsLiliom – HollingerCollege Lovers – Tiny CourtleyThe Bachelor Father – Richard 'Dick' BerneyThe Great Meadow – Rubin HallThe Phantom – Dick MalloryLadies of the Jury – Steve BrommPolly of the Circus – EricDrifting Souls – Bing70,000 Witnesses – ConnorsHeritage of the Desert – Lefty – HenchmanYou Said a Mouthful – Joe Holt, a Swimming ChampionThe Devil Is Driving – MacThe Phantom Broadcast – Sandy HigginsLaughing at Life – JonesMan of the Forest – Big BoyRafter Romance – FritzieCollege Coach – MatthewsThe Mystery Squadron – Bill 'Jellybean' CookPalooka – SlatsCheaters – Detective SweeneyHalf a Sinner – 'Bull' MoranHere Comes the Navy – Dance-Floor ManagerRomance in the Rain – Panya MankiewiczThunder Over Texas – Ted WrightFlirtation Walk – 'Sleepy'Cowboy Holiday – Buck SawyerThe Silver Streak – HigginsBig Boy Rides Again – Tom DuncanPrivate Worlds – JerryOne in a Million – Spike McGaffertyVillage Tale – Ben RobertsThe Glass Key – JeffSociety Fever – Edgar ProutyDanger Trails – Bob WilsonHere Comes Cookie – Big BoyPowdersmoke Range – Lullaby JoslinGun Play – Bill WilliamsThe Law of 45's – Tucson SmithMiss Pacific Fleet – Nicholas 'Nick', Annie's BoyfriendThe Littlest Rebel – Sgt. DudleyMuss 'em Up – 'Red' CableKelly the Second – Cecil CallahanGrand Jury – Joseph BrittThe Vigilantes Are Coming – SalvationThe Big Game – Pete JenkinsEnd of the Trail – Bob HildrethNorth of Nome – HaageCareer Woman – Bede SandersYou Only Live Once – RogerDon't Tell the Wife – Lazarus Hubert Gregory 'Cupid' DougalA Star Is Born – Posture CoachDangerous Holiday – Duke EdwardsGirls Can Play – Lieutenant FlanniganFlying Fists – Slug CassidyThe Singing Marine – DopeyShe's No Lady – JeffBig City – Danny DevlinMy Dear Miss Aldrich – An AttendantWise Girl – MikeThe Bad Man of Brimstone – 'Vulch' McCreedyEverybody's Doing It – 'Softy' BlaneYou and Me – TaxiThe Marines Are Here – Sgt. GibbonsCrashing Through Danger – SlimProfessor Beware – Motorcycle CopArmy Girl – Sgt. Harry RossHold That Co-ed – MikeDown in 'Arkansaw' – Juble ButlerI Demand Payment – Happy CroftonPardon Our Nerve – Samson SmithDodge City – Tex BairdStreet of Missing Men – T-Bone6,000 Enemies – MaxieMutiny on the Blackhawk – Blake – the First MateBad Lands – Billy SweetFugitive at Large – ConwayBlackmail – Moose McCarthyLegion of Lost Flyers – Jake HalleyThe Fighting 69th – Paddy DolanCastle on the Hudson – Mike CagleVirginia City – 'Marblehead'Alias the Deacon – Bull GumbatzWagons Westward – Jake HardmanMoney and the Woman – Mr. Adler, the Bank GuardDulcy – HenrySanta Fe Trail – Windy BrodySix Lessons from Madame La Zonga – AlvinCountry Fair – Gunther PottsBilly the Kid – Ed BronsonRiders of Death Valley – Borax BillYou'll Never Get Rich – Kewpie BlainSwamp Water – Bud Dorson Mr. Bug Goes to Town – NarratorThe Bugle Sounds – Sgt. KrimsMr. Wise Guy – Luke ManningLure of the Islands – JinxBetween Us Girls – Father of the BoysSilver Queen – BlackieAmerican Empire – SailawayThe Desperadoes – Nitro RankinMinesweeper – CPO Ichabod Ferdinand 'Fixit' SmithHands Across the Border – Teddy BearCowboy Canteen – Spud HarriganCowboy and the Senorita – Teddy BearNevada – DustyBelle of the Yukon – Sheriff Mervin MaitlandSing Me a Song of Texas – Big BoyThe Man Who Walked Alone – ChampRhythm Round-Up – Zeke WinslowSong of the Prairie – Big Boy JacksonThrow a Saddle on a Star – Big BoyThat Texas Jamboree – Big Boy FrazerCowboy Blues – Big BoySinging on the Trail – Big Boy WebsterSingin' in the Corn – HankOver the Santa Fe Trail – Big Boy JacksonKing of the Wild Horses – Jed AckerSmoky River Serenade – Wagon WheelRoad to the Big House – Butch McQuinnStation West – MickSmoky Mountain Melody – Saddle Grease WilliamsBad Men of Tombstone – Red FiskBrimstone – Deputy Art BensonHoedown – Small PotatoesRocky Mountain – Pap DennisonAl Jennings of Oklahoma – Lon TuttleMan in the Saddle – Bourke PrineSpringfield Rifle – Sgt. SnowHangman's Knot – SmittySouthwest Passage – Tall TaleMassacre Canyon – Private Peaceful AllenThe Outlaw's Daughter – Moose, DeputyHidden Guns – KingfordMan from Del Rio – Fred JasperThe Hired Gun – Elby KirbyThe Restless Gun - Episode "A Trial for Jenny May"Home from the Hill – Hugh MacauleyFive Bold Women – Big FootThe Alamo – Lt. 'Irish' FinnThe Comancheros – Ed McBain – Gunrunner