# Steven Williams

Steven Williams (born January 7, 1949) is an American actor in films and television. He is known for his roles as Captain Adam Fuller on 21 Jump Street, Lt. Jefferson Burnett on The Equalizer, Det. August Brooks on L.A. Heat, X on The X-Files, Russell "Linc" Lincoln in Linc's, and Rufus Turner in Supernatural.
Throughout his career, Williams has appeared in numerous films, including The Blues Brothers (1980), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), 22 Jump Street (2014), It (2017), and Birds of Prey (2020).
He has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and one NAACP Image Award.

## Early life

Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and was predominantly reared in Chicago. His parents were divorced, and he was raised at separate times by his father in Michigan, his mother in Chicago and by his maternal grandparents in Millington, Tennessee. In Chicago, he attended Wendell Phillips High School. After graduating, he matriculated at the General Motors Institute, an automaker's engineering school. Williams later worked as a postal carrier, salesman, and model.
He was drafted into the United States Army, serving in the 2nd Armored Division, stationed in Gelnhausen, Germany and became Divisional Champion with the United States Army Boxing Team, Middleweight Division. Upon receiving an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, Williams worked for the United States Postal Service as a mailman. After delivering the mail in subzero temperatures, he went to work in Chicago's garment district as an apparel salesman.

## Career

Williams made his acting debut in the 1975 film Cooley High. He appeared in musical comedy The Blues Brothers (1980) as Trooper Mount, and played Lt. Jefferson Burnett on the CBS drama series The Equalizer in 1985. He portrayed renegade Capt. David Nester in the 1985 film Missing in Action 2: The Beginning,
He landed the role of Captain Adam Fuller, a senior police officer supervising younger cops, on Fox Network's TV series 21 Jump Street in 1987. Williams replaced Frederic Forrest, who played a similar character, early in the series. He continued playing the character until the series ended in 1991. While acting in the series, Williams played Lieutenant Gallagher in Under the Gun (1988), which featured Vanessa Williams in the cast.
Following his stint on 21 Jump Street, Williams portrayed the title character in The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage. He played the role of Det. August Brooks on the TNT series L.A. Heat in 1996. He recurred as X on the Fox hit science fiction series The X-Files. He earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1997 for his work as X.
Williams appeared as main character Russell "Linc" Lincoln, a bartender, in comedy Linc's. In 2000, he received an NAACP Image Award nomination, in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. Concurrently, Williams portrayed Isaac in short-lived UPN series Legacy.
He portrayed Rufus Turner in fantasy series Supernatural (2008−16), and was Quentin in drama The Chi (2018−present). Williams' work on the latter has been well received, with reviewers finding him "strong" and "powerful" as Quentin. Williams garnered several recurring roles in the 2010s and 2020s, including attorney Stephen Carlisle in Ambitions (2019) and teacher Joe Ridgeway in Locke & Key (2020), both dramas.
Williams has appeared extensively in guest roles on television. He portrayed an Army friend of the protagonist in MacGyver, and was Robin Dumars' father on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. Other guest appearances include The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Booker, Stargate SG-1, Martin, Veronica Mars, The Bernie Mac Show, Criminal Minds and iZombie.
Other film roles include a bar patron in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), bounty hunter Creighton Duke in horror film Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) and Carlos in Adventures of Power (2009). In TV movies, Williams was a Panamanian boat captain named Mo in Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story (1986) and portrayed pitcher Satchel Paige in The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (1990).

## Personal life

He was previously married to talent agent Ann Geddes. He has two daughters and six grandchildren. His eldest granddaughter is an artist based in Chicago and Los Angeles.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | Cooley High | Jimmy Lee | |
| 1976 | The Monkey Hustle | Manager | |
| 1978 | Big Apple Birthday | More Fairy Tale Folk | Short |
| 1979 | Dummy | Julius Lang | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Blues Brothers | Trooper Mount | |
| 1981 | The Marva Collins Story | McCloud | |
| 1983 | Doctor Detroit | Junior Sweet | |
| 1983 | Twilight Zone: The Movie | Bar Patron | |
| 1984 | The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck | Les Averback | TV movie |
| 1985 | Missing in Action 2: The Beginning | Captain David Nester | |
| 1985 | International Airport | Frazier | TV movie |
| 1985 | Better Off Dead | Tree Trimmer | |
| 1985 | Silent Witness | Ted Gunning | TV movie |
| 1985 | House | Cop #4 | |
| 1986 | Triplecross | Kyle Banks | TV movie |
| 1986 | Northstar | National Security Agent #2 | TV movie |
| 1986 | Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Mo | TV movie |
| 1988 | Under the Gun | Gallagher | |
| 1990 | The Forbidden Dance | Weed | |
| 1990 | The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson | Satchel Paige | TV movie |
| 1991 | The Whereabouts of Jenny | Mick | TV movie |
| 1991 | The Heroes of Desert Storm | Jonathan Alston | TV movie |
| 1992 | Revolver | Ken Seymour | TV movie |
| 1993 | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | Creighton Duke | |
| 1994 | Deep Red | Sergeant Eldon James | TV movie |
| 1994 | Corrina, Corrina | Anthony T. Williams | |
| 1995 | Legacy of Sin: The William Coit Story | Detective Sexton | TV movie |
| 1995 | Bloodfist VII: Manhunt | Captain Doyle | Video |
| 1998 | The Sender | Lockwood | |
| 2001 | The Elite | McKay | |
| 2001 | Firetrap | Firefighter Chief Sheehan | |
| 2001 | Seduced by a Thief | Sheehan | |
| 2001 | Route 666 | Fred 'Rabbit' Smith | |
| 2001 | Van Hook | Colonel Jeffries | |
| 2002 | L.A. Law: The Movie | Albert Hutchinson | TV movie |
| 2002 | Banged Out | - | Video |
| 2003 | Dark Wolf | Hartigan | Video |
| 2004 | Sexual Life | Jerry's Father | |
| 2004 | Guarding Eddy | Jack | |
| 2005 | Graves End | Paul Rickman | |
| 2005 | Crimson Force | Williams | TV movie |
| 2005 | Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire | Detective Mike Burton | TV movie |
| 2005 | Halfway Decent | Cervondo | |
| 2006 | Special Ops: Delta Force | Smithers | |
| 2007 | Forfeit | - | |
| 2007 | Richard III | Lord Stanley | TV movie |
| 2007 | Not Another High School Show | Captain Fuller | TV movie |
| 2008 | Adventures of Power | Carlos | |
| 2008 | Kings of the Evening | Mr. Gamba | TV movie |
| 2009 | The Fear Chamber | Captain Bradley | |
| 2011 | Breathe | Mr. Burgin | |
| 2011 | 3 Musketeers | Planchet | Video |
| 2012 | Who Killed Soul Glow? | Police Captain | |
| 2012 | Christmas Twister | Terry | TV movie |
| 2013 | Jack the Giant Slayer | Master of Secrets | |
| 2013 | The Call | Terrence (voice) | |
| 2014 | Last Curtain Call | George | |
| 2014 | 22 Jump Street | Captain Adam Fuller | |
| 2014 | Cru | Max | |
| 2015 | My Favorite Five | Robert Colburn | |
| 2015 | Fifty and Over Club | Lawson | TV movie |
| 2016 | The Trust | Cliff | |
| 2016 | The Stakelander | 'Doc' Earl | |
| 2016 | Street Credit | Reverend Street | Short |
| 2017 | It | Leroy Hanlon | |
| 2018 | Glass Jaw | Harry Sterling | |
| 2018 | BFA New Orleans | James 'Pops' Blake I | TV movie |
| 2019 | Velvet Buzzsaw | VA Janitor | |
| 2020 | Emerald Run | Pastor Winfield | |
| 2020 | Birds of Prey | Captain Patrick Erickson | |
| 2021 | Afterlifetime | Charon the Ferryman | Short |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982–1983 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Leeman/Percy | Episode: "Dukes in Danger" & "High Flyin' Dukes" |
| 1983 | Wizards and Warriors | Soldier | Episode: "The Kidnap" |
| 1983 | Hotel | Protester | Episode: "Confrontations" |
| 1983 | Dallas | Bailiff | Episode: "Ray's Trial" & "The Oil Baron's Ball" |
| 1983 | Hill Street Blues | Sonny Freeman | Episode: "Moon Over Uranus: The Final Legacy" |
| 1984 | Steambath | Chuck Skerrit | Episode: "A Preacher and a Jock" |
| 1984 | The A-Team | Eddie Devane | Episode: "Double Heat" |
| 1984 | Remington Steele | Lieutenant | Episode: "A Pocketful of Steele" |
| 1984-1985 | Hunter | King Hayes/Parker LeMay | Episode: "Hunter" & "The Beach Boy" |
| 1985 | The Equalizer | Lieutenant Jefferson Burnett | Recurring cast: season 1 |
| 1986 | MacGyver | Charlie Robinson | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 1986 | Gimme a Break! | Harvey | Episode: "Getting to Know You" |
| 1987 | Stingray | Tommy Miller, "The Greeter" | Episode: "The Greeter" |
| 1987 | 227 | Billy Bob | Episode: "Got a Job" |
| 1987 | Hill Street Blues | Johnson | Episode: "The Cookie Crumbles" |
| 1987 | L.A. Law | Detective Sgt. Phipps | Episode: "Oy Vey! Wilderness!" |
| 1987–1991 | 21 Jump Street | Captain Adam Fuller | Main cast |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | Jail Inmate | Episode: "The One That Got Away" |
| 1989–1990 | Booker | Captain Adam Fuller | Recurring cast |
| 1991 | The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage | Jack 'Black Jack' Savage | Main cast |
| 1991 | L.A. Law | John Merrill | Episode: "Spleen It to Me, Lucy" |
| 1992 | In Living Color | - | Episode: "George Bush Meets Tommy Wu" |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Victor | Episode: "Das Boat House" |
| 1993 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Chip Dumars | Episode: "Unforgettable" |
| 1993 | Street Justice | Tyson | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 1994 | seaQuest DSV | The President of The USA | Episode: "Better Than Martians" |
| 1994 | Martin | Simon | Episode: "I Don't Have the Heart" |
| 1994 | Models Inc. | Marcus Ballard | Episode: "Skin Deep" & "Old Models Never Die" |
| 1994 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Captain | Episode: "The Washington Affair: Part 1 & 2" |
| 1994 | Diagnosis: Murder | Butch Reilly | Episode: "Standing Eight Count" |
| 1994 | Renegade | Danny | Episode: "South of 98" |
| 1994–2002 | The X-Files | Mr. X | Recurring cast: season 2–3, guest: season 4–5 & 9 |
| 1995 | University Hospital | John Jenkins | Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part" |
| 1995 | Sister, Sister | Gregg | Episode: "The Twins Get Fired" |
| 1995 | NYPD Blue | Lt. Nathan Stackhouse | Episode: "E.R." |
| 1996 | Renegade | Major Peter Flood | Episode: "Hard Evidence" |
| 1998 | Suddenly Susan | Carl | Episode: "A Tale of Two Pants: Part 2" |
| 1998–1999 | Legacy | Isaac Peters | Recurring cast |
| 1998–2000 | Linc's | Russell 'Linc' Lincoln | Main cast |
| 1999 | Total Recall 2070 | Jonas Brack | Episode: "Assessment" |
| 1999 | L.A. Heat | Detective August Brooks | Main cast |
| 1999 | Any Day Now | Percy Tucker | Episode: "Heads or Tails" |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Emerill Jordan | Episode: "Cry Me a Liver" |
| 2000–2003 | Stargate SG-1 | General Maurice Vidrine | Recurring cast: season 4 & 7 |
| 2001 | The Hughleys | Mr. Walker | Episode: "South Side Story" |
| 2001 | Resurrection Blvd. | Jesse | Episode: "Sangre de la Mano" & "Con Cuidado" |
| 2002 | The District | Judge Thompson | Episode: "Convictions" |
| 2002 | Arli$$ | Greg Harvey | Episode: "Profiles in Agenting" |
| 2002 | The Agency | Joel Whittman | Episode: "C.S. Lie" |
| 2003 | Jake 2.0 | General Freewald | Episode: "Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot" |
| 2003–2004 | The Bernie Mac Show | Lloyd | Episode: "Meet the Grandparents" & "Make Room for Caddy" |
| 2004 | Veronica Mars | Tom Daniels | Episode: "The Girl Next Door" |
| 2005 | Monk | Sergeant Parnell | Episode: "Mr. Monk Gets Stuck in Traffic" |
| 2007 | Criminal Minds | Captain Wright | Episode: "Legacy" |
| 2008 | Desperate Housewives | Frank | Episode: "There's Always a Woman" |
| 2008–2016 | Supernatural | Rufus Turner | Guest Cast: season 3 & 5–7 & 11 |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Ronde Brooks '09 | Episode: "Soul" |
| 2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Alonzo Bearwalker | Episode: "Wasilla Hills Cop" |
| 2013 | Belle's | Judge Crawford | Episode: "One Big Happy Family" |
| 2015 | Bones | Pastor Desmond Simmons | Episode: "The Psychic in the Soup" |
| 2015 | Chicago P.D. | Bishop | Episode: "Climbing Into Bed" & "You Never Know Who's Who" |
| 2015 | iZombie | Barber | Episode: "Max Wager" |
| 2015 | The Leftovers | Virgil | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2015 | Minority Report | Bridege Kane | Episode: "Memento Mori" & "Everybody Runs" |
| 2017 | Training Day | Cannonball | Episode: "Wages of Sin" |
| 2017 | One Mississippi | Frank Hollingsworth | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2018–2022 | The Chi | Quentin "Q" Dickinson | Recurring cast: season 1 & 5 |
| 2019 | Project Blue Book | Nate | Episode: "The Lubbock Lights" |
| 2019 | True Detective | Junius "Mr. June" Watts | Recurring cast: season 3 |
| 2019 | Yellowstone | Cowboy | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2019 | Bluff City Law | Connor Markes | Episode: "25 Years to Life" |
| 2019 | Black-ish | Phillip | Episode: "Father Christmas" |
| 2019 | Ambitions | Stephen Carlisle | Recurring cast |
| 2020 | Locke & Key | Joe Ridgeway | Recurring cast: season 1 |
| 2020 | Stumptown | Lionel Hoffman | Recurring cast |
| 2020–2021 | The Family Business | Alexander Cora | Recurring cast: season 2, guest: season 3 |
| 2020–2023 | All Rise | Tony Carver | Guest: season 1 & 3, recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2021 | Home Before Dark | Mr. Morton | Episode: "Not Giving Up" |
| 2021–2023 | Snowfall | Paul Davis | Recurring cast: seasons 4 & 6 |