Grant Williams

As a child, Williams acted in summer stock productions. After graduation from high school he joined the Air Force for a four-year stint. Then, returning to New York, he took acting classes with 'Lee Strasberg' (qv). A few minor Broadway roles followed as did parts on some live TV dramas. One of these parts caught the eye of a talent agent and Williams signed with Universal in 1956. Universal put him into several supporting roles -- most notably as the gas-station stud in _Written on the Wind (1956)_ (qv) -- but the high point of his career came when he played the title role in _The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)_ (qv). Director 'Jack Arnold' (qv) said that Williams gave an Oscar-worthy performance because, in many special-effects scenes, he could only imagine his surroundings and his fellow actors. In 1959, Williams moved over to Warner Brothers which cast him in the _Hawaiian Eye (1959)_ (qv) TV series. After this, Williams' career faded. His last appearance may have been on a _Family Feud (1976)_ (qv) episode in 1983 which featured other _Hawaiian Eye (1959)_ (qv) alumni. A lifelong bachelor, Williams died in 1985.::dinky-4 of Minneapolis