Gregory Alan Williams

Williams also appeared on the 2015 ABC series Secrets and Lies and then on Greenleaf, and later in 2017's Manhunt: Unabomber, and from 2019 to 2025 The Righteous Gemstones.

Gregory Alan Williams studied at Coe College and East High School. The recorded working language is English. Works named in the authority record are Boys to men: maps for the journey. Work by Gregory Alan Williams is recorded in the collections of Givens Collection of African American Literature.

• Name — Gregory Alan Williams • Born — 12 June 1956 • Birthplace — Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. • Other Names — Gregory Alan-Williams Gregalan Williams GregAlan Williams • Occupation — Actor, author • Years Active — 1986–present

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Williams graduated from East High School and attended Coe College and served in the United States Marine Corps before pursuing a career in acting. He made his acting debut opposite Steven Seagal in the 1988 film Above the Law. The following year, Williams won the role of Garner Ellerbee in Baywatch. He reprised the role in the 1995 spin-off series Baywatch Nights before returning to Baywatch in 1996. After leaving the series in 1998, Williams has had recurring guest roles on The Sopranos, The West Wing, The District, The Game, Army Wives, Drop Dead Diva, and Chicago Med. Additionally, he has guest starred in episodes of NYPD Blue, Boston Legal, One Tree Hill, and Meet the Browns and has also lent his voice to the animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force. From 2009 to 2013, Williams appeared as Judge Warren Libby in the comedy series Drop Dead Diva. Since 2011, Williams has portrayed the role of Coach Pat Purnell in the USA Network drama series Necessary Roughness. Williams has also had roles in several films, including Remember the Titans (2000), Old School (2003), Be Cool (2005), Dog Days of Summer (2007), Oliver Stone's biopic W. (2008), The Collector (2009), and MacGruber (2010). Williams also serves as the host of the syndicated series Know Your Heritage and Know Your Heritage: Black College Quiz. In 1992, Williams became the first recipient of the Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice (through Voices Against Injustice) due to his heroic efforts during the 1992 Los Angeles race riots in which he rescued an individual who had been pulled out of his car and was being beaten.

In addition to acting, Williams has authored four books including A Gathering of Heroes: Reflections on Rage and Responsibility: A Memoir of the Los Angeles Riots. The book chronicles Williams' life and experiences with racism, along with an incident during the 1992 Los Angeles riots in which he saved the life of a Japanese-American man who was being beaten by rioters.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1986 — Jack and Mike — FBI #1 — Episode: "Ready or Not" • 1989 — Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder — Charlie Brasher — TV movie • 1989–1998 — Baywatch — Officer Garner Ellerbee — Main cast (season 1 & 3–5), recurring cast (season 2), guest (season 8) • 1990 — Father Dowling Mysteries — Det. Lt. Adams — Episode: "The Murder Weekend Mystery" • 1990–1991 — Hunter — Officer Peter Hawkins — Recurring cast (season 7) • 1991 — The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — Security Guard — Episode: "Young and the Restless" • Roc — Albert — Episode: "Requiem for a Garbage Man" • 1991–1992 — Civil Wars — Ed Marsh — Recurring cast (season 1) • 1992–1994 — Dream On — Anchorman — Guest cast (season 3–5) • 1994 — L.A. Law — Ellis Cole — Episode: "Silence Is Golden" • 1995 — University Hospital — Lt. Foster — Episode: "The Right Thing" • Living Single — Darren — Episode: "The Ex-File" • The Parent 'Hood — Coach Vanderpool — Episode: "Track Dreams" • 1995–1997 — Baywatch Nights — Officer Garner Ellerbee — Main cast (season 1), guest (season 2) • 1996 — Murder, She Wrote — Lt. Paul Bragg — Episode: "Mrs. Parker's Revenge" • Spider-Man — Additional Voices (voice) — Episode: "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 7: The Man Without Fear" • Project ALF — Police Officer — TV movie • No One Would Tell — Detective Anderson — TV movie • 1997 — Dying to Belong — Carl Ridgeley — TV movie • The Blues Brothers Animated Series — Loure Lemon / Rasti (voice) — Main cast • 1998 — Mama Flora's Family — Charlie (1941) — 2 episodes • 2000 — City of Angels — Dr. Nate Ambrose — Recurring cast (season 2) • Freedom Song — Pullman Porter — TV movie • 2000–2001 — The Sopranos — Reverend James, Jr. — Guest (season 2), recurring cast (season 3) • 2000–2002 — The West Wing — Robbie Mosley — Recurring cast (season 2–3) • 2001 — Boston Public — Jason Anderson — Recurring cast (season 1) • 2001–2003 — The District — Clive Rogers — Recurring cast (season 2–4) • 2004 — The Practice — District Attorney — Episode: "Comings and Goings" • NYPD Blue — Agent Marcus — Episode: "Who's Your Daddy?" • Crossing Jordan — U.S. Army Chaplain — Episode: "Deja Past" • 2005 — Boston Legal — John Zenawi — Episode: "Schmidt Happens" • Monk — Sorenson — Episode: "Mr. Monk and Mrs. Monk" • Locusts — General Miller — TV movie • 2006 — One Tree Hill — Chuck — Episode: "All Tomorrow's Parties" • Everwood — James Cleveland — Episode: "Lost and Found" • Squidbillies — Plumber Bubba (voice) — Recurring cast (season 2) • 2006–2011 — The Game — Dr. James Barnett — Guest (season 1), recurring cast (season 3–4) • 2007 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Detective Folkner — Episode: "Philadelphia" • 2009 — Army Wives — Lt. Col. Wallace — Recurring cast (season 3) • Meet the Browns — Charles Walker — Episode: "Meet the Matrimony" • 2009–2014 — Drop Dead Diva — Judge Warren Libby — Recurring cast • 2010 — NCIS: Los Angeles — Vendor Phil — Episode: "Burned" • Past Life — Eli Parson — Recurring cast • Christmas Cupid — Larry — TV movie • 2011 — Castle — Jim Van-Eps — Episode: "Lucky Stiff" • Aqua Teen Hunger Force — Freedom Cobra (voice) — Recurring cast (season 8) • 2011, 2020 — Tyler Perry's House of Payne — Joffrey Starr — 2 episodes • 2011–2013 — Necessary Roughness — Coach Pat Purnell — Recurring cast • 2012 — Hornet's Nest — Detective Ron Brewster — TV movie • Somebody's Child — Petey — TV movie • 2013 — Between Sisters — Franklin — TV movie • Let the Church Say Amen — - — TV movie • Teachers — Robert — TV movie • Marry Me for Christmas — Donald — TV movie • Nashville — Detective Glynn — Episode: "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" • 2014 — My Other Mother — Abner — TV movie • Marry Us for Christmas — Donald — TV movie • Identity — Dr. Art Sloan — TV movie • Reckless — Geoff Tate — Episode: "Blind Sides" • Finding Carter — Captain Moss — Recurring cast (season 1) • 2015 — Being Mary Jane — Mark's Father — Episode: "Freedom" • Secrets and Lies — Kevin Haynes — Recurring cast (season 1) • Satisfaction — Mike — Episode: "...Through Bondage" • To Hell and Back — Lance — TV movie • A Baby for Christmas — Donald — TV movie • 2015–2016 — Powers — Waldo Pilgrim — Guest (season 1), recurring cast (season 2) • The Inspectors — Lawrence Downing — Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 2) • 2016 — Game of Silence — Aaron Epps — Recurring cast • Containment — Police Chief Myles Besser — Recurring cast • Merry Christmas, Baby — Donald — TV movie • 2016–2018 — Greenleaf — Robert 'Mac' McCready — Recurring cast (season 1), main cast (season 2), guest (season 3) • 2017 — Manhunt: Unabomber — Judge Garland Burrell — Episode: "USA vs. Theodore J. Kaczynski" • 2017–2025 — Chicago Med — Bert Goodwin — Guest (season 2-3 & 6), recurring cast (season 5 & 9) • 2018 — MacGyver — Julian Halsey — Episode: "Benjamin Franklin + Grey Duffle" • The Resident — Dr. Peterson — Recurring cast (season 1) • Mr. Mercedes — DA Harvey Dunford — Episode: "Nobody Puts Brady in a Crestmore" • Chandler Christmas Getaway — Donald — TV movie • 2019 — Swamp Thing — Mayor Riley — Episode: "Pilot" • 2019–2025 — The Righteous Gemstones — Martin Imari — Main cast • 2020 — Council of Dads — Will Calhoun — Episode: "Heart Medicine" • 2021 — Saints & Sinners — Victor Thompson — Recurring cast (season 5) • Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins Story — Elijah Wilson — TV movie • 2024 — Blue Ridge — Miles Mitchell — Episode: "Appalachian Waltz" • 2025 — Grosse Pointe Garden Society — Catherine's Father — Episode: "Seasons" • Will Trent — Drummond Moncrief — Episode: "Push, Jump, Fall" • 9-1-1: Nashville — Station Chief Harold Foster — 2 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2009 — Avatar: The Game — Dr. Victor Monroe • 2010 — Fallout: New Vegas — Additional voices

Gregory Alan Williams is recorded as actor, novelist and writer.

The archives are cited for the existence and date of each notice; their wording is not reproduced here.