Unexpected Surprises

In tribute to the recently deceased actor Roy Scheider, the Web site Noir of the Week reviews his 1986 film 52 Pickup, which was adapted from Elmore Leonard’s 1974 novel of the same name. I’d forgotten that, in addition to Scheider, that movie featured Clarence Williams III, who starred as Linc Hayes in The Mod Squad (the first season of which I am slowly running through my DVD player). Maybe it’s time to revisit that picture.

By the way, it’s fascinating how much you can learn simply by following Web links. From Noir of the Week, I clicked over to Williams’ Wikipedia page, where I learned that not only did he make a noteworthy (if heavily made-up) appearance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but he played Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson in last year’s American Gangster. Williams wasn’t credited in the film, but now I understand why Johnson looked so familiar on the big screen!