The death of the 71-year-old actor was confirmed to The Times by Williams’ agent of 20 years, Barry McPherson.
“They couldn’t save him,” said an emotional McPherson. “And it’s just such a terrible thing, and unnecessary thing.
According to McPherson, Williams was riding his motorcycle on a Vermont roadway when a car crossed in front of him. Williams crashed into the vehicle, the agent said. Williams was still conscious when his wife, Pam Van Sant, and son Gill Williamsarrived at the scene. He died of internal injuries suffered in the crash, McPherson said.
“He’d been such a happy guy,” the agent said, fighting back tears, “working nonstop, and he has great projects coming out that he was excited about, and just to have this happen out of the blue like this. I’m still stunned.”
Shortly before Williams died, he posted a video to Twitter of a man tending to his farm with the caption, “What a real Vermonter does.”
McPherson said Williams had been excited for his forthcoming project, Ryan Murphy’s “Feud: Capote’s Women,” in which the actor portrays former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley, alongside a star-studded cast including Tom Hollander as Capote, Calista Flockhart, Diane Lane, Naomi Watts and Chloë Sevigny.
“I hope everybody appreciates how wonderful he was,” McPherson said. “Just beloved by filmmakers and other actors.”
Williams got his acting break with the 1975 thriller “Deadly Hero” but gained notoriety in the 1979 musical film “Hair,” when his portrayal of George Berger landed him a Golden Globe Award nomination for new star of the year.
He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture drama for the 1981 film “Prince of the City.” Williams also had roles in the films “The Eagle Has Landed,” “Once Upon a Time in America” and “The Late Shift.”
From 2002 to 2006, he portrayed Dr. Andrew ‘’Andy’’ Brown on the television series “Everwood.”