Cara Williams was an actress known for her roles in movies including “The Defiant Ones” and on TV in “Pete and Gladys.”
- Died: December 9, 2021 (Who else died on December 9?)
- Details of death: Died at her home in Beverly Hills, California of a heart attack at the age of 96.
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Acting career
Williams began appearing in movies in the early 1940s, with credits including “Happy Land,” “Laura,” and “Boomerang.” She had a career highlight in 1958 with “The Defiant Ones;” she was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Billy’s mother. In 1960, Williams took a starring role opposite Harry Morgan (1915–2011) on TV’s “Pete and Gladys.” She was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1962. In both “Pete and Gladys” and her later sitcom, “The Cara Williams Show,” Williams played scatterbrained characters, inviting comparisons to Lucille Ball (1911–1989). Williams’ acting career slowed down after the mid-1960s, but she had a notable later role playing Mae on “Rhoda.”
Tributes to Cara Williams
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
