Treat Williams passed away today in Dorset, Vermont, at the age of 71, after his motorcycle was cut off by a driver making a turn.
His wife, Pam, and their two children, Gil and Ellie, released this statement to Deadline: “It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont, after a fatal motorcycle accident. As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time.
“Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it. It is all so shocking right now, but please know that Treat was dearly and deeply loved and respected by his family and everyone who knew him.
“We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief. To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers.”
Treat got his start on Broadway, so it makes sense that his breakout role would be the musical Hair in 1979. He played a hippie who was the leader of his group of friends in NYC. He was fighting the man, the establishment, and the war, and it was the war that killed his character. He gave such a performance. It is one that will never be forgotten.
Just like when he played the compassionate Dr. Andy Brown on Everwood. Along with moving to a small town after his wife died, he was raising his two children, who were missing his mother. He was doing the best he could, and we were rooting for him with every step he took. He was the type of doctor you want to look over you when you were healthy and be caring with you when you were not.
In every role that he played, he brought his one-of-a-kind presence to the screen. Whether he was playing a tough guy in The Substitute franchise, the loving dad in Chesapeake Shores, the troubled father in White Collar and Chicago Fire, politicians, or law enforcement of all levels, I could go on.
But he was a man that seemed as lovable and wonderful off-camera as he was when he was in front of it. He would share photos from his beloved Vermont home. We would see the snow-covered landscape in the winter and the beautiful grass in the summer. In fact, just two hours before we got word of his passing, he shared a video of himself mowing his lawn, happy as could be, “wishing he could bottle the scent” of freshly cut grass.
And happy is what he made me ever since I saw Hair as a little girl. I had a crush on him from that movie. And then a whole new appreciation for him with Everwood. His death hit me the hardest since Robin Williams. I never met him, but I did chat with him on the phone. I don’t know if he knew how much it meant to me.
But I hope he feels my love and the love of everyone else he touched as he is on his way to heaven. My heart also goes out to his family.
Tonight, I will be sleeping with Hair on Tubi. And tomorrow, I will watch some of his other many roles on the streaming site for free.
