Ed Williams, best known for his role as quirky, deadpan lab technician Ted Olson(en) on the TV show “Police Squad!” and “Naked Gun” films, has died at age 98. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Williams’ granddaughter reached out to tell them that he passed away on October 2 in Los Angeles.
Ed Williams Auditioned for ‘Police Squad!’ When He Was 56
According to IMDb, Williams was born in Santa Clara County, California, on November 26, 1926. After a 24-year hiatus from auditioning, he landed the “Police Squad!” role of Mr. Olson at the age of 56.
After starring in six episodes of the TV show in 1982, he reprised his role in 1988’s “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!,” 1991’s “The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear,” and 1994’s “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult.”
Besides “Police Squad!” and “Naked Gun,” he had a long career taking on supporting roles and characters. He often played reporters and clergy members. He played the reverend in “Father of the Bride” alongside Diane Keaton and Steve Martin, and Reverend Mulcahey in “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Most recently, he was a member of the Hollywood Radio Players. He and other actors recreated “The War of the Worlds,” “Gunsmoke “Chester’s Dilemma,” and other older shows.
Williams Spent Much of His Life Teaching Broadcasting & Speech
Williams always loved acting, and he acted in more than 200 plays in his early twenties. He earned a master’s degree at Stanford in acting and directing after serving in the U.S. Army. After he and his wife, Nancy, came to Hollywood, he became a teacher. In 1961, he began teaching broadcasting at the L.A. City College.
The reason Williams stopped auditioning was that he had strong feelings concerning teachers and side jobs. âI do not approve of professors that go out and moonlight and make a lot of money on the side and neglect their classes,â he said in a 2017 interview with “Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters.” âThat used to make me mad to hear that.â
After moving to the speech department, he found he suddenly had a lot more free time, so he decided to try to get back into acting.
âI felt like the [guy] whoâs been trained to be a surgeon, but he didnât quite get in the operating room,â he said. âI wanted to get in the operating room.â
Williams is survived by his wife, Nancy, sons Fred and Ian, and Grandchildren Stephanie and Maureen.
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