Paul Williams

Biography

Paul Hamilton Williams Jr. (born September 19, 1940) is a renowned American composer, singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained fame in the 1970s for penning and co-penning a multitude of beloved songs, including "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country" for Three Dog Night, "You and Me Against the World" for Helen Reddy, "Fill Your Heart" for Biff Rose, as well as the Carpenters' hits "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays."

In addition to his songwriting prowess, Williams showcased his talent through the score and lyrics for the musical Bugsy Malone (1976). He also contributed to several films with notable works, including the Oscar-nominated "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie, and the lyrics for "Evergreen," the romantic theme from Barbra Streisand's A Star Is Born, earning him both a Grammy for Song of the Year and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. He also crafted the lyrics for the iconic theme song of the television series The Love Boat, originally composed by Charles Fox, first performed by Jack Jones and later by Dionne Warwick.

Williams ventured into acting with memorable roles, portraying Little Enos Burdette in the action-comedy Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and the sinister Swan in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), a project for which he also co-composed the score and received an Oscar nomination. Since 2009, he has served as the president and chairman of ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.