One of the coolest dudes to come out of the 60’s was Linc from The Mod Squade. Played by Clarence Williams III, Linc was a badass undercover detective that made all the ladies swoon. The character (and by proxy, Clarence himself) was even a Black Power icon.
in addition to The Mod Squad role, which lasted from 1968 to 1973, he also appeared in such films as Purple Rain as Prince’s father, Reindeer Games, and Tales from the Hood.
The versatile Williams also had his comedy side. He played a former leader of the People’s Revolutionary Army in Keenen Ivory Wayans’ blaxploitation parody I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) and worked with Dave Chappelle in 1998’s Half-Baked.
Williams was born in Harlem on Aug. 21, 1939, the son of professional musician Clay Williams. He grew up in music, raised by his grandparents, which included composer-pianist Clarence Williams, a frequent collaborator of blues legend Bessie Smith.
Williams died in Los Angeles on Friday June 4 of colon cancer, according to his management