Guy Williams, the actor best remembered as the swashbuckling hero of Disney’s “Zorro” and as the patriarch on the sci-fi series “Lost in Space,” died alone in his Buenos Aires apartment in 1989 at the age of 65. His body was discovered on May 7, but authorities determined he had been dead for several days. He had last been seen alive on April 30. The cause of death was a brain aneurysm, and his ashes were later scattered in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Malibu, California.
Born Armando Joseph Catalano in New York City on January 14, 1924, Williams was the elder child of an insurance broker of Italian descent. He grew up in the Washington Heights area and attended Peekskill Military Academy before breaking into the entertainment industry as a male model. Training at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse led to early television work, including a role in “Studio One” in 1948. He made his film debut with a featured role as a pilot in “The Beginning or the End” (1947), a dramatization of the development of the first atomic bomb.
In 1952, Universal Pictures signed him after a screen test, and the tall, athletic, photogenic actor spent his early Hollywood years paying his dues. He appeared in uncredited bits in films such as “Back at the Front” (1952), “All I Desire” (1953), “The Golden Blade” (1953), and “Take Me to Town” (1953). When Williams did receive billing early on, the roles were modest. He appeared in “Bonzo Goes to College” (1952), the sequel to Ronald Reagan’s cult comedy “Bedtime for Bonzo,” as well as “The Mississippi Gambler” (1953) with Tyrone Power and “The Man from the Alamo” (1953) with Glenn Ford.
He later left Universal and freelanced, landing a minor role as a cop in the horror classic “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957) starring Michael Landon, along with scattered television appearances on shows like “Highway Patrol” and “The Lone Ranger. ”
His career changed course when Walt Disney signed him at age 33 to play Don Diego de la Vega, better known as “Zorro,” in 1957. The series made him a star. His dashing looks, eloquence, and charm attracted devoted female fans, while male audiences admired his fencing skill and easy confidence.
The show was so popular that several episodes were edited together and released as two feature films: “The Sign of Zorro” (1958) and “Zorro the Avenger” (1959). Disney continued to promote Williams in the early 1960s. He appeared in “The Prince and the Pauper” on “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” in 1962 and took on fully bearded heroic roles in two fantasy adventure films: Damon in “Damon and Pythias” (1962) and the title role in “Captain Sinbad” (1963). In 1964, he reunited with Michael Landon, his “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” co-star, when he arrived on the set of “Bonanza” to play cousin Will Cartwright for several episodes.
Williams’ final major television role came with “Lost in Space” in 1965. Although the show was often remembered for the campy antics of Jonathan Harris as the villainous Dr. Smith, Williams provided a strong anchor as the family patriarch. The cast included June Lockhart as his wife, and his character led the Robinson family through adventures battling aliens and the forces of nature.
The series was hugely popular at first but, much like the contemporaneous “Batman” series, faded quickly and lasted only three seasons. His character, John Robinson, was later ranked number 38 on TV Guide’s 2004 list of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time. Co-star Bill Mumy nicknamed Williams “the Comb” because he frequently combed his hair between takes on set. When Williams first visited Argentina in 1973, he was struck by the admiration locals expressed for him and for his signature character, El Zorro.
He fell in love with the country’s people and culture, and eventually retired there in the 1970s, aside from occasional personal appearances. He spent his later years in the upscale Buenos Aires neighborhood of Recoleta, where he lived quietly until his sudden death in 1989.