By: Maximillian Boudreaux

Actor Clarence Williams III, who broke cultural stereotypes with his portrayal of the hippie undercover police officer Linc Hayes in The Mod Squad, died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles.

The cause of death was colon cancer and he was 81, according to his management.

Williams was born in New York on August 21, 1939, into a musical family. His father Clay Williams was a musician.

Williams’ career began on the stage, and he received a Tony nomination in 1965 for his role in “Slow Dance on the Killing Ground.”

His stardom took off from The Mod Squad, but he has appeared in huge cult films such as Purple Rain, Half Baked, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Tales from the Hood.

Williams is survived by his sister, Sondra Pugh, and his daughter, Jamey Phillips.

Colleagues took to social media to pay homage to the late actor.

When I was a kid growing up in NYC Clarence Williams III was a face on TV that I identified with and that inspired me. From the Mod Squad, to Purple Rain and Sugar Hill, he always performed with dynamic energy. Rest in power, king ✊? pic.twitter.com/GIZLSjp4uV

— Lenny Kravitz (@LennyKravitz) June 6, 2021

An extraordinary actor. Revolutionary. Ahead of his time. What an honor to work with this man on THE BUTLER. Rest in Power. #ClarenceWilliamsIII pic.twitter.com/EqsunpqrRl

— Lee Daniels (@leedanielsent) June 7, 2021