Biografia
Barry William Blenkhorn grew up in Santa Monica, California. After turning 4, he became determined to enter show business. He was neighbors with actor Peter Graves, whom he admired and sought advice from on becoming an actor. Graves simply told him to keep thinking about it. At 11, he changed his name to Barry Williams. He then hired an acting coach, took scene study classes in Sherman Oaks, and studied film and television techniques. This led to a lead role in the educational film "Why Johnny Can Read" and appearances in TV commercials. He also had guest roles on shows like Run for Your Life (1965), Here Come the Brides (1968), It Takes a Thief (1968), Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969), and Mission: Impossible (1966). His breakthrough came when he was cast as Greg Brady in the hit family sitcom The Brady Bunch (1969). After the first season, he and his TV siblings released a Christmas album with Paramount Records, which sold poorly as critics said the six kids couldn't sing. Barry took singing lessons and released a single, "Sweet Sweetheart," hoping for a solo album, but producers advised him to wait while continuing to record and tour with his TV siblings. They produced three more records, toured during summers, and starred in the animated series The Brady Kids (1972), featuring some of their songs. After The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, Barry began solo concerts and pursued musical theatre, landing roles in productions such as Pippin, West Side Story, Oklahoma, Movie Star, Grease, The Music Man, Romance/Romance, City of Angels, and The Sound of Music. He also made occasional TV appearances on Police Woman (1974), Three's Company (1976), Highway to Heaven (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1984), the soap General Hospital (1963), and the MTV series Hollywood 7 (2001), as well as participating in all Brady Bunch reunion shows. In 1978, he attempted a solo career by signing with Private Stock Records, but the label went out of business. In 1999, he released a tribute album, The Return of Johnny Bravo, featuring cover songs that showcased his singing and celebrated 30 years of The Brady Bunch. He continues to perform in musical theatre, tour with his music, and engage in public speaking.
