Melvin Williams Net Worth



Melvin Williams net worth is
$15 Million

Melvin Williams Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family

Melvin Williams was born on December 14, 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA as Melvin Douglas Williams. He was an actor, known for The Wire (2002), The Walter Hawkins Tribute Concert (2010) and Tapping the Wire (2007). He was married to Mary Williams. He died on December 3, 2015 in Baltimore. 
Net Worth$15 Million
Date Of BirthDecember 14, 1941
Place Of BirthBaltimore, Maryland, USA
ProfessionActor
NicknamesMelvin Williams, Williams, Melvin, Melvin G. Williams, Jr.
Star SignSagittarius
#Quote
1[Explaining the reason for his transformation from drug dealer, prison convict, and gangster to motivational speaker urging young men to avoid drug use and stay away from gangs.] Sometime in my fifties, I became aware that there was a God in charge, and not a Melvin.
#Fact
1This is not to mention those non-actor cast members brought from the real city of Baltimore into the fake one-for the HBO TV Series "The Wire," -- among them "Little Melvin" Williams, just out of prison on parole and cast as a wise, battle-scarred "Deacon." The Deacon, the HBO show character, is a West Side city church figure who is involved in many community projects. He also has many contacts within the city's academic population. He is a friend of teacher Grace Sampson and helps her ex-boyfriend Dennis "Cutty" Wise when he is released after a long prison sentence. Initially he tries to encourage Cutty to enroll in a GED program, but Cutty is not interested in this idea. The deacon then helps Cutty to open a community boxing gym. He puts Cutty in touch with State Delegate Odell Watkins through the politically influential Reverend Frank Reid to help with obtaining the necessary permits for the gym. He also helps Cutty to get a paying job working as a school custodian at Edward Tilghman Middle, where Grace teaches the eighth grade. The Deacon is also friends with Howard "Bunny" Colvin. When Colvin was Western District police commander the Deacon often served as his conscience. Colvin started three drug tolerant zones in his district and the deacon was dismayed at the poor conditions addicts faced in these areas and convinced Colvin to involve public health academics in providing services for the addicts now he had gathered them into an easy to reach area. Colvin was forced to retire because of his actions and the deacon found him a new job working with a sociologist in studying the prevention of repeat violent offender behavior.
2Williams was born and raised in Baltimore. His father drove a cab; his mother was a nurse's aide. Williams dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. Federal prosecutors said Williams eventually presided over a drug trade that grossed $1 million a DAY! Known as "Little Melvin" -- or "Slim" or "Black" -- for his preference for dark clothing -- he once ruled the illegal drug trade along Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. Williams served many years in federal prison for drug and gun convictions, and was one of the first criminals profiled on the BET program "American Gangster." In later years, Williams said he had undergone a change. He spoke out against drug use and counseled young men to steer clear of gangs. Williams explained his epiphany to U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis during a court appearance in 2003: "Sometimes in my fifties I became aware that there was a God in charge, and not a Melvin," he said. Williams left prison in 2003 after attorney Michael E. Marr had argued successfully that Williams didn't meet the technical requirements for the federal career criminal laws that prosecutors had used to send him to prison. Melvin Williams, whose life as a West Baltimore drug kingpin in the 1960s and post prison redemption earned him a recurring role in HBO's "The Wire,' died at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Friends said Williams (73 years old) had cancer.
3Williams was a notorious drug kingpin in Baltimore who was brought to justice by Ed Burns. In his youth Melvin Williams was a real-life drug kingpin who was arrested by "The Wire" TV-series writer Ed Burns in 1984 when the latter was a Baltimore city police officer. The HBO's show creator David Simon was responsible for covering the arrest for The Baltimore Sun at the time. Williams received a 34-year sentence for his crimes and much of the evidence against him came from a wiretap investigation like the one featured in the first season of the TV show "The Wire." David Simon, who co-created the television series "The Wire," covered Melvin Williams as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. Later, Simon was having a meal with Melvin Williams at a restaurant when they met Ed Burns, a former homicide detective who had built a successful case against Williams and was collaborating at the time with Mr. Simon on "The Wire." "They shared some very funny moments," Simon said. Afterwards, Simon said, the pair offered Williams the role of "the Deacon" on "The Wire," which ran from 2002 to 2008. Williams appeared in the television series episodes in Season 3 and 4. The show's character -- "D'Avon Barksdale" -- is loosely based on Melvin Williams. Melvin Williams joined Simon's HBO TV series "The Wire" as "the Deacon" in season 3. "Melvin did a lot of damage -- and he'd be the first to admit it," Simon said. "He was a fascinating man in terms of Baltimore and what the drug war was going to do to this country".
4Recently, after the HBO TV series demise, Melvin Williams operated an indoor flea market. His survivors include his wife, Mary, and two daughters. Williams was preceded in death by son Donald.
5Was portrayed on BET's American Gangster series.
6Was the main inspiration for Avon Barksdale's character in The Wire (2002).

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Wire2004-2008TV SeriesDeacon

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Walter Hawkins Tribute Concert2010TV MovieHimself
Life in the Game2009Video documentaryHimself
The Wire Odyssey2007TV Movie documentaryHimself
American Gangster2007TV Series documentaryHimself
Tapping the Wire2007TV Movie documentaryHimself

Known for movies

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