Willie Garson(1964-2021)
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Rarely at a loss for work, Willie Garson appeared in more than 300 episodes of television and more than 70 films. Best known for his long runs on television as Mozzie on FBI: Duo très spécial (2009), Stanford Blatch on Sex and the City (1998), and Henry Coffield on New York Police Blues (1993), he also appeared as the grifter with a heart of gold, Gerard Hirsch, on Hawaii 5-0 (2010).
Born in New Jersey, he started training at the Actors Institute In New York, before majoring in psychology and theater at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After graduation, he quickly started landing guest roles on such shows as Cheers (1982), Sacrée famille (1982), Génération pub (1987), La loi de Los Angeles (1986), as well as continually recurring in a wide array of shows including X-Files : Aux frontières du réel (1993), Mystères à Twin Peaks (1990), Mon oncle Charlie (2003), Stargate SG-1 (1997), Pushing Daisies (2007), The practice: Bobby Donnell & associés (1997), Ally McBeal (1997), etc., etc., etc. His favorite long-form role on TV was Dr. Kreutz for Steven Spielberg in the acclaimed miniseries Disparition (2002). Garson also appeared in many episodes of Incorrigible Cory (1993) and Le Monde de Riley (2014).
On the big screen, other than reprising his Sex and the City (1998) role for two features (Sex and the City: Le film (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010)), he collaborated with the Farrelly brothers on three films, Mary à tout prix (1998), Strike (1996), and Terrain d'entente (2005), as well as appearing in La télé lave plus propre (1991), Un jour sans fin (1993), Mars Attacks! (1996), Rock (1996), Dans la peau de John Malkovich (1999), and many others. He was often used by such varied directors as Spike Jonze, Michael Bay, the late great Mike Nichols, and Ron Shelton. Next up is Feed (2017), touching on a subject Garson was very proud to be a part of. Upcoming films include 7 Days to Vegas (2019), and Magic Camp (2020).
As a director, Garson directed episodes of FBI: Duo très spécial (2009) and Le Monde de Riley (2014), and, with Warner Brothers, had TV shows in development as producer/creator.
Garson continued to perform with various bicoastal theater companies such as Naked Angles, Manhattan Theater Club, the Roundabout Theater, and the Geffen. He was also very involved with many charities, including AMFAR, Camp Joslin for Diabetes, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and especially the Alliance for Children's Rights, which facilitates adoptions in LA County. This had a special place in the Garson family, as Willie adopted his son Nathan in Los Angeles in 2010, and twice served as national spokesman for National Adoption Day.
Aside from acting, Garson was known as a world-class poker player, nicknamed Evil Willie on the first episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown (2003), and continued to play in tournaments all over the world, both for charity and through the World Poker Tour.
Born in New Jersey, he started training at the Actors Institute In New York, before majoring in psychology and theater at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After graduation, he quickly started landing guest roles on such shows as Cheers (1982), Sacrée famille (1982), Génération pub (1987), La loi de Los Angeles (1986), as well as continually recurring in a wide array of shows including X-Files : Aux frontières du réel (1993), Mystères à Twin Peaks (1990), Mon oncle Charlie (2003), Stargate SG-1 (1997), Pushing Daisies (2007), The practice: Bobby Donnell & associés (1997), Ally McBeal (1997), etc., etc., etc. His favorite long-form role on TV was Dr. Kreutz for Steven Spielberg in the acclaimed miniseries Disparition (2002). Garson also appeared in many episodes of Incorrigible Cory (1993) and Le Monde de Riley (2014).
On the big screen, other than reprising his Sex and the City (1998) role for two features (Sex and the City: Le film (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010)), he collaborated with the Farrelly brothers on three films, Mary à tout prix (1998), Strike (1996), and Terrain d'entente (2005), as well as appearing in La télé lave plus propre (1991), Un jour sans fin (1993), Mars Attacks! (1996), Rock (1996), Dans la peau de John Malkovich (1999), and many others. He was often used by such varied directors as Spike Jonze, Michael Bay, the late great Mike Nichols, and Ron Shelton. Next up is Feed (2017), touching on a subject Garson was very proud to be a part of. Upcoming films include 7 Days to Vegas (2019), and Magic Camp (2020).
As a director, Garson directed episodes of FBI: Duo très spécial (2009) and Le Monde de Riley (2014), and, with Warner Brothers, had TV shows in development as producer/creator.
Garson continued to perform with various bicoastal theater companies such as Naked Angles, Manhattan Theater Club, the Roundabout Theater, and the Geffen. He was also very involved with many charities, including AMFAR, Camp Joslin for Diabetes, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and especially the Alliance for Children's Rights, which facilitates adoptions in LA County. This had a special place in the Garson family, as Willie adopted his son Nathan in Los Angeles in 2010, and twice served as national spokesman for National Adoption Day.
Aside from acting, Garson was known as a world-class poker player, nicknamed Evil Willie on the first episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown (2003), and continued to play in tournaments all over the world, both for charity and through the World Poker Tour.
