Billy Williams has died at the age of 96 after finding fame as cinematographer for The Exorcist. The Oscar-winner’s death was announced in British Cinematographer magazine, though no details about the cause have been given. The Camerimage official X account also tweeted: “With deep sorrow, we bid farewell to Billy Williams – an outstanding British cinematographer, laureate of the “Golden Frog” for exceptional achievements in the art of cinematography at the Camerimage Festival in 2000.”
Williams shared an Oscar for the film Gandhi and was also nominated for two other gongs: one for his work on Women in Love, starring Glenda Jackson and another for Henry Fonda’s last film On Golden Pond.
Things weren’t easy for the star while he was filming Gandhi on-location, explaining in 2020: “It was obviously very hot and dusty, and travelling was not easy. It was a tough schedule. We would leave at seven in the morning and get back at eight at night, then watch the rushes on a mobile protector. But it was an intensely rewarding film and satisfying to be involved in because here’s somebody who really changed history.”
A slipped disc meant he then had to return to the UK for treatment, with Ronnie Taylor replacing him as cinematographer. Though he returned, the back problems returned, and he was forced to leave set again. They ended up sharing the Oscar between them, with Ronnie Taylor explaining to British Cinematographer: “Billy and I did about 10 weeks each on the picture. Richard Attenborough decided that if there were going to be any nominations, that Billy and I should share the credit.”
Tributes have flooded in from fans on social media, with one tweeting: “Sad news, RIP!” Another echoed: “Farewell to Billy Williams, a British cinematographer and cameraman of incredible finesse. He won an Oscar for GANDHI, and his performance in John Milius’s THE WIND AND THE LION, and Mark Rydell’s magnificent ON GOLDEN POND, were no less memorable.”
A third account posted: “Billy Williams, acclaimed British cinematographer known for Gandhi (Oscar winner) and On Golden Pond, died at 96. He was celebrated for his innovative work and contributions to cinema.”