Treat Williams’ Posts Show Idyllic, Quiet Farm Life He Chose Over Hollywood Hustle & Bustle

Jun 15, 2023 by apost team

Treat Williams, the actor most popularly known in the movie musical "Hair" and in Steven Spielberg's "1941," passed away at the age of 71 years old on Jun. 12, 2023. Williams' agent for 15 years, Barry McPherson, confirmed the saddening news to People Magazine. 

Born Dec. 1, 1951, in Stamford, Connecticut, Richard Treat Williams had over 120 acting credits to his name. His appearance in the movie musical "Hair" and the movie "1941" catapulted the actor's reputation to popularity. 

Later on, he also starred in various films like "The Eagle Has Landed," "Prince of the City," "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Late Shift," and "127 Hours," among many others. Aside from working in film, he also became a lead actor in "Everwood," which made him one of the biggest television actors at the time. For his role as Dr. Andrew "Andy" Brown in "Everwood," Treat earned himself two Screen Actors Guild Awards. 

In his last few years, Treat appeared sparingly in some television shows and films. He appeared as a recurring actor in "Chicago Fire," "Heartland," "Against the Wall," "Eve of Destruction," "White Collar," "Blue Bloods," and a main actor in "American Odyssey" and "Chesapeake Shores." Aside from being a distinguished actor, Treat was also a writer, stage actor, and aviator. 

Recent reports stated that Treat lived alternately in Park City in Utah and Manchester Center in Vermont with his wife, Pam Van Sant, and their two children, Gill and Elinor Williams. Keep on reading to learn more about Treat, his life in front of the camera, and the rustic farm life he built for himself and his family in Vermont. 

Treat, a Connecticut native, was the son of Marian, an antique dealer, and Richard Norman Williams, a corporate executive. From Stamford, Treat and his family relocated to Rowayton, Connecticut. 

The actor has a long line of prominent people down his ancestry. His maternal great-great-great-grandfather was US Senator William Henry Barnum, the third cousin of showman P.T. Barnum. Treat was also a distant family relative of one of the American Founding Fathers, Robert Treat Paine. 

Growing up, Treat played a lot of football. He then finished his education at the Kent School in Connecticut and Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

Eventually, Treat ventured into acting and had his film debut in 1975 on "Deadly Hero." Afterward, he had a role in "The Ritz," playing a curious detective. In 1979, he was catapulted to fame in his role as George Berger in the Miloš Forman film "Hair," based on the hit 1967 Broadway musical. 

He went on to earn his first Golden Globe nomination for the said role. From then on, he appeared in more than 75 films and shows on television. 

Eventually, Treat's second Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance in a Motion Picture came in the form of his starring role in "Prince of the City." Meanwhile, his third nod was for Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film for Stanley Kowalski in the television film" A Streetcar Named Desire."

He then earned his Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special Emmy Award for his work in "The Late Shift." 

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Treat passed away on Jun. 12, 2023, in a vehicular accident. In a statement to People, his agent, McPherson, said Treat was killed after a collision occurred between his motorcycle and a car. 

"He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s," McPherson said. "He was really proud of his performance this year. He's been so happy with the work that I got him. He's had a balanced career."

According to authorities, the crash occurred in the afternoon in Dorset, Vermont. Reports revealed Treat was turning a corner when an approaching car cut him off and collided with his motorcycle. 

After his passing, his family issued a statement that read:

“Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it. It is all so shocking right now, but please know that Treat was dearly and deeply loved and respected by his family and everyone who knew him. We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief.”

Treat often posted about his wife and two children. On Jun. 6, 2023, he shared a portrait of his daughter Ellie and captioned it, “I miss you daughter ❤️❤️❤️” On Jun. 1, 2023, he posted a photo of his living room with his wife Pam sitting on the sofa. “Pam just redid our living room. I love what she did. Actually I love her. Lucky me,” the caption read. On March 30, 2023, he also posted a beautiful father-son photo of himself with his son Gill.

Just hours before his passing, Treat shared what would come to be his final posts on social media. The first post on Instagram was a photo of lush and green grounds. Treat captioned the picture, “There is no better smell than new mown hay.” The second post was a video from the same scene that showed a person riding a lawn mower over the grass. “Hay day,” was the simple caption.

Despite being a famed actor, Treat eschewed the bright lights of Hollywood to make a quiet home for his family in the small town of Manchester, Vermont. Treat often posted about life on his idyllic 200-year-old farmhouse away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and it’s not hard to see why. Photos and videos he shared showed how tranquil, stunning and serene the grounds of his home are. “Lucky me,” Treat captioned one Instagram photo that showed the property gleaming in the sunlight. 

In 2021, Treat told Vermont magazine:

“I bought the house that we’re in 35 years ago. I’ve always had an enormous love for Vermont, both in winter and summer. There was something incredibly special about it to me, and the people here are incredibly honest, real, and good-humored. There’s also always something new to discover somewhere on a dirt road that you’ve never traveled on before. Every day I wake up so grateful to see the view that I see out of my window and to be living up here. I think very few people are lucky as I am to say, ‘I love where I live.’”

Adding he had no “fantasies of being somewhere else,” the star remarked he had “everything I want and need in Vermont. I’ve been all over the world, and I’ve never seen a place as beautiful as Vermont.”

Condolences to Treat Williams' family. Are you a fan of Treat Williams? What is your favorite performance of his? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones!