SWAN

The evil music industry genius Swan, as portrayed by Paul Williams in the the must-see cult classic Phantom of the Paradise...

Paul Williams, circa 1976

Paul parties down in an uncredited photo. Dig that suit! I bet he went home and wrote a hit song afterwards...

(if anybody knows who took the photo or the the story behind it, please pass it on to us!)

Who The Hell Is Paul Williams?

You know who Paul Williams is, even if you think you don't. Throughout the seventies and early eighties, the songwriter, singer, actor, producer and all around multi-media wizard dominated pop culture with an unshakable presence that could not be ignored.

Paul wrote major hits for stars like the Carpenters, John Denver, Three Dog Night, Kermit the Frog, and dozens more. As a composer he created counteless soundtracks for films like Phantom of the Paradise, The Muppet Movie, Thunderbolt & Lightfoot, and the world famous theme from The Love Boat.

And if Paul's fingertip on the pulse of the music business wasn't enough, he stepped into the world of acting. An unlikely star in a superficial world of flavor of the month pretty boys, Paul's charisma and natural likability found him a welcome personality on both the big and small screen. With his comedic turn as Little Enos in Smokey and the Bandit, his darker role as the villainous Swan in the cult classic Phantom of the Paradise, to his always enjoyable appearances on Fantasy Island and The Muppet Show, Paul Williams cemented himself a solid niche in 70's pop-culture history. He even landed a fine supporting role as a genius orangutan in the Planet of the Apes saga. It seems there's nothing Paul can't do.



These days Paul still records, writes hit songs for films, and makes the occasional movie appearance every so often. You may have even heard his voice work in animated features from time to time. He shows no signs of slowing down.

This blog will represent a modest effort to trace the man's multi-decade career and his sizable body of work for both fans and newcomers. Please come on by and visit us to talk about all things Paul!