Billy Dee Williams | 4/6/1937 | 84

Billy Dee Williams’ career has a few remarkable twists and turns that propelled him to new heights of fame every few years. Born in New York City, he made his film acting debut in The Last Angry Man at 22. Williams worked steadily for the next decade, but it wasn’t until his Emmy-nominated performance in Brian’s Song that he became a household figure.

Billy spent the rest of the 1970s in front of the camera with a pile of film investments. And with his supporting appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, Williams took his ability to space. He reprised his role as charming scoundrel Lando Calrissian in Return of the Jedi and several computer games, TV series, and other projects. Billy made his next significant pop-cultural breakthrough in Batman as Harvey Dent. He remained busy during the next 20 years, but much of his work was limited to cameos or small-scale projects. He made cameo appearances in future Star Wars films, but he never reprised the role in live-action.