Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that answer the question.
Query: Who played the character Paul Williams on The Young and the Restless?
Paul Williams is a fictional character on the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Paul was introduced to the show on May 23, 1978, and has been portrayed by Doug Davidson ever since.[1] Initially Paul was a "bad boy", who had a romance with Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), giving her an STD. The relationship ultimately ended, but the two have remained friends since. After a year on the series, Bell gave the character a proper backstory, surname and family. This included his notoriously unstable sister Patty Williams (Stacey Haiduk). After a failed marriage to April Stevens (Cynthia Eilbacher)—who gave birth to his daughter Heather Stevens (Jennifer Landon)—focus turned towards Paul's career as a private investigator, as well as his relationship and eventual marriage to and later divorce from Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman). Paul's string of unsuccessful romances with women—including his ill-fated bride Cindy Lake (DeAnna Robbins), and Cassandra Rawlins (Nina Arvesen), the wife of one of his clients—continued. Over the years, Paul continued to become heavily involved in various storylines as a private investigator.
The character Paul Williams was born in May 1960, the son of police detective Carl Williams (Brett Hadley) and Mary Williams (Carolyn Conwell). He has three siblings: Todd, Steven and Patty.
The storyline in which Peter Porte joined the show as Paul's psychotic son Ricky was praised. Adam Hughes of Yahoo! described the possibilities stemming from his return: "Ricky will undoubtedly open up many old wounds and many new story line possibilities. Will he angrily confront Paul? Will Isabella manage to return home, as well, to see her big boy?"[50] After Paul was forced to shoot (and kill) Ricky, Michael Logan of TV Guide wrote that "the actor tackled his toughest story yet when his character unintentionally killed his own son and nearly went to the slammer. Davidson's performance was so beautiful and poignant it made our souls ache".[42] Zap2it placed Davidson on a list of "Top 10 Male Entertainers" by the end of 2012: "For the better part of a decade, daytime's best male crier, Doug Davidson rode the bench on The Young and the Restless. This was strange, since his popular, P.I. character Paul Williams had previously and consistently driven story on the soap throughout the late 70s, 80s, 90s and early 00s". The website was pleased with Paul's new storylines, saying that the "harrowing image" before Paul shot and killed his son "will stay with us for a while".[51] Dave Masko of the website Huliq called "turning the character of Paul from a mainstay on the series for 30 years, into someone who murders his own son" one of the stops pulled out by The Young and the Restless to boost "slipping" ratings.[52]
Greg Foster is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless". A string of different actors played the role from 1973 to 1982, most notably James Houghton and Wings Hauser, who both reprised their roles as Greg in 2003 and 2010.
Mason Wilder first appeared on December 12, 2012 as the nephew of Sarge Wilder (Darnell Williams). His casting in the recurring role was announced in October 2012 by "Entertainment Weekly". In January 2014, Archey finished his stint with "The Young and the Restless".
In 1997, The Museum of Television and Radio wrote that with the arrival of the character, who was an "enigmatic stranger popular with women", "the show's revived tableau was complete", saying it was an "amazingly seamless transition" and praised William J. Bell for the character's introduction. Deanna Barnert of MSN Entertainment wrote of Braeden's tenure: "Eric Braeden first signed onto "The Young and the Restless" in 1980 for a mini-stint as a baddy, but stayed on to change the game in Genoa City forever, becoming one of daytime's most recognizable forces on and off screen." In 2010, Global News wrote that, "From the early days of "The Young and the Restless", Victor Newman has been a symbol of power in Genoa City."
Ricky Williams is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera "The Young and the Restless". The character was created as the son of Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) and Isabella Braña (Eva Longoria), born onscreen on May 10, 2002. After being portrayed by a series of unidentified infant child actors, the character was raised by Isabella's parents in Los Angeles, California. In 2011, Ricky was rapidly aged to an adult, with Peter Porte being cast to play the character. Zap2it described Ricky as "a one-dimensional villain with daddy and mommy issues".
The character's most prominent love story occurred when he married attorney Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell). The couple faced various challenges together, with their first marriage ending as a result of his affair with the psychotic Isabella Braña (Eva Longoria). The affair produced Paul's son Ricky Williams (Pete Porte); Isabella was admitted to a mental institution and Ricky grew up away from his father. Years later, Paul established a relationship with his daughter Heather, who returned to Genoa City (now an adult) as a lawyer. After years away, Paul's adult son Ricky returned to town and it was revealed that he, like his mother, was mentally unstable. In a controversial storyline, Paul was forced to shoot and kill Ricky to prevent him from killing Eden Baldwin (Jessica Heap). Paul has since assumed the role of police chief for the GCPD and remarried Christine.
In late 2006, "The Young and the Restless" recast the role of popular daytime villainess, Sheila Carter. Originally played by Kimberlin Brown on both "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful", the character was later handed over to Michelle Stafford, who also plays Phyllis. Although this recast was mainly storyline-directed, since Sheila had plastic surgery to look like Phyllis, fans of Sheila have expressed mixed opinions regarding Brown's absence in the role.
Matt Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless". The role was originated by Eddie Cibrian in May 1994, who left the show in 1996. After Russell Lawrence briefly playing the character in 2000, Rick Hearst took over the role that year, departing in 2001 after the character was killed off. Hearst returned for several appearances as an apparition. Matt was known as an antagonistic villain who created problems for Nick and Sharon Newman, beginning when they were teens in high school. He raped both Sharon Collins and Amy Wilson, and framed Nicholas Newman for multiple crimes.
—Davidson, on distinguishing himself from Paul
He landed an on-going role as Jazz Jackson in "Young & the Restless" that went from 1983 to 1986.
According to Connie Passalacqua's article in "The Northwest Arkansas Times". It was after two months of playing his role that his acting ability impressed the powers at "Young & the Restless" enough to expand his role.
Elwwood's character as Mob leg breaker, now a bad-guy-turned-good, Jazz Jackson was already established by the time Phil Morris came in to play his brother Tyrone Jackson. The character Jazz who originally got involved with a crime syndicate so he could put younger brother Tyrone through law school, ended up killing mobster Tony DiSalvo would end up working as an operative for PIs, Andy Richards and Paul Williams.
While heavy recasting is considered to have doomed some series such as "Ryan's Hope" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing", "The Young and the Restless"' has been successful at replacing some of its lead characters with other actors. Most often, major characters are played by the same actor for decades; if they left the show, the characters left with them. But in the case of "The Young and the Restless", their replacements were often popular and remade the character in their own image. When William Grey Espy left the show in 1975, the role of Snapper Foster was given to then-unknown actor David Hasselhoff. Peter Bergman has won three Emmy Awards after replacing Lester as Jack Abbott. And Jess Walton, who took over the role of Jill Foster Abbott after original cast member Brenda Dickson was fired in 1987 after a fallout with producers, has earned two Emmys.
The Williams family was introduced in 1978. Police Detective Carl Williams (Brett Hadley) and his wife Mary (Carolyn Conwell) had their hands full with their promiscuous teenage son Paul (Doug Davidson). Paul had a fling with Nikki Reed (Melody Thomas Scott) and gave her a sexually transmitted disease. He then went on to romance prostitute Cindy Lake, as well as April Stevens (Cynthia Eilbacher), who mothered his daughter, Heather, before marrying Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman) and opening a private investigations agency with Andy Richards (Steven Ford). Paul's older brother Steven (David Winn) was a reporter who dated Peggy Brooks and eventually moved to Washington D.C. Meanwhile, Carl and Mary's daughter Patty (Lilibet Stern/Andrea Evans) married Jack, but due to his frequent infidelities, she eventually lost control and shot Jack in the back three times. After being cleared of any charges, Patty divorced Jack and left town to join her brother Steven in Washington. The Williams' oldest son Todd was an unseen character who served as a priest (he eventually made an on-screen appearance in 2004 with Corbin Bernsen playing the role in a cameo appearance).
As a young adult, Page was cast in "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" and in "The Young and the Restless". Page was featured in the April 10th, 1977 "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" episode titled "The Mystery of the Flying Courier," playing the part of a musician in character Joe Hardy's band. On "The Young and the Restless" he played a musician, a member of characters Lauren Fenmore and Danny Romalotti's band; the episode aired on May 14, 1986.
As a response, Tonya Lee Williams and Victoria Rowell joined "The Young and the Restless" in the early 1990s as the Barber sisters, Olivia and Drucilla, nieces of the Abbott's maid Mamie Johnson (Veronica Redd). They proved to be very successful and they interacted fairly well with the established characters. Nathan Hastings (Nathan Purdee/Randy Brooks/Adam Lazarre-White), the only other remaining black character on the show before 1990, was married off to Olivia, before dying in a hit and run car accident in 1996. Two more black characters, Neil Winters, played by former "Generations" alum Kristoff St. John and his brother Malcolm played by Shemar Moore, would be introduced in 1991 and 1994 respectively.
Hendrickson signed on to play the role of Chloe Mitchell, a fashionista who stirs up trouble on the daytime drama "The Young and the Restless" in early 2008. It was revealed on the August 29, 2008 episode that the character was actually Kate, daughter of Katherine Chancellor's maid, Esther Valentine. Hendrickson exited the program in spring 2014. In May 2016 it was announced that Hendrickson was returning to "The Young and the Restless".
Paul has had several unsuccessful relationships, and has been described as "often luckless in love".[18] His main love interest during the 1980s was Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman).[19][20] Davidson described the relationship as Paul's "first non-drama fling" and said that Bell decided to pair the characters on the "spur of the moment", uncertain of the outcome.[17] He enjoys the dynamics between Lauren and Paul: "I always am excited whenever I get to work with her. We’ve played friends, husband and wife, enemies, you name it. She is a dynamic actress and a wonderful friend and person".[21] The couple have faced a number of challenges, including Lauren's crazed stalker Shawn Garrett (Grant Cramer) and disapproval from Paul's mother, Mary Williams (Carolyn Conwell).[22][23] Lauren and Paul divorced: Lynda Hirsch of the Sun Sentinel wrote, "The marriage didn't work out, since Lauren desperately wanted a career in music and Paul wanted her to be a stay-at-home wife and eventually a mom".[18]
Doug Williams (Days of Our Lives) - 1970-1984, 1986–1987, 1993–1996, 1999–present (played by Bill Hayes) Jill Foster Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1973–present (currently played by Jess Walton) Maggie Horton (Days of Our Lives) - 1973-1984, 1985–present (played by Suzanne Rogers) Hope Brady (Days of Our Lives) - 1974–present (currently played by Kristian Alfonso) Paul Williams (The Young and the Restless) - 1978–present (played by Doug Davidson) Nikki Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1978–present (currently played by Melody Thomas Scott) Victor Newman (The Young and the Restless - 1980-2009, 2010–present (played by Eric Braeden) Jack Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1980–present (currently played by Peter Bergman) Esther Valentine (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–present (played by Kate Linder) Ashley Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1982-1995, 1996-2007, 2008-2012, 2013–present (played by Eileen Davidson) Traci Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1982-1996, 1999, 2001–02, 2006, 2007–present (played by Beth Maitland) Victoria Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1982–present (currently played by Amelia Heinle) Lauren Fenmore (The Young and the Restless) - 1983-1995, 2000, 2001–present (played by Tracey E. Bregman) Dina Mergeron (The Young and the Restless) - 1983-1986, 1991, 1996, 2008, 2017–present (played by Marla Adams) Christine Blair (The Young and the Restless) - 1983-2001, 2002-2006, 2009–present (played by Lauralee Bell) Eric Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–present (played by John McCook) Ridge Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987-2012, 2013–present (currently played by Thorsten Kaye) Thorne Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987-1994, 1996-2016, 2017–present (currently played by Ingo Rademacher) Brooke Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987–present (played by Katherine Kelly Lang) Donna Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987-94, 1996–98, 2000–01, 2004, 2006–present (currently played by Jennifer Gareis) Katie Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1987-1989, 1991–2004, 2007–present (currently played by Heather Tom) Nicholas Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1989–present (currently played by Joshua Morrow) Rick Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful) - 1990-2006, 2007–present (currently played by Jacob Young) Neil Winters (The Young and the Restless) - 1991–present (played by Kristoff St. John) Michael Baldwin (The Young and the Restless) - 1991-1993, 1997–present (played by Christian LeBlanc) Billy Abbott (The Young and the Restless) - 1993-2003, 2006, 2008–present (currently played by Jason Thompson) Sharon Newman (The Young and the Restless) - 1994–present (currently played by Sharon Case) Phyllis Newman - 1994-1998, 2000-2013, 2014-present (currently played by Gina Tognoni) Lily Winters (The Young and the Restless) - 1995-1998, 2002–present (currently played by Christel Khalil)
Lauren's first love interest on "The Young and the Restless" was Paul Williams (Doug Davidson). Davidson describes the relationship as Paul's "first non-drama fling", and stated that William J. Bell made the decision to pair the characters together spontaneously in the "spur of the moment", wanting to see the outcome. The actor enjoys the dynamics between the characters of Lauren and Paul, stating: "I always am excited whenever I get to work with her. We’ve played friends, husband and wife, enemies, you name it. She is a dynamic actress and a wonderful friend and person." The couple faced various challenges, including constant disapproval from Paul's mother Mary Williams (Carolyn Conwell), and Lauren's crazed stalker, Shawn Garrett (Grant Cramer). Lauren and Paul divorced, with Lynda Hirsch of the "Sun Sentinel" noting: "The marriage didn't work out, since Lauren desperately wanted a career in music and Paul wanted her to be a stay-at-home wife and eventually a mom." Among other marriages, Lauren is recognized for her long-running marriage to Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc). Michael and Lauren have been described as one of the show's "most enduring couples". LeBlanc said "If it weren't for Lauren, Michael would have been off the deep end long before this." He further told "TV Guide" about the pairing, "What's great about Lauren and Michael is that these are people who are not saints, who were adults when they met and have pasts they are not proud of. And they found each other."
CBS Daytime The Young and the Restless cast members The Young and the Restless characters List of longest-serving soap opera actors
Heather Stevens is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless". Created by William J. Bell, she was born onscreen in 1979 as the daughter of Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) and April Stevens (Cindy Eilbacher). She was first portrayed by a series of child actors for her first three-year period, followed by Conci Nelson as a teenager. In 2007, the character was reintroduced by former head writer Lynn Marie Latham as an adult, portrayed by Vail Bloom. At first, she is unaware that she is Paul's daughter, but they develop a father-daughter relationship. She becomes district attorney and later a high-profile lawyer.
When the series lengthened from a half-hour to an hour in 1980, multiple cast members who portrayed characters from the original core families departed because their contracts only bound them to performing in a half-hour show.[3] A number of the characters were recast until one of the few remaining original actors, Jaime Lyn Bauer, who portrayed Lorie Brooks, decided to leave. When she announced her intention not to renew her contract, Bell decided to replace the original core families.[3] "As I studied the remaining cast, I realized I had two characters- Paul Williams, played by Doug Davidson, and Jack Abbott, played by Terry Lester- both of whom had a relatively insignificant presence on the show," Bell said. "They didn't have families. Hell, they didn't even have bedrooms. But these became the two characters I would build our two families around."[3]
For years Paul has been romantically involved with Christine Blair, played by Lauralee Bell (daughter of the show's creator, William J. Bell).[27][28] In 2013, the couple were married for a second time during the memorial service for their friend Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). Davidson felt that the couple never fell out of love, although they were driven apart by characters such as Isabella Braña (Eva Longoria) and Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc). The actor said, "The fact that they have such a strong foundation and relationship beyond husband and wife, is the reason it’s probably going to last forever."[27]
History 
In July 1994, he was found living in the jungles of Vietnam by Christine Blair and Paul Williams when they went to Hong Kong to locate him to bring him to his mother Luan Volien, who had been shot by robbers at her restaurant in Genoa City.