Billy Dee Williams – Born in 1937, The Empire Strikes Back

Billy Dee Williams needs no introduction, at least not to “Star Wars” fans. His affiliation with the franchise began in 1980 when he appeared in the last two episodes of “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.” We saw him again in 1983 before he hung up his character for the next three decades.

So, of course, he made history in 2019 when he showed up playing ‘Lando Calrissian’ in “The Rise of Skywalker.” What other actor in American film history has taken such a long interval between portrayals of the same character? Williams is also known for his regular appearance on shows like “Dynasty” and “General Hospital.”