Paul Williams Still Alive

Trailer for the documentary Paul Williams Still Alive. He won Grammys and an Academy Award; wrote many #1 songs from Barbra Streisand's 'Evergreen' to the Carpenter's 'We've Only Just Begun' as well as Kermit the Frog's biggest hit, 'The Rainbow Connection'; starred in a Brian DePalma movie; put out his own hit records and albums; was a guest on The Tonight Show fifty times; and is the president of ASCAP... and you might not have heard of him. In the 1970's, Paul Williams was the singer / actor / songwriter that emotional, alienated teenage boys all over the world wanted to be, a sex symbol before MTV, when sex symbols could be 5'2 and sing songs about loneliness with the Muppets. One of those boys was Steve Kessler, a chubby kid from Queens. Thirty years later, Kessler discovered something amazing: Paul Williams didn't die. And no one had ever tried to make a documentary about him. A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams' soulful classics, Paul Williams: Still Alive is the charmingly self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler's lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker finally catches up with him.

A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams' soulful classics. A self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler's lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker catches up with him.

He won Grammys and an Academy Award; wrote many #1 songs from Barbra Streisand's 'Evergreen' to the Carpenter's 'We've Only Just Begun' as well as Kermit the Frog's biggest hit, 'The Rainbow Connection'; starred in a Brian DePalma movie; put out his own hit records and albums; was a guest on The Tonight Show fifty times; and is the president of ASCAP... and you might not have heard of him. In the 1970's, Paul Williams was the singer / actor / songwriter that emotional, alienated teenage boys all over the world wanted to be, a sex symbol before MTV, when sex symbols could be 5'2 and sing songs about loneliness with the Muppets. One of those boys was Steve Kessler, a chubby kid from Queens. Thirty years later, Kessler discovered something amazing: Paul Williams didn't die. And no one had ever tried to make a documentary about him. A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams' soulful classics, 'Paul Williams: Still Alive' is the charmingly self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler's lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker finally catches up with him.

Sixth part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.

Fifth part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.

Fourth part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.

Third part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.

Second part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.

First part of the question and answer session for Paul Williams Still Alive from the Toronto International Film Festival.