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during one of his trials. But when I saw the movie, I was perplexed by the way Spacey portrayed
Williams, because he did it as if he were asleep. He talked as if he were in a fog or sleepwalking. Then I realized what had happened, and I thought it was hilariously funny." Berendt believes Spacey listened to tapes of Williams during the third trial, when he had taken
548:
played Jim
Williams -- badly," Berendt said in a 2015 interview. "He didn't even come close. I had offered recordings so he could to listen to Jim Williams talking to me, regaling me with stories while sitting in his living room in Mercer House. said he'd already heard Williams on tape talking
494:
Williams' sister, Dorothy
Kingery, inherited Mercer House and put it up for sale later that decade, with a price tag of just under $ 9,000,000. This was later reduced to about $ 7,000,000. Kingery died in 2023, aged 88. Her daughter and Williams' niece, Dorothy Susan Kingery, now owns the house.
298:
organization, had used the building for their Alee Temple. Over two years, Williams restored the house. After the restoration, it became his residence; he ran his antiques restoration business from the basement of Mercer House, assisted by Barry Thomas (1954–1992), a native of
461:, Williams's attorney, said he found Williams in the doorway between the office and the hallway: "I went immediately to Mercer House and found Jim on the floor. I thought he was probably dead. He was in his
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318:, which were the highlight of many people's social calendars. Williams had an "in" box and an "out" box for his invitations, depending on whether or not the person was in Williams's favor at the time.
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Williams is buried next to his mother, who survived him by seven years, in Ramah Church
Cemetery, Gordon, Georgia. Williams's father, who died six years before him, is buried in
563:"I was fascinated by Jim, by what a brilliant and engaging storyteller he was," said Berendt in 2015. "He was bitter, funny, with that ironic humor so distinctive to Savannah."
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Williams became a noted antiques dealer after opening a shop, with his friend Jack
Kieffer (1915–2007), in 1953. Williams also became close friends with Joe Goodman.
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Williams purchased the 1,800-acre (730 ha) Cabbage Island, off the
Georgia coast, in 1968. He paid $ 5,000 for it, and later sold it for $ 900,000.
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by the author. "If had not died, I don't know what I would have done, because I'm pretty sure he would not have wanted that in the book."
303:, Scotland. Williams often worked late into the night and slept the first part of the next day. His antique shop was behind the house, on
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outside of a window at Mercer House in an attempt to disrupt the shoot, after the film company declined to make a donation to the local
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244:. In 1955, at the age of 24, Williams bought and restored his first three buildings: the single-level houses located at
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Two of three buildings at 541–545 East
Congress Street that Williams restored in 1955, his first project in Savannah
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On
January 14, 1990, eight months after his acquittal, Williams died unexpectedly in his home, at age 59, from
142:(December 11, 1930 – January 14, 1990) was an American antiques dealer and a historic preservationist based in
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An early leader in the
Savannah, Georgia, historic preservation movement, as well as the main character in the
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294:. At the time of the purchase, the house had been vacant for almost a decade since its former occupants, the
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521:, about Hansford's alleged murder and Williams' subsequent trial for the killing, was written by author
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1106:, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 19770). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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1050:"Filmed in Georgia: Clint Eastwood learned Savannah way from Sonny Seiler filming 'Midnight'"
898:"Savannah's Jim Williams' legacy lives on through film, a murder case and historic buildings"
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1074:"30 years after death of Jim Williams, his iconic Savannah home is being restored"
1006:"Oct 26, 1994, page 41 - The Atlanta Constitution at Atlanta Journal Constitution"
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Jim
Williams' confession to John Berendt before the third trial was recorded on a
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After the subsequent four trials (the first three in Savannah; the final one in
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847:"'Midnight' at 30: My look at The Book from the time and place it was written"
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Williams was arrested on May 2, 1981, for the alleged murder of 21-year-old
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1171:"Savannah Morning News Obituaries in Savannah, GA | Savannah Morning News"
1147:"Savannah Morning News Obituaries in Savannah, GA | Savannah Morning News"
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Williams held annual Christmas parties at Mercer House, on the eve of the
1194:"Author of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' returns to Savannah"
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More Than Mercer House: Savannah's Jim Williams & His Southern Houses
427:
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More than Mercer House: Savannah's Jim Williams and his Southern Houses
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214:, where he began working for Klug's Furniture Company at the corner of
827:"Born to Paint - The Life and Works of Barry Thomas | The cornerHOUSE"
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343:(of whom Jack Kieffer was president), as Williams had requested. The
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441:, Williams was acquitted in May 1989, eight years after his arrest.
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Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons
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383:... and Armstrong House, formerly the law offices of his attorney
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At the time of his death, Williams was restoring the mansion at
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621:"From the AJC archive: Jim Williams back amid Savannah elite"
938:
Midnight in Savannah A&E Broadcast Premiere Nov 30 1997
808:"Williams Charged: Antiques Dealer Posts $ 25,000 Bond
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With his newfound fortune, in 1969 Williams purchased
150:. He played an active role in the preservation of the
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347:, located across the square, complained to the city.
536:in General Nonfiction, the book was adapted into a
252:. Notable Savannah houses he restored include the
1128:"INSIDE ART; The Getty Acquires A New Old Master"
290:, great-grandfather of famed American songwriter
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960:John Duncan discusses his "Midnight" collection
430:his bond was set at $ 25,000, which he posted.
371:Williams also restored the Olde Pink House ...
779:After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
719:After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
685:After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
658:After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
115:Historic preservationist and antiques dealer
982:"Jim Williams: The center of 'the Garden'"
179:James Arthur Williams was born in 1930 in
36:
1379:Ringling College of Art and Design alumni
921:"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"
752:. Savannah, Georgia: Sheldon Group, LLC.
286:, which was originally built for General
232:He was active in the preservation of the
980:Savannah Morning News (March 25, 2010).
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1258:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
1217:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
1029:"Justice, forgiveness and Jim Williams"
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164:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
125:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
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426:relationship, at Mercer House. At his
1359:People from Wilkinson County, Georgia
1354:LGBT people from Georgia (U.S. state)
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1374:American people acquitted of murder
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776:Bardsley, Marilyn J. (2012-12-14).
716:Bardsley, Marilyn J. (2012-12-14).
682:Bardsley, Marilyn J. (2012-12-14).
655:Bardsley, Marilyn J. (2012-12-14).
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1080:. January 17, 2020. Archived from
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481:Savannah College of Art and Design
157:Williams is the main character in
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1389:United States Air Force personnel
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1300:Mercer Williams House Museum site
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46:in July 1980, pictured with a
19:For the American general, see
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1364:People from Savannah, Georgia
1349:Middle Georgia College alumni
1230:"John Berendt: The interview"
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206:After serving briefly in the
947:– via www.youtube.com.
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210:, in 1952 Williams moved to
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1339:Historical preservationists
42:Williams in the library of
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586:"Dorothy Williams Kingery"
532:and finalist for the 1995
525:and published in 1994. A
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345:Congregation Mickve Israel
234:Savannah Historic District
152:Savannah Historic District
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748:Kingery, Dorothy (1999).
489:Married Woman's Card Club
414:Killing of Danny Hansford
307:, run by Kenneth Worthy.
258:Hampton Lillibridge House
256:, the Merault House, the
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402:at the time of his death
16:American preservationist
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485:Midnight in the Garden
477:126 East Gaston Street
400:126 East Gaston Street
328:The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd
185:Middle Georgia College
1305:James Arthur Williams
1054:Savannah Morning News
986:Savannah Morning News
902:Savannah Morning News
813:Savannah Morning News
511:in Savannah, Georgia.
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487:as the venue for the
140:James Arthur Williams
71:James Arthur Williams
1334:American art dealers
337:flag of Nazi Germany
236:, and was known for
1084:on January 18, 2020
1035:, December 17, 2018
1033:LaGrange Daily News
925:The Washington Post
437:), a record in the
154:for over 35 years.
1048:Hotchkiss, Frank.
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499:In popular culture
335:, Williams hung a
242:King Edward cigars
60:1st Earl of Egmont
52:Henrietta Johnston
1199:The Island Packet
963:, 23 January 2014
789:978-0-7953-3343-9
782:. Rosetta Books.
729:978-0-7953-3343-9
722:. Rosetta Books.
695:978-0-7953-3343-9
688:. Rosetta Books.
668:978-0-7953-3343-9
661:. Rosetta Books.
479:, known today as
470:Danville, Georgia
408:Arrest and trials
398:He was restoring
224:Washington Square
197:Mercer University
193:Sarasota, Florida
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81:December 11, 1930
21:James A. Williams
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201:Macon, Georgia
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1086:. Retrieved
1082:the original
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853:. 2024-01-22
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523:John Berendt
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98:(1990-01-14)
44:Mercer House
30:Jim Williams
1329:1990 deaths
1324:1930 births
428:arraignment
331:, starring
288:Hugh Mercer
1318:Categories
1239:2024-05-02
1219:audio book
1180:2023-10-20
1156:2023-10-20
1118:– SCAD.edu
1059:2023-09-07
1015:2024-03-28
991:2022-03-25
967:2022-03-25
944:2024-04-22
907:2024-04-22
882:2024-06-01
857:2024-03-28
832:2024-03-28
638:2024-04-01
595:2024-05-14
567:References
558:Dictaphone
544:in 1997. "
530:Bestseller
424:homosexual
270:Pink House
77:1930-12-11
1213:Afterword
633:1539-7459
572:Citations
515:The book
451:pneumonia
312:cotillion
262:exorcised
171:in 1989.
169:acquitted
463:skivvies
296:Shriners
272:and the
212:Savannah
161:'s book
144:Savannah
1251:Sources
435:Augusta
301:Glasgow
148:Georgia
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551:Valium
106:, U.S.
87:, U.S.
48:pastel
538:movie
445:Death
132:movie
54:, of
50:, by
1277:ISBN
1263:ISBN
1090:2020
784:ISBN
754:ISBN
724:ISBN
690:ISBN
663:ISBN
629:ISSN
453:and
218:and
175:Life
130:and
128:book
93:Died
67:Born
1307:at
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465:.”
325:of
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199:in
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