William Stanford Davis

William Stanford Davis (born August 7, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as school custodian Mr. Johnson on the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary (2021–present), for which he earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 54th NAACP Image Awards, an award he later won at the 57th NAACP Image Awards for the same role.

His career began with a minor role as a custodian on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful in 1995 and includes recurring roles on the Showtime television series Ray Donovan and the Apple TV+ television series Swagger.

Early life Davis was born on August 7, 1951 in The Ville in northern St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended an all-Black elementary school before going to an integrated school in fifth grade. After graduating from Northwest High School, he went to Lincoln University, a historically Black university (HBCU) in Jefferson City, Missouri. His car caught on fire which led to him staying in Los Angeles.

Davis is a member of the Actors Studio. He had minor roles on the TNT series Snowpiercer, the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the ABC series The Practice, the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, Perry Mason, on the OWN series If Loving You Is Wrong, and in the films So B. It, Please Stand By, Holly Day, Dead Women Walking, Adopt a Highway, and A Holiday Chance. He had recurring roles as Coach Max on the Apple TV+ series Swagger and as Potato Pie on the Showtime series Ray Donovan.

Davis stars in the Quinta Brunson-helmed ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary as Mr. Johnson, the eccentric longtime janitor of the show's titular elementary school, in 2021. He auditioned over Zoom and was meant to only be a guest star but soon became a recurring character, appearing in all 12 episodes of the show's first season. He became a series regular in its second season, the first series regular role of his career. He partially based his portrayal of the character on his paternal grandmother, who he described as a "filter-less" "conspiracy theorist" and "the nosiest woman in the neighborhood". He was inducted into Phi Beta Sigma fraternity as an honorary brother at their 2023 conclave, held in Houston. Davis won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2022 and received a second nomination in 2024.

Filmography Television + List of television series and roles Year Title Role Notes 1995 The Bold and the Beautiful Janitor 2 episodes 1998 The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer Lincoln Impersonator 1999 The Practice Clarence Barnett Episode: "A Day in the Life" Sister, Sister Reverend Tatum Episode: "Fly Away Home" Ally McBeal Jim 3 episodes Time of Your Life Pawn Shop Owner 2 episodes 2001 James Dean Train Conductor TV movie Bette The Customer Episode: "A Method to Her Madness" 2002 The Movement Silas TV movie Robbery Homicide Division Security Guard Ellis Episode: "City of Strivers" 2003 Touched by an Angel Doug Episode: "Private Eyes" The District Mr. Gillis Episode: "Untouchable" Strong Medicine Doug Episode: "Risk" Cold Case DeAnte Rollins Episode: "The Runner" American Dreams Joe Episode: "The Long Goodbye" 2004 Angel Security Guard Episode: "Damage" The Guardian Brian Episode: "Without Consent" The Shield Deon Episode: "Slipknot" LAX Engineer Dietrich Episode: "Finnegan Again, Begin Again" NYPD Blue Howard Jackson Episode: "The Vision Thing" Hollywood Division Neighbor TV movie 2006 Sons & Daughters Cook Episode: "Bowling Night" Desperate Housewives William Episode: "Could I Leave You?" My Name Is Earl Neighbor Episode: "Stole a Badge" The Closer Homeless Man Episode: "Head Over Heels" 2006–2007 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Floor Manager 8 episodes 2007–2009 Lincoln Heights Jake Wyatt 13 episodes 2007 Passions Prison Doctor 2 episodes Marlowe Bartender TV movie 2008 Shark Sonny Gore Episode: "Partners in Crime" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Mechanic Episode: "A Thousand Days on Earth" Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Pastor Jonas Episode: "Earthlings Welcome Here" 2009 Saving Grace Group Member at Party Episode: "She's a Lump" 2010 America's Most Wanted Dante Episode: "America's Most Wanted's 1,000th Episode Special Edition" Bones Floyd Barber Episode: "The Witch in the Wardrobe" 2011 The Event The Elder Episode: "Inostranka" Harry's Law Kareem Anderson Episode: "In the Ghetto" Nick Swardson's Pretend Time Bathroom Attendant Episode: "Flying Stripper" 2012 Shameless Conrad Episode: "Just Like the Pilgrims Intended" The Finder Earl Episode: "The Inheritance" The Big Bang Theory Dry Cleaner Episode: "The Parking Spot Escalation" Prodigy Bully Mr. Douglas TV movie 2013–2017 Ray Donovan Potato Pie Recurring role; 20 episodes 2014–2017 If Loving You Is Wrong Mr. Kym 6 episodes 2015 When Duty Calls Clyde Pierce TV movie Criminal Minds Sam Pritchett Episode: "Lockdown" 2016 Chicago Med Ed Brennan Episode: "Choices" The Middle Projectionist Episode: "Hecks at a Movie 2017 Code Black Emmanuel Episode: "Unfinished Business" 2019 Light as a Feather Old Man Episode: "...Hungry Like a Wolf" 2020 Curb Your Enthusiasm Chulu Porter Episode: "Artificial Fruit" Perry Mason Daniel Madison Episode: "Chapter Two" Snowpiercer Mr. Riggs 5 episodes 2021 Swagger Coach Max 3 episodes 2021–present Abbott Elementary Mr. Johnson Recurring (season 1), Main role (season 2–); 33 episodes 2023 Truth Be Told Agathia Episode: "Her, Armed with Sorrow Sore" 2025 Side Quest Earl Episode: "Pull List" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Mr. Johnson Episode: "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary"

Film + List of films and roles Year Title Role Notes 1997 Running Time Buzz Credited as Stan Davis 1998 Primary Colors Jack Mandela Washington City of Angels Construction Foreman 1999 Ragdoll Pere 2000 The Prophecy 3: The Ascent Portly Coroner 2001 James Dean Train Conductor 2005 A Lot like Love Priest Self Medicated Gabe The Big Empty Doctor #6 2007 Hallowed Ground Truck Driver 2009 Across the Hall Custodian Accused at 17 Detective Gilson 2010 Barry Munday Greens Keeper 2016 So B. It Man at Cab Co. Cardboard Boxer Jazzy 2017 Handsome Lester Please Stand By Creed Uncredited 2018 Holly Day Thaddeus 2019 Adopt a Highway Hatty 2021 A Holiday Chance Bernie 2025 Undercard Baba T Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw Troopmaster Barrett Voice role

Awards and nominations