Dave Williams (Desperate Housewives)

Dave Williams
Neal McDonough as Dave Williams.
Desperate Housewives character
Portrayed by	Neal McDonough
Duration	2008–09
First appearance	"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" 5x01, September 28, 2008
Last appearance	"If It's Only In Your Head" 5x24, May 17, 2009
Created by	Marc Cherry
Profile
Other names	David Dash (birth name)
Occupation	Former Motivational speaker
Siblings Steven Dash (brother; deceased) Spouse Lila Dash (wife; deceased) Edie Britt (wife; deceased) Children Paige Dash (daughter; deceased)

David "Dave" Williams (formerly David Dash) is a fictional character from the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, portrayed by Neal McDonough and created by Marc Cherry. The character was introduced in the fifth season as Edie Britt's (Nicollette Sheridan) motivational speaker husband, and is the mystery star for the fifth season.

Neal McDonough's casting as Dave Williams was announced in July 2008. McDonough did not audition for the role, but was offered it after meeting with Marc Cherry. The series creator wanted McDonough to portray Dave after he saw the actor playing the role of David McNorris, an alcoholic County Asst. D.A. in NBC's short-lived crime drama Boomtown, and thus wanted to see the dark side of David McNorris "infused in the dark side of David Williams". McDonough described his character as "this really sweet guy next door and then something tragic happens to him and his personality splits in half. You like Dave and you feel for him, but he also creeps the hell out of you."

Half-way through the season, just after the death of Nicollette Sheridan's character Edie Britt was filmed, McDonough already knew that his character would last just one season, and though he hinted that Dave might return for a brief arc in subsequent seasons, this never happened.

Dave convinces Edie to move back to Wisteria Lane and get her house back from her tenant. After paying the tenant to leave the house, Dave and Edie moved in. Edie announces to the women that she is married and introduces Dave.

Outwardly, Dave seems refined and affable, but his darkness is quickly established: in a phone conversation with his psychiatrist, Dr. Samuel Heller, he says his rage is still with him, but there is one unnamed person who needs to worry about it. Karen McCluskey immediately clashes with Dave after she insults Edie, resulting in her cat Toby's disappearance. Toby reappears only after Karen apologizes to Edie. Karen becomes suspicious and investigates Dave. His response is to immediately plant the seed that Karen is old and senile, and causing her a breakdown during her 70th birthday party, which results in Karen being taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, he has purchased another house in the neighborhood so that he could rent it at a reasonable rate to Mike Delfino - who has been living across town since his divorce - and started a band with Mike, Tom Scavo, Orson Hodge, and Carlos Solis. Karen reassumes investigation once she is released from the hospital with the help of her sister, and learns of Dave's regular contact with Dr. Heller. They reveal to him that Dave is in Fairview, and Dr. Heller immediately travels to Wisteria Lane, only to be strangled in the storage room of The White Horse Club, where Dave's band has entered a Battle of the Bands competition. Dave sets a fire that will burn slowly so that he will be onstage when it reaches the crowd, in order to cover the murder. Mike is knocked unconscious, and Dave re-enters the burning building to save him and is hailed a hero.