William Fichtner
William Fichtner | |
---|---|
![]() Fichtner at the April 2011 USA Film Festival | |
Born |
William Edward Fichtner Jr. November 27, 1956 Mitchel Air Force Base, Long Island, New York, U.S. |
Other names | Bill Fichtner |
Alma mater |
Farmingdale State College, A.A. 1976 SUNY Brockport, B.A. 1978 |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1987–present |
Spouse(s) |
Betsy Aidem (?–1996) Kymberly Kalil (1998–present) |
Children | 2 |
William Edward Fichtner Jr. (born November 27, 1956) is an American actor who has appeared in a number of notable films and TV series.[1]
He is best known for his roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay in the television series Invasion, Alexander Mahone on Prison Break, and numerous film roles, including: Heat, Contact, Armageddon, The Perfect Storm, Go, Crash, Blades of Glory, Black Hawk Down, The Longest Yard, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Dark Knight, Date Night, The Lone Ranger, Elysium, Independence Day: Resurgence and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Early life
Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base[2] on Long Island, and was raised in Cheektowaga, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. He is the son of Patricia A. (née Steitz) and William E. Fichtner.[3][4] He has German ancestry.[5]
Fichtner graduated from Maryvale High School (Cheektowaga) in 1974. After graduating from Farmingdale State College in 1976 with an associate degree in criminal justice, he attended SUNY Brockport and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in 1978. Fichtner then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Fichtner credits his Farmingdale State College admissions counselor, Don Harvey, with his decision to study acting. Harvey, who became a lifelong friend, took Fichtner to his first Broadway show. On May 18, 2008, Fichtner was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Farmingdale State College.[6]
Career
Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. Fichtner's film credits include Contact, Heat, Armageddon, Go, Equilibrium, Black Hawk Down, The Perfect Storm, The Longest Yard, Crash, Ultraviolet and The Dark Knight. Mainly a character actor, one of Fichtner's few leading roles is in Passion of Mind, also starring Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgård. For his role in Crash, he won a Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance Award and a "Best Acting Ensemble" Award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice. Fichtner currently appears in the sitcom "Mom" on CBS.
![](../I/m/William_fichtner.jpg)
Credited as Bill Fichtner, he voiced the character Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Between 2005 and 2006, Fichtner also starred in the science-fiction TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was canceled, Fichtner played FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in the second through fourth seasons (2006–2009) of Prison Break.[7] In 2009, he co-presented the Vezina Trophy (for goal tending) at the National Hockey League awards show.[8][9] He also appears in The West Wing episode, "The Supremes" as Christopher Mulready, a conservative judge who is under consideration to be nominated to the Supreme Court. Fichtner also had a role as the Gotham National Bank manager in the feature film The Dark Knight, and as Jurgen in Equilibrium.
In June 2009, Fichtner signed on to guest star on Entourage playing TV producer Phil Yagoda, who is trying to remake his hit 1990s teen series.[10] He also voiced Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.[11]
Fichtner played Eric Sacks in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014).[12][13]
Personal life
Fichtner is a fan of the National Football League (NFL)'s Buffalo Bills, appearing in a commercial for the team before the 2014 season.[14] More recently, Fichtner narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled Four Falls of Buffalo, chronicling the Buffalo Bills' four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990–93.[15]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Quiz Show | Stage Manager | |
1995 | Virtuosity | Wallace | |
Reckless | Rachel's Father | ||
Strange Days | Dwayne Engelman | ||
Heat | Roger Van Zant | ||
Underneath | Tommy Dundee | ||
1996 | Albino Alligator | Law | |
1997 | Contact | Kent | |
Switchback | Chief Jack McGinnis | ||
1998 | Armageddon | Colonel William Sharp | |
1999 | Go | Burke | |
The Settlement | Jerry | ||
2000 | The Perfect Storm | David "Sully" Sullivan | |
Drowning Mona | Phil Dearly | ||
Passion of Mind | Aaron | ||
Endsville[16] | Prince Victor | ||
2001 | Pearl Harbor | Danny's Father | |
Black Hawk Down | SFC Jeff Sanderson | Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast | |
What's the Worst That Could Happen? | Detective Alex Tardio | ||
2002 | Julie Walking Home | Henry | |
Equilibrium | Jürgen | ||
2004 | Crash | Flanagan | Hollywood Film Festival Ensemble of the Year Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
2005 | Nine Lives | Andrew | Nominated—Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
The Chumscrubber | Dr. Bill Stifle | ||
The Moguls | Otis | ||
The Longest Yard | Captain Knauer | ||
Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Dr. Wexler (voice) | Uncredited | |
2006 | Ultraviolet | Garth | |
2007 | Blades of Glory | Darren MacElroy | |
First Snow | Ed | ||
2008 | The Dark Knight | Bank Manager | |
2010 | Forehead Tittaes[17] | Boss | Short skit |
Date Night | D.A. Frank Crenshaw | ||
2011 | The Big Bang | Detective Poley | |
Drive Angry | The Accountant | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
2012 | Wrong | Master Chang | |
2013 | Phantom | Alex Kozlov | |
The Lone Ranger | Butch Cavendish | ||
Elysium | John Carlyle | ||
2014 | The Homesman | Vester Belknap | |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eric Sacks | ||
2016 | Independence Day: Resurgence | General Joshua T. Adams | |
American Wrestler: The Wizard | Coach Plyler | ||
2017 | Hot Summer Nights | Shep | |
Krystal | Dr. Farley | ||
2018 | 12 Strong | Colonel John Mulholland | |
The Gettysburg Address | John G. Nicolay (voice) | Documentary | |
The Neighbor | Mike | ||
Traffik | Mr. Waynewright | ||
Armed | Richard | ||
Finding Steve McQueen | Enzo Rotella | Post-production | |
Cold Brook | Ted Markham | Post-production Also director and co-writer[18] | |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987–1994 | As the World Turns | Josh Snyder | 11 episodes |
1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Boros | 2 episodes |
Baywatch | Howard Ganza | Episode: "Rookie School" | |
1994–1995 | Grace Under Fire | Ryan | 8 episodes |
1995 | High Lonesome: A Father for Charlie | Sheriff | Television film |
2002 | MDs | Bruce Kellerman | 10 episodes |
2004 | The West Wing | Christopher Mulready | Episode: "The Supremes" |
2005 | Empire Falls | Jimmy Minty | 2 episodes |
American Dad! | Harland (voice) | Episode: "Homeland Insecurity" | |
2005–2006 | Invasion | Sheriff Tom Underlay | 22 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television |
2006–2009 | Prison Break | Alexander Mahone | 59 episodes |
2009–2011 | Entourage | Phil Yagoda | 8 episodes |
2010 | Night and Day | Dan Hollister | Pilot |
2012 | Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden[19] | Mr. Guidry | Television film |
2013–2014 | Crossing Lines | Carl Hickman | 22 episodes |
2015–2016 | Empire | Jameson Henthrop | 4 episodes |
2016–present | Mom | Adam | 38 episodes |
2016 | Shooter | Rathford O'Brien | Episode: "Killing Zone" |
2017 | Porsche: Decades of Disruption | Narrator (voice) | Television documentary |
2017–present | Top Gear America | Himself (host) | 8 episodes |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Ken Rosenberg | Credited as Bill Fichtner |
2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | ||
2008 | Turok | Logan | |
2011 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Master Sergeant Sandman | |
2012 | Infex | The Administrator | |
2013 | Disney Infinity | Butch Cavendish | |
2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | The Shredder | 3DS version |
References
- ↑ "William Fichtner Biography (1956-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ↑ Silverman, Stephen M. (January 17, 2002). "'Black Hawk Down' Comes Up in D.C." People. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ↑ David Niles. "Worcester Telegram & Gazette Archives". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ↑ The Post-Journal (December 29, 2009). "Patricia A. Fichtner - post-journal.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Jamestown". Post-Journal. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ↑ "FAQs and Q&A with William Fichtner". WilliamFichtner.org (official site). Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ↑ "About William Fichtner". Farmingdale State College. 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
- ↑ Clean 'Break' for Fichtner Reuters. June 19, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2006.
- ↑ "Hockey, Hollywood stars align for '09 Awards in Vegas".
- ↑ "NHL Awards Winners". nhl.com. NHL. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ↑ "Entourage Admits Caan, Fichtner, Letscher". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
- ↑ Gaudiosi, John (April 11, 2011). "Actor William Fichtner is Modern Warfare 3's Sandman". IGN. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
- ↑ 'Crossing Lines': William Fichtner Reveals Sons Of Anarchy Star Joining Show
- ↑ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Adds William Fichtner
- ↑ Fichtner, William (September 4, 2014). VIDEO: What It Means to Be a Bills Fan. Buffalo Bills. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- ↑ Warren, Matt. "Buffalo Bills '30 for 30' documentary, 'Four Falls of Buffalo,' premieres". buffalorumblings.com. Buffalo Rumblings. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ↑ Endsville on IMDb
- ↑ "Forehead Tittaes w/ Marion Cotillard". Funny Or Die. March 9, 2010.
- ↑ Fleming Jr., Mike. "William Fichtner To Make Directing Debut On 'Cold Brook'". Deadline. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ↑ Kaufman, Alexander C. (October 4, 2012). "National Geographic Channel to Show Osama bin Laden Thriller 'Seal Team Six'". TheWrap.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Fichtner. |
- William Fichtner on IMDb
- William Fichtner at the official Contact movie website
- "Random Roles: William Fichtner" at The A.V. Club (via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)