William Atherton Biography (1947-)

Born William Atherton Knight II, June 30, 1947, in New Haven (some sources say Orange), CT; son of Robert Atherton and Myrtle (Robison) Knight; married Bobbi Goldin, December 8, 1980. Education: Received scholarship to Pasadena Playhouse; Carnegie-Mellon University, B.F.A., drama, 1969; trained for the stage at Aesthetic Realism Foundation, New York City, and with Consultation with Three, Ted van Griethuysen, Roy Harris, Sheldon Kranz, and Eli Siegel.Addresses: Agent-- Metropolitan Talent Agency, 4526 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010-3801. Career: Actor and song performer. Member of Long Wharf Theatre Company while in high school. Toured with United Service Organizations (USO) shows in Europe in the 1960s. Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award,and two Obie Award nominations, Village Voice, 1972, all for Suggs; Joseph Jefferson Award for Misalliance. Addresses: Agent:Metropolitan Talent Agency, 4526 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010-3801.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, song performer
Birth Details: June 30, 1947; New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
(Stage debut) The Boyfriend, Clinton Playhouse, Clinton, CT, 1964
Kenny, Little Murders, Civic Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1970
Victor, Goodbye and Keep Cold, Loft Theatre, New York City, 1970
Ronnie Shaughnessy, The House of Blue Leaves, Truck and WarehouseTheatre, New York City, 1971
Title role, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public/Newman Theatre, New York City, 1971
(Broadway debut) David Ragin, The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, Longacre Theatre, 1972
Title role, Suggs(also known as Suggs in the City), Forum Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1972
Leonidik, The Promise, Bucks County Playhouse, PA, 1974
Lord Ravensbane, The Scarecrow, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1975
Aubrey, The Show-Off, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1975
Bing Ringling, Rich and Famous, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, New York City, 1976
Percival, Misalliance, Lake Forest, IL, 1976
Richard, Passing Game, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1977
Roy Lane, Broadway, Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA, 1978
William Atherton: Acting, Ethics, Person, Terrain Gallery, New York City, 1978
Johnny Case, Happy New Year, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1980
Lee Baum, The American Clock, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1980
Richard, Three Acts of Recognition, New York Shakespeare Festival,Public/Anspacher Theatre, New York City, 1982
Lieutenant Commander John Challee, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,Circle in the Square Theatre, New York City, 1983
Dr. Lucchesi, Fugue, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH, 1992-93
Also appeared in Child's Play, Los Angeles, CA; and Loco Motives, Los Angeles.
Film Appearances
(Film debut) The New Centurions(also known as Precinct 45: LosAngeles Police), Columbia, 1972
Fraternity president, Class of '44(also known as Tre kompisar), Warner Bros., 1972
Clovis Poplin, The Sugarland Express, Universal, 1974
Tod Hackett, The Day of the Locust, Paramount, 1975
Boerth, The Hindenburg, Universal, 1975
James Morrissey, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Paramount, 1977
Walter Peck, Ghostbusters, Columbia, 1984
Professor Hathaway, Real Genius, TriStar, 1985
Allan Deveneux, No Mercy, TriStar, 1986

Richard Thornburg, Die Hard, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
Dick Thornburg, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
Arthur, Grim Prairie Tales, Coe Hahn, 1990
Overton, Oscar, Buena Vista, 1991
Bob Gminski, The Pelican Brief, Warner Bros., 1993
Terence McCone, Saints and Sinners, MDP Worldwide, 1995
Dr. Noah Faulkner, Bio-Dome, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1996
Thomas E. Dewey, Hoodlum(also known as Gangster and Hoods), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1997
Dohlen, Mad City, Warner Bros., 1997
James Denit, Michael Kael in Katango(also known as Michael Kaelcontre la World News Company and Michael Kael vs. The World News Company), Bac Films, 1998
President Fields, Executive Power, Naegele-derrick Productions, 1998
Butterfly Legend,1999
Nathan Randall, The Crow: Salvation, Dimension Films, 2000
Stanton, Race to Space, Lions Gate Films, 2000
Film work
Song performer, "What'll I Do?" (theme song), The Great Gatsby, Paramount, 1974
Television Appearances
Miniseries
Jim Lloyd, Centennial, NBC, 1978
Stan Harvey, Malibu,1983
Movies
Jim Spence, Tomorrow's Child, ABC, 1982
Michael Rosen, A Fight for Jenny, NBC, 1986
Doggett, Intrigue, CBS, 1988
Cortland Van Owen, Buried Alive(also known as Till Death Do UsPart), USA Network, 1990
Sheriff Ethan Blackwell, Chrome Soldiers, USA Network, 1992
Eric Walker, Diagnosis of Murder, CBS, 1992
Neil Roemer, Broken Trust(also known as Court of Honor), TNT, 1995
Dr. Reginald Holloway, Robin Cook's Virus(also known as Formula for Death, Virus, and Robin Cook's Formula for Death), NBC, 1995
Allan Pinkerton, Frank and Jesse, HBO, 1995
Philip Thorne, Raven Hawk(also known as Ravenhawk), HBO, 1996
Darryl Zanuck, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, HBO, 1999
Specials
Lawrence Selden, "The House of Mirth," American Playhouse, PBS, 1981
Episodic
Larry Holleran, "Murder in the Afternoon," Murder, She Wrote, CBS,1985
Dundee, "Night of the Meek," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1985
Greg Dalton, "Murder, She Spoke," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1987
Gene Bellows, The Law and Harry McGraw, CBS, 1987
Martin "Alpha" Loeber, "Blood and Wine: Parts 1 & 2," The Equalizer, CBS, 1987
Brian Wolfe, "The Card," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1987
Gideon, "17 Zebra," The Equalizer, CBS, 1989
"Easel Kill 'Ya," Tales from the Crypt, HBO, 1991
Andy Henley, "Judge Not," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1991
"The Collector," Tales from the Crypt, HBO, 1992
Dr. Linus Mills, "Key Witness," Nash Bridges, CBS, 1996
Assistant district attorney Pratt, "First Degree," The Practice, ABC, 1997
Ron, "A Simple Touch," Chicken Soup for the Soul, PAX TV, 1999

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