William Fichtner

William Edward Fichtner[1] (born November 27, 1956) is an American actor. Fichtner has appeared in a number of films, TV series and video games.[2] He is known for his television roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay on Invasion, Alexander Mahone on Prison Break, and Adam Janikowski on Mom. His film appearances include Heat, Contact, Armageddon, The Perfect Storm, Go, Drowning Mona, 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.

William Fichtner
Fichtner at the April 2011 USA Film Festival
Born
William Edward Fichtner Jr.

(1956-11-27) November 27, 1956
Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, U.S.
Other namesBill Fichtner
Alma mater
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Spouse(s)
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1987; div. 1996)​
  • Kymberly Kalil
    ​
    (m. after 1998)​
Children2

Early life

Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base[3] 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 Frederick Fichtner.[4][5][1] He has German ancestry.[6]

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. He then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. He also 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, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Farmingdale State College.[7]

Career

Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. He has since appeared in the films Contact, Heat, Armageddon, Go, Equilibrium, Black Hawk Down, The Perfect Storm, The Longest Yard, Crash, Ultraviolet, Drive Angry and The Dark Knight. Mainly a character actor, one of his few leading roles is in Passion of Mind, also starring Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgård. His role in Crash won him a Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance Award and a "Best Acting Ensemble" Award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice. He appeared in the CBS sitcom Mom from 2013-2019.

Fichtner in 2003

Credited as Bill Fichtner, he voiced Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Between 2005 and 2006, he also starred in the sci-fi TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was canceled, he played ruthless FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in three seasons of Prison Break (2006–2009).[8] In 2009, he co-presented the Vezina Trophy (for goal tending) at the National Hockey League awards show.[9][10] He later guest starred as judge Christopher Mulready in The West Wing episode "The Supremes." He 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 had a recurring role as TV producer Phil Yagoda on Entourage.[11] He also voiced Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Fichtner played Eric Sacks in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014).[12][13]

Personal life

Fichtner is a fan of the NFL (National Football League) team the Buffalo Bills, appearing in a commercial for the team before the 2014 season.[14] He has 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
YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Quiz ShowStage Manager
1995VirtuosityWallace
RecklessRachel's Father
Strange DaysDwayne Engelman
HeatRoger Van Zant
UnderneathTommy Dundee
1996Albino AlligatorLaw
1997ContactKent
SwitchbackChief Jack McGinnis
1998ArmageddonColonel William Sharp
1999GoBurke Halverson
The SettlementJerry
2000The Perfect StormDavid "Sully" Sullivan
Drowning MonaPhil Dearly
Passion of MindAaron
Endsville[16]Prince Victor
2001Pearl HarborMr. Walker
Black Hawk DownSFC Jeff SandersonNominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
What's the Worst That Could Happen?Detective Alex Tardio
2002Julie Walking HomeHenry
EquilibriumJurgen
2004CrashFlanaganHollywood Film Festival Ensemble of the Year
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast
2005Nine LivesAndrewNominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast
The ChumscrubberDr. Bill Stifle
The MogulsOtis
The Longest YardCaptain Knauer
Mr. & Mrs. SmithDr. WexlerVoice; Uncredited
2006UltravioletGarth
2007Blades of GloryDarren MacElroy
First SnowEd
2008The Dark KnightBank Manager
2010Forehead Tittaes[17]BossFunny or Die sketch
Date NightD.A. Frank Crenshaw
2011The Big BangDetective Poley
Drive AngryThe AccountantFangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor
2012WrongMaster Chang
2013PhantomAlex Kozlov
The Lone RangerButch Cavendish
ElysiumJohn Carlyle
2014The HomesmanVester Belknap
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesEric Sacks
2016Independence Day: ResurgenceGeneral Joshua T. Adams
American Wrestler: The WizardCoach Plyler
2017Hot Summer NightsShep
KrystalDr. Farley
201812 StrongColonel John Mulholland
The NeighborMike
TraffikMr. Waynewright
OGDanvers
ArmedRichard
Cold BrookTed MarkhamAlso director and co-writer[18]
All the Devil's MenBrennan
2019The Gettysburg AddressJohn G. NicolayVoice
Josie & JackRaeburn
Finding Steve McQueenEnzo Rotella
TBAThe Birthday CakeUncle Ricardo

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1987–1994As the World TurnsJosh Snyder11 episodes
1989A Man Called HawkBoros2 episodes
BaywatchHoward GanzaEpisode: "Rookie School"
1994–1995Grace Under FireRyan Sparks8 episodes
1995High Lonesome: A Father for CharlieSheriffTelevision film
2002MDsBruce Kellerman10 episodes
2004The West WingChristopher MulreadyEpisode: "The Supremes"
2005Empire FallsJimmy Minty2 episodes
American Dad!HarlandVoice; Episode: "Homeland Insecurity"
2005–2006InvasionSheriff Tom Underlay22 episodes
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television
2006–2009Prison BreakAlexander Mahone59 episodes
2009–2011EntouragePhil Yagoda8 episodes
2010Night and DayDan HollisterPilot
2012Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden[19]Mr. GuidryTelevision film
2013–2014Crossing LinesCarl Hickman22 episodes
2015–2016EmpireJameson Henthrop4 episodes
2016–presentMomAdam Janikowski67 episodes
Pending—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
2016ShooterRathford O'BrienEpisode: "Killing Zone"
2017Porsche: Decades of DisruptionNarratorVoice; Documentary
Top Gear AmericaHimselfHost; 8 episodes
2019VeepFelix WadeEpisode: "Discovery Weekend"

Video games
YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityKen RosenbergCredited as Bill Fichtner
2004Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2008TurokLogan
2011Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3Master Sergeant Sandman[20]
2012InfexThe Administrator
2013Disney InfinityButch Cavendish
2014Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe ShredderNintendo 3DS version

References
  1. Faris, Anna (host) (2019-11-25). "Bill Fichtner". Unqualified. Event occurs at 0:30. William Edward Fichtner—not a 'junior', my father's middle name was Frederick—...
  2. "William Fichtner Biography (1956-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  3. Silverman, Stephen M. (January 17, 2002). "'Black Hawk Down' Comes Up in D.C." People. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  4. David Niles. "Worcester Telegram & Gazette Archives". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  5. 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.
  6. "FAQs and Q&A with William Fichtner". WilliamFichtner.org (official site). Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  7. "About William Fichtner". Farmingdale State College. 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
  8. Clean 'Break' for Fichtner Reuters. June 19, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2006.
  9. "Hockey, Hollywood stars align for '09 Awards in Vegas".
  10. "NHL Awards Winners". nhl.com. NHL. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  11. "Entourage Admits Caan, Fichtner, Letscher". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  12. 'Crossing Lines': William Fichtner Reveals Sons Of Anarchy Star Joining Show
  13. 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Adds William Fichtner
  14. Fichtner, William (September 4, 2014). VIDEO: What It Means to Be a Bills Fan. Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  15. Warren, Matt. "Buffalo Bills '30 for 30' documentary, 'Four Falls of Buffalo,' premieres". buffalorumblings.com. Buffalo Rumblings. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  16. Endsville at IMDb
  17. "Forehead Tittaes w/ Marion Cotillard". Funny Or Die. March 9, 2010.
  18. Fleming Jr., Mike. "William Fichtner To Make Directing Debut On 'Cold Brook'". Deadline. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  19. Kaufman, Alexander C. (October 4, 2012). "National Geographic Channel to Show Osama bin Laden Thriller 'Seal Team Six'". TheWrap.
  20. Gaudiosi, John (April 11, 2011). "Actor William Fichtner is Modern Warfare 3's Sandman". IGN. Archived from the original on 2018-10-25. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
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