Bill Pullman


William Pullman is an American film, stage, and television actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, Pullman worked as an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting. He made his film debut in the 1986 film Ruthless People, and has since gone on to star in films including Spaceballs, The Accidental Tourist, Sleepless In Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Casper, Independence Day, Lost Highway and Lake Placid. He has appeared frequently on television, usually in TV films, though starting in the 2000s he has also acted in miniseries and regular series, including starring roles in 1600 Penn and The Sinner.
Pullman has also had a long stage acting career, and has appeared on Broadway several times, including in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? in 2002.

Early life

Pullman was born in Hornell, New York, the son of James Pullman, a physician, and his wife Johanna, a nurse.
After graduating from Hornell High School in 1971, he attended the State University of New York at Delhi and the State University of New York at Oneonta in the 1970s. He eventually received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Pullman taught theater at SUNY Delhi and was an adjunct professor at Montana State University's School of Film and Photography in Bozeman, Montana, where he was persuaded by his students to attempt film.

Career

During the 1980s, he primarily worked with theater companies around New York and Los Angeles. His first prominent film role was in Ruthless People. Other notable films included the lead in Spaceballs, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and While You Were Sleeping. In 1996, he played the president of the United States in the sci-fi film Independence Day. A year later he had a major role in Lost Highway and voiced Korso in the animated post-apocalyptic film Titan A.E. His more recent films have included The Grudge and Scary Movie 4. He also starred alongside Christian Bale in the musical Newsies.
From February 2002 until September 2002, Pullman starred with Mercedes Ruehl, in Edward Albee's play The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? on Broadway. The play won several awards: 2002 Tony Award for Best Play; 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding New Play; 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Pullman was nominated for the 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play. He starred as Dr. Richard Massey in the miniseries Revelations. Pullman starred in Albee's play Peter and Jerry, at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre in New York. For his performance, Pullman received a second Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play in 2008.
In addition to acting, Pullman is a creative writer. His first play, Expedition 6, is about the International Space Station mission Expedition 6 that was in orbit at the time that the Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed on reentry, grounding the U.S. space shuttle program, which was to provide the vehicle for the crew's return to earth. The play opened at San Francisco's Magic Theater in September 2007.
He also appeared in the Broadway production of David Mamet's Oleanna, co-starring Julia Stiles. The production opened at the John Golden Theatre October 11, 2009, and closed on December 6, 2009, playing 65 performances.
He is also a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals.
Pullman played Oswald Danes, a pedophile and child killer, in , the fourth series of the BBC/Starz Entertainment television show Torchwood, the former of which began airing in July 2011. For his performance as Danes, Pullman received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor on Television.
From 2012-13, Pullman portrayed the President of the United States in the television comedy series 1600 Penn.
He plays Detective Harry Ambrose in the USA Network mystery series The Sinner, which premiered in 2017 and has aired for three seasons thus far.

Personal life

Pullman is married to Tamara Hurwitz, a modern dancer. Their three children are actor Lewis Pullman singer-songwriter Maesa Pullman, and Jack Pullman. At the age of 21, Pullman suffered a head injury and lost his sense of smell. He co-owns a cattle ranch with his brother in Montana, near the town of Whitehall, where he lives part-time. He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Alfred University and was awarded an honorary doctorate on May 14, 2011. In 2018, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Montana State University, where he was formerly employed.

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1986Ruthless PeopleEarl Mott
1987SpaceballsLone Starr
1988The Serpent and the RainbowDennis Alan
1988Rocket GibraltarCrow Black
1988The Accidental TouristJulian Edge
1989Cold FeetBuck Latham
1990Brain DeadDr. Rex Martin
1990Sibling RivalryNicholas Meany
1990Bright AngelBob
1991LiebestraumPaul Kessler
1991Going UnderBiff Banner
1992Nervous TicksYork Daley
1992NewsiesBryan Denton
1992A League of Their OwnBob Hinson
1992SinglesDoctor Jamison
1993SommersbyOrin Meecham
1993Sleepless in SeattleWalter Jackson
1993MaliceAndy Safian
1993Mr. JonesConstruction Site ForemanUncredited cameo
1994The FavorPeter Whiting
1994Wyatt EarpEd Masterson
1994The Last SeductionClay Gregory
1995While You Were SleepingJack Callaghan
1995CasperDr. James Harvey
1996Mr. WrongWhitman Crawford
1996Independence DayPresident Thomas J. Whitmore
1997Lost HighwayFred Madison
1997The End of ViolenceMike Max
1998Zero EffectDaryl Zero
1999Lake PlacidJack Wells
1999Brokedown Palace'Yankee' Hank Green
1999Spy GamesHarry Howe/Ernie Halliday
2000The GuiltyCallum Crane
2000Titan A.E.Captain Joseph KorsoVoice
2000Lucky NumbersDet. Pat Lakewood
2000A Man Is Mostly WaterParking Fascist
2001IgnitionConor Gallagher
200229 PalmsThe Ticket Clerk
2002Igby Goes DownJason Slocumb
2003RickRick O'Lette
2004The GrudgePeter Kirk
2005Dear WendyOfficer Krugsby
2006Scary Movie 4Henry Hale
2006Alien AutopsyMorgan Banner
2007Nobel SonMax Mariner
2007You Kill MeDave
2008SurveillanceSam Hallaway
2008Bottle ShockJim Barrett
2008Phoebe in WonderlandPeter Lichten
2008Your Name HereWilliam J. Frick
2010PeacockEdmund French
2010The Killer Inside MeBilly Bob Walker
2010Rio Sex ComedyWilliam
2011Bringing Up BobbyKent
2012Lola VersusLenny
2013The UnbelieversHimself
2014Red SkyCaptain John Webster
2014CymbelineSicilius Leonatus
2014The EqualizerBrian Plummer
2015American UltraRaymond Krueger
2016Former President Thomas J. Whitmore
2016LBJSenator Ralph Yarborough
2016Brother NatureJerry Turley
2017Walking OutClyde
2017The Ballad of Lefty BrownLefty Brown
2017TroubleBen
2017Battle of the SexesJack Kramer
2018The Equalizer 2Brian Plummer
2019The Coldest GameJoshua Mansky
2019Dark WatersHarry Dietzler
‘’Ford v Ferrari’’
James Mangold
2020The High NoteMax

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986Cagney & LaceyDoctor GiordanoEpisode: "A Safe Place"
1989Home Fires BurningHenry TibbetsMovie
1990The Tracey Ullman ShowSheldon MossEpisode: "The Word"
1992Crazy in LoveNick SymondsMovie
1995Fallen AngelsRich ThurberEpisode: "Tomorrow I Die"
1996MistrialSteve DonohueMovie
1997Merry Christmas, George BaileyGeorge BaileyMovie
2000The VirginianThe VirginianMovie
2001Night VisionsMajor Ben DarnellEpisode: "A View Through the Window"
2004Tiger CruiseCmdr. DolanMovie
2005RevelationsRichard Massey6 episodes
2008'Kurt MossEpisode: "Closet"
2010Nathan vs. NatureArthurMovie
2011Too Big to FailJamie DimonMovie
2011InnocentRusty SabichMovie
2011'Oswald Danes8 episodes
2012–131600 PennPresident Dale Gilchrist13 episodes
2017–presentThe SinnerDetective Harry AmbroseMain cast; 24 episodes

Stage

Awards and nominations