William Petersen
Birthday: Born in 1953-02-21 in Evanston, Illinois, USA
Deathday: Alive
William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Richard Chance in the film To Live and Die in L.A., and Will Graham in the film Manhunter. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Petersen attended Idaho State University on a football scholarship, where he first tried acting and immediately joined the drama department, before leaving to work in the Basque country as a Shakespearean actor. Peterson embraced the Basque lifestyle, influencing his work, family and art. He went on to perform with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before his breakthrough role in the 1985 action film To Live and Die in L.A. Peterson’s success was immediate, landing him the role as Will Graham in the first adaptation of Michael Mann’s Hannibal Lecter series. His film and television success includes numerous crime dramas and thrillers, providing him the perfect background for his decade-long role as Dr. Gil Grissom in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before returning to the stage. On February 3, 2009, Petersen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
TV Credits
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Character: Gil Grissom
A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery....
The Twilight Zone
Character:
This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy....
Without a Trace
Character: Gil Grissom
The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City....
CSI: Vegas
Character: Gil Grissom
Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City....
Return to Lonesome Dove
Character: Captain Gideon Walker
After returning the body of Gus McCrae to Lonesome Dove, Woodrow Call takes on the challenge of driving a herd of wild mustangs 2500 miles north to the Hat Creek Ranch in Montana. But tragedy, triumph, despair and deceit will greet him before he ever gets there....
Fallen Angels
Character: Georgie
A neo-noir anthology television series, set in somber Los Angeles right after World War II and before the election of American President John F. Kennedy. The episodes, although filmed in color, mimicked what had been done by Hollywood filmmakers during the film noir era of the 1940s and 1950s in terms of tone, look, and story content....
The Directors
Character: Self
Documentary biography series featuring profiles of various famous film directors....
The Kennedys of Massachusetts
Character: Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
The Kennedys of Massachusetts is a 1990 TV miniseries that aired on ABC. Focusing mainly on the fifty-four year marriage of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Kennedy. The events depicted in the series are based upon the book by Doris Kearns Goodwin titled The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys : An American Saga. The series aired across three nights, an earned an Emmy and Golden Globe....
Manhattan
Character: Col. Emmett Darrow
Set against the backdrop of the greatest clandestine race against time in the history of science with the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Flawed scientists and their families attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives....
Blue
Character: Mitch
Blue is a mother with a secret life. She'll do anything to keep it from her son. But her past has other plans....
The Beast
Character: Whip Dalton
Mysterious deaths and unexplained disappearances begin to occur in the small seaport village of Graves Point. When a large, strange claw is discovered on an empty raft washing up on the shore, marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley identifies it as belonging to a rare giant squid....
Movie Credits
Fear
Character: Steve Walker
Nicole Walker always dreamed of being swept away by someone special — someone strong, sexy and sensitive who would care for her more than anything else in the world. David is all that and more: a modern-day knight who charms and seduces her, body and soul. But her perfect boyfriend is not all he seems to be. His sweet facade masks a savage, dark side that will soon transform Nicole's dream into a nightmare....
Mulholland Falls
Character: Jack Flynn
In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman....
Thief
Character: Katz & Jammer Bartender
Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score....
Three Short Plays by Tracy Letts
Character: Ted
These plays, all written by Tony and Pulitzer-winning playwright and Steppenwolf ensemble member Tracy Letts, share at least one thread: a world off-kilter. These gripping pieces create the opening landscape of this season and will mark a bridge between where we have been and where we are going....
Manhunter
Character: Will Graham
FBI Agent Will Graham, who retired after catching Hannibal Lecter, returns to duty to engage in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecter to capture a new killer....
The Skulls
Character: Ames Levritt
A senior at an Ivy League college, who depends on scholarships and working on the side, gets accepted into the secret society The Skulls. He hopes it betters chances at Harvard but The Skulls is not what he thought and comes at a price....
Cousins
Character: Tom Hardy
Two couples go to a mutual friend's wedding and end up swapping partners....
The Rat Pack
Character: John F. Kennedy
After a brief flash-forward to Frank Sinatra as an old man, saying "I miss my guys," the movie's main narrative begins during high points in the solo careers of the Rat Pack: Dean Martin has become a big success despite the breakup of his partnership with Jerry Lewis; Sinatra's career is at its peak; Sammy Davis, Jr., is making a comeback after a near fatal car crash, and standup comic Joey Bishop is gaining exposure as an opening act for the other three. The Pack becomes complete when Sinatra r...
12 Angry Men
Character: Juror 12
During the trial of a man accused of his father's murder, a lone juror takes a stand against the guilty verdict handed down by the others as a result of their preconceptions and prejudices....
Young Guns II
Character: Patrick Floyd 'Pat' Garrett
Three of the original five "young guns" — Billy the Kid, Jose Chavez y Chavez, and Doc Scurlock — return in Young Guns, Part 2, which is the story of Billy the Kid and his race to safety in Old Mexico while being trailed by a group of government agents led by Pat Garrett....
To Live and Die in L.A.
Character: Richard Chance
When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters....
Passed Away
Character: Frank Scanlan
Thrown for a loop by the unexpected news that Dad has suddenly gone to his reward, the grieving eccentric Scanian clan are drawn together in a test of familial endurance that soon has them at each other's throats....
Kiss the Sky
Character: Jess
Two professionals, Jeff and Marty, take a business trip to the Philippines. Their deep dissatisfaction with their lives leads them to forsake their friends and families for a return to the alcohol and drug-induced wanderings of their youth....
Detachment
Character: Mr. Sarge Kepler
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment....
Amazing Grace and Chuck
Character: Russell
Average American boy Chuck Murdock goes on a school outing to a nuclear weapons facility, where he learns about the destructive power that sits at the fingertips of the military. Knowing that the world could end with the push of a button, he protests against nuclear war by walking out on his Little League team during a game. Chuck's stunt ends up in the local paper, and as the story snowballs, basketball star "Amazing Grace" Smith decides to boycott sports, too....
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Character: Trucker
As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan....
Long Gone
Character: Stud Cantrell
Story of the Tampico Stogies, a low minor-league baseball team, and its star player and manager, Stud' Cantrell, as they battle for the league championship amidst the corruption and racism of the American south....
Hard Promises
Character: Joey
A man who doesn't like stable work environments has been away for too many years, and finds out his wife has divorced him and is planning to remarry. He comes home to confront her, trying to convince her not to get married, aided by the daughter, who loves him despite his wandering ways. The couple finds out they still have feelings for each other but must decide how best to handle the contradiction of their lifestyles....
The Staircase
Character: Joad
A mysterious carpenter appears just as a church is in need of repair....
Haven
Character: Jackson Connolly
Based on the true story of a woman named Ruth Gruber who travels to Europe to help escort 1000 Jewish War victims to the United States. She comes to love and feel sorry for them all, and fights for their rights to live in America....
Gunshy
Character: Jake Bridges
When the New York journalist Jake Bridges catches his girlfriend with another guy, he goes to Atlantic City to drink himself to oblivion. He is saved from a bar brawl by a small-time mobster Frankie, and Jake falls in love with Frankie's girlfriend Melissa. Jake soon also joins Frankie in his money-collecting duties....
Curaçao
Character: Stephen Guerin
Cornelius Wettering and Stephen Guerin are expatriates living in Curaçao. They're bound together by an understanding that each is hiding from a dangerous past....
Inside 'Manhunter'
Character: Himself
A DVD Special Feature documentary on the experience of turning the chilling novel "Red Dragon" into a motion picture, all told through the actors and director of the first interpretation on film of the hideously complex Hannibal Lecter. Features interviews with Director Michael Mann, and actors Brian Cox, William Petersen, Tom Noonan, and Joan Allen....
Blue Neon Night: Michael Connelly's Los Angeles
Character: Narrator
Bestselling author Michael Connelly, one of the biggest names in crime fiction, is featured in this documentary as he talks about the city of Los Angeles, its bright side, its dark side, and how it all gives his novels their unique flair. Interspersed within the film are clips showing different spots of the Los Angeles area as William Petersen reads excerpts from the novels. Together, they give Connelly fans an in-depth look into Los Angeles and its influence on the author....
The Beast
Character: Whip Dalton
Mysterious things happen at the coast of Graves Point: An empty boat lies at the shore, divers vanish. The sea biologist Dr. Talley thinks he knows the solution of the mystery: In the depth there is a gigantic squid....
The Contender
Character: Jack Hathaway
The vice president is dead, and as the president makes his choice for a replacement, a secret contest of wills is being waged by a formidable rival. When Senator Laine Hanson is nominated as the first woman in history to hold the office, hidden agendas explode into a battle for power....
100 Years of Wrigley Field
Character: Narrator
100 Years of Wrigley Field celebrates a century of the greatest moments and best personalities of the ballpark on Chicago's North Side....
CSI: Immortality
Character: Gil Grissom
An explosion inside a casino brings Catherine Willows back to Las Vegas to investigate. And when the crime is tied to Lady Heather, Gil Grissom is brought back as well to aid the investigation. This is a 2 part TV Special. Series Finale...
Keep the Change
Character: Joe Starling
A struggling artist visits his family on their Montana ranch and finds that his former flame, daughter of a family foe, is now married to an old friend....
In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King
Character: Tony C.
Al is caught between his loyalty to the police force and his love for his brother in a tense setting. It seems that his brother, Rudy, was involved in a mob hit that could potentially start a gang war. Tony C., a local mob boss and childhood acquaintance of Al, hires him to find out who was involved in the hit. Al must find his brother and make some decisions....
Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.'
Character: Himself
The magic and creation behind the making of William Friedkin's classic action film To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). It follows cast, crew and the director several years after the film sharing their experiences while working on the project, also including footage from the shooting, and they discuss in detail the conception of the most spectacular scenes filmed there and also the great debate about the different endings developed for the film....
Friedkin Uncut
Character: Self
An introspective insight into the life and artistic journey of William Friedkin, an extraordinary and offbeat director of cult films such as The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer, Cruising, To Live and Die in L.A. and Killer Joe. For the first time Friedkin opens up, guiding the audience on a fascinating journey through the themes and the stories that have influenced his life and his artistic career....
Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy
Character: Narrator
Actor William Petersen narrates this documentary about Chicago's venerable baseball stadium, Wrigley Field, focusing on a variety of quirky fans who've spent so much time there that they've become part of the stadium experience. These colorful Cubs enthusiasts tell their stories and discuss how both baseball and Wrigley Field have become an integral part of their lives. A bonus feature on Comiskey Park -- home of the rival White Sox -- is included....