Atherton, William 1947–

PERSONAL

Full name, William Atherton Knight II; born June 30, 1947, in New Haven (some sources cite Orange), CT; son of Robert Atherton and Myrtle (maiden name, Robison) Knight; married Bobbi Goldin, December 8, 1980. Education: Carnegie-Mellon University, B.F.A., 1969; trained for the stage at Aesthetic Realism Foundation, New York City, at Pasadena Playhouse, and with Consultation with Three, Ted van Griethuysen, Roy Harris, Sheldon Kranz, and Eli Siegel.

Addresses: Agent—Stone Manners Talent and Literary Agency, 6500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Los Angeles, CA 90048. Manager—Miller and Company Management, 9255 Sunset Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Career: Actor. Long Wharf Theatre Company, New Haven, CT, member of company as high school student; United Service Organizations, toured European cities in the 1960s.

Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and two Obie Award nominations, Village Voice, all 1972, for Suggs; Joseph Jefferson Award for Misalliance.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

(Stage debut) The Boyfriend, Clinton Playhouse, Clinton, CT, 1964.

Kenny, Little Murders, Civic Theatre, Chicago, 1970.

Victor, Goodbye and Keep Cold, Loft Theatre, New York City, 1970.

Ronnie Shaughnessy, The House of Blue Leaves, Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, 1971.

Title role, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, New York Shakespeare Festival, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public 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, 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, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public Theatre, 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 (solo show), 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, Anspacher Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1982.

Lieutenant Commander John Challee, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1983.

Dr. Lucchesi, Fugue, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH, 1992–93.

Martin Schulse, Address Unknown, Promenade Theatre, New York City, 2004.

Also appeared in Child's Play and Loco Motives, both Los Angeles.

Film Appearances:

(Film debut) Johnson, The New Centurions (also known as Precinct 45: Los Angeles Police), Columbia, 1972.

Fraternity president, Class of '44 (also known as Tre kompisar), Warner Bros., 1972.

Clovis Michael Poplin, The Sugarland Express, Universal, 1974.

Tod Hackett, The Day of the Locust, Paramount, 1975.

Boerth, The Hindenburg, Universal, 1975.

Benjamin Rush, Independence, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1976.

James Morrissey, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Paramount, 1977.

Walter Peck, Ghostbusters, Columbia, 1984.

Professor Jerome "Jerry" Hathaway, Real Genius, TriStar, 1985.

Allan Deveneux, No Mercy, TriStar, 1986.

Richard Thornburg, Die Hard, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988.

Richard Thornburg, Die Hard 2 (also known as Die Hard 2: Die Harder), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990.

Arthur, Grim Prairie Tales (also known as Hellbent), Coe-Hahn Releasing, 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.

Matt Dohlen, Mad City, Warner Bros., 1997.

James Denit, Michael Kael in Katango (also known as Michael Kael contre la World News Company and Michael Kael vs. The World News Company), Bac Films, 1998.

President John Fields, Executive Power, Naegele-Derrick Productions, 1998.

Arthur, The Stranger, 1999.

Nathan Randall, The Crow: Salvation (also known as The Crow III—Toedliche Erloesung), Dimension Films, 2000.

Ralph Stanton, Race to Space (also known as Race to Space—Mission ins Unbekannte), Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Burning Down the House, Vanguard Cinema, 2001.

(Uncredited) Party guest, Bread and Roses (also known as Pan y rosas), Lions Gate Films, 2001.

Uncle Duncan, Who's Your Daddy?, Premiere Marketing and Distribution, 2003.

Winchester representative, The Last Samurai (also known as The Last Samurai: Bushidou), Warner Bros., 2003.

Agent Block, Into the Sun, Screen Gems, 2004.

Dr. Ira Gold, Headspace, Freestyle Releasing, 2005.

King, Work, Auteur Entertainment, 2006.

Lyle Funion, National Lampoon's "Totally Baked: A Potumentary" Gregg Buskett/Craig Shoemaker Productions, 2006.

Film Work:

(Uncredited) Performer of theme song, The Great Gatsby Paramount, 1974.

(Uncredited) Song performer, "What'll I Do?," The Kid Stays in the Picture (documentary), Focus Features/USA Films, 2002.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Jim Lloyd, Centennial, NBC, 1978.

Stan Harvey, Malibu, 1983.

Senator Ray Colby, Gone but Not Forgotten, Lifetime, 2004.

Television Appearances; Movies:

A Single Light, 1981.

Jim Spence, Tomorrow's Child, ABC, 1982.

Michael Rosen, A Fight for Jenny, NBC, 1986.

Doggett, Intrigue, CBS, 1988.

Cortland "Cort" Van Owen, Buried Alive (also known as Till Death Do Us Part), USA Network, 1990.

Sheriff Ethan Blackwell, Chrome Soldiers, USA Network, 1992.

Eric Walker, Diagnosis Murder (also known as A Diagnosis of Murder), CBS, 1992.

Neil Roemer, Broken Trust (also known as Court of Honor), TNT, 1995.

Dr. Reginald Holloway, Virus (also known as Formula for Death, Robin Cook's "Formula for Death," Robin Cook's "Outbreak," and Robin Cook's "Virus"), NBC, 1995.

Allan Pinkerton, Frank & Jesse, HBO, 1995.

Philip Thorne, Raven Hawk, HBO, 1996.

Darryl Zanuck, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, HBO, 1999.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Lawrence Selden, "The House of Mirth," American Playhouse, PBS, 1981.

Television Appearances; 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, "Dead Men Don't Make Phone Calls," 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.

Malcolm Mayflower, "Easel Kill 'Ya," Tales from the Crypt (also known as HBO's "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 (also known as Bridges), CBS, 1996.

District Attorney Keith Pratt, "First Degree," The Practice, ABC, 1997.

District Attorney Keith Pratt, "Sex, Lies, and Monkeys," The Practice, ABC, 1997.

Franklin Murdoch, "To Tell the Truth," The Outer Limits (also known as The New Outer Limits), 1998.

District Attorney Keith Pratt, "Marooned," The Practice, ABC, 1999.

Ron, "A Simple Touch," Chicken Soup for the Soul, PAX, 1999.

William Price, "Hate Puppet," Night Visions, Fox, 2001.

Don Snyder, "Dazzled," Law & Order, NBC, 2002.

Voice of Dr. Destiny, "Only a Dream:Parts 1 & 2," Justice League (animated; also known as JL and Justice League Unlimited), Cartoon Network, 2003.

Dan Jensen, "Evil Breeds," Law & Order, NBC, 2004.

Assistant District Attorney Howard Zale, "It Girls and Beyond," Boston Legal, ABC, 2005.

Emissary Varta, "Collateral Damage," Stargate SG-1, Sci-Fi Channel, 2005.

Dr. Barr, "Remember: Part 1," Desperate Housewives, ABC, 2006.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Starlog, September, 1996.