Bill Pullman

born on 17/12/1953 in Hornell, NY, United States

Bill Pullman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bill Pullman

Pullman at the Tribeca Film Festival, April 2007
Born December 17 1953
Hornell, New York, U.S.
Education Hornell High School
Alma mater State University of New York at Delhi
State University of New York at Oneonta
Occupation Actor
Years active 1986present
Spouse(s) Tamara Hurwitz (1987present)

William James "Bill" Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. Pullman made his film debut in the supporting role of Earl Mott in the 1986 film Ruthless People. He has since gone on to star in other films, such as Spaceballs (1987), Independence Day (1996), While You Were Sleeping (1995), Casper (1995) and Lost Highway (1997). He has starred in a number of plays and is also a Jury Member for Filmaka.

Early life

Pullman was born in Hornell, New York, the son of James Pullman, a physician, and his wife Johanna (née Blaas), a nurse. His father's family descends from England, and his maternal grandparents immigrated from the Netherlands. After graduating from Hornell High School in 1971, he attended the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi) and the State University of New York at Oneonta in the 1970s. He eventually received his Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Pullman taught theater at SUNY Delhi and Montana State University's School of Film and Photography, where he was convinced 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 (which starred Danny DeVito and Bette Midler). Other notable films included the lead in Spaceballs (1987), The Serpent and the Rainbow (with Zakes Mokae), and While You Were Sleeping (1995). In 1996, he played the president of the United States in the sci-fi disaster film Independence Day. A year later he had a major role in Lost Highway (1997) and voiced Korso in the animated post-apocalyptic film Titan A.E.. His more recent films have been The Grudge and Scary Movie 4 (the latter heavily spoofing The Grudge though Pullman's role spoofed The Village).

From February 2001 until February 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 End of Days miniseries, Revelations. Pullman starred in Edward Albee's Peter and Jerry, at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre in New York. Pullman received a second Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play for Peter and Jerry 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.[1]

He also appeared in the Broadway production of David Mamet's Oleanna, co-starring Julia Stiles.[2] The production opened at the John Golden Theatre October 11, 2009, and closed on December 6, 2009, playing 65 performances.[3]

He is also a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals.[4]

Pullman played murderer and paedophile Oswald Danes in Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth series of the BBC/Starz Entertainment television show Torchwood,[5] which began airing in July 2011. For his performance as Danes, Pullman has received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor In Television.[6]

In 2012-13, Pullman starred in the role of a U.S. president in the television comedy series 1600 Penn.

Personal life

Pullman is married to Tamara Hurwitz and they have three children.[7] He co-owns a cattle ranch with his brother in Montana, near the town of Whitehall, where he lives part-time.[8] He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Alfred University[9] and was awarded an honorary doctorate on May 14, 2011.[10]

Cultural references

In the American Dad! episode "Francine's Flashback", Pullman is portrayed as a forgettable actor who confuses himself with Bill Paxton.

Filmography

Feature films
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Ruthless People Earl Mott
1987 Spaceballs Lone Starr
1988 The Serpent and the Rainbow Dennis Alan
1988 Rocket Gibraltar Crow Black
1988 The Accidental Tourist Julian
1990 Brain Dead Dr. Rex Martin
1990 Sibling Rivalry Nicholas Meany
1990 Bright Angel Bob
1991 Liebestraum Paul Kessler
1992 Newsies Bryan Denton
1992 A League of Their Own Bob Hinson
1992 Singles Doctor Jamison
1993 Sommersby Orin Meecham
1993 Sleepless in Seattle Walter
1993 Malice Andy Safian
1993 Mr. Jones Construction Site Foreman Uncredited
1994 The Favor Peter
1994 Wyatt Earp Ed Masterson
1994 The Last Seduction Clay Gregory
1995 While You Were Sleeping Jack Callaghan
1995 Casper Dr. James Harvey
1996 Mr. Wrong Whitman Crawford
1996 Independence Day President Thomas J. Whitmore
1997 Lost Highway Fred Madison
1997 The End of Violence Mike Max
1998 Zero Effect Daryl Zero
1999 Lake Placid Jack Wells
1999 Brokedown Palace 'Yankee' Hank Green
1999 History Is Made at Night Harry Howe/Ernie Halliday
2000 The Guilty Callum Crane
2000 Titan A.E. Captain Joseph Korso Voice
2000 Lucky Numbers Det. Pat Lakewood
2001 Ignition Conor Gallagher
2002 Igby Goes Down Jason Slocumb
2003 Rick Rick
2004 The Grudge Peter Kirk
2005 Dear Wendy Officer Krugsby
2006 Scary Movie 4 Henry Hale
2006 Alien Autopsy Morgan Banner
2007 Nobel Son Max Mariner
2007 You Kill Me Dave
2008 Surveillance Sam Hallaway
2008 Bottle Shock Jim Barrett
2008 Phoebe in Wonderland Peter Lichten
2008 Your Name Here William J. Frick
2010 Peacock Edmund French
2010 The Killer Inside Me Billy Bob Walker
2010 Rio Sex Comedy William
2011 Bringing Up Bobby Kent
2012 Lola Versus Lenny
2014 Red Sky
2014 Cymbeline Post-Production
2015 American Ultra Filming
Television shows
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Cagney & Lacey Doctor Giordano Episode: "A Safe Place"
1989 Home Fires Burning Henry Tibbets Movie
1990 The Tracey Ullman Show Sheldon Moss Episode: "The Word"
1992 Crazy in Love Nick Symonds Movie
1995 Fallen Angels Rich Thurber Episode: "Tomorrow I Die"
1996 Mistrial Steve Donohue Movie
1997 Merry Christmas, George Bailey George Bailey Movie
2000 The Virginian The Virginian Movie
2001 Night Visions Major Ben Darnell Episode: "A View Through the Window"
2004 Tiger Cruise Cmdr. Dolan Movie
2005 Revelations Richard Massey 6 episodes
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Kurt Moss Episode: "Closet"
2010 Nathan vs. Nature Arthur Movie
2011 Too Big to Fail Jamie Dimon Movie
2011 Innocent Rusty Sabich Movie
2011 Torchwood: Miracle Day Oswald Danes 8 episodes
Nominated Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television
2012-2013 1600 Penn President Dale Gilchrist 13 episodes

References

  1. Bill Pullman's theatrical space odyssey, www.collectspace.com, September 20, 2007
  2. Pullman and Stiles Will Star in Mamet's Oleanna on Broadway, Opening Oct. 11, Playbill.com, June 30, 2009
  3. "Oleanna | Playbill Vault", PlaybillVault.com
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  7. Biography. - BillPullman.org.
  8. Associated Press (October 20, 2002). - Entertainment: "Yeltsin visits Armenian brandy distillery". - c/o Amarillo Globe-News.
  9. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  10. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bill Pullman

  • Official website
  • Bill Pullman at the Internet Movie Database
  • Bill Pullman at FEARnet
This page was last modified 12.05.2014 03:22:29

This article uses material from the article Bill Pullman from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.