William Atherton (I)

Actor | Soundtrack | Producer

William Atherton's career has spanned motion pictures, Broadway and television. He first achieved ...

Born: July 30, 1947

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Filmography

Known For

Die Hard Richard Thornburg (1988)
Ghostbusters Walter Peck (1984)
Real Genius Prof. Jerry Hathaway (1985)
Known For

The Day of the Locust Tod Hackett (1975)
Actor

Bad Company (2018)
Clinical Terry (2017)
Defiance Viceroy Berto Mercado (2014)
Jinn Father Westhoff (2014)
Childrens Hospital Levon Bainter (2013)
Getting Back to Zero (2013)
The Citizen Winston (2012)
The Unknown Jim Larson (2012)
Workaholics Thor Holmvik (2012)
Jersey Shore Shark Attack Dolan (2012)
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Earle Swinter (2012)
Castle Dr. Ari Weiss (2011)
The Kane Files: Life of Trial Daniel Morgan (2010)
The Glades Big Jack Hasker (2010)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ned Bogden (2010)
Lost Principal Donald Reynolds (2010)
Ghostbusters Walter Peck (2009)
Life Mickey Rayborn (2008-2009)
Strokes Richard McBride (2008)
Monk Commander Nathan Whitaker (2008)
Ghouls Stefan (2008)
Black Crescent Moon Jo Dexton (2008)
Aces 'N' Eights Howard (2008)
Kush King (2007)
Numb3rs Warren Pierce (2007)
The Girl Next Door Adult David Moran (2007)
Totally Baked Mr. Lyle Funonion (Segment "FunOnion Boardroom") (2007)
Hacia la oscuridad John (2007)
Desperate Housewives Dr. Barr (2006)
Stargate SG-1 Emissary Varta (2006)
Headspace Dr. Ira Gold (2005)
Gone But Not Forgotten Senator Raymond Colby (2005)
Into the Sun CIA Agent Block (2005)
Boston Legal A.D.A. Howard Zale (2005)
Law & Order Dan Jensen (2002-2004)
The Last Samurai Winchester Rep (2003)
Justice League Dr. Destiny (2003)
Who's Your Daddy? Duncan Mack (2002)
Race to Space Ralph Stanton (2001)
Night Visions William Price (segment "Hate Puppet") (2001)
Burning Down the House Arthur Kranston (2001)
The Crow: Salvation Nathan Randall (2000)
The Stranger Arthur (1999)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Ron (1999)
The Practice D.A. Keith Pratt (1997-1999)
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Darryl Zanuck (1999)
The Outer Limits Franklin Murdoch (1998)
Michael Kael contre la World News Company James Denit (1998)
Mad City Dohlen (1997)
Executive Power President John Fields (1997)
Hoodlum Thomas Dewey (1997)
Nash Bridges Dr. Linus Mills (1996)
Raven Hawk Philip Thorne (1996)
Bio-Dome Dr. Noah Faulkner (1996)
Frank & Jesse Allan Pinkerton (1995)
Broken Trust Roemer (1995)
Virus Dr. Reginald Holloway (1995)
Saints and Sinners Terence McCone (1994)
The Pelican Brief Bob Gminski (1993)
Chrome Soldiers Sheriff Blackwell (1992)
Diagnosis Murder: Diagnosis of Murder Eric Walker (1992)
Murder, She Wrote Prosecutor Andy Henley (1985-1991)
Tales from the Crypt Malcolm Mayflower (1991)
Oscar Overton (1991)
Grim Prairie Tales Arthur (1990)
Die Hard 2 Thornberg (1990)
Buried Alive Cortland 'Cort' van Owen (1990)
The Equalizer Martin 'Alpha' Loeber (1987-1989)
Intrigue Doggett (1988)
Die Hard Richard Thornburg (1988)
The Law and Harry McGraw (1987)
The Twilight Zone Brian Wolfe (segment "The Card") (1985-1987)
No Mercy Allan Deveneux (1986)
A Fight for Jenny Michael Rosen (1986)
Real Genius Prof. Jerry Hathaway (1985)
Ghostbusters Walter Peck (1984)
The House of Mirth Lawrence Selden (1983)
Malibu Stan Harvey (1983)
Tomorrow's Child Jim Spence (1982)
A Single Light (1981)
Centennial Jim Lloyd (1978-1979)
Looking for Mr. Goodbar James (1977)
Independence Benjamin Rush (1976)
The Hindenburg Karl Boerth (1975)
The Day of the Locust Tod Hackett (1975)
The Sugarland Express Clovis (1974)
Class of '44 Fraternity President (1973)
Actor

The New Centurions Johnson (1972)
Soundtrack

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)
The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)
The Sugarland Express (1974)
Soundtrack

The Great Gatsby (1974)
Producer

Kush (2007)
Producer

Headspace (2005)
Archive footage

Lego Dimensions (2015)

Did You Know

Has starred as Honore in the 2011 Los Angeles production of "Gigi" and performed the show's enormously popular song, "Yes, I Remember It Well", with his co-star, Millicent Martin at the McCallum Theatre's annual charity event in Palm Springs.

Quotes

If you have to be the antagonist, you often have a lot more creative powers. You have a lot more color to you.

Trademark

Known around the world for what have become his signature film characters: the television reporter, Dick Thornburg in Die Hard (1988) and Die Hard 2 (1990); the EPA official, Walter Peck in Ghostbusters (1984); Professor Jerry Hathaway in Real Genius...