Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman
Pullman at the Tribeca Film Festival, April 2007
Born	William James Pullman December 17, 1953 (1953-12-17) Hornell, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Tamara Hurwitz (1987-present)

William James "Bill" Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American film, television, and stage 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, including Spaceballs, Independence Day, Lost Highway, Casper and Scary Movie 4. 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 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 theatre companies around New York and Los Angeles, California. His first prominent movie role was in the film Ruthless People (which starred Danny DeVito and Bette Midler). Other notable films included the lead in Spaceballs (1987), The Serpent and the Rainbow (opposite Zakes Mokae), While You Were Sleeping (1995). In 1996 he played the president of the United States in the commercially successful movie Independence Day. A year later he had a major role in Lost Highway (1997). Pullman continues to act in both theatre and in movies, independent and big budget. His more recent films have been The Grudge and Scary Movie 4 (the latter heavily spoofing The Grudge though Pullman's part 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, but did not win, the 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play. He starred as Dr. Richard Massey in the End of Days miniseries, Revelations. He may co-star with Val Kilmer in the new Lewis and Clark movie, if it ever materializes. 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.

Pullman joined the cast of Peacock starring opposite Susan Sarandon, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page and Josh Lucas. Filming will take place in Des Moines, Iowa. He appeared on Broadway in a 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.

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

Pullman played murderer and paedophile Oswald Danes in Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth series of the BBC/Starz Entertainment television show Torchwood, which began airing in July 2011.

Personal life

Pullman is married to Tamara Hurwitz, and they have three children, daughter Maesa (born 1988), and sons Jack (born 1989), and Lewis (born 1993).

He lost his sense of smell in college after an injury left him in a coma for two days.

Pullman co-owns a cattle ranch with his brother in Montana, near the town of Whitehall, where he lives part-time.

American cultural critic Greil Marcus used Pullman as a major piece of his argument in the book The Shape of Things to Come: Prophecy and the American Voice. In the chapter entitled "American Berserk: Bill Pullman's Face", Marcus argued that many different aspects of American culture could be clearly seen in Pullman's facial expressions in various films.

On May 24, 2008, Pullman was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he received his graduate degree.^{[citation needed]} Pullman also serves on the Board of Trustees at Alfred University and was awarded an honorary doctorate on May 14, 2011.

Cultural references

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

Filmography

• Ruthless People (1986) - Earl Mott
• Spaceballs (1987) - Lone Starr
• The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) - Dennis Alan
• Rocket Gibraltar (1988) - Crow Black
• The Accidental Tourist (1988) - Julian
• Cold Feet (1989) - Buck Latham
• Brain Dead (1990) - Dr. Rex Martin
• Sibling Rivalry (1990) - Nicholas Meany
• Going Under (1990) - Capt. Biff Banner
• Bright Angel (1990) - Bob
• Liebestraum (1991) - Paul Kessler
• Newsies (1992) - Bryan Denton
• A League of Their Own (1992) - Bob Hinson
• Crazy in Love (1992) (TV) - Nick Symonds
• Singles (1992) - Doctor Jamison
• Nervous Ticks (1992) - York Daley
• Sommersby (1993) - Orin Meecham
• Sleepless in Seattle (1993) - Walter
• Malice (1993) - Andy Safian
• Mr. Jones (1993) (uncredited) - Construction Site Foreman
• The Favor (1994) - Peter
• Wyatt Earp (1994) - Ed Masterson
• The Last Seduction (1994) - Clay Gregory
• While You Were Sleeping (1995) - Jack Callaghan
• Casper (1995) - Dr. James Harvey
• Mr. Wrong (1996) - Whitman Crawford
• Independence Day (1996) - President Thomas J. Whitmore
• Mistrial (1996) (TV) - Steve Donohue
• Lost Highway (1997) - Fred Madison
• The End of Violence (1997) - Mike Max
• Merry Christmas, George Bailey (1997) (TV) - George Bailey
• Zero Effect (1998) - Daryl Zero
• Lake Placid (1999) - Jack Wells
• Brokedown Palace (1999) - 'Yankee' Hank Green
• History Is Made at Night (1999) - Harry Howe/Ernie Halliday
• The Virginian (2000) (TV) - The Virginian
• The Guilty (2000) - Callum Crane
• Titan A.E. (2000) (voice) - Capt. Joseph Korso
• Lucky Numbers (2000) - Det. Pat Lakewood
• Opening the Tombs of the Golden Mummies: Live (2000) (TV) - Co-Host
• A Man Is Mostly Water (2001) - Parking Fascist
• Ignition (2001) - Conor Gallagher
• Igby Goes Down (2002) - Jason Slocumb
• 29 Palms (2002) - The Ticket Clerk
• Rick (2003) - Rick
• Tiger Cruise (2004) (TV) - Cmdr. Dolan
• The Grudge (2004) - Peter Kirk
• Dear Wendy (2005) - Officer Krugsby
• Revelations (2005) television Series - Richard Massey
• Scary Movie 4 (2006) - Henry Hale
• Alien Autopsy (2006) - Morgan Banner
• Nobel Son (2007) - Max Mariner
• You Kill Me (2007) - Dave
• Surveillance (2008) - Sam Hallaway
• Bottle Shock (2008) - Jim Barrett
• Phoebe in Wonderland (2008) - Peter Lichten
• Your Name Here (2008) - William J. Frick
• Peacock (2009) - Edmund French
• Kerosene Cowboys (2009)
• The Killer Inside Me (2010)
• Rio Sex Comedy (2010) - William
• Too Big to Fail (2011) - Jamie Dimon
• Torchwood: Miracle Day (2011) - Oswald Danes
• Bringing Up Bobby (2011) - Kent

External links

• Bill Pullman at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website
• Bill Pullman at FEARnet