A small-town guy with a big heart, William Fichtner has been captivating the hearts of Western New Yorkers for decades. Bill was born in 1956 on Long Island, New York, to Patricia A. (Steitz) and William E. Fichtner. He is of German, Irish, and English descent.Fichtner was raised in Cheektowaga, and graduated from Maryvale High School in 1974. His first roles were in soap operas such as As the World Turns (1956) and sitcoms like Grace Under Fire (1993). He has also been in films such as Armageddon (1998), Empire Falls (2005), as The Marriage Counselor, uncredited, in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), and in The Dark Knight (2008). A fan of the Buffalo Sabres, Bill always stays true to his roots. He is married to actress Kymberly Kalil.
William Fichtner
Movies
Go
Told from three perspectives, a story of a bunch of young Californians trying to get some cash, do and deal some drugs, score money and sex in Las Vegas, and generally experience the rush of life.
Corporate
From Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman comes a dark, edgy look at life as a Junior-Executive-in-Training at your average, soulless multi-national corporation. Matt and Jake (Ingebretson and Weisman) are at the mercy of a tyrannical CEO Christian DeVille (Lance Reddick) and his top lieutenants, sycophants John and Kate…
Fun Facts
His sister is a major in the United States Air Force.
Graduated from SUNY Brockport in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.
The ring he constantly wears belonged to his grandfather, Theodore.
Has four sisters: Mary, Margaret, Pamela and Patricia.
Attended high school at Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga, New York.
Attended American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, New York.
His sister teaches art at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak, New York.
Is an avid hockey fan, particularly his favorite team the Buffalo Sabres. Once presented an award at the NHL Awards for the 2006/2007 season on June 14, 2007.
One of 115 people invited to join to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences [2007].
He has German, Irish, English, and more distant Dutch, ancestry. Fichtner, Fiechtner, or any variant thereof is a surname originating from areas where German is spoken (Switzerland, Austria, Germany). Descendants of the Fichtner name are spread though Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, the United States and even into modern-day Ukraine. Groups of Fichtners helped to colonize the early United States, with the emergence of Fichtners into Pennsylvania in the mid-1760s. Fichtners also settled in the Russian Empire as Catherine the Great opened up Russian lands to German settlement during the same period. The name is common especially in modern southern Germany. Fichtners also remain today living in the modern-day Ukraine and many live within the United States today in the Midwest and Northwest.
Graduated from Farmingdale State College with an Associate degree n Criminal Justice in 1976, then transferred to SUNY Brockport.
His favorite films include The Graduate (1967), The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Deer Hunter (1978) and Strictly Ballroom (1992).
Become the first person to receive a star on the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival's Walk of Fame.
Is a talented racing driver - overall winner of the 2011 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race during the Grand Prix of Long Beach, finishing ahead of pro driver Ken Gushi.
Quotes
When you work on a Jerry Bruckheimer film, you can be sure of two things: no production value will be spared, and the catering will be as fine as any really really good restaurant. Jerry is an amazing producer, with a commitment to his films second to none.
What I truly get excited about is not the genre of a movie or the size of a part - it's character. I like to find characters.
Here's the bottom line: I can't play someone if I can't figure out what he cares about. Everybody cares about something, even a rough character. It defines where we step in life. As soon as you find out what somebody cares about, then it all gets real.
It's not that there aren't people who care creatively in the world of television, but there's always a bit more time in making a movie. I always feel films are more of a creative journey.
When I was younger, I never wanted to rehearse because I thought that someone would figure out I don't know what I'm doing. Now I like to really spend the time and figure it out, and rehearsal is to try something that doesn't work.
I have no problem having any actor from anywhere play a role. I'm excited for any actor that gets a job, I truly am. Even if it's a role that I'm up for and I don't get it, I never begrudge any actor having it work out for them.