William Ragsdale

Acting

William Ragsdale

Born 1961-01-19 · El Dorado, Arkansas, USA

William Ragsdale (born Robert William Ragsdale) is an American actor. He graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas studying religion and humanities. His parents gave him a graduation present in the form of tuition for the Drama Studio London’s American school at Berkeley, California. He's known for playing teenaged vampire slayer Charley Brewster in the horror vampire film Fright Night. He also garnered attention onstage in Neil Simon's plays, Biloxi Blues and Brighton Beach Memoirs, two of the three parts of Simon's trilogy, which ends with Broadway Bound. He starred in the romance comedy movie Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991). He featured for three years as Herman Brooks in the series Herman's Head, had a brief recurring role in the television series Judging Amy, and played television producer Rob Fields on the series Grosse Pointe, which lasted one season. He starred in the short-lived sitcom Brother's Keeper, and appeared on Ellen as the boyfriend of Ellen Morgan (played by Ellen DeGeneres) before her character revealed her homosexuality. He's had numerous guest roles on television throughout the years, including multi-episode stints on Less than Perfect, Necessary Roughness, Mistresses, Search Party, and Younger, as well as small feature movie roles. He played the role of Gary Hawkins in 12 episodes of the drama series Justified, during the series' first three seasons. In 2014, he played Chris Smith in the remake of the movie Left Behind.

Acting credits

Big Momma's House 2 poster
5.8

FBI agent Malcolm Turner goes back undercover as Big Momma, a slick-talking, slam-dunking Southern granny with attitude to spare! Now this granny must play nanny to three dysfunctional upper-class kids in order to spy on their computer hacker father.

Big Momma's House 2

2006

Left Behind poster
4.3

A small group of survivors are left behind after millions of people suddenly vanish during the rapture and the world is plunged into chaos and destruction.

Left Behind

2014

Renfield poster
6.4

Having grown sick and tired of his centuries as Dracula's lackey, Renfield finds a new lease on life — and maybe even redemption — when he falls for feisty, perennially angry traffic cop Rebecca Quincy.

Renfield

2023

Broken City poster
6.0

In a broken city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure, the mayor. Billy's relentless pursuit of justice, matched only by his streetwise toughness, makes him an unstoppable force - and the mayor's worst nightmare.

Broken City

2013

The Reaping poster
5.8

Katherine Morrissey, a former Christian missionary, lost her faith after the tragic deaths of her family. Now she applies her expertise to debunking religious phenomena. When a series of biblical plagues overrun a small town, Katherine arrives to prove that a supernatural force is not behind the occurrences, but soon finds that science cannot explain what is happening. Instead, she must regain her faith to combat the evil that waits in a Louisiana swamp.

The Reaping

2007

Fright Night poster
7.0

Charley Brewster, a high school student, accidentally discovers the true and creepy nature of Jerry Dandrige, his dashing and enigmatic new neighbor; but no one seems willing to believe him.

Fright Night

1985

Fright Night Part 2 poster
6.4

After three years of therapy Charley Brewster, now a college student, is convinced that Jerry Dandridge was a serial killer posing as a vampire. But when Regine, a mysterious actress and her entourage move into Peter Vincent's apartment block, the nightmare starts again - and this time it's personal!

Fright Night Part 2

1988

Mannequin Two: On the Move poster
5.8

Although Jason works as a department store clerk, he is also a reincarnated prince. Long ago, his beloved Jessie was snatched away from him by an evil wizard who used his powers to transform her into wooden statue. Now Jessie is in Jason's department store as a mannequin. When he encounters her, she awakens from her thousand-year sleep. They quickly revive their romance, but the evil wizard has been reincarnated as well, and he's up to no good.

Mannequin Two: On the Move

1991

Alex Strangelove poster
6.6

Alex Truelove is on a quest to lose his virginity, an event eagerly awaited by his patient girlfriend and cheered on with welcome advice by his rowdy friends. But Alex, a super gregarious dude, is oddly unmotivated. A magical house party throws Alex into the presence of Elliot, a hunky college guy, who pegs Alex as gay and flirts hard. Alex is taken aback but after a series of setbacks on the girlfriend front he takes the plunge and learns some interesting new facts about himself.

Alex Strangelove

2018

Thunderstruck poster
6.2

After NBA star Kevin Durant switches talent with 16 year old Brian, the teenager becomes the star of his high school team, but Durant starts struggling and eventually learns an important lesson.

Thunderstruck

2012

Road House 2: Last Call poster
5.3

Shane Tanner, the son of a legendary cooler named Dalton, learns that his uncle Nate got beat up by a group of men because he doesn't want to sell his bar, The Black Pelican, to a bunch of drug dealers. To help out his uncle, Shane teams up with local school teacher Beau Hampton, who is a regular at the Black Pelican, and takes down the baddies.

Road House 2: Last Call

2006

What Just Happened poster
5.4

During the course of an ordinary week in Hollywood, movie producer Ben must navigate his way through shark-infested waters as he struggles to complete his latest projects. A demanding studio boss demands extensive changes to a movie starring Sean Penn, while another chief won't greenlight a project unless star Bruce Willis shaves his beard. Meanwhile, Ben tries to reconcile with his wife and maintain a relationship with his young daughter.

What Just Happened

2008

Smooth Talk poster
6.2

Connie, the fifteen-year-old black sheep of her family, finds her summertime idyll of beach trips, mall hangouts, and innocent flirtations shattered by an encounter with a mysterious stranger.

Smooth Talk

1985

Re-Election poster
3.3

A wry, warm, and witty coming of (middle) age comedy, RE-ELECTION follows a 40-something underdog who returns to high school to reboot his past and finally win the race for class president.

Re-Election

2025

Living Proof poster
6.5

Dr Dennis Slamon, an American oncologist, discovers a treatment that could possibly cure breast cancer without radiation or chemotherapy. He tries to look for ways to fund the medication.

Living Proof

2008

The Eye from Beyond poster
NR

An all-new horror/sci-fi feature film, from the team that brought you The Barn franchise, that combines the giant bug monster thrills of 1950s creature features with the over-the-top practical gore FX of 1980s horror.

The Eye from Beyond

A Very Merry Toy Store poster
6.3

Two rival toy shop owners reluctantly join forces when an unscrupulous toy magnate opens a box store in their town.

A Very Merry Toy Store

2017

Romy and Michele: In the Beginning poster
5.4

It's 1987, and best friends Romy and Michele, fresh out of high school, are desperate to get away from their square hometown of Tucson and take their rightful place amongst the beautiful, hip people of Hollywood.

Romy and Michele: In the Beginning

2005

Just a Little Harmless Sex poster
5.9

A young married couple faces a serious break-up when the husband is caught committing adultery with a prostitute.

Just a Little Harmless Sex

1999

Love in Storytown poster
NR

When a single mother decides to leave the military and moves to a town known for storytelling for a settled life with her son, she meets a childhood friend who is the worst choice to fall in love with: a wandering storyteller.

Love in Storytown

2026

The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel poster
4.7

Three generations of New Orleans prostitutes fight the FBI and each other. Based on a true story.

The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel

2004

Frankenstein: The College Years poster
5.1

When professor Lippzigger dies, his favorite student Mark inherits the key to his secret laboratory. There he and his friend Jay find the hundreds of years old body of Frankenstein - and revive it. But where to go with him? They take him with them to their dorms. He's dumb as a brick, but makes it into their football team and becomes popular. If there only wasn't Prof. Loman, who wants to become famous with Lipp's inventions...

Frankenstein: The College Years

1991

For One Night poster
7.6

Their town always had two proms, one for the whites and one for the blacks. When both proms wanted the same DJ, Brianna McCallister suggested combining the proms, which would also mean more money for decorations. However, her idea shook the town up, especially after a white student was let off for the same offense that a black student was suspended for. Can the town overcome racial tensions and finally combine the two proms?

For One Night

2006

National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins poster
5.1

America's three top leisure-time activities come roaring to life in National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins. This film consists of three short stories: Greed (Joe Mantegna), Anger (Andrew Clay) and Lust (Denis Leary).

National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins

1995