William L. Petersen

Acting

William L. Petersen

Born

1953-02-21 (73)

Place of birth

Evanston, Illinois, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

49 titles

William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Richard Chance in the film To Live and Die in L.A., and Will Graham in the film Manhunter. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Petersen attended Idaho State University on a football scholarship, where he first tried acting and immediately joined the drama department, before leaving to work in the Basque country as a Shakespearean actor. Peterson embraced the Basque lifestyle, influencing his work, family and art. He went on to perform with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before his breakthrough role in the 1985 action film To Live and Die in…

Known for

Film credits

2010s · 5 titles

2000s · 8 titles

The Skulls poster
5.8

A senior at an Ivy League college, who depends on scholarships and working on the side, gets accepted into the secret society The Skulls. He hopes it betters chances at Harvard but The Skulls is not what he thought and comes at a price.

The Skulls

2000

The Contender poster
6.7

The vice president is dead, and as the president makes his choice for a replacement, a secret contest of wills is being waged by a formidable rival. When Senator Laine Hanson is nominated as the first woman in history to hold the office, hidden agendas explode into a battle for power.

The Contender

2000

Inside 'Manhunter' poster
7.8

A DVD Special Feature documentary on the experience of turning the chilling novel "Red Dragon" into a motion picture, all told through the actors and director of the first interpretation on film of the hideously complex Hannibal Lecter. Features interviews with Director Michael Mann, and actors Brian Cox, William Petersen, Tom Noonan, and Joan Allen.

Inside 'Manhunter'

2001

Blue Neon Night: Michael Connelly's Los Angeles poster
8.0

Bestselling author Michael Connelly, one of the biggest names in crime fiction, is featured in this documentary as he talks about the city of Los Angeles, its bright side, its dark side, and how it all gives his novels their unique flair. Interspersed within the film are clips showing different spots of the Los Angeles area as William Petersen reads excerpts from the novels. Together, they give Connelly fans an in-depth look into Los Angeles and its influence on the author.

Blue Neon Night: Michael Connelly's Los Angeles

2004

Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' poster
7.7

The magic and creation behind the making of William Friedkin's classic action film To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). It follows cast, crew and the director several years after the film sharing their experiences while working on the project, also including footage from the shooting, and they discuss in detail the conception of the most spectacular scenes filmed there and also the great debate about the different endings developed for the film.

Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.'

2003

This Old Cub poster
6.7

Jeff Santo explores the life and career of his father, Chicago Cub great Ron Santo.

This Old Cub

2004

Haven poster
6.8

Based on the true story of a woman named Ruth Gruber who travels to Europe to help escort 1000 Jewish War victims to the United States. She comes to love and feel sorry for them all, and fights for their rights to live in America.

Haven

2001

Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy poster
9.0

Actor William Petersen narrates this documentary about Chicago's venerable baseball stadium, Wrigley Field, focusing on a variety of quirky fans who've spent so much time there that they've become part of the stadium experience. These colorful Cubs enthusiasts tell their stories and discuss how both baseball and Wrigley Field have become an integral part of their lives. A bonus feature on Comiskey Park -- home of the rival White Sox -- is included.

Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy

2001

1990s · 14 titles

Young Guns II poster
6.5

Three of the original five "young guns" — Billy the Kid, Jose Chavez y Chavez, and Doc Scurlock — return in Young Guns, Part 2, which is the story of Billy the Kid and his race to safety in Old Mexico while being trailed by a group of government agents led by Pat Garrett.

Young Guns II

1990

Fear poster
6.7

Nicole Walker always dreamed of being swept away by someone special — someone strong, sexy and sensitive who would care for her more than anything else in the world. David is all that and more: a modern-day knight who charms and seduces her, body and soul. But her perfect boyfriend is not all he seems to be. His sweet facade masks a savage, dark side that will soon transform Nicole's dream into a nightmare.

Fear

1996

12 Angry Men poster
7.7

During the trial of a man accused of his father's murder, a lone juror takes a stand against the guilty verdict handed down by the others as a result of their preconceptions and prejudices.

12 Angry Men

1997

Mulholland Falls poster
6.0

In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.

Mulholland Falls

1996

Passed Away poster
5.4

Thrown for a loop by the unexpected news that Dad has suddenly gone to his reward, the grieving eccentric Scanian clan are drawn together in a test of familial endurance that soon has them at each other's throats.

Passed Away

1992

The Rat Pack poster
5.9

After a brief flash-forward to Frank Sinatra as an old man, saying "I miss my guys," the movie's main narrative begins during high points in the solo careers of the Rat Pack: Dean Martin has become a big success despite the breakup of his partnership with Jerry Lewis; Sinatra's career is at its peak; Sammy Davis, Jr., is making a comeback after a near fatal car crash, and standup comic Joey Bishop is gaining exposure as an opening act for the other three. The Pack becomes complete when Sinatra reconciles with actor Peter Lawford, who has been ostracized since being seen out publicly with Sinatra's ex-wife, Ava Gardner.

The Rat Pack

1998

Kiss the Sky poster
5.2

Two professionals, Jeff and Marty, take a business trip to the Philippines. Their deep dissatisfaction with their lives leads them to forsake their friends and families for a return to the alcohol and drug-induced wanderings of their youth.

Kiss the Sky

1998

Gunshy poster
5.4

When the New York journalist Jake Bridges catches his girlfriend with another guy, he goes to Atlantic City to drink himself to oblivion. He is saved from a bar brawl by a small-time mobster Frankie, and Jake falls in love with Frankie's girlfriend Melissa. Jake soon also joins Frankie in his money-collecting duties.

Gunshy

1998

Hard Promises poster
5.8

A man who doesn't like stable work environments has been away for too many years, and finds out his wife has divorced him and is planning to remarry. He comes home to confront her, trying to convince her not to get married, aided by the daughter, who loves him despite his wandering ways. The couple finds out they still have feelings for each other but must decide how best to handle the contradiction of their lifestyles.

Hard Promises

1992

The Staircase poster
7.7

A mysterious carpenter appears just as a church is in need of repair.

The Staircase

1998

The Beast poster
5.5

Mysterious things happen at the coast of Graves Point: An empty boat lies at the shore, divers vanish. The sea biologist Dr. Talley thinks he knows the solution of the mystery: In the depth there is a gigantic squid.

The Beast

1996

In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King poster
4.5

Al is caught between his loyalty to the police force and his love for his brother in a tense setting. It seems that his brother, Rudy, was involved in a mob hit that could potentially start a gang war. Tony C., a local mob boss and childhood acquaintance of Al, hires him to find out who was involved in the hit. Al must find his brother and make some decisions.

In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King

1995

Curaçao poster
6.4

Cornelius Wettering and Stephen Guerin are expatriates living in Curaçao. They're bound together by an understanding that each is hiding from a dangerous past.

Curaçao

1993

Keep the Change poster
7.0

A struggling artist visits his family on their Montana ranch and finds that his former flame, daughter of a family foe, is now married to an old friend.

Keep the Change

1992

1980s · 6 titles

To Live and Die in L.A. poster
7.1

When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters.

To Live and Die in L.A.

1985

Thief poster
7.2

Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.

Thief

1981

Cousins poster
6.0

When Larry and Maria learn that their respective spouses are cheating on them, they try to turn the tables on them by pretending to have an affair. However, they soon find themselves falling in love.

Cousins

1989

Long Gone poster
6.1

Story of the Tampico Stogies, a low minor-league baseball team, and its star player and manager, Stud' Cantrell, as they battle for the league championship amidst the corruption and racism of the American south.

Long Gone

1987

Amazing Grace and Chuck poster
5.9

Average American boy Chuck Murdock goes on a school outing to a nuclear weapons facility, where he learns about the destructive power that sits at the fingertips of the military. Knowing that the world could end with the push of a button, he protests against nuclear war by walking out on his Little League team during a game. Chuck's stunt ends up in the local paper, and as the story snowballs, basketball star "Amazing Grace" Smith decides to boycott sports, too.

Amazing Grace and Chuck

1987

Manhunter poster
7.0

FBI Agent Will Graham, retired after catching notorious cannibal Hannibal Lecter, returns to duty to engage in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecter to capture a new killer.

Manhunter

1986

Series credits

Late Show with David Letterman poster
6.5

David Letterman uses mature humor to appeal to his audience in this weeknight series, which gets its music from a house band led by Paul Shaffer. Among the show's most-famous segments are the Top Ten List and Stupid Pet Tricks, the latter of which subsequently led to an additional recurring segment called Stupid Human Tricks.

Late Show with David Letterman

1993

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation poster
7.6

A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

2000

Without a Trace poster
7.2

The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City.

Without a Trace

2002

Sacrée soirée poster
5.7

No synopsis available yet.

Sacrée soirée

1987

The Twilight Zone poster
7.7

This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy.

The Twilight Zone

1985

CSI: Vegas poster
7.7

Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

CSI: Vegas

2021

Fallen Angels poster
6.6

A neo-noir anthology television series, set in somber Los Angeles right after World War II and before the election of American President John F. Kennedy. The episodes, although filmed in color, mimicked what had been done by Hollywood filmmakers during the film noir era of the 1940s and 1950s in terms of tone, look, and story content.

Fallen Angels

1993

Manhattan poster
7.0

Set against the backdrop of the greatest clandestine race against time in the history of science with the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Flawed scientists and their families attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

Manhattan

2014

Blue poster
7.4

Blue is a mother with a secret life. She'll do anything to keep it from her son. But her past has other plans.

Blue

2012

The Directors poster
6.1

Documentary biography series featuring profiles of various famous film directors.

The Directors

1999

Return to Lonesome Dove poster
7.0

After returning the body of Gus McCrae to Lonesome Dove, Woodrow Call takes on the challenge of driving a herd of wild mustangs 2500 miles north to the Hat Creek Ranch in Montana. But tragedy, triumph, despair and deceit will greet him before he ever gets there.

Return to Lonesome Dove

1993

The Beast poster
6.3

Mysterious deaths and unexplained disappearances begin to occur in the small seaport village of Graves Point. When a large, strange claw is discovered on an empty raft washing up on the shore, marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley identifies it as belonging to a rare giant squid.

The Beast

1996

Haven poster
7.0

Based on the true story of a woman named Ruth Gruber who travels to Europe to help escort 1000 Jewish War victims to the United States. She comes to love and feel sorry for them all, and fights for their rights to live in America.

Haven

2001

The Kennedys of Massachusetts poster
7.8

The Kennedys of Massachusetts is a 1990 TV miniseries that aired on ABC. Focusing mainly on the fifty-four year marriage of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Kennedy. The events depicted in the series are based upon the book by Doris Kearns Goodwin titled The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys : An American Saga. The series aired across three nights, an earned an Emmy and Golden Globe.

The Kennedys of Massachusetts

1990

Behind the camera