Biography for
William Fichtner More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

27 November 1956, Mitchell Field Air Force Base, East Meadow, Long Island, New York, USA

Birth Name

William Edward Fichtner

Nickname

Bill

Height

6' 0½" (1.84 m)

Mini Biography

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, 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) (TV), uncredited in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) as 'The Marriage Counselor' and most recently The Dark Knight (2008). A fan of the Buffalo Sabres, Bill always stays true to his roots.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Khristina Sly <mle_cate@yahoo.com>

Spouse

Kymberly Kalil	(25 July 1998 - present) 1 child
Betsy Aidem	(? - 1996) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Films often portray his characters as antagonistic, later evolving more towards a protagonistic quality (The Longest Yard (2005)).

Gravelly Commanding Voice

Trivia

His sister is a major in the USAF.

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].

Fichtner, Fiechtner, or any variant thereof is a surname originating from areas where German is spoken. Descendants of the Fichtner name are spread though Germany, 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 within modern Germany, especially in 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.

Attended SUNY Farmingdale before transferring to SUNY Brockport.

His favorite films include The Graduate (1967), The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974), The Deer Hunter (1978), Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Three Days of the Condor (1975).

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.