Trivia

Lost his sense of smell after a head injury and two-day coma.

While teaching at Montana State University one of his students was director John Dahl. Later Dahl gave him a role in his film The Last Seduction (1994).

With his wife Tamara they started the charity Hollywood Orchard that grows and gathers fruit to donate to families in need.

Is the sixth of seven children. His father was a doctor and his mother a nurse.

Currently co-owns a ranch in Montana with his brother.

All three of his children are musicians.

When promoting Independence Day (1996) in South America, some people actually thought he was the President of the United States (his role in the film).

One of his greatest professional regrets was turning down the role of Jerry Lundegaard that went to William H. Macy in Fargo (1996).

His dad was a doctor and city coroner.

Appeared in both Cold Feet (1989) and Bright Angel (1990) during the time he was teaching at Montana State University in Bozeman. "Bright Angel" is one of the few films in which he played a bad guy. "Cold Feet" was shot in Livingston, MT, only 30 miles or so from Bozeman, and "Bright Angel" was shot entirely in and around Billings, MT.

Children: Maesa Pullman (b. 1988), Jack Pullman (b. 1989), Lewis Pullman (b. 1993).

Nominated for 2018 Critics' Choice Television Award in the Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries category for his role as Harry Ambrose in The Sinner (2017).

Attended the State University of New York at Oneonta in the mid-'70s, but did not graduate. However, he was guest speaker for the Oneonta graduating class of 1992.

Considers Liebestraum (1991) to be one of his best films.

Brother teaches English at Ithaca High School in Ithaca, NY

His favorite movie is Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Graduated in 1971 from Hornell High School in Hornell, New York.

Bill's father had Northern Irish, English, and Scottish ancestry, partly by way of Canada (Bill's paternal grandmother was from Toronto, Ontario). Bill's maternal grandparents, Albertas Blaas and Helena Rookus, were Dutch immigrants.

Received an honorary doctorate of fine arts on 24 May 2008 from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Friends with Peter Fonda.

Appearing in Edward Albee's play, "The Goat" (Winner - Best Play 2002 Tony Awards). (June 2002)

Inducted into the Steuben County [New York] Hall of Fame.

He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant": A League of Their Own (1992).