William Fichtner
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- November 27, 1956 in Mitchell Field Air Force Base, East Meadow, Long Island, New York, USA
- Active Years
- 1989–2026 (38 Years)
- Total Credits
- 104 credits in database
Biography
William Edward Fichtner is an American actor born on November 27, 1956. He was born at Mitchell Field Air Force Base in East Meadow, Long Island, New York, and was raised in the Buffalo, New York area. The son of Patricia A. Steitz and William E. Fichtner, he is of German, Irish, and English descent. Known for his work in film, television, and video games, Fichtner has established a career as a prolific character actor. He is recognized for his contributions to various high-profile projects throughout his decades-long career in the entertainment industry.
Career overview
Fichtner began his professional acting career in 1995 with supporting roles in the films Virtuosity, Heat, and Strange Days. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, he appeared in a variety of notable motion pictures, including Contact, Armageddon, Go, The Perfect Storm, Black Hawk Down, Crash, The Longest Yard, and The Dark Knight. These performances helped establish his reputation as a versatile character actor in Hollywood.
In addition to his film work, Fichtner has maintained a significant presence on television. In 2005, he starred as Sheriff Tom Underlay in the science fiction series Invasion. He later took on prominent roles in several other television programs, including Alexander Mahone in Prison Break, Carl Hickman in Crossing Lines, and Adam Janikowski in the series Mom. With over 100 known credits to his name, Fichtner continues to be recognized for his extensive contributions to both television and film.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
104 titles- The Outer Threat (2026)
- BEEF: The Official Podcast (2026) as Self - Guest
- The Plastic Men (2026) as The Narrator (voice)
- Talamasca: The Secret Order (2025) as Jasper
- The Gettysburg Address (2025) as John G. Nicolay (voice)
- The Sound (2025) as Conner
- Cutman (2025) as Emmerit
- French Girl (2024) as Peter Kinski
- BEEF (2023) as Troy
- The Company You Keep (2023) as Leo Nicoletti
- Hypnotic (2023) as Dellrayne
- 88 (2023) as Ron Holt
- Joe vs Carole (2022) as Rick Kirkham
- Six (2022) as Davis
- The Birthday Cake (2021) as Uncle Ricardo
- The Space Between (2021) as Donny Rumson
- That Night (2021) as Narrator
- The Neighbor (2020) as Mike
- The Neighbor (2020) Producer
- Finding Steve McQueen (2019) as Enzo Rotella
- Josie & Jack (2019) as Raeburn
- Cold Brook (2019) as Ted Markham
- Cold Brook (2019) Writer
- Cold Brook (2019) Director
- 12 Strong (2018) as Colonel Mulholland
- Hot Summer Nights (2018) as Shep
- All the Devil's Men (2018) as Brennan
- O.G. (2018) as Danvers
- Krystal (2018) as Dr. Farley
- Traffik (2018) as Mr. Waynewright
- Armed (2018) as Richard
- American Wrestler: The Wizard (2017) as Coach Plyler
- Top Gear America (2017) as Self - Presenter
- Porsche: Decades of Disruption (2017) as Narrator (voice)
- Black Holes (2017) as Youston (voice)
- Shooter (2016) as O'Brien
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) as General Adams
- Last Day in LA (2016) as Narrator (voice)
- Another Day: The Making of 'Independence Day: Resurgence' (2016) as Self
- The War of 1996: A United World News Special (2016) as General Adams
- Empire (2015) as Jameson Henthrop
- Four Falls of Buffalo (2015) as Narrator (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) as Eric Sacks
- The Homesman (2014) as Vester Belknap
- Hell on Earth (2014) as Satan
- Mom (2013) as Adam Janikowski
- Crossing Lines (2013) as Carl Hickman
- Elysium (2013) as John Carlyle
- The Lone Ranger (2013) as Butch Cavendish
- Phantom (2013) as Alex
- Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's (2013) as Narrator (voice)
- Veep (2012) as Felix Wade
- Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden (2012) as Guidry
- Wrong (2012) as Master Chang
- Drive Angry (2011) as Accountant
- The Big Bang (2011) as Poley
- Date Night (2010) as DA Frank Crenshaw
- Prison Break: The Final Break (2009) as Alex Mahone
- Starz Inside - Unforgettably Evil (2009) as Self
- The Dark Knight (2008) as Bank Manager
- Blades of Glory (2007) as Darren MacElroy
- Ultraviolet (2006) as Garth
- First Snow (2006) as Ed Jacomoi
- The Amateurs (2006) as Otis
- UV Protection: The Making of 'Ultraviolet' (2006) as Self - Actor
- Prison Break (2005) as Alexander Mahone
- American Dad! (2005) as Harland (voice)
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) as Dr. Wexler - Marriage Counselor (voice) (uncredited)
- Invasion (2005) as Sheriff Tom Underlay
- The Longest Yard (2005) as Captain Knauer
- Crash (2005) as Flanagan
- Empire Falls (2005) as Jimmy Minty
- Nine Lives (2005) as Andrew
- The Chumscrubber (2005) as Mr. Bill Stiffle
- Entourage (2004) as Phil Yagoda
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction (2004) as Rosenberg (voice)
- Equilibrium (2002) as Jürgen
- MDs (2002) as Dr. Bruce Kellerman
- What’s the Worst That Could Happen: Scene Stealers (2002) as Self
- Julie Walking Home (2002) as Henry
- Black Hawk Down (2001) as SFC Jeff Sanderson
- Pearl Harbor (2001) as Danny's Father
- What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) as Detective Alex Tardio
- The Perfect Storm (2000) as David "Sully" Sullivan
- Passion of Mind (2000) as Aaron Reilly
- Drowning Mona (2000) as Phil Dearly
- The West Wing (1999) as Christopher Mulready
- Go (1999) as Burke
- The Settlement (1999) as Jerry
- Armageddon (1998) as Willie Sharp
- Contact (1997) as Kent
- Switchback (1997) as Chief Jack McGinnis
- Albino Alligator (1997) as Law
- Heat (1995) as Roger Van Zant
- Strange Days (1995) as Dwayne Engelman
- Virtuosity (1995) as Wallace
- The Underneath (1995) as Tommy Dundee
- Reckless (1995) as Rachel's Father
- Quiz Show (1994) as Stage Manager
- Grace Under Fire (1993) as Ryan Sparks
- Malcolm X (1992) as Cop at Harlem Station
- Baywatch (1989) as Howard Ganza
- That's Amore!
- Bosch: Start of Watch as Calhern
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is William Fichtner best known for?
William Fichtner is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Outer Threat (2026), Talamasca: The Secret Order (2025), French Girl (2024), BEEF (2023).
When and where was William Fichtner born?
William Fichtner was born on November 27, 1956 in Mitchell Field Air Force Base, East Meadow, Long Island, New York, USA.
How many credits does William Fichtner have?
William Fichtner has accumulated over 104 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1989 to 2026.
What is William Fichtner's background in cinema and television?
William Edward Fichtner is an American actor born on November 27, 1956. He was born at Mitchell Field Air Force Base in East Meadow, Long Island, New York, and was raised in the Buffalo, New York area. The son of Patricia A. Steitz and William E. Fichtner, he is of German, Irish, and English descent. Known for his work...
William Fichtner by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Dark Knight (2008) as Bank Manager — aged about 51
- The West Wing (1999) as Christopher Mulready — aged about 42
- Prison Break (2005) as Alexander Mahone — aged about 48
- Heat (1995) as Roger Van Zant — aged about 38
- BEEF (2023) as Troy — aged about 66
- Four Falls of Buffalo (2015) as Narrator (voice) — aged about 58
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