Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

Date Of BirthDecember 17, 1953
Age70 years 9 months 19 days
Day of BirthThursday
Place Of BirthHornell, New York, United States
Zodiac SignSagittarius
Professions Actor , Producer , Director
Full Name William James Pullman

Personal Information
Religion Christianity
Language English
Star SignSagittarius
Nationality American
Ethnicity Caucasian
Complexion White
Trademarks Hairstyle , deep voice
Body Features & Measurements
Height187 CM
6 Feet 2 Inches
Eye colorHazel
Hair color Brown
Weight86 KG
190 lbs
Figure Measurements 43-16-36
Family Information
Father James Pullman (physician)
Mother Johanna Blaas (nurse)
Sons Lewis Pullman (born in 1993)
Jack Pullman (born in 1989)
Wife Tamara Hurwitz (married in 1987)
Daughter Maesa Rae Pullman (born in 1988)
Grandfather Albertas Blaas (Maternal)
Grandmother Helena Rookus (Maternal)
Body Build Slim
Education Qualifications
Education (Graduation) State University of New York, Oneonta , Masters of Fine Arts, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Theater Arts Major, State University of New York, Delhi, New York
Education (High School) Hornell High School (1971)
Career Information
Debut (Movie) Ruthless People(1986)
Years Active 1986-
Debut (TV) Cagney & Lacey(1986)
Favorites, Hobbies, Likes/ Dislikes
HobbyGardening
Favorite Foods Norwegian Lefse
French Onion Soup
Favorite MoviesBabette’s Feast (1987)
Lawrence of Arabia(1962)
Favorite DrinkGin and tonic
Social Networks, Web links
Official WebsiteBill Pullman Official Website
More Information
Friend Peter Fonda
Net worth$18 Million

Biography

Bill Pullman is an American actor, a Montana State University professor turned actor. He is known for his appearances in Independence Day (1996), Spaceballs (1986), Lost Highway(1997), The Sinner (2017-2021), Your name here (2008), While you were Sleeping(1995) and others.

His recent appearances include playing Alex Murdaugh in Murdaugh Murders: The movie, Harry Ambrose in "The Sinner", David Mahoney in "Halston".

Childhood, Family, Personal Life

William James Pullman was born as William James Pullman on 17th December 1953 in Hornell, New York, United States to Johanna Wilamina Blaas (Mother) (1911–1993) a Medical nurse by profession and James Pullman(Father) (1914–1992) a doctor by profession and the city coroner.. 

Both his partners worked in medicine, his grandfather workd in medical field as  well. [3]

Bill is of Dutch, English, Northern Irish, Scottish (father) descent.

Bill Pullman's parents: Johanna Blaas(Mother) & James Pullman (Father)

Image: Bill Pullman's parents: Johanna Blaas(Mother) & James Pullman (Father)

He has seven siblings. He is the sixth of the seven, youngest among the brothers. He has 3 brothers and 3 sisters.  One of his brothers is an English teacher at the Ithaca High School. Some of the known siblings are: 

  • Jay Pullman (older brother) (an artist)
  • Joe Pullman

Both his parents are dead. His father died in his arms, he wasn't there when his mother died. [3]

He worked summers for a local dairy farmer. At 13 he planted his first Orchard. [4]

Education

  • Hornell High School: He graduated from Hornell High School in 1971. He was on the football, wrestling, track and field teams at school. He played Trombone in the school band
  • SUNY-Delhi: He graduated with a Theater Arts Major from the State University of New York, Delhi, New York in 1970s. He wanted to major in building construction, he had plans to build barns in the countryside of Western New York. He ended up unintentionally auditioning for "The Bald Soprano", a school play, it got him interested and glued. His college director Bill Campbell suggested that Bill pursue theater major
  • State University of New York: He attended the State University of New York in Oneonta in Theater Studies. He left the college in 1975, he didn't finish his studies. He returned to Oneonta as a guest speaker for the class graduating in 1992.
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst: He graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts degree from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1980, with an emphasis in directing, he wanted to become a director. [4]

 

Marriage

Tamara Hurwitz

Bill Pullman married Tamara Hurwitz a modern dancer on January 3rd 1987, she teaches dance, she has taught at the Alfred University. 

Tamara and Bill met at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where Tamara and Bill were cast as husband and wife in Moliere’s "Impromptu at Versailles". He later directed "The Changeling", Tamara  Choreographed it.

They have three children together. Two sons and a daughter. A daughter named Maesa (b. 1988) & sons named Jack (b. 1989) & Lewis (born 1993). All three are into music.

Bill Pullman with wife Tamara Hurwitz

Image: Bill Pullman with wife Tamara Hurwitz

Bill Pullman Family: wife Tamara Hurwitz & Children

Image: Bill Pullman Family: wife Tamara Hurwitz & Children, daughter Maesa, sons Jack & Lewis

His Son Lewis is an actor, who has appeared in series such as "Outer Range" and "Lessons in Chemistry. He has appeared alongside his father in The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017)

Maesa works as a music composer. Some of her works include- "Indigo Valley", "Highway One", "Under the Lantern Lit Sky", "Terror on the Prairie (2022)", "Hobo Code" series among others

Jack has worked in the music department as a musician in some of his sister's works. Also works as an art assistant.

Career

Teaching

Bill Pullman after his education started teaching theater at the State University of New York and Film and Photography at the Montana State University, Bozeman. Inspired by him, his students urged he try acting, thus began his career. Film director John Dahl who cast him in "The Last Seduction" was one of his students at the Montana State University.

He was a co-chairman in the art department at the Montana State University.

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Bill was part of a summer theater group called "Montana Shakespeare in the Parks", Bill played romantic leads and comic parts in the group plays. He also  directed for the company dramas.

Acting

Soon after moving to New York City, he worked with actress Kathy Bates in the stage production of famous play "Curse of the Starving Class".

Some of his early jobs between auditioning adn stage acting in New York include working as a proof reader, liquor store clerk, bank teller among others

Bill's first movie was Ruthless People(1986), a comedy drama directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker starring Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater, Bette Midler. He played the role of 'Lone Starr'.

Spaceballs (1987), a comic science fiction starring Mel Brooks, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis directed by Mel Brooks gave him the initial popularity.

While You Were Sleeping (1995), a Romantic Comedy starring Sandra Bullock directed by Jon Turteltaub was another big hit of his career. Independence Day(1997) an alien science fiction movie where he played the president of the United States of America is among the biggest successes of his career.

Other popular movies of Bill Pullman are: A League of Their Own (1992), The Lost Highway (1997), Bottle Shock (2008), Phoebe in Wonderland (2009)

Some of the popular TV series he has been part of are- Revelations(2005), Torchwood: Miracle Day(2011), 1600 Penn(2012–13), The Sinner(2017).

 

Filmography

Movies

Year Movie Character Notes
2020 The High Note Max  
2019 Dark Waters Harry Dietzler  
2019 The Coldest Game  Joshua Mansky   
2019 National Theatre Live: All My Sons Joe Keller  
2018 The Equalizer 2 Brian Plummer  
2017 Battle of the Sexes Jack Kramer  
2017 Trouble Ben  
2017 A Thousand Junkies Bill Pullman  
2017 The Ballad of Lefty Brown Lefty Brown  
2017 Walking Out  Clyde   
2016 LBJ   Senator Ralph Yarborough  
2016 Brother Nature Jerry Turley  
2016 Independence Day: Resurgence President Whitmore  
2015 American Ultra Krueger  
2014 The Equalizer Brian Plummer  
2014 Cymbeline Sicilius Leonatus  
2014 Red Sky  John Webster   
2013 A Fall from Grace Detective Short movie
2013 May in the Summer Edward  
2012 Lola Versus Lenny  
2011 Innocent Rusty Sabich TV Movie
2011 Bringing Up Bobby Kent  
2011 Too Big to Fail Jamie Dimon TV Movie
2010 Nathan vs. Nurture Arthur TV Movie
2010 Rio Sex Comedy William  
2010 Peacock Edmund French  
2010 The Killer Inside Me Billy Boy Walker  
2008 Your Name Here William J. Frick  
2008 Surveillance Sam Hallaway  
2008 Phoebe in Wonderland Peter Lichten  
2008 Bottle Shock Jim Barrett  
2007 You Kill Me Dave  
2007 Nobel Son Max Mariner  
2006 Scary Movie 4 Henry Hale  
2006 Alien Autopsy Morgan Banner  
2005 The Orphan King    
2005 Dear Wendy Krugsby  
2004 The Grudge Peter  
2004 Tiger Cruise Cmdr. Gary Dolan TV Movie
2003 Rick Rick O'Lette  
2002 29 Palms The Ticket Clerk  
2002 Igby Goes Down Jason  
2001 Ignition  Deputy Marshal Conor Gallagher   
2000 Lucky Numbers  Det. Pat Lakewood   
2000 A Man Is Mostly Water Parking Fascist  
2000 Titan A.E  Korso (voice)   
2000 The Guilty   Callum Crane  
2000 The Virginian  The Virginian  TV Movie; also as the director
1999 Spy Games  Harry Howe/ Ernie Halliday   
1999 Brokedown Palace Hank Greene  
1999 Lake Placid Jack Wells  
1998 Zero Effect Daryl Zero  
1997 Merry Christmas, George Bailey  George Bailey  TV Movie 
1997 The End of Violence  Mike Max   
1997 Lost Highway  Fred Madison   
1996 Mistrial Steve Donohue TV Movie
1996 Independence Day President Thomas J. Whitmore  
1996 Mr. Wrong Whitman Crawford  
1995 Casper Dr. Harvey  
1995 While You Were Sleeping Jack  
1994 Wyatt Earp Ed Masterson  
1994 The Favor Peter Whiting  
1994 The Last Seduction Clay Gregory  
1993 Phone  Duke  Short Movie
1993 Mr. Jones Construction Site Foreman  
1993 Malice  Andy   
1993 Sleepless in Seattle  Walter   
1993 Sommersby  Orin   
1992 Singles  Dr. Jeffrey Jamison   
1992 Crazy in Love Nick Symonds TV Movie
1992 A League of Their Own Bob Hinson  
1992 Newsies Bryan Denton  
1992 Nervous Ticks  York Daley   
1991 Blood Drips Heavily on Newsies Square  Newsreporter  Video 
1991 Liebestraum  Paul Kessler   
1991 Going Under Biff Banner  
1990 Bright Angel  Bob   
1990 Sibling Rivalry  Nicholas Meany   
1990 Brain Dead Rex Martin  
1989 Cold Feet  Buck   
1989 Home Fires Burning    Lt. Henry Tibbetts TV Movie
1988 The Accidental Tourist  Julian Hedge   
1988 Rocket Gibraltar   Crow Black  
1988 The Serpent and the Rainbow  Dennis Alan  
1987 Spaceballs  Lone Starr  
1986 Ruthless People  Earl   

 

TV Series

Year Series Character Notes
2024  Hobo Code Old Jack Podcast Series; 1 episode
2023  Murdaugh Murders: The Movie Alex Murdaugh TV Mini Series; 2 episodes
2023  This Fool Curtis 1 episode
2022  Nature Narrator (voice)  1 episode
2017–2021 The Sinner Harry Ambrose 32 episodes
2021  Halston David Mahoney TV Mini Series; 3 episodes
2014 Ten X Ten Man 60s  TV Mini Series
2012–2013 1600 Penn President Dale Gilchrist 13 episodes
2011  Torchwood Oswald Danes 8 episodes
2008  Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Kurt Moss 1 episode
2005  Revelations Dr. Richard Massey TV Mini Series; 6 episodes
2001  Night Visions Major Ben Darnell

1 episode

"A View Through the Window"

also directed the segment & produced it

2000  American Masters Edward Curtis (voice) 1 episode
1995  Fallen Angels Rich Thurber 1 episode
1990  The Tracey Ullman Show  Sheldon Moss 1 episode
1986 Cagney & Lacey Dr. Giordano 1 episode

 

Stage/ Theatre

Year Play Character Notes
2024 The Trail of the Catonsville Nine   Los Angeles
2023 HONOR  In Their Words    Los Angeles
2022  Mad House Daniel Venue: Ambassadors Theatre, London Production
  Seeking Charlie Russell   Playwright-Solo Performance
2019  All My Sons Joe Keller Venue: Old Vic Theatre
2016 The Wild Hunt   Playwright-Director
2015 Othello   Bergen, Norway  Den Nationale Scene
2015  The Jacksonian   Fred Weber Venue: Theatre Three at Theatre Row
2014  Sticks and Bones    New York Revival
2014 Healing Wars    Washington DC 
2012 The Other Place Ian Venue: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
2009 Oleanna John Venue: John Golden Theatre
2007 Peter and Jerry Peter Off-broadway
2006/ 2007 Expedition 6     Baltimore, Maryland;   Magic Theater San Francisco
2006 The Subject Was Roses     
2002 The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Martin Venue: John Golden Theatre
1997 The Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve Killing His Wife Killer's Head/Action   Off-Broadway
1993  Control Freaks   Los Angeles MET
1989  Demon Wine   Los Angeles Theater Center
1985 Barrabas   Los Angeles Theater Center
1985  Nanataiwai   Los Angeles Theater Center
1985  The Curse of the Starving Class    New York - Off Broadway
1981  The Rover    Folger Theater Washington, D.C.
  The Comedy of Errors   as director
  The Miser    
  A Midsummer Night's Dream   as Director & Performer
  The Servant of Two Masters    
  The Two Gentlemen of Verona    

 

Video Games

Year Game Character Notes
1997 Independence Day   President Thomas J. Whitmore  
       

 

 

Interesting Facts

  • Bill Pullman is into plays and Dramas, he still performs in them apart from TV & Movie.
  • As a child he watched 'The Twilight Zone' and was terrified by it.
  • Bill is creative writer as well, he has written many plays. He wrote 'Expedition 6' a science fiction drama which was played in theaters.
  • He is the Jury Member at the studio Filmaka, a competition platform that helps find the talents and get them platform to showcase.
  • Head injury: At the age of 21 he was involved in an accident which damaged a part of his head related to sense of Smell. He lost his sense of smell. He usually cleans manure at the ranch because of his lack of smell.
  • American Football Lover:  He is an avid fan of the American football club- Buffalo Bills [1]
  • Bill and his brother own a cattle ranch near Whitehall, Montana.
  • Bill delivered a speech at the Alfred University's commencement ceremony in 2014. It was titled 'Sense of Place/ Purpose'. 
  • He entered films at the age of 28 after working for a while as a theater arts teacher.
  • He was nominated for Drama Desk Award for the plays 'The Goat or Who is Sylvia', 'Peter and Jerry'
  • He was nominated for Helen Hayes Award.
  • He turned down the role of Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo(1996), it went to William Macy. Bill considers this one of his professional regrets
  • When promoting his movie Independence Day(1996) he was actually mistaken for the president of U.S in South America. [2]
  • He compared director David Lynch with his dad.
  • He was surrounded by 1000s of girls while in Japan promoting the movie 'While you were sleeping', it was both the most embarrassing and most memorable event for him.
  • He initially rejected his role in 'Singles' because he hated plastic surgeons, his father who was a doctor was against those doctors who used medicine to make money instead of using it to save lives.
  • Bill has acted in 'Little White Lies' with Ellen DeGeneres.
  • Bill loves trees, he has a large orchard in his ranch.
  • Philanthropy: He has made financial contribution towards 'St. James Mercy Hospital'
  • A retreat according to him would be: walking wearing Hawaiian shirt & sandals.
  • His family loves music and has a family band, it excludes Bill :)
  • He wakes up very early in the morning.
  • People sometimes get Bill Pullman confused with Bill Paxton.
  • Casting team felt he would fit the lead role in Spaceballs because of his natural humor.
  • His diet: is often loaded with Fruits, Eggs, Vegetables.
  • He and his family gift people vegetables and fruits on Christmas.
  • His face features at the Steuben County Hall of Fame.

 

Honorary Doctorates

  • The University of Massachusetts at Amherst honored him with a doctorate of fine arts on 24 May 2008.
  • Bill was awarded an honorary doctorate in May 2011 by the Alfred University.
  • Montana State University awarded him a honorary doctorate in 2018. He had worked there as a professor previously. 

 

Community Man

  • He works for the betterment of his local community with the group named 'Concerned Citizens Montana'. They advocated for the need of smart grid for energy transmission among other concerns.
  • He loves building and construction, he converted a '3-bay' barn in the western New York State near his hometown of Hornell, New York as a community center [2]
  • He is on the board of Cornerstone Theater, it is one of his ways of serving the comunity.
  • He also serves as a member on the board of trustees at Alfred University.
  • He supports local health services. There is a section at the St James Hospital, Hornell, NY named after him- "The Pullman Women's Health and Birthing Center" [2]
  • Bill is an MS Society Ambassador.
  • charity Hollywood Orchard: Bil land wife Tamara started 'charity Hollywood Orchard', the charity group grows and gathers fruits to donate to families that are in need
  •  

 

Awards

Year Award Work Notes
2024 

Nominee

Satellite Awards

Best Actor in a Miniseries, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television 

Murdaugh Murders: The Movie  
2022 

Nominee

Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or TV Movie 

The Sinner  
2019

Nominee

Saturn Awards

Best Actor on Television

The Sinner  
2019

Nominee

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

The Sinner  
2018

Nominee

Critics' Choice Television Awards

Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries

The Sinner  
2017

Winner

Woodstock Film Festival

Excellence in Acting Award

   
2016

Winner

Locarno International Film Festival

Excellence Award

   
2016

Winner

CinemaCon Award

Ensemble of the Universe

Independence Day: Resurgence  
2012

Nominee

Saturn Awards

Best Supporting Actor on Television

Torchwood: Miracle Day  
2008

Winner

RiverRun International Film Festival

Master of Cinema

   
2008

Winner

Denver International Film Festival

John Cassavetes Award

   
2008

Winner

CineVegas International Film Festival

Special Jury Prize

Your Name Here  
2001

Winner

Western Heritage Awards

Television Feature Film

The Virginian  
1997

Nominee

Online Film & Television Association

Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Actor

Independence Day  

 

Quotes

  • Theater has always been most important to my psyche. It's what I was trained in
  • I've been in plays where I think, I want my six months back.
  • The thing about acting is it's the one thing that gets me immersed in other things.
  • Agriculture is just an adjunct that gives you a quality of life
  • My parents were getting older by the time I came along. They were too tired to object to my choice of career
  • If I were born in the 1700s, I would look like a rounded man

 

Sources

  1. Bill Pullman on wikipedia
  2. Bill Pullman bio on imdb
  3. The guardian coverage
  4. Bill Pullman official website- bio
  5. Stage credits
  6.  

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