William Edward Fichtner (born November 27, 1956) is an American actor. Fichtner has appeared in a number of films, TV series and video games. He is known for his television roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay on Invasion, Alexander Mahone on Prison Break, and Adam Janikowski on Mom. His film appearances include Heat, Contact, Armageddon, The Perfect Storm, Go, Drowning Mona, Crash, Blades of Glory, Black Hawk Down, and The Longest Yard.
Early life
Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base on Long Island, and was raised in Cheektowaga, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. He is the son of Patricia A. (née Steitz) and William Frederick Fichtner. He has German ancestry.
Fichtner graduated from Maryvale High School (Cheektowaga) in 1974. After graduating from Farmingdale State College in 1976 with an associate degree in criminal justice, he attended SUNY Brockport and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in 1978. He then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. He also credits his Farmingdale State College admissions counselor Don Harvey with his decision to study acting. Harvey, who became a lifelong friend, took Fichtner to his first Broadway show. On May 18, 2008, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Farmingdale State College.
Career
Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. He has since appeared in the films Contact, Heat, Armageddon, Go, Equilibrium, Black Hawk Down, The Perfect Storm, The Longest Yard, Crash, Ultraviolet, Drive Angry and The Dark Knight. Mainly a character actor, one of his few leading roles is in Passion of Mind, also starring Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgård. His role in Crash won him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award and a Best Acting Ensemble award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice. He appeared in the CBS sitcom Mom from 2013 to 2021.
Credited as Bill Fichtner, he voiced Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Between 2005 and 2006, he also starred in the sci-fi TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was canceled, he played ruthless FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in three seasons of Prison Break (2006–2009). In 2009, he co-presented the Vezina Trophy (for goal tending) at the National Hockey League awards show. He later guest starred as judge Christopher Mulready in The West Wing episode “The Supremes.” He also had a role as the Gotham National Bank manager in the feature film The Dark Knight and as Jurgen in Equilibrium.
In June 2009, Fichtner had a recurring role as TV producer Phil Yagoda on Entourage. He also voiced Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Fichtner played Eric Sacks in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014).
Personal life
Fichtner is a fan of the NFL (National Football League) team the Buffalo Bills, appearing in a commercial for the team before the 2014 season. He has narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled Four Falls of Buffalo, chronicling the Buffalo Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990–93.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Quiz Show | Stage Manager | |
| 1995 | Virtuosity | Wallace | |
| Reckless | Rachel’s Father | ||
| Strange Days | Officer Dwayne Engelman | ||
| Heat | Roger Van Zant | ||
| The Underneath | Tommy Dundee | ||
| 1996 | Albino Alligator | Law | |
| 1997 | Contact | Kent | |
| Switchback | Chief Jack McGinnis | ||
| 1998 | Armageddon | Colonel Willie Sharp | |
| 1999 | Go | Burke Halverson | |
| The Settlement | Jerry | ||
| 2000 | The Perfect Storm | David ‘Sully’ Sullivan | |
| Drowning Mona | Phil Dearly | ||
| Passion of Mind | Aaron | ||
| Endsville | Prince Victor | ||
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor | Mr. Walker | |
| Black Hawk Down | SFC Jeff Sanderson | Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast | |
| What’s the Worst That Could Happen? | Detective Alex Tardio | ||
| 2002 | Julie Walking Home | Henry | |
| Equilibrium | Jurgen | ||
| 2004 | Crash | Flanagan | Hollywood Film Festival Ensemble of the Year Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
| 2005 | Nine Lives | Andrew | Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
| The Chumscrubber | Dr. Bill Stifle | ||
| The Amateurs | Otis | ||
| The Longest Yard | Captain Knauer | ||
| Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Dr. Wexler | Voice; Uncredited | |
| 2006 | Ultraviolet | Garth | |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Darren MacElroy | |
| First Snow | Ed | ||
| 2008 | The Dark Knight | Bank Manager | |
| 2010 | Forehead Tittaes | Boss | Funny or Die sketch |
| Date Night | District Attorney Frank Crenshaw | ||
| 2011 | The Big Bang | Detective Poley | |
| Drive Angry | The Accountant | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| 2012 | Wrong | Master Chang | |
| 2013 | Phantom | Alex Kozlov | |
| The Lone Ranger | Butch Cavendish | ||
| Elysium | John Carlyle | ||
| 2014 | The Homesman | Vester Belknap | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eric Sacks | ||
| 2016 | Independence Day: Resurgence | General Joshua T. Adams | |
| American Wrestler: The Wizard | Coach Plyler | ||
| 2017 | Hot Summer Nights | Shep | |
| The Neighbor | Mike | ||
| Krystal | Dr. Farley | ||
| 2018 | 12 Strong | Colonel John Mulholland | |
| Traffik | Mr. Waynewright | ||
| O.G. | Danvers | ||
| Armed | Richard | ||
| Cold Brook | Ted Markham | Also director and co-writer | |
| All the Devil’s Men | Brennan | ||
| 2019 | Josie & Jack | Raeburn | |
| Finding Steve McQueen | Enzo Rotella | ||
| 2021 | The Space Between | Donny Rumson | |
| The Birthday Cake | Uncle Ricardo | Post-production | |
| TBA | The Gettysburg Address | John G. Nicolay | Voice; post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–1994 | As the World Turns | Josh Snyder | 11 episodes |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Boros | 2 episodes |
| Baywatch | Howard Ganza | Episode: “Rookie School” | |
| 1994–1995 | Grace Under Fire | Ryan Sparks | 8 episodes |
| 1995 | High Lonesome: A Father for Charlie[citation needed] | Sheriff | Television film |
| 2002 | MDs | Bruce Kellerman | 10 episodes |
| 2004 | The West Wing | Christopher Mulready | Episode: “The Supremes” |
| 2005 | Empire Falls | Jimmy Minty | 2 episodes |
| American Dad! | Harland | Voice; Episode: “Homeland Insecurity” | |
| 2005–2006 | Invasion | Sheriff Tom Underlay | 22 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television |
| 2006–2009 | Prison Break | Alexander Mahone | 59 episodes |
| 2009–2011 | Entourage | Phil Yagoda | 8 episodes |
| 2010 | Night and Day | Dan Hollister | Pilot |
| 2012 | Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden | Mr. Guidry | Television film |
| 2013–2014 | Crossing Lines | Carl Hickman | 22 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Empire | Jameson Henthrop | 4 episodes |
| 2016–21 | Mom | Adam Janikowski | Recurring (season 3), Main cast (seasons 4–8); 84 episodes Nominated—Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
| 2016 | Shooter | Rathford O’Brien | Episode: “Killing Zone” |
| 2017 | Porsche: Decades of Disruption | Narrator | Voice; Documentary |
| Top Gear America | Himself | Host; 8 episodes | |
| 2019 | Veep | Felix Wade | Episode: “Discovery Weekend” |
| 2020 | Corporate | Brett | Episode: “Fuck You Money” |
| TBA | Joe Exotic | Rick Kirkham | Limited series |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Ken Rosenberg | Credited as Bill Fichtner |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | ||
| 2008 | Turok | Logan | |
| 2011 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Master Sergeant Sandman | |
| 2012 | Infex | The Administrator | |
| 2013 | Disney Infinity | Butch Cavendish | |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | The Shredder | Nintendo 3DS version |
