Will Patton

Will Patton

Patton on the set of The List
Born William Rankin Patton
June 14, 1954
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Nationality American
Occupation Actor
Years active 1979–present

William Rankin "Will" Patton (born June 14, 1954) is an American actor.[1] He currently stars as Colonel Dan Weaver in the TNT science fiction series Falling Skies. He also appeared in films such as Remember the Titans, Armageddon, Gone in 60 Seconds and The Punisher. Patton’s father, Bill Patton, was a playwright and acting/directing instructor. Patton has been in many films, starting in 1981. He has done many television appearances as well, starting in 1982 and he has done a great deal of voice work with audio books. He won two Obie Awards for best actor in Sam Shepard’s play Fool for Love and the Public Theater production of What Did He See?.

Early life

Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University.[2][3][4] Patton was raised on a farm, where his parents ran a foster home for wayward teenagers.[2] He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and The Actors' Studio in New York City, New York.

Career

Patton won two Obie Awards for best actor for his performances in Sam Shepard's play Fool for Love and the Public Theater production of What Did He See?. He portrayed the evil antagonist in Desperately Seeking Susan, and had a significant role in No Way Out, his first major film. He was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of General Bethlehem in The Postman. He also portrayed coach Bill Yoast in Remember the Titans and FBI agent Melvin Purvis in the 1991 made-for-television film Dillinger. Patton provided the voice for the audio version of The Assault on Reason by Al Gore, as well as the role of Alan Wilson on the TV show 24. Patton plays the character of Sam Conroy in the film American Violet.

In 2011, Patton stars as Colonel Weaver in the TNT sci-fi television series Falling Skies, executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1981 Kent State Peter Television film
1983 Variety Mark
King Blank Bar Customer
Silkwood Joe
1985 The Equalizer Officer Nick Braxton
The Beniker Gang Forest Ranger
Desperately Seeking Susan Wayne Nolan
After Hours Horst
1986 Chinese Boxes Lang Marsh
Belizaire the Cajun Matthew Perry
1987 A Gathering of Old Men Lou Dimes
No Way Out Scott Pritchard
1988 Wildfire Mike
Stars and Bars Duane Gage
1989 Signs of Life Owen's Father
1990 Everybody Wins Jerry
A Shock to the System Lt. Laker
1991 Dillinger Melvin Purvis Made for television film
Deadly Desire Giles Menteer Made for television film
Bright Angel Woody uncredited
The Rapture Deputy Foster
Cold Heaven Father Niles
1992 The Paint Job Wesley
Lincoln and the War Within Made for television film
In the Soup Skippy
In the Deep Woods Eric Gaines Made for television film
A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story Frank Maxwell Made for television film
1993 Midnight Edition Jack Travers
Taking the Heat Hadley Made for television film
Romeo Is Bleeding Martie
1994 Tollbooth Dash Pepper
Natural Causes Michael Murphy
Judicial Consent Alan Warwick
The Client Sergeant Hardy
The Puppet Masters Dr. Graves
1995 Copycat Nicoletti
1996 Plain Pleasures
The Spitfire Grill Nahum Goddard
Fled Det. Matthew 'Gib' Gibson
1997 Inventing the Abbotts Lloyd Abbott
Hounddogg
This World, Then the Fireworks Lt. Morgan
The Postman General Bethlehem Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1998 O.K. Garage Sean
Armageddon Charles 'Chick' Chapple
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died Preacher
1999 Breakfast of Champions Moe the Truck Driver
Entrapment Hector Cruz
Jesus' Son John Smith
2000 Gone in 60 Seconds Atley Jackson
Trixie W. 'Red' Rafferty
Remember the Titans Coach Bill Yoast
2002 The Mothman Prophecies Gordon Smallwood
2004 Family Sins Philip Rothman Made for television film
The Punisher Quentin Glass
The Last Ride Aaron Purnell Made for television film
2006 Road House 2: Last Call Nate Tanner
2007 Code Name: The Cleaner Riley
A Mighty Heart U.S. Diplomatic Security (DSS) Special Agent Randall Bennett
The List Michael Harriston
Dog Days of Summer Eli Cottonmouth
2008 Wendy and Lucy Mechanic
American Violet Sam Conroy
Lucky Days J.C.
2009 Barbarian Princess Sanford B. Dole
Looking at Animals Raymond
The Canyon Henry
The Fourth Kind Sheriff August
Waking Madison completed
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond Old Man Dobyne
2010 Brooklyn's Finest Lt. Bill Hobarts
Meek's Cutoff Solomon Tetherow completed
Knucklehead Vic Sullivan
2014 November Man Perry Weinstein

Television

Year Title Role Episodes
1982–1983 Ryan's Hope Ox Knowles 2
1984–1985 Search for Tomorrow Kentucky Bluebird
1995 VR.5 Dr. Frank Morgan 5
1997 The Protector
2001–2003 The Agency Jackson Haisley 44
2005 Into the West James Fletcher Miniseries
2006–2007 Numb3rs Lt. Gary Walker 4
2009 24 Alan Wilson 5
2010 CSI Craig Haliday 1
2011–present Falling Skies Captain Dan Weaver Main cast
2013 Grant vs. Lee General Robert E. Lee Main cast

Voice work

Audiobooks

  • Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke (2011)
  • Swan Peak by James Lee Burke (2008)
  • Fine Just the Way It Is: Wyoming Stories 3 by Annie Proulx (2008)
  • Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke (2007)
  • Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke (2006)
  • Crusader's Cross by James Lee Burke (2006)
  • Jolie Blon's Bounce by James Lee Burke (2006)
  • A Dave Robicheaux Audio Collection by James Lee Burke (2006)
  • In the Moon of Red Ponies by James Lee Burke (2004)
  • Cimarron Rose by James Lee Burke (2004)
  • White Doves at Morning by James Lee Burke (2003)
  • Bitterroot by James Lee Burke (2001)
  • Cadillac Jukebox by James Lee Burke (2001)
  • Purple Cane Road by James Lee Burke (2000)
  • Burning Angel by James Lee Burke (1999)
  • Heartwood by James Lee Burke (1999)
  • Dixie City Jam by James Lee Burke (1999)
  • A Stained White Radiance by James Lee Burke (1998)
  • Sunset Limited by James Lee Burke (1998)
  • The Lost Get-Back Boogie by James Lee Burke (1986)

References

  1. "Biography for Will Patton". IMDb.com. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Elias, Justine (July 5, 1998). "FILM; Emerging as a Leading Man of Supporting Actors". The New York Times.
  3. Bill Patton Returns To The Hamptons With A New Play – Bridgehampton, NY. Hamptons.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-16.
  4. Harcum College – Bill Patton One-Act Play. Myharcum.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-16.

External links