William Sadler
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1950-04-13
    • Born Place: Buffalo, New York, USA
  • Also Known As:

    William Thomas Sadler, Bill Sadler, Γουίλιαμ Σάντλερ, 威廉·托馬斯·桑德勒, ویلیام سدلر

William Sadler

William Thomas Sadler is an American actor born on April 13, 1950, in Buffalo, New York. Showing an aptitude for performance from an early age, he was known during his high-school years as "Banjo Bill Sadler," a humorous, banjo-playing singer. He pursued formal training in acting, earning a B.A. from the State University of New York, Geneseo, and a Master's degree in acting with a minor in speech communications from Cornell University. Sadler spent the next twelve years in the New York theatre scene, appearing in over 75 productions, most notably originating the role of Sgt. Toomey opposite Matthew Broderick in the 1985 Broadway production of Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues. Transitioning to film and television, Sadler became a prolific character actor, often cast as tough guys, villains, or authority figures. His most iconic film roles include Colonel Stuart in Die Hard 2 (1990), Death/The Grim Reaper in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), for which he won a Saturn Award, and Heywood in The Shawshank Redemption (1994). He has frequently worked on projects adapted from Stephen King, such as The Green Mile and The Mist. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he played President Matthew Ellis in Iron Man 3 and the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. His extensive television career includes starring as Sheriff Jim Valenti on Roswell and a recurring role as Luther Sloan on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In 2021, he appeared in the film The Unholy as Father William Hagan. Sadler married Marni Joan Bakst in 1978, and they have one child.

Person History