William Atherton

William Atherton, born William Atherton Knight on July 30, 1947, in Orange, Connecticut, is an American actor with a career spanning over five decades. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1969, he quickly established himself on the New York stage, originating roles in plays by leading American playwrights such as David Rabe, John Guare, and Arthur Miller. His notable early stage work earned him multiple accolades, including the Drama Desk Award, Outer Circle Critics Award, and the Theatre World Award.

Atherton transitioned to film, first gaining international recognition as Clovis Poplin in Steven Spielberg’s debut feature, “The Sugarland Express” (1974). He continued to land significant roles in the 1970s, including appearances in John Schlesinger’s “The Day of the Locust” (1975), Robert Wise’s “The Hindenburg” (1975), and Richard Brooks’ “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” (1977). His career progressed to encompass roles that became globally recognized, notably as the confrontational EPA official Walter Peck in “Ghostbusters” (1984) and the persistent television reporter Richard Thornburg in the action blockbusters “Die Hard” (1988) and “Die Hard 2” (1990).

Throughout his career, Atherton has maintained a presence in both film and television, with over 30 feature film credits. His work includes co-starring in films like John Landis’s “Oscar” (1991), Alan J. Pakula’s “The Pelican Brief” (1993), and Edward Zwick’s “The Last Samurai” (2003). On television, he starred in the miniseries “Centennial” (1978) and recurred in shows such as “Life” (2007) and “Lost” (2004). He has also lent his voice to video games, reprising his role as Walter Peck in “Ghostbusters: The Video Game” (2009) and “Planet Coaster” (2016). His recent work includes reprising his role as Mayor Walter Peck in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (2024).