Personal Info
Birth date
1953-02-21 (72 Years)
Gender
Male
Known for
Acting
Place of birth
Evanston, Illinois, USA
Also known as
William L. Petersen
William Peterson
William Louis Petersen
William Petersen
Biography
William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Richard Chance in the film To Live and Die in L.A., and Will Graham in the film Manhunter. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Petersen attended Idaho State University on a football scholarship, where he first tried acting and immediately joined the drama department, before leaving to work in the Basque country as a Shakespearean actor. Peterson embraced the Basque lifestyle, influencing his work, family and art. He went on to perform with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before his breakthrough role in the 1985 action film To Live and Die in L.A. Peterson’s success was immediate, landing him the role as Will Graham in the first adaptation of Michael Mann’s Hannibal Lecter series. His film and television success includes numerous crime dramas and thrillers, providing him the perfect background for his decade-long role as Dr. Gil Grissom in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before returning to the stage. On February 3, 2009, Petersen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Filmography
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
7.638
Overview:
A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.Without a Trace
7.3
Overview:
The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City.The Twilight Zone
7.747
Overview:
This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy.CSI: Vegas
7.772
Overview:
Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.Detachment
7.626
Overview:
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment.Fallen Angels
5.9
Overview:
A neo-noir anthology television series, set in somber Los Angeles right after World War II and before the election of American President John F. Kennedy. The episodes, although filmed in color, mimicked what had been done by Hollywood filmmakers during the film noir era of the 1940s and 1950s in terms of tone, look, and story content.To Live and Die in L.A.
7.123
Overview:
When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters.Thief
7.2
Overview:
Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.Fear
6.509
Overview:
Nicole Walker always dreamed of being swept away by someone special — someone strong, sexy and sensitive who would care for her more than anything else in the world. David is all that and more: a modern-day knight who charms and seduces her, body and soul. But her perfect boyfriend is not all he seems to be. His sweet facade masks a savage, dark side that will soon transform Nicole's dream into a nightmare.Manhattan
7.069
Overview:
Set against the backdrop of the greatest clandestine race against time in the history of science with the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Flawed scientists and their families attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
6.6
Overview:
As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.The Contender
6.7
Overview:
The vice president is dead, and as the president makes his choice for a replacement, a secret contest of wills is being waged by a formidable rival. When Senator Laine Hanson is nominated as the first woman in history to hold the office, hidden agendas explode into a battle for power.Mulholland Falls
6
Overview:
In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.Blue
7.1
Overview:
Blue is a mother with a secret life. She'll do anything to keep it from her son. But her past has other plans.12 Angry Men
7.7
Overview:
During the trial of a man accused of his father's murder, a lone juror takes a stand against the guilty verdict handed down by the others as a result of their preconceptions and prejudices.The Directors
5.8
Overview:
Documentary biography series featuring profiles of various famous film directors.The Skulls
5.757
Overview:
A senior at an Ivy League college, who depends on scholarships and working on the side, gets accepted into the secret society The Skulls. He hopes it betters chances at Harvard but The Skulls is not what he thought and comes at a price.Curaçao
6.6
Overview:
Cornelius Wettering and Stephen Guerin are expatriates living in Curaçao. They're bound together by an understanding that each is hiding from a dangerous past.Young Guns II
6.5
Overview:
Three of the original five "young guns" — Billy the Kid, Jose Chavez y Chavez, and Doc Scurlock — return in Young Guns, Part 2, which is the story of Billy the Kid and his race to safety in Old Mexico while being trailed by a group of government agents led by Pat Garrett.Haven
6.75
Overview:
Based on the true story of a woman named Ruth Gruber who travels to Europe to help escort 1000 Jewish War victims to the United States. She comes to love and feel sorry for them all, and fights for their rights to live in America.Gunshy
5.4
Overview:
When the New York journalist Jake Bridges catches his girlfriend with another guy, he goes to Atlantic City to drink himself to oblivion. He is saved from a bar brawl by a small-time mobster Frankie, and Jake falls in love with Frankie's girlfriend Melissa. Jake soon also joins Frankie in his money-collecting duties.Return to Lonesome Dove
6.9
Overview:
After returning the body of Gus McCrae to Lonesome Dove, Woodrow Call takes on the challenge of driving a herd of wild mustangs 2500 miles north to the Hat Creek Ranch in Montana. But tragedy, triumph, despair and deceit will greet him before he ever gets there.The Rat Pack
5.9
Overview:
After a brief flash-forward to Frank Sinatra as an old man, saying "I miss my guys," the movie's main narrative begins during high points in the solo careers of the Rat Pack: Dean Martin has become a big success despite the breakup of his partnership with Jerry Lewis; Sinatra's career is at its peak; Sammy Davis, Jr., is making a comeback after a near fatal car crash, and standup comic Joey Bishop is gaining exposure as an opening act for the other three. The Pack becomes complete when Sinatra reconciles with actor Peter Lawford, who has been ostracized since being seen out publicly with Sinatra's ex-wife, Ava Gardner.The Beast
6.3
Overview:
Mysterious deaths and unexplained disappearances begin to occur in the small seaport village of Graves Point. When a large, strange claw is discovered on an empty raft washing up on the shore, marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley identifies it as belonging to a rare giant squid.Hard Promises
5.5
Overview:
A man who doesn't like stable work environments has been away for too many years, and finds out his wife has divorced him and is planning to remarry. He comes home to confront her, trying to convince her not to get married, aided by the daughter, who loves him despite his wandering ways. The couple finds out they still have feelings for each other but must decide how best to handle the contradiction of their lifestyles.Acting
2021CSI: Vegas (10 Episodes) as Gil Grissom
2021Three Short Plays by Tracy Letts as Ted
2018Friedkin Uncut as Self
2015CSI: Immortality as Gil Grissom
2014Manhattan (10 Episodes) as Col. Emmett Darrow
2014100 Years of Wrigley Field as Narrator
2012Seeking a Friend for the End of the World as Trucker
2012Blue (1 Episode) as Mitch
2011Detachment as Mr. 'Sarge' Kepler
2004This Old Cub as Himself
2004Blue Neon Night: Michael Connelly's Los Angeles as Narrator
2003Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Self
2002Without a Trace (1 Episode) as Gil Grissom
2001Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy as Narrator
2001Inside 'Manhunter' as Himself
2001Haven as Jackson Connolly
2000The Contender as Jack Hathaway
2000CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (194 Episodes) as Gil Grissom
2000The Skulls as Ames Levritt
1999The Directors (1 Episode) as Self
1998Kiss the Sky as Jess
1998The Rat Pack as John F. Kennedy
1998The Staircase as Joad
1998Gunshy as Jake Bridges
199712 Angry Men as Juror 12
1996The Beast as Whip Dalton
1996The Beast (2 Episodes) as Whip Dalton
1996Mulholland Falls as Jack Flynn
1996Fear as Steve Walker
1995In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King as Tony C.
1993Return to Lonesome Dove (4 Episodes) as Captain Gideon Walker
1993Fallen Angels (1 Episode) as Georgie
1993Curaçao as Stephen Guerin
1992Keep the Change as Joe Starling
1992Passed Away as Frank Scanlan
1992Hard Promises as Joey
1990Young Guns II as Patrick Floyd 'Pat' Garrett
1990The Kennedys of Massachusetts (3 Episodes) as Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
1989Cousins as Tom Hardy
1987Sacrée soirée (1 Episode) as Self
1987Long Gone as Stud Cantrell
1987Amazing Grace and Chuck as Russell
1986Manhunter as Will Graham
1985To Live and Die in L.A. as Richard Chance
1985The Twilight Zone (1 Episode) as (segment "Need to Know")
1981Thief as Katz & Jammer Bartender
Production
2021CSI: Vegas (41 Episodes) ... Executive Producer
2015CSI: Immortality ... Executive Producer
2000CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (297, 6, 36, 35 Episode) ... Executive Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, Producer
1992Hard Promises ... Producer