This affable blond performer took a decade to advance from second lead and character actor to starring status. Like James Stewart in an earlier generation, the unthreatening, wholesome Pullman labored through small parts in good films and leading roles in bombs before finally coming into his own. A doctor's son, he earned his MFA from the University of Massachusetts and then worked in construction and as a drama teacher and director before trying acting.

Pullman moved to New York in the early 1980s, and worked in regional and stock theater before landing a role in a 1985 revival of Sam Shepard's "Curse of the Starving Class". Pullman made his film debut as the world's dumbest crook in "Ruthless People" (1986) and followed with his first leading role, the hero of Mel Brooks' "Spaceballs" (1987). His dramatic lead was in Wes Craven's uneven "The Serpent and the Rainbow" (1988) and that same year he acted opposite William Hurt and Amy Wright in Lawrence Kasdan's "The Accidental Tourist". As Julian Hedge, the lovelorn book editor, Pullman set the pattern for many of his future roles, as the person who provides dependable emotional support. Several Pullman roles went unseen by the public at large: his turn as Burt Lancaster's son-in-law in "Rocket Gibraltar" (1988), as a brain surgeon in "Brain Dead" (1990) and as a sympathetic reporter in the flop musical "Newsies" (1992).

Things looked up somewhat with his role as Geena Davis' husband in Penny Marshall's "A League of Their Own" (1992) and as the plastic surgeon who talks Bridget Fonda out of breast implants in "Singles" (also 1992). In Nora Ephron's "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993), Pullman was cast in the traditional Ralph Bellamy role of the nice guy who loses the woman. "Malice" (1993) cast him as a college dean who runs afoul of a sinister surgeon (Alec Baldwin); although the role quaintly recalled his days as a college professor, he was still in second lead territory.

Stardom finally dawned with Pullman's romantic role opposite Sandra Bullock in "While You Were Sleeping" (1995). Not only did he get the girl, but Pullman turned in a sexy, casual and quietly witty performance. He next played Christina Ricci's "ghost therapist" dad in the children's fantasy "Casper" (also 1995). Pullman's comic talents were showcased as "Mr. Wrong" (1996), the obnoxious psycho who briefly charms Ellen DeGeneres in the unromantic comedy of that title. Two very atypical roles followed: as the President of the US in the sci-fi thriller "Independence Day" and as a convicted wife-killer in David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (both 1996). Subsequent roles include that of a neurotic but brilliant private investigator in Jake Kasdan's quirky "Zero Effect" (1998) and a supporting role as the lawyer who champions two young women imprisoned for drug trafficking in "Brokedown Palace" (1999). That same year he starred in the bomb "Lake Placid" and was featured in the similarly disappointing 2000 entry "Lucky Numbers."

The actor would continue to deliver solid performances in mainstream an indie films and TV movies, routinely serving up gems like his turn as Rory Culkin's schizophrenic father in the critical darling "Igby Goes Down" (2002), as a naval captain whose shipped is pressed into service following the Sept. 11 attacks in the Disney telepic "Tiger Cruise" (2004), and an opening sequence stint as one of the victims of a cursed Japanese home in the horror hit "The Grudge" (2004). He next appeared as a small town sheriff forced to contend with a group of teenagers who have formed a gang of pacifist gun enthusiasts suddenly turned violent in “Dear Wendy” (2005), scripted by Lars Von Trier. Pullman then showed up as the leader of a 19th century village in a parody of M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” (2004), one of many Hollywood movies getting the David Zucker treatment in “Scary Movie 4” (2006).

Pullman's TV career had begun in 1986 with a guest spot on "Cagney and Lacey" (CBS). He also appeared in the CBS movie "Home Fires Burning", with Holly Hunter in "Crazy in Love" (TNT, 1992), and on an episode of "Fallen Angels" (Showtime, 1995). Pullman has not neglected his stage work, either, appearing in productions with the Los Angeles Theater Center through 1989, and, in 1993, co-starring with Holly Hunter in "Control Freaks" at Hollywood's Met Theater.

• Also Credited As:
  William Pullman
• Born:
  December 17, 1953 in Hornell, New York
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Director, Teacher

Family

• Daughter: Maesa Pullman. born in 1988; mother, Tamara Hurwitz
• Son: Jack Pullman. born in 1989; mother, Tamara Hurwitz
• Son: Louis Pullman. born in January 1993; mother, Tamara Hurwitz

Education

• University of Montana, Missoula, Montana

Milestones

• 1980 Moved to New York to pursue acting
• 1981 Stage debut (billed as William Pullman) in "The Rover" at Folger Theatre in Washington, DC
• 1985 Starred off-Broadway in Sam Shepard's "Curse of the Starving Class"
• 1986 Feature acting debut, "Ruthless People"
• 1987 First lead in a feature, "Spaceballs"
• 1989 TV-movie debut, "Home Fires Burning"
• 1992 Featured as Geena Davis' husband in "A League of Their Own" directed by Penny Marshall
• 1993 Cast opposite Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in "Sommersby"
• 1993 Played Walter, Meg Ryan's fiancé in the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle" directed by Nora Ephron
• 1994 Starred opposite Linda Fiorentino in the thriller "The Last Seduction" directed by John Dahl.
• 1995 Breakthrough role as the romantic lead opposite Sandra Bullock in "While You Were Sleeping"
• 1995 Formed production company, Big Town, with a development deal at Castle Rock
• 1996 Portrayed the President in Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day" starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum
• 1999 Directorial debut with the TNT remake of "The Virginian"; also starred Diane Lane
• 2000 Directed and starred in an episode of the anthology series "Visions" (Fox)
• 2002 Played a schizophrenic father in the indie "Igby Goes Down" starring Kieran Culkin, Susan Sarandon and Jeff Goldblum
• 2002 Starred opposite Mercedes Ruehl in the Broadway production of Edward Albee's "The Goat, or, Who Is Sylvia?"
• 2004 Starred with Sarah Michelle Gellar in the thriller "The Grudge"
• 2007 Co-starred in the John Dahl mafia comedy thriller, "You Kill Me"
• Taught theater for two years at Montana State University

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