Billy Campbell

Billy Campbell

Active - 1985 - 2014  |   Born - Jul 7, 1959 in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States  |   Genres - Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller

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Biography by AllMovie

Initially winning fame for his role as Luke Fuller on Dynasty from 1984 to 1985, Bill Campbell went on to a career mainly comprised of television roles, but including the occasional foray into film as well. The oldest of seven children, Campbell was born in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 7, 1959. After making his TV debut on Dynasty, he gained a substantial role in Abel Ferrara's made-for-TV Crime Story and appeared in a number of forgettable films. In 1991, he won notice for his title role in The Rocketeer, and the following year had a supporting part in Bram Stoker's Dracula. However, he continued to do his best work on TV, appearing in the acclaimed PBS series Tales of the City (1993) and its 1998 sequel More Tales of the City as the gay gynecologist lover of one of the show's protagonists. In 1999, he could again be seen on television, starring opposite Sela Ward on the series Once and Again. The credits listed him as "Billy Campbell;" the actor has also been credited in the past as "William Campbell." In 2002 Campbell had the tables turned on him as a menacing husband whose wife (portrayed by pop-diva Jennifer Lopez) takes the situation into her own hands in Enough.

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Factsheet

  • Studied illustration in college in hopes of becoming a comic-book artist.
  • Made his TV debut on an episode of Family Ties in 1984.
  • Big film break came with the lead role in 1991's cult classic The Rocketeer.
  • TV GUIDE ranked his Once and Again character Rick Sammler as number 36 on the list of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time in 2004.
  • Took a year-long hiatus from acting in 2005 to circumnavigate the globe aboard the Picton Castle, a sail training ship.
  • Stands 6'4" tall, a feature used to his advantage when he portrayed Abraham Lincoln in National Geographic Channel's 2013 docudrama Killing Lincoln.