ACTOR
Will Lyman
Known for Iron Man · The Simpsons · Mystic River
William Lyman (born May 20, 1948) is an American actor. Being known for his polished, resonant voice, Lyman has narrated the PBS series Frontline since its second season in 1984 and played William Tell in the action/adventure television series Crossbow.
Snapshot 2026-10-16
- Born
- May 20, 1948
- Birthplace
- Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
William Lyman (born May 20, 1948) is an American actor. Being known for his polished, resonant voice, Lyman has narrated the PBS series Frontline since its second season in 1984 and played William Tell in the action/adventure television series Crossbow.
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Known For
MOVIE
Iron ManAward Ceremony Narrator (voice) · 2008
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
TV
The SimpsonsNarrator (voice) · 1989
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
MOVIE
Mystic RiverFBI Agent Birden · 2003
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
MOVIE
The Other GuysFrontline Narration App · 2010
★ 6.3
★ 6.3
MOVIE
The Electric StateDocumentary Narrator (voice) · 2025
★ 6.5
★ 6.5
MOVIE
The SiegeFBI Director · 1998
★ 6.3
★ 6.3
TV
Law & OrderVictor Conner · 1990
★ 7.3
★ 7.3
TV
The West WingNarrator (voice) · 1999
★ 8.3
★ 8.3
Filmography
Movies
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1Narrator
1984
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2Narrator
1984
Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Operanarrator (himself)
1985
Three Sovereigns for SarahRev. Parris
1985
Hostage in IranNarrator
1986Hostage in IranExecutive Producer
1986
The Mystery of the Lost Red Paint PeopleSelf - Narrator (voice)
1987
Crossbow: The MovieWilliam Tell
1989
Hostile TakeoverSmolen
1989
NixonNarrator (voice)
1990
School TiesSwanson
1992
The Arming of Saudi ArabiaNarrator
1993
The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey OswaldNarrator (voice) (US version, Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?)
1993
Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of GloryNarrator
1994
Norse AmericaSelf - Narrator (voice)
1994
Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976Narrator (voice)
1994
The Search for Satan
1995
Celtic PrideRich Man
1996
NBA at 50Self - Narrator
1996
The CrucibleIsaiah Goodkind
1996
The Ultimate Guide: SharksNarrator
1996
The Ultimate Guide: T-RexNarrator (voice)
1996
Welcome to the DollhouseMr. Edwards
1996
Atlanta’s Olympic GloryNarrator
1997
FloatingVan's Father
1997
The Bay of PigsNarrator (voice)
1997
A Perfect MurderJason Gates
1998
Anatomy of a 'Homicide: Life on the Street'Self - Narrator (voice)
1998
Nagano ’98 Olympics: Stories of Honor and GloryNarrator
1998
The SiegeFBI Director
1998
Michael Jordan: His AirnessNarrator
1999
The Autumn HeartDoctor
1999
The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela
1999FH
Finest Hour: The Battle of BritainSelf - Narrator(voice)
2000
Satan in the SuburbsNarrator (voice)
2000
Warriors of the French Foreign LegionNarrator
2000DD
Dog DaysDad
2001ST
Sinking the LusitaniaNarrator
2001
Sydney 2000: Stories of Olympic GloryNarrator
2001
The Day Reagan Was ShotNarrator (voice)
2001
Alma Mater
2002
American PornNarrator
2002TP
The Pink Satin SuitDirector
2002
Coming Home from Space: The Challenge of Re-EntryNarrator
2003
Mystic RiverFBI Agent Birden
2003
Salt Lake City 2002: Stories of Olympic GloryNarrator
2003
Truth, War and ConsequencesNarrator (voice)
2003
Wake Island: Alamo of the PacificNarrator
2003
Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of HistoryNarrator (voice)
2003
American MeltdownHomeland Chief Utley
2004
Golden Road: Today's Senior DriversNarrator
2004
The Secret History of the Credit CardNarrator
2004
Our FathersWilson Rogers Jr.
2005
The New Asylumsnarrator
2005
Fierce PeopleDocumentary Narrator (voice)
2006
Little ChildrenNarrator (voice)
2006
Return of the TalibanSelf - Narrator (voice)
2006
The Age of AIDSNarrator (voice)
2006
The Dark SideSelf - Narrator
2006
Bud Greenspan’s Torino 2006: Stories of Olympic GloryNarrator
2007
EndgameSelf - Narrator (voice)
2007IP
I'm Paige WilsonBen Foxworthy
2007
Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux UniverseMoe Fresno
2007
On Our WatchNarrator
2007AO
Abuse of PowerNolan Flannery
2008
Iron ManAward Ceremony Narrator (voice)
2008
Rules of EngagementNarrator
2008
The War BriefingNarrator
2008
What Doesn't Kill YouSully
2008
Young & Restless in China
2008TB
The BoneyardNarrator
2009
Behind Taliban Lines
2010
The Other GuysFrontline Narration App
2010
Bud Greenspan Presents Vancouver 2010: Stories of Olympic GloryNarrator
2011
The Anthrax Files
2011
Inside Japan's Nuclear MeltdownNarrator
2012LM
Last Man OutWalt Whitman (voice)
2012
The Suicide PlanNarrator
2012
A Death in St. AugustineNarrator (voice)
2013
League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion CrisisHimself - Narrator
2013
Firestone and the WarlordSelf - Narrator
2014
Generation LikeNarrator (voice)
2014
Losing IraqNarrator
2014
Prison StateHimself - Narrator (Voice)
2014
Separate and UnequalNarrator
2014
The Trouble with AntibioticsSelf - Reporter
2014
United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy LostNarrator
2014
Isis in Afghanistan
2015
Obama at WarSelf - Narrator (voice)
2015
OutbreakSelf - Narrator
2015TH
Taliban HuntersSelf - Narrator (voice)
2015
The Fight for YemenSelf - Narrator (voice)
2015
Business of DisasterNarrator (voice)
2016
Chasing HeroinNarrator
2016
Netanyahu at WarSelf (narrator)
2016
Saudi Arabia UncoveredSelf - Narrator (voice)
2016
Supplements and SafetySelf - Narrator
2016
Terror in Europeself
2016
The Choice 2016Narrator
2016DS
Divided States of AmericaNarrator
2017FP
Frontline: President TrumpNarrator
2017
Hunting ISISNarrator
2017
Iraq UncoveredNarrator
2017
Life on ParoleNarrator
2017
Out of Gitmonarrator
2017
UN Sex Abuse ScandalNarrator (voice)
2018
Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff BezosNarrator
2020
Battle for Hong KongNarrator
2020
Christmas on IceMayor Greenwood
2020
Once Upon a Time in IraqSelf - Narrator (voice)
2020
The Choice 2020: Trump vs. BidenNarrator (voice)
2020
United States of ConspiracyNarrator (voice)
2020
America After 9/11narrator
2021
Boeing's Fatal FlawNarrator (voice)
2021
China's COVID SecretsSelf - Narrator
2021
Mother/AndroidCaptain
2021
Shots FiredNarrator
2021
Taliban TakeoverNarrator
2021
Lies, Politics and DemocracySelf - Narrator (voice)
2022
Ukraine: Life Under Russia's AttackSelf - Narrator (voice)
2022
Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power, and the Supreme Courtnarrator
2023
Inside the Uvalde ResponseNarrator
2023
Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in GazaNarrator
2023
Putin and the PresidentsNarrator
2023
The Discord LeaksNarrator
2023
AftermathJoe Kozak
2024
Children of UkraineNarrator
2024
Crisis on CampusNarrator
2024
Democracy on TrialNarrator
2024
The Choice 2024: Harris vs. TrumpSelf - Narrator (voice)
2024
Battle for TibetNarrator
2025
The ArboristArthur Randolph
2025
The Electric StateDocumentary Narrator (voice)
2025
The Rise of RFK Jr.Narrator
2025
Trump's Power & the Rule of LawNarrator (voice over)
2025
American Voices 2026Narrator
2026
Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic LegacyNarrator
2026
ScammedNarrator
2026
The Deal: Trump Bukele & The Gangs of El SalvadorNarrator (voice)
2026
The War CabinetNarrrator
2026
News WarNarrator
Yemen Under SiegeNarrator
Television
Another World749 eps
1964
NOVANarrator · 12 eps
1974NOVANarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1974NOVASelf - Narrator (voice) · 1 eps
1974
American PlayhouseReverend Parris · 3 eps
1982
FrontlineSelf - Narrator (voice) · 857 eps
1983
Vietnam: A Television HistoryNarrator · 13 eps
1983
Murder, She WroteAllan Wooster · 1 eps
1984Three Sovereigns for SarahRev. Parris · 3 eps
1985
CrossbowWilliam Tell · 72 eps
1987
American ExperienceSelf - Narrator (voice) · 1 eps
1988
The SimpsonsNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1989
Hull HighJohn Deerborn · 8 eps
1990
Law & OrderVictor Conner · 1 eps
1990CA
Columbus and the Age of DiscoverySelf - Narrator (voice) · 7 eps
1992
The Ultimate GuideNarrator · 23 eps
1996
The West WingNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1999
EdGus McGraw · 1 eps
2000
Law & Order: Criminal IntentRoger Jameson · 1 eps
2001
Threat MatrixRoger Atkins · 16 eps
2003
Commander in ChiefTeddy Bridges · 2 eps
2005Commander in ChiefTeddy Bridges (uncredited) · 1 eps
2005II
Is It Real?Narrator (voice) · 30 eps
2006
Frontline - News WarSelf · 3 eps
2007
Money, Power & Wall StreetSelf - Narrator · 2 eps
2012
United States of SecretsNarrator · 2 eps
2014
America's Great Divide: From Obama to TrumpSelf - Narrator (voice) · 2 eps
2020
AnimaniacsNarrator (voice) · 2 eps
2020
The Power of Big OilNarrator (voice) · 3 eps
2022Photos
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