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William Sadler
ACTOR

William Sadler

Known for The Flash · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · Criminal Minds

William Thomas Sadler (born April 13, 1950) is an American actor who works in film and television. His television and motion picture roles have included Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller in The Pacific, Luther Sloan in Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Sheriff Jim Valenti in Roswell, and—perhaps most notably—the Grim Reaper in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, a role for which he was nominated for, and won, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor,…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Apr 13, 1950
Birthplace
Buffalo, New York, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

William Thomas Sadler (born April 13, 1950) is an American actor who works in film and television. His television and motion picture roles have included Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller in The Pacific, Luther Sloan in Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Sheriff Jim Valenti in Roswell, and—perhaps most notably—the Grim Reaper in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, a role for which he was nominated for, and won, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and his role as Colonel Stuart alongside Bruce Willis in Die Hard 2.

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Known For

TVThe Flash
The FlashSimon Stagg · 2014
★ 7.7
TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitGary Dolan · 1999
★ 8.0
TVCriminal Minds
Criminal Minds · 2005
★ 8.3
TVMarvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.President Ellis · 2013
★ 7.5
TVThe Blacklist
The BlacklistSam Milhoan · 2013
★ 7.6
TVThe Rookie
The RookieWalter Fields · 2018
★ 8.5
TVFringe
FringeDr. Sumner · 2008
★ 8.1
TVHomeland
HomelandMichael Higgins · 2011
★ 7.6

Filmography

Movies

The Great WallendasDieter Schmidt
1978
TO
The Other Side of VictoryCaptain Rogers
1979
CA
Charlie and the Great Balloon ChaseJoey
1981
Hanky PankyHotel Clerk
1982
Off BeatDickson
1986
Project XDr. Carroll
1987
K-9Salesman Don
1989
UnconqueredCoach Dickey
1989
Die Hard 2Stuart
1990
Hard to KillSenator Vernon Trent
1990
The Face of FearAnthony Prine
1990
The Hot SpotFrank Sutton
1990
Bill & Ted's Bogus JourneyGrim Reaper
1991
RushMonroe
1991
TaggetYuri Chelenkoff
1991
The Last to GoTreat
1991
TrespassDon
1992
Two-Fisted TalesMr. Rush (Presenter)
1992
FreakedDick Brian
1993
Jack Reed: Badge of HonorAnatole
1993
Bermuda Grace
1994
RoadracersSarge
1994
The Shawshank RedemptionHeywood
1994
A Night to Die ForSelf
1995
Tales from the Crypt: Demon KnightFrank Brayker
1995
The OmenDr. Linus
1995
Valerie 23Frank Hellner
1995
Bordello of BloodMummy
1996
SoloColonel Frank Madden / Improved Solo
1996
RocketManWild Bill Overbeck
1997
AmbushedJim Natter
1998
Disturbing BehaviorNewberry
1998
Reach the RockQuinn
1998
Stealth FighterAdm. Frank Petersen
1999
The Green MileKlaus Detterick
1999
Witness ProtectionSharp
1999
WT
Walking the Mile: The Making of The Green MileSelf - 'Klaus Detterick'
2000
SkippyRingo
2001
Another LifeMan
2002
The Battle of Shaker HeightsAbe
2003
KinseyKenneth Braun
2004
ConfessSenator Lampert
2005
DeVourIvan Reisz
2005
Purple HeartColonel Allen
2005
Jimmy and JudyUncle Rodney
2006
PremiumCole Carter
2006
The Good StudentPhil Palmer
2006
UnspokenDad
2006
A New WaveRoger Dewitt
2007
Abandoned in the ArcticAdolphus Greely (voice)
2007
August RushThomas Novacek
2007
Jesse Stone: Sea ChangeGino Fish
2007
The MistJim
2007
Eagle EyeJerry's Dad
2008
When Darkness Came: The Making of The MistSelf
2008
When Darkness Came: The Making of The MistThanks
2008
Beyond All BoundariesLt. Colonel Lewis B. 'Chesty' Puller
2009
It's Not Real Until You Shoot It: Making THE HILLS RUN REDSelf
2009
Jesse Stone: Thin IceGino Fish
2009
Last Day of SummerMr. Crolick
2009
ShadowheartThomas Conners
2009
S
StreamDr. Shelby
2009
The Hills Run RedWilson Wyler Concannon
2009
Jesse Stone: No RemorseGino Fish
2010
The Making of Fallout: New VegasSelf
2010
Jesse Stone: Innocents LostGino Fish
2011
RestitutionGeorge Youngstown
2011
Silent but DeadlyJohn Capper
2011
Being FlynnRay
2012
Future WeatherEd
2012
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the DoubtGino Fish
2012
Man on a LedgeValet
2012
Nothing SacredChambers
2012
See Girl RunMarty
2012
Gilded Lilys
2013
Greetings from Tim BuckleyLee Underwood
2013
Iron Man 3President Ellis
2013
Machete KillsSheriff Doakes
2013
Onion News EmpireEd Musgrove
2013
RiddleWestern Man / Jack Abel
2013
The SuspectSheriff Dixon
2013
FreedomPlimpton
2014
That Guy Dick MillerSelf
2014
The HistorianValerian Hadley
2014
Walking the MileSelf
2014
Ava's PossessionsBernard
2015
EdgeBig Bill
2015
Frank the BastardCyrus Gast
2015
FreeheldPeter Santucci
2015
Jesse Stone: Lost in ParadiseGino Fish
2015
The DuelGovernor Ross
2016
The HollowSheriff Beau McKinney
2016
Shoot Me NicelyRoy Barnes
2017
Deadly CrushSheriff Dusty Hawkins
2018
Living Among UsSamuel
2018
Melvin SmartyBob
2018
The GrudgeDetective Wilson
2019
The HighwaymenHenry Barrow
2019
VFWWalter Reed
2019
Bill & Ted Face the MusicDeath
2020
Bill & Ted Face the MusicExecutive Producer
2020
Alice Fades AwayJames
2021
The UnholyFather Hagan
2021
She Came from the WoodsGilbert McCalister
2023
She Came from the WoodsProducer
2023
A Stage of TwilightBarry
2024
Salem's LotParkins Gillespie
2024
The Last Day of Byron BrayByron Bray
2026
The YetiHollis Bannister
2026
NE
New England Toys
TS
The Summer They Came

Television

NewhartClumsy Guest · 1 eps
1982
St. ElsewhereJ.J. Oppenheimer · 1 eps
1982
The EqualizerRick Dillon / Kevin Moore · 1 eps
1985
Private Eye12 eps
1987
Tour of DutyMajor Rigby · 1 eps
1987
Dear JohnKen · 2 eps
1988
Murphy BrownColonel Fitzpatrick · 1 eps
1988
Roseanne2 eps
1988
Tales from the CryptNiles Talbot (segment "The Man Who Was Death") · 1 eps
1989
Tales from the CryptThe Grim Reaper · 1 eps
1989
Law & OrderKevin Drucker · 1 eps
1990
HBO First Look1 eps
1992
Star Trek: Deep Space NineSloan · 3 eps
1993
Rebel HighwaySarge · 1 eps
1994
JAGSaul Wainright · 1 eps
1995
The OmenDr. Linus · 1 eps
1995
The Outer LimitsFrank Hellner · 1 eps
1995
Poltergeist: The LegacyShamus Bloom · 2 eps
1996
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitGary Dolan · 1 eps
1999
RoswellJim Valenti · 61 eps
1999
RoswellDirector
1999
Third WatchScotty Murray · 1 eps
1999
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationRed Cooper · 1 eps
2000
EdLee Leetch · 1 eps
2000
Law & Order: Criminal IntentKyle Devlin · 1 eps
2001
Tru CallingTravis · 1 eps
2003
WonderfallsDarrin Tyler · 13 eps
2004
Criminal Minds
2005
Criminal MindsRay Finnegan · 1 eps
2005
Law & Order: Trial by JuryPaul Rice · 1 eps
2005
MediumJohn Edgemont · 1 eps
2005
Numb3rsJ. Everett Tuttle · 1 eps
2005
The Path to 9/11Neil Herman · 2 eps
2006
DamagesMcClarenTruth.org's Financier · 1 eps
2007
DamagesHelmut Torben · 5 eps
2007
TravelerCarlton Fog · 8 eps
2007
FringeDr. Sumner · 2 eps
2008
Three Rivers2 eps
2009
White CollarBrett Gelles · 1 eps
2009
Hawaii Five-0John McGarrett · 8 eps
2010
The PacificLt Col. Lewis 'Chesty' Puller · 10 eps
2010
HomelandMichael Higgins · 3 eps
2011
Person of InterestAnton's Father · 1 eps
2011
666 Park AvenueNate McKenny · 2 eps
2012
ElementaryIan Gale · 1 eps
2012
Golden BoyPolice Commissioner Jack Dowdell · 1 eps
2013
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.President Ellis · 3 eps
2013
The BlacklistSam Milhoan · 4 eps
2013
DeliriumJohn (archive footage) · 1 eps
2014
Madam SecretaryGeorge Peters · 1 eps
2014
PowerTony Teresi · 2 eps
2014
The FlashSimon Stagg · 1 eps
2014
Z NationSam Custer · 1 eps
2014
WHIH NewsfrontPresident Ellis · 2 eps
2015
BullFather Andy · 1 eps
2016
The Good FightJudge Nilsson · 1 eps
2017
God Friended MeRev. Elias · 2 eps
2018
Our Cartoon PresidentGeneral Kelly / Mitch McConnell / Jeff Sessions (voice) · 18 eps
2018
The RookieWalter Fields · 1 eps
2018
When They See UsDetective Michael Sheehan · 3 eps
2019
HuntersDr. Friedrich Mann · 1 eps
2020
The Comey RuleMichael Flynn · 1 eps
2020
Full CircleGene McCusker · 4 eps
2023

Photos

William Sadler photo
William Sadler photo
William Sadler photo
William Sadler photo
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