William Oliver Campbell[2] (born July 7, 1959[3]) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series Dynasty and in The Rocketeer. Then, he became known for playing Rick Sammler on Once and Again, Det. Joey Indelli on Crime Story, Jordan Collier on The 4400, and Dr. Jon Fielding on the Tales of the City miniseries. His most notable films include The Rocketeer, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Enough.[4] He portrayed Darren Richmond on the AMC television series The Killing, Dr. Alan Farragut in the SYFY series Helix and Det. John Cardinal on CTV's Cardinal.

Billy Campbell
Campbell in 2013
Born
William Oliver Campbell

(1959-07-07) July 7, 1959 (age 65)
OccupationActor
Years active1981–present
SpouseAnne Campbell[1]
Children2

Early life

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Campbell was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. He attended Fork Union Military Academy, Western Albemarle High School and New Trier East High School. His parents divorced when he was two years old.[citation needed]

Career

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After an appearance in an episode of the hit 1980s sitcom Family Ties, Campbell's first prominent role was that of Luke Fuller, Steven Carrington's lover on Dynasty. Campbell appeared in the show's fifth season (1984–85) when Dynasty was the number one show on American television. Following this, he had a regular role as Detective Joey Indelli on the 1986–88 NBC series Crime Story. Campbell was the first choice of the producers of Star Trek: The Next Generation to play the role of William Riker, but lost the role to Jonathan Frakes.[5] Campbell appeared as a guest star during the show's second season, portraying the title character in "The Outrageous Okona".

In 1991, Campbell played the lead role in The Rocketeer. He went on to appear as Quincey Morris, a vampire hunter in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). In 1993, he starred in the short-lived detective series Moon Over Miami. That same year, he was seen in the role of Dr. Jon Fielding in the television adaptation of Tales of the City. He appeared in the sequels More Tales of the City in 1998, and Further Tales of the City in 2001.[6]

In 1999, Campbell began his role as Rick Sammler on Once and Again, opposite Sela Ward. The series ran for three seasons until 2002, during which time Campbell received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series. Campbell then had a regular role as Jordan Collier on the sci-fi series The 4400, which aired for four seasons on the USA Network between 2004–2007. In 2005, he had a recurring role in the teen soap The O.C.

After his role in the 2002 film Enough, in which he played the abusive husband of Jennifer Lopez's character, he portrayed serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2003 television film The Stranger Beside Me. He then played a college professor accused of raping a student in a 2004 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and also played an accused serial killer who defends himself in the 2007 television series Shark. In 2010, Campbell had a recurring role in the short-lived revival of Melrose Place. Following this, Campbell took a prominent role in the AMC series The Killing, an American remake of the Danish series of the same name.

In 2012, Campbell played the stern but kindly father in the independent film, Fat Kid Rules the World. In 2000, Campbell was named one of the "World's 50 Most Beautiful People" by People magazine. In 2013, he played Abraham Lincoln in the National Geographic television adaptation of the Bill O'Reilly/Martin Dugard book, Killing Lincoln.[7]

From 2017 to 2020, he starred in the Canadian television drama series Cardinal, for which he won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Television Film at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018,[8] the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019[9] and the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020.[6][10]

Personal life

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By the end of filming of 1991's The Rocketeer, the 31-year-old Campbell was in a romance with his 20-year-old co-star Jennifer Connelly. They were engaged[11] before they broke up in 1996 after being involved for five years.[12] He now has a Norwegian wife and two children, and they live at her family's farm in Rygge (Moss since 1 January 2020), Norway.[13]

Campbell is a rugby enthusiast, having played for the Virginia Rugby Football Club, Chicago Lions RFC and the Santa Monica Rugby Club.

Campbell has "permanent resident" immigration status in Canada, with an apartment in Vancouver, British Columbia.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 How Sleep the Brave Strickner
1989 Call from Space Young Man Short film
1991 The Rocketeer Cliff Secord
Checkered Flag Tommy Trehearn
1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula Quincey Morris
1993 The Night We Never Met Shep
Gettysburg Lt. Andrew Lewis Pitzer
1994 Dickwad Chet Short film
1995 Under the Hula Moon Marvin
1995 Out There Delbert Mosley
1996 Lover's Knot Steve Hunter
1997 Elissa Will Short film
Menno's Mind Menno
The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo Harrison
Last Chance Love Robert
1998 The Brylcreem Boys Miles Keogh
2001 The Rising Place Streete Wilder
2002 Enough Mitch Hiller
2003 Gods and Generals Maj. Gen. George Pickett
2008 Ghost Town Richard
2010 Almost Kings Ron
2012 Fat Kid Rules the World Mr. Billings
2013 Copperhead Abner Beech
2014 Red Knot Capt. Emerson
The Scribbler Sinclair
Operation Rogue Military Newscaster
2022 Troll Dr. David Secord
Narvik George L.D. Gibbs Credited as Ollie Campbell

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 Family Ties Lyle Episode: "Best Man"
1984–85 Dynasty Luke Fuller Recurring role
1985 First Steps Dwayne TV film
1986 Dream West Lt. Gaines TV miniseries
1986–88 Crime Story Det. Joey Indelli Regular role
1988 Star Trek: The Next Generation Captain Thadiun Okona Episode: "The Outrageous Okona"
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Wayne Episode: "The Heat"
1993 Moon Over Miami Walter Tatum Main role
Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City Jon Fielding TV miniseries
1995 Out There Delbert Mosley TV film
1996 The Cold Equations Lt. John Barton TV film
1997 The Naked Truth Luke Episode: "A Year in the Life"
1998 Frasier Dr. Clint Webber Episode: "The Perfect Guy"
Armistead Maupin's More Tales of the City Jon Fielding TV miniseries
Monday After the Miracle John Macy TV film
Max Q Clay Jarvis TV film
1999 Dead Man's Gun John Slattery Episode: "The Regulator"
1999–2002 Once and Again Rick Sammler Main role
2000 In the Beginning Moses TV miniseries
2001 Further Tales of the City Dr. Jon Fielding TV miniseries
2002 CMT 40 Greatest Women of Country Music Host TV special
2003 The Stranger Beside Me Ted Bundy TV film
The Practice Tom Bartos Episode: "Goodbye"
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ron Polikoff Episode: "Doubt"
2004–07 The 4400 Jordan Collier Main role
2005 The O.C. Carter Buckley Recurring role
2007–08 Shark Wayne Callison Episode: "Wayne's World"
2008 The Circuit Al Shines TV film
2009 Meteor Det. Jack Crowe TV miniseries
Eureka Dr. Bruce Manlius Episode: "Shower the People"
Revolution Tom Hart TV film
2010 Melrose Place Ben Brinkley 3 episodes
2011–12, 2014 The Killing Darren Richmond Regular role (seasons 1–2), "Eden"
2013 Killing Lincoln Abraham Lincoln TV film
Full Circle Trent Campbell 3 episodes
2014 Lizzie Borden Took an Ax Andrew Jennings TV film
Delirium Thomas Fineman Unsold TV pilot
2014–15 Helix Dr. Alan Farragut Main role
2017 Modus Dale Tyler Recurring role (season 2)
2017–2020 Cardinal Det. John Cardinal Main role
2019–2020 The Rocketeer Dave Secord (voice) Main role
2022-2024 Star Trek: Prodigy Captain Thadiun Okona (voice) 3 episodes[15]
2023 FBI Detective Jack Lombardo Episode: "Sins of the Father"
2024 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Parker Martin Guest star

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Holt, David (May 8, 2020). "Billy Campbell; Actor, Globetrotter". silvermagazine.ca.
  2. ^ "Bill Campbell Biography (1959-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  3. ^ Mike Rose, cleveland com (2024-07-07). "Famous birthdays list for today, July 7, 2024 includes celebrities Jim Gaffigan, Ringo Starr". cleveland. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  4. ^ "EW Looks Back: Billy Campbell on how 'The Rocketeer' (kinda) cured his fear of flying". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  5. ^ Howard, Jennifer (May 31, 2006). "Rick Berman". emmytvlegends.org. Archive of American Television. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Billy Campbell". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  7. ^ "Tom Hanks Hosting Adaptation of O'Reilly Book". MSN.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  8. ^ Wong, Jessica (March 11, 2018). "Canadian Screen Awards 2018: Maudie, Anne, Kim's Convenience win top prizes". CBC News.
  9. ^ Nathoo, Zulekha (March 31, 2019). "Schitt's Creek, Anne with an E take top honours at Canadian Screen Awards". CBC News. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  10. ^ "CTV drama Cardinal leads Canadian Screen Awards TV pack". Tri City News. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  11. ^ Wild, David (August 8, 1991). "Jennifer Connelly: Love and Rockets". Rolling Stone. New York City: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  12. ^ Schneider, Karen S. (February 4, 2002). "Beautiful Minder". People. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  13. ^ Campbell, Billy (October 17, 2017). "Cardinal star Billy Campbell on his love of Scandi Noir and that one time he was The Rocketeer". Special Broadcasting Service (Interview). Interviewed by Dan Barrett. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  14. ^ Wheeler, Brad (January 19, 2017). "Actor Billy Campbell on Cardinal, the frozen wilds and the roles that matter most". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  15. ^ Pitt, Alison (February 15, 2021). "Billy Campbell will return to Star Trek as the outrageous Okona in Nickelodeon's Prodigy". Daily Star Trek News. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
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