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William Forsythe

William Forsythe

60 movies on Netflix

Biography

William Forsythe is an American actor known for tough-guy and criminal roles. He was born in Brooklyn and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood there. His first acting came on stage in his teens, and he later moved to Los Angeles and trained at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Early work included small film parts and guest spots on television shows such as CHiPs, Hill Street Blues and T. J. Hooker. He appeared in Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Dick Tracy (1990), American Me (1992), The Rock (1996), Blue Streak (1999) and The Devil's Rejects (2005), and he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male for The Waterdance. On television he played Al Capone on The Untouchables, Manny Horvitz on Boardwalk Empire and J. Edgar Hoover on The Man in the High Castle, and he portrayed serial killer John Wayne Gacy in Dear Mr. Gacy.

71years old

Turns 72 on June 7in 252 days

  • Born Brooklyn
  • Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
  • Also credited as Forsythe

Movie Career

Films
60
Career span
42 years1981 to 2023

Genres

First and latest

Photos

  • William Forsythe, photo 1 of 3
  • William Forsythe, photo 2 of 3
  • William Forsythe, photo 3 of 3

Did you know?!

  1. Early training

    William Forsythe began acting on stage as a teenager, then moved to Los Angeles for a film career and studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

William Forsythe movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top of the page, the section list
  1. The Rock1996 Action, Adventure, Thrilleras Special Agent Ernest Paxton

    IMDb rating 7.4385K votes

  2. Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo1999 Comedy, Romanceas Detective Chuck Fowler

    IMDb rating 5.786K votes

  3. Raising Arizona1987as Evelle Snoats

    IMDb rating 7.3162K votes

  4. The Devil's Rejects2005as Sheriff Wydell

    IMDb rating 6.7112K votes

  5. 88 Minutes2007as Frank Parks

    IMDb rating 5.981K votes

  6. Once Upon a Time in America1984as Philip 'Cockeye' Stein

    IMDb rating 8.3412K votes

  7. Blue Streak1999as Detective Hardcastle

    IMDb rating 6.494K votes

  8. Out for Justice1991as Richie Madano

    IMDb rating 6.128K votes

Most often with

John Swab directed two of these films. Eight actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top of the page, the section list
Tom Sizemore, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Tom SizemoreMichael Biehn, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Michael BiehnBurt Young, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Burt YoungFrances McDormand, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Frances McDormandPenelope Ann Miller, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Penelope Ann MillerMickey Jones, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Mickey JonesJohn SwabDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by John Swab

Films together

  • Tom Sizemore3 films together, 2008 to 2016
    Tom Sizemore's page
    • The Bronx Bull2016IMDb rating 4.8Forsythe as Jake LaMottaSizemore as Tony
    • Laugh Killer Laugh2015IMDb rating 4.8Forsythe as Frank StoneSizemore as Orphanage Headmaster
    • Stiletto2008IMDb rating 4.8Forsythe as AlexSizemore as Large Bills
  • Michael Biehn3 films together, 1996 to 2014
    Michael Biehn's page
    • Hidden in the Woods2014IMDb rating 3.9Forsythe as Uncle CostelloBiehn as Oscar Crocker
    • Stiletto2008IMDb rating 4.8Forsythe as AlexBiehn as Lee
    • The Rock1996IMDb rating 7.4Forsythe as Special Agent Ernest PaxtonBiehn as Commander Charles Anderson
  • Burt Young3 films together, 1984 to 2019
    Burt Young's page
    • Vault2019IMDb rating 5.5Forsythe as Buddy ProvidenceYoung as Don Ruggiero
    • Hack!2007IMDb rating 4.2Forsythe as WillyYoung as J.T. Bates
    • Once Upon a Time in America1984IMDb rating 8.3Forsythe as Philip 'Cockeye' SteinYoung as Joe
  • Frances McDormand3 films together, 1987 to 2002
    Frances McDormand's page
    • City by the Sea2002IMDb rating 6.1Forsythe as SpyderMcDormand as Michelle
    • Palookaville1996IMDb rating 6.5Forsythe as Sid DunleavyMcDormand as June
    • Raising Arizona1987IMDb rating 7.3Forsythe as Evelle SnoatsMcDormand as Dot
  • Penelope Ann Miller3 films together, 1989 to 2016
    Penelope Ann Miller's page
  • Mickey Jones3 films together, 1985 to 1989
    Mickey Jones's page
    • Dead Bang1989IMDb rating 6.1Forsythe as Arthur KresslerJones as Sleepy
    • Extreme Prejudice1987IMDb rating 6.7Forsythe as Sgt. Buck AtwaterJones as Chub Luke
    • Savage Dawn1985IMDb rating 5.1Forsythe as PigironJones as Savage Zero
  • John SwabDirector, 2 films, 2019 to 2021
    All films by John Swab
  • Also three films together2 more actors
    • Badja DjolaFirst Time Felon (1997), The Waterdance (1992) and The Lightship (1985)
    • Michael NicolosiHell's Kitchen (1998), Big City Blues (1997) and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)

    When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What William Forsythe's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top of the page, the section list

Combined worldwide box office

$1.0 billion

28 of the 60 films have a worldwide figure, in dollars of the day.

Of the 60 films: 28 worldwide figure; 7 us gross only; 6 never in cinemas; 19 figure not found.

  • 28Worldwide figure
  • 7US gross only
  • 6Never in cinemas
  • 19Figure not found

Top grosser

The Rock1996as Special Agent Ernest Paxton$335 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 82% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    The Rock1996as Special Agent Ernest Paxton
    $335M33.1% of the total
  2. 2
    Blue Streak1999as Detective Hardcastle
    $118M11.6% of the total
  3. 3
    Dick Tracy1990as Flattop
    $104M10.2% of the total
  4. 4
    Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo1999as Detective Chuck Fowler
    $93M9.2% of the total
  5. 5
    Cold Pursuit2019as Brock 'Wingman' Coxman
    $76M7.5% of the total
  6. 6
    Out for Justice1991as Richie Madano
    $40M3.9% of the total
  7. 7
    88 Minutes2007as Frank Parks
    $33M3.2% of the total
  8. 8
    Raising Arizona1987as Evelle Snoats
    $29M2.9% of the total
Virtuosity (1995), $24.0 millionCity by the Sea (2002), $22.4 millionThe Devil's Rejects (2005), $20.9 millionThe Substitute (1996), $14.8 millionFreedomland (2006), $14.7 millionAmerican Me (1992), $13.1 millionCareer Opportunities (1991), $11.3 millionExtreme Prejudice (1987), $11.3 millionCloak & Dagger (1984), $9.7 millionStone Cold (1991), $9.2 millionFirestorm (1998), $8.2 millionDead Bang (1989), $8.1 millionOnce Upon a Time in America (1984), $5.5 millionThe Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992), $3.7 millionThe Little Mermaid (2018), $2.6 millionThe Man Who Wasn't There (1983), $2.4 million

$185 millionfrom the other 20 films with a worldwide figure, 18% of the total

Awards

One award and honor.

Top of the page, the section list
William Forsythe's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Other honors
2003KulturgroschenWon

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top of the page, the section list