Billy Campbell
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Though he engaged audiences in a variety of onscreen roles, actor Billy Campbell won his biggest acclaim on the small screen, particularly as the divorced father Rick Sammler on the drama "Once & Again" (ABC, 1999-2002). Prior to that role, Campbell earned a small degree of notoriety for being only one of two characters killed off in the infamous "Moldavian Massacre" cliffhanger during the season five finale of "Dynasty" (ABC, 1981-1989). He went on to play a rookie cop on the gritty, but short-lived "Crime Story" NBC, 1986-88) before making the jump to features with the titular role in "The Rocketeer" (1991). Following supporting parts in Francis Ford Coppola adaptation of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992) and the Civil War epic "Gettysburg" (1993), Campbell went returned to the stage for a variety of acclaimed roles before appearing on "Once & Again." Once that show left the air, he went back to features to play the heavy in the revenge drama "Enough" (2002) and General George Pickett in "Gods and Generals" (2003). Returning to television in 2004, Campbell appeared on the sci-fi series "The 4400" (USA Network, 2004-07) and the teen-angst drama "The OC" (Fox, 2003-07), before earning more critical adulation for his role on "The Killing" (AMC 2011-13; Netflix, 2014), once again proving the actor's versatility in just about any medium.
Born on July 7, 1959 in Charlottesville, VA, Campbell grew up in the Southern city, attending Western Albemarle High School as a teenager. The youngster also happened to be an heir to the Champion spark plug fortune, which sounded better than the reality, since the small inheritance he received at age 18 was gone almost immediately. Meanwhile, he graduated from high school in 1979, where he had played football and performed in a student production of "The Man Who Came to Dinner." Relocating to Chicago, IL to be near his father, Campbell attended the American Academy of Art with the intention of becoming a comic book artist. But his passion switched to acting after taking classes at the suggestion of a friend. Deciding to pursue the craft seriously, he studied at the Ted Liss Studio for the Performing Arts, as well as at the Players Workshop of Second City in Chicago. After appearing in local regional theater, Campbell left the Windy City and headed to Los Angeles to pursue acting as a professional, while continuing his training at Howard Fine.
Campbell soon made his television debut with guest starring roles in episodes of "Family Ties" (NBC, 1982-89) and "Hotel" (ABC, 1983-88), before landing his first series regular role that same year, playing the gay lover of Steven Carrington (Jack Coleman) on the popular primetime soap "Dynasty" (ABC, 1981-89) during the 1984-85 season. While his character failed to survive the infamous "Moldavian massacre" cliffhanger, Campbell went on to distinguish himself as a stalwart player capable of projecting heroic qualities. For two seasons, he played rookie Chicago detective Joey Indelli on the stylish cop drama "Crime Story" (NBC, 1986-88) and soon made the leap to the big screen in the role of a mysterious man who seemingly survived from prehistoric times in "Call from Space" (1989). Campbell next landed a starring role as reluctant superhero Cliff Secord in Disney's "The Rocketeer" (1991). Cast opposite a young Jennifer Connelly, Campbell began to date the actress offscreen for five years until the pair ended their relationship in 1995. Campbell went on to work with Francis Ford Coppola in the film adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (1992) and appeared as Lieutenant Pitzer in the lavish Civil War epic "Gettysburg" (1993).
Returning to stage work, Campbell appeared as Laertes in Stephen Lang's 1993 production of "Hamlet." That same year, he landed a starring role on the short-lived romantic detective series "Moon over Miami" (ABC, 1993) and received critical acclaim for his role as a gay gynecologist in Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" (PBS, 1993). Alternating between stage work and the small screen, Campbell went on to star in the Los Angeles production of "Fortinbras," for which he won a 1997 Ovation Award for Best Lead Actor, and reprised his "City" role in "More Tales of the City" (PBS, 1998) and "Further Tales of the City" (PBS, 2001). He next nabbed the lead role of Rick Sammler on the drama "Once & Again" (ABC, 1999-2002), for which he received considerable critical acclaim. Campbell's earnest and touching performance as a divorced father trying to find love earned him a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series, as well as a Golden Globe nomination in 2000. Though the show struggled with ratings, it did manage to find a loyal audience, with Campbell appearing for three seasons, providing him with some much deserved exposure and dependable paycheck.
A diverse actor, Campbell went on to appear as an abusive husband opposite Jennifer Lopez in the thriller "Enough" (2002) and landed a supporting role in another Civil War-era epic, "Gods & Generals" (2003). Returning to series television the following year, Campbell joined the cast of the sci-fi series "The 4400" (USA Network, 2004-07), a drama that centered on the stories of 4,400 people who mysteriously disappeared over a period of 50 years. The following year, Campbell added to his varied résumé by appearing in a multi-episode arc on the popular drama "The OC" (Fox, 2003-07), portraying magazine editor Carter Buckley. Because Campbell decided to spend 13 months circumnavigating the globe on a sailboat in 2005, his character on "The 4400," Jordan Collier, was killed off, though he did manage to return for the show's fourth and final season. Meanwhile, Campbell had a recurring stint on the short-lived "Shark" (CBS, 2006-08) before playing a detective desperately looking for his partner (Michael Rooker) before a meteor crashes into Earth in the aptly-named miniseries "Meteor" (NBC, 2009). Returning to series television, Campbell starred as a politician running for mayor in the acclaimed crime drama, "The Killing" (AMC 2011-13; Netflix, 2014), which explored the murder investigation of a young girl from the perspectives of various people connected to the event.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1979
Acted in high school production of "The Man Who Came to Dinner"
1980
Moved to Chicago to live with divorced father and took acting classes
1981
Professional acting debut in "Dungeon Master," a sword and sorcery improvisational production
1984
First TV guest shots, episodes of the NBC sitcom "Family Ties"
1984
Landed recurring role of Luke Fuller, lover to Steven Carrington (Jack Coleman) on the ABC primetime soap "Dynasty"; billed as William Campbell
1984
Moved to Los Angeles to act in films
1985
TV-movie acting debut "First Steps" (CBS), billed as Bill Campbell
1986
Played regular role of rookie detective Joey Indelli on the NBC series "Crime Story"
1989
Film acting debut, "Call From Space"; billed as William Campbell
1990
Had first prominent role in "Delta Force"; credited as Bill Campbell
1991
Played the title role in the feature "The Rocketeer"
1992
Played Laertes in an off-Broadway production of "Hamlet," starring Stephen Lang
1992
Cast in supporting role of Quincy Morris in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," directed by Francis Ford Coppola
1993
Starred in "Moon Over Miami," a short-lived detective romantic comedy series on ABC
1994
Cast as Dr Jon Fielding in "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City" (PBS)
1997
Starred in "Fortinbras" on the L.A. stage
1998
Reprised role of Jon Fielding in the Showtime miniseries "Armistead Maupin's More Tales of the City"
1998
Appeared in the British ensemble drama "The Brylcreem Boys"
1999
Starred opposite Sela Ward on the ABC family drama "Once and Again"; credited as Billy Campbell
2001
Once again played Jon Fielding in the Showtime miniseries "Armistead Maupin's Further Tales of the City"
2002
Played an abusive husband opposite Jennifer Lopez in "Enough"
2003
Cast in the historical drama "Gods and Generals"
2003
Portrayed serial killer Ted Bundy in USA Network movie "Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me"
2004
Cast in a featured role on "The 4400" (USA Network)
2005
Landed recurring role as a magazine editor on Fox teen drama "The O.C."
2008
Cast in a supporting role opposite Ricky Gervais in "Ghost Town"
2011
Cast as politician Darren Richmond on crime drama series "The Killing" (AMC)
Family
Companions
