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William Petersen

William Petersen

Birthday: 1953-02-21 | Place of Birth: Evanston, Illinois, USA

William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Richard Chance in the film To Live and Die in L.A., and Will Graham in the film Manhunter. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Petersen attended Idaho State University on a football scholarship, where he first tried acting and immediately joined the drama department, before leaving to work in the Basque country as a Shakespearean actor. Peterson embraced the Basque lifestyle, influencing his work, family and art. He went on to perform with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before his breakthrough role in the 1985 action film To Live and Die in L.A. Peterson’s success was immediate, landing him the role as Will Graham in the first adaptation of Michael Mann’s Hannibal Lecter series. His film and television success includes numerous crime dramas and thrillers, providing him the perfect background for his decade-long role as Dr. Gil Grissom in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before returning to the stage.  On February 3, 2009, Petersen was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

2015
CSI: Immortality

as    Gil Grissom

2004
This Old Cub

as    Himself

2001
Inside 'Manhunter'

as    Himself

2001
Haven

as    Jackson Connolly

2001
Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy

as    Narrator

2000
The Skulls

as    Ames Levritt

1998
Gunshy

as    Jake Bridges

1998
Kiss the Sky

as    Jess

1998
The Rat Pack

as    John F. Kennedy

1996
Fear

as    Steve Walker

1996
The Beast

as    Whip Dalton

1993
Curaçao

as    Stephen Guerin

1992
Keep the Change

as    Joe Starling

1990
The Kennedys of Massachusetts

as    Joseph P. 'Joe' Kennedy, Sr.

1990
Young Guns II

as    Patrick Floyd 'Pat' Garrett

1989
Cousins

as    Tom Hardy

1986
Manhunter

as    Will Graham

1985
To Live and Die in L.A.

as    Richard Chance