William Sadler

Biography:

William Sadler was born in Buffalo, New York, to Jane and William Sadler. From an early age, he loved performing and entertaining audiences. During his years at Orchard Park High School, he gained local recognition as “Banjo Bill Sadler,” a humorous banjo-playing singer who combined music with comedy.

After completing high school, Sadler attended SUNY Geneseo before transferring to Cornell University, where he earned a master’s degree in acting with a minor in speech communications.

A chance encounter with a former classmate during a visit to New York City led to his casting in an off-off-Broadway production of Chekhov’s Ivanov. After a short stint with the Trinity Square Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, Sadler returned to New York City, settling in the East Village. Over the next twelve years, he performed in more than seventy-five productions, notably originating the role of Sgt. Toomey in the 1985 Broadway production of Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues, alongside Matthew Broderick.

Sadler gained fame for his roles in major films such as Colonel Stuart in Die Hard 2 (1990), Heywood in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Death in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991), and Brayker in Demon Knight. When initially told he was too young for Die Hard 2, he returned to audition disguised as a seventy-year-old—thanks to a makeup artist friend—and landed the role. In Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, he also appeared briefly as himself with his wife and young daughter. He later reprised his role as Death in Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020).

On television, Sadler was a series regular in Roswell as Sheriff Jim Valenti and appeared in Wonderfalls as Darrin Tyler. His extensive filmography includes Trespass, K-9, Project X, Disturbing Behavior, Kinsey, The Battle of Shaker Heights, Purple Heart, Jimmy and Judy, and August Rush.

He has made numerous guest appearances on television series such as In the Heat of the Night, Roseanne, Tru Calling, Tour of Duty, CSI, Numb3rs, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He also portrayed Luther Sloan in three episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine during its final two seasons.

In 2007, Sadler starred as Carlton Fog in ABC’s Traveler and appeared in Medium and Fringe the following year. He had previously played the lead role in the 1989 pilot episode of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt. In 2011, he guest-starred in NBC’s Chase.

Sadler also took to the Broadway stage as Julius Caesar in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s play alongside Denzel Washington at the Belasco Theatre. His later work includes the independent film Nothing Sacred and voicing the robot Victor in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas. He portrayed Lee Underwood in Greetings from Tim Buckley, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.

In 2013, Sadler played U.S. President Matthew Ellis in Iron Man 3. Two years later, he appeared at the Texas Frightmare Weekend and starred in Ava’s Possessions, which screened at SXSW. In 2021, he was cast as Parkins Gillespie in the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.

Sadler married Marni Joan Bakst on May 6, 1978. The couple had one daughter, Sadler Colley Bakst, born on February 17, 1986. On December 19, 2024, Sadler announced that his wife had passed away after a two-year battle with cancer.