Bill Smitrovich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Smitrovich
Bill Smitrovich visits Schriever Air Force Base in 2010
Born	William Stanley Zmitrowicz Jr. (1947-05-16) May 16, 1947 (age 77) Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	actor
Years active	1982–present
Spouse(s)	Shaw Purnell
Children	2

William Stanley Zmitrowicz Jr. (born May 16, 1947), known professionally as Bill Smitrovich (/ˈsmɪtrəvɪtʃ/ smit-RƏ-vitch), is an American actor.

Personal life

Smitrovich was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Anna (née Wojna) and Stanley William Zmitrowicz, a tool and die maker. He is of Polish descent. Bill is a graduate of the University of Bridgeport (1972) and holds an MFA from Smith College (1976). He is married to Shaw Purnell from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They have a son, Alexander John, and a daughter Maya Christina, four years younger.

Career

Smitrovich has starred in a number of television series. His first prominent TV series role was in the 1980s series Crime Story as Det. Sgt. Danny Krychek. He went on to star in the hit drama series Life Goes On (1989–93). Smitrovich was the lead guest star in the pilot film of the 1980s crime drama hit series Miami Vice. He also appeared in the final episode of NYPD Blue. He has also been seen in The Henry Lee Project with Danny Glover. In 1996, Smitrovich was cast as Seattle police lieutenant Bob Bletcher in Millennium, created and produced by Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files. He is perhaps best known for his roles on the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (based on the Nero Wolfe detective stories by Rex Stout) as Inspector Cramer, and on the ABC hit series The Practice as Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Walsh and then went on to Without a Trace, where he played the recurring character of Chief Alex Olcyk. In 2010 he starred in the NBC series The Event as Vice President Raymond Jarvis.

Smitrovich has also played a number of characters in military roles. These include Independence Day (1996), Air Force One (1997), Thirteen Days (2000), Fail Safe (2000), and Eagle Eye (2008).

He has made many guest appearances on various television shows. His best-known appearances include the two-part Star Trek: Deep Space Nine third-season episode "Past Tense," 24, Numb3rs, NYPD Blue, Touched by an Angel, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Criminal Minds, Castle, and the Dynasty reboot.

Smitrovich has also starred in several television movies, playing Alexander Haig in the 2003 biographical TV miniseries The Reagans, as well as filling roles in Futuresport (1998) and in The '60s miniseries (1999). On film, Smitrovich's roles include the Stephen King adaptation Silver Bullet (1985), Renegades (1989), The Trigger Effect (1996), Gridiron Gang (2006), and the Marvel Comics superhero movie Iron Man (2008).

Bill played the role of Mr. Zimburger in the Johnny Depp film The Rum Diary. He also appeared as the head of the CIA, Hanley, in Pierce Brosnan's movie The November Man.

Selected filmography