Tony Bill
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Tony Bill | |
|---|---|
 Bill in 1977 | |
| Born | Gerard Anthony Bill August 23, 1940 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Gerald Bill |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, producer |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Spouses | Toni Gray
(m. 1962; div. 1969)Helen Buck Bartlett (m. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Picture (1974) – The Sting (shared with Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips) |
Gerard Anthony Bill (born August 23, 1940) is an American actor, producer, and director. He produced the 1973 movie The Sting, for which he shared the Academy Award for Best Picture with Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips. As an actor, Bill had supporting roles in Come Blow Your Horn (1963), Shampoo (1975), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), and Less than Zero (1987). He made his directorial debut with My Bodyguard (1980) and directed movies Six Weeks (1982), Five Corners (1987), Crazy People (1990), Untamed Heart (1993), and Flyboys (2006).
Early life
Bill was born in San Diego, California, and attended St. Augustine High School. He majored in English and art at the University of Notre Dame, from which he graduated in 1962.
Career
Bill began his career as an actor in the 1960s, first appearing on screen as
Bill specialized in juveniles and young leads. In the mid-1960s, he made two appearances in the BBC's
Often his characters were likeable but none too bright. Other acting credits include
Bill continued to act in television movies, miniseries, and guest spots, though with decreasing frequency as he segued into directing. In 1965, Bill guest-starred in "An Echo of Bugles," the opening episode of
In 1980, Bill directed his first film My Bodyguard. He went on to direct Six Weeks (1982), Five Corners (1987), Crazy People (1990), A Home of Our Own (1993), Untamed Heart (1993), and Flyboys (2006), which Bill claims was one of the early features shot entirely with digital cameras. For television, Bill directed Truman Capote's One Christmas (1994), Harlan County War (2000), and Pictures of Hollis Woods (2007).
In 2009, Bill published the book Movie Speak: How to Talk Like You Belong on a Film Set. The book traces the etymology of the language of the movie set and is filled out with stories from Bill's career in film.[1]
From 1984 to 2000, he co-owned with Dudley Moore the 72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill, a restaurant in Venice, California.
Personal life
Bill married Toni Gray in December 1962.[2] They had a son, Peter Bill, born 1964 and a daughter, Francesca. Currently, he is married to his second wife, the former Helen Buck Bartlett, his producer/partner in Barnstorm Films in Venice. The couple have two daughters, Madeline and Daphne.
References
- ^ Los Angeles Times article – Hollywood Lingo from Tony Bill Retrieved February 12, 2012
- ^ Bob Thomas, "An Overnight Success' Actually Fits Tony Bill" The Evening Independent (June 12, 1963), p.11
External links
- Tony Bill at IMDb
- Tony Bill at AllMovie
- Gilbert, Roland; Lia, Robert (1998). 72 Market Street Dishes It Out!: A Collection of Recipes and Portraits from a Classic Venice Restaurant. Venice, California: Wave Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9642359-2-2.