William Atherton
Acting • AGE 78
William Atherton Knight Jr. (born July 30, 1947) is an American actor, best known for portraying Richard Thornburg in Die Hard and its sequel and Walter Peck in Ghostbusters.
Acting
Where Did the Adults Go?
The Father
2025
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Mayor Walter Peck
2024
Reunited Apart
Self
2020
Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters
Self
2020
Bad Company
2018
Clinical
Terry Drummond
2017
Ghostheads
Self
2016
Jinn
Father Westhoff
2014
The Citizen
2012
Jersey Shore Shark Attack
Dolan
2012
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
Earle Swinter
2012
Workaholics
Thor Holmvik
2011
The Kane Files: Life of Trial
Daniel Morgan
2010
Castle
Ari Weiss
2009
Childrens Hospital
Levon Bainter
2008
Ghouls
Stefan
2008
Black Crescent Moon
Jo Dexton
2008
Aces 'N' Eights
Howard
2008
Life
Mickey Rayborn
2007
The Girl Next Door
Adult David Moran
2007
Kush
King
2007
Towards Darkness
John
2007
Into the Sun
Agent Block
2005
Headspace
Dr. Ira Gold
2005
Numb3rs
Warren Pierce
2005
Gone But Not Forgotten
Sen. Ray Colby
2005
Desperate Housewives
Dr. Barr
2004
Boston Legal
A.D.A. Howard Zale
2004
Lost
Donald Reynolds
2004
Who's Your Daddy?
Duncan Mack
2004
The Last Samurai
Winchester Rep
2003
Monk
Commander Nathan Whitaker
2002
Justice League
Dr. Destiny / John Dee (voice)
2001
Race to Space
Ralph Stanton
2001
Night Visions
William Price (segment "Hate Puppet")
2001
Burning Down the House
Arthur Kranston
2001
Bread and Roses
Party Guest (uncredited)
2000
The Crow: Salvation
Nathan Randall
2000
The Stranger
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Ned Bogden
1999
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Darryl Zanuck
1999
Michael Kael vs. the World News Company
James Denit
1998
Mad City
Dohlen
1997
Executive Power
President Fields
1997
Hoodlum
Thomas E. Dewey
1997
Stargate SG-1
Emissary Varta
1997
The Practice
D.A. Keith Pratt
1997
Raven Hawk
Philip Thorne
1996
Nash Bridges
Dr. Linus Mills
1996
Bio-Dome
Dr. Noah Faulkner
1996
Broken Trust
Neil Roemer
1995
A Night to Die For
Self
1995
Virus
Dr. Reginald Holloway
1995
The Outer Limits
Franklin Murdoch
1995
Frank & Jesse
Allan Pinkerton
1994
Saints and Sinners
Terence
1994
The Pelican Brief
Bob Gminski
1993
HBO First Look
1992
Chrome Soldiers
Sheriff Blackwell
1992
Diagnosis Murder: Diagnosis of Murder
Eric Walker
1992
Oscar
Overton
1991
Grim Prairie Tales
Arthur
1990
Law & Order
Don Snyder
1990
Die Hard 2
Richard Thornberg
1990
Buried Alive
Cort van Owen
1990
Tales from the Crypt
Malcolm Mayflower
1989
Intrigue
Doggett
1988
Die Hard
Richard Thornburg
1988
The Equalizer - The Movie: Blood & Wine
Martin 'Alpha' Loeber
1987
No Mercy
Allan Deveneux
1986
A Fight for Jenny
Michael Rosen
1986
The Twilight Zone
Brian Wolfe (segment "Night of the Meek")
1985
The Equalizer
Martin 'Alpha' Loeber
1985
Real Genius
Professor Hathaway
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Larry Holleran
1984
Ghostbusters
Walter Peck
1984
Malibu
Stan Harvey
1983
Tomorrow's Child
Jim Spence
1982
Centennial
Jim Lloyd
1978
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
James
1977
Independence
Benjamin Rush
1976
The Hindenburg
Boerth
1975
The Day of the Locust
Tod Hackett
1975
The Sugarland Express
Clovis Poplin
1974
Class of '44
Fraternity President
1973
The New Centurions
Johnson
1972
Midnight Men: A John Schlesinger and Michael Childers Story