Motion Picture Director, Producer, Screenwriter. He achieved commercial success with his helming of the Academy Award garnered picture "The French Connection" (1971) and the horror thriller "The Exorcist" (1973). Born into a Jewish family who immigrated from Ukraine, his mother was a nurse, his father struggled to maintain jobs. William got his start in television at the age of sixteen as a mailroom clerk with a local Chicago TV station. He rose to floor manager and by his early teenage years, he was directing local live programs. He graduated to directing documentaries and relocated to Hollywood where he directed episodes of the TV programs "The Bold Men" and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" before guiding his first feature film "Good Times" (1967) which starred Sonny & Cher. This was followed up with "The Night They Raided Minsky's" (1968) and "The Boys in the Band" (1970). His other notable credits are: "Sorcerer" (1977), "The Brink's Job" (1978), "Cruising" (1980, also wrote the screenplay), "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985, also penned the screenplay), "Rampage" (1987), "The Guardian" (1990), "Blue Chips" (1994), "Bug" (2006) and "Killer Joe" (2011). For his contributions to motion pictures, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997, located at 7024 Hollywood Blvd.
Motion Picture Director, Producer, Screenwriter. He achieved commercial success with his helming of the Academy Award garnered picture "The French Connection" (1971) and the horror thriller "The Exorcist" (1973). Born into a Jewish family who immigrated from Ukraine, his mother was a nurse, his father struggled to maintain jobs. William got his start in television at the age of sixteen as a mailroom clerk with a local Chicago TV station. He rose to floor manager and by his early teenage years, he was directing local live programs. He graduated to directing documentaries and relocated to Hollywood where he directed episodes of the TV programs "The Bold Men" and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" before guiding his first feature film "Good Times" (1967) which starred Sonny & Cher. This was followed up with "The Night They Raided Minsky's" (1968) and "The Boys in the Band" (1970). His other notable credits are: "Sorcerer" (1977), "The Brink's Job" (1978), "Cruising" (1980, also wrote the screenplay), "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985, also penned the screenplay), "Rampage" (1987), "The Guardian" (1990), "Blue Chips" (1994), "Bug" (2006) and "Killer Joe" (2011). For his contributions to motion pictures, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997, located at 7024 Hollywood Blvd.
Bio by: C.S.
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