William West McNamara (born March 31, 1965) is an American film and television actor.

William McNamara
McNamara in 2014
Born
William West McNamara

(1965-03-31) March 31, 1965 (age 59)
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present

Personal life

edit

Born in Dallas, Texas, McNamara is the son of a Ford Motor Company employee and an interior designer. He attended Salisbury School, Columbia University, and studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York.[1]

Career

edit

McNamara appeared in the feature films Texasville, Stella, Copycat, Surviving the Game, and Stealing Home. On television, he portrayed Montgomery Clift in Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story[2] and Ricky Nelson in Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, had a regular role on the Showtime series Beggars and Choosers, was featured in the television movies Doing Time on Maple Drive and Wildflower (CableACE Award nomination), and appeared in NYPD Blue and Law & Order: SVU, among other television series.

Activism

edit

McNamara is an animal rights activist and vegan. He got his start rescuing cats, dogs, and horses, and now travels the world advocating animal rights. McNamara has produced several documentaries, including the Nat Geo Wild Network: Animal Intervention, an exposé on the exotic animal industry in the United States.[3]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Opera Stefano
1988 The Beat Billy Kane
Stealing Home Teenage Billy Wyatt
1989 Dream a Little Dream Joel
1990 Stella Pat Robbins
Texasville Dickie Jackson
1991 Wildflower Sammy Perkins
1993 Aspen Extreme Todd Pounds
1994 Storybook Prince Arthur
Surviving the Game Derek Wolfe Jr.
Chasers Eddie Devane
Radio Inside Matthew Anderson
1995 Girl in the Cadillac Rick
Copycat Peter Foley
1996 Dead Girl Damon
Natural Enemy Jeremy Video
Snitch Shakley
1997 Stag Jon DiCapri
The Deli Kevin
Glam Sonny Daye
1998 Sweet Jane Stan Bleeker
The Brylcreem Boys Sam Gunn
Something to Believe In Mike
Ringmaster Troy Davenport
Implicated Tom Baker
1999 Paper Bullets Laurence McCoy
2000 Knockout Michael DeMarco
Just Sue Me Daniel
2001 Time Lapse Clayton Pirce Video
2002 Man of Faith Bobby Murky
2004 The Kings of Brooklyn Chris Parmel
2006 The Iron Man Gerard
2007 The Still Life Teacher
April Moon David
A Dance for Bethany James Fisher
2008 The Grift Hugh Babcock
2009 The Bleeding Det. Dan Williams
2010 The Ascent Joel
2011 The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American Conspiracy Jones Moon
Henry Paul Short
2013 The Devil's Dozen -
Ambushed Agent Waters
My Stepbrother Is a Vampire!?! Gordon
2014 Cut! Bryan Wolff
Stranded Doc Holliday
Historias del canal Jerry
Day of the Mummy Jack
Je T'aime, Au Revoir Clark
Truth Luke Mezrich
Dry Dr. Brown
2015 Beyond the Farthest Star Calvin Clayman
Medusa Dr. Gleason
The Wicked Within David
2016 Streets of East L.A. Mr. Zelman
Last Man Club Joe Scanlin
Fishes 'n Loaves: Heaven Sent Jimmy Watkins
Enemy Within Solano
The Secrets of Emily Blair Mr. Regan
Brothers in Arms Dennis Short
Star Paws General Ruff
2017 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Bradshaw
Down on the Farm
Gas Light Dr. Ernest Hancock
The Audit Jack Healey Short
Opus of an Angel Stephen
I Believe Robert Bruckwood
Happenstance Bodhi
2018 Requiescat Troy Short
Left for Dead Dean
Clark Man Short
2019 Rottentail Jake Mulligan
Justice for Vincent Roger Evans Short
Da Pinche Code II Spiritual Healer
The Beginning: Feel the Dead Daniel
2020 Hacked Tyler Fuller Short
The 2nd Jalil
Nowheresville Agent Gallagher
2021 American Desert Buddy
Raunch and Roll Don
2022 Blowback Doc Byrne
Amber Road James
2023 Altered Perceptions Ron San Diego
Mojave Diamonds Jason David
Dead Man's Hand Johnny
2024 Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace Roman

Television

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1987 CBS Schoolbreak Special Jay Medford Episode: "Soldier Boys"
1988 The Secret of the Sahara Philip Jordan Main Cast
1989 The Edge Boy Episode: "Indian Poker"
1989-90 Island Son Sam Kulani Recurring Cast
1991 ABC Afterschool Special Johnny Dumont Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll"
1992 Doing Time on Maple Drive Matt Carter TV movie
Honor Thy Mother Chris TV movie
Silk Stalkings Clay Edwards Episode: "The Brotherhood"
1993 Extreme Justice Mark Franklin TV movie
Sworn to Vengeance Michael Burke TV movie
1995 Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story Montgomery Clift TV movie
1997 Perversions of Science Nick Boyer Episode: "Given the Heir"
1998 Welcome to Paradox Q.M. Cooper Episode: "Blue Champagne Resort"
Brimstone Gilbert Jax Episode: "Encore"
1999 The Outer Limits Kimble Episode: Better Luck Next Time"
1999-2000 Beggars and Choosers Brad Advail Main Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2
2000 The Hunger Kent Johanssen Episode: "Approaching Desdemona"
2001 Trapped C. Whitmore Evans TV movie
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Detective Sam Bishop Episode: "Pandora"
2005 NYPD Blue Richard Pancava Episode: "Old Man Quiver"
McBride: Murder Past Midnight Tony Harriman TV movie
American Black Beauty Wilford TV movie
2006 Nightmares and Dreamscapes Ricky Nelson Episode: "You Know They Got a Hell of a Band"
2007 Beyond the Break Richard Recurring Cast: Season 2
2012 DTLA Norm Recurring Cast
2014 High School Possession Reverend Young TV movie
2015 The Astronaut Wives Club Robert Kennedy Episode: "The Dark Side"
2016 The Wrong Roommate Mark TV movie
2017 The Wrong Student Detective Andrade TV movie
Running Away Richard TV movie
Feel the Dead Daniel Main Cast
2018 The Wrong Cruise Pat TV movie
A Wedding for Christmas Frank TV movie
Age of the Living Dead Dr. Howard Main Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 3
2019 The Wrong Tutor Mr. Lloyd TV movie
2020 The Christmas High Note Brad TV movie
The Wrong Stepfather Mr. Crane TV movie

References

edit
  1. ^ Naab, Kathy (September 20, 1988). "You Asked..." Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  2. ^ McCarthy, John P. (May 24, 1995). "Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story". Variety.
  3. ^ BarbiTwins. "Animal Activist and Star of Copycat William McNamara: On Killing Dolphins and Eating Sushi". Origin – The Conscious Culture Magazine. Origin Magazine. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
edit