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Bill Paxton
Born May 17, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas, Bill Paxton moved to Los Angeles at age 18 and got his start working as a set dresser for B-movie king Roger Corman. After appearing in the Corman-produced Crazy Mama (1975), Paxton headed to New York University to study under acting coach Stella Adler.Returning to Los Angeles in 1980, Paxton continued to employ his set-dressing skills to earn extra money between acting gigs. It was while moonlighting on the 1981 sci-fi film Galaxy of Terror that he met James Cameron, who would later direct Paxton in a string of blockbusters that includes Aliens (1986), True Lies (1994) and Titanic (1997).Equally comfortable in popcorn flicks such as Twister (1996) and smaller, serious films such as A Simple Plan (1998), Paxton began a run as the head of a polygamous family on HBO'S "Big Love" in 2006. He's received three Golden Globe nominations for the role.
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filmography
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
- All
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Haywire
As John Kane
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Boffo! Tinseltown's...
As Fred Haise
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Magnificent Desolation:...
As Ed Mitchell
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The Greatest Game Ever...
Director
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Haven
As Carl Ridley
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trivia
As a teen, Bill caddied for golf great Ben Hogan in Fort Worth.
Has two children with Louise Newbury: James Paxton (b. 1994) and Lydia (b. 19 December 1997).
Directed the theatrical short 'Fish Heads (1982)' which won a Special Award at the 1982 Melbourne Film Festival.
Co-authored and produced the short, Scoop (1983), which won a Honorable Mention at the 1983 USA Film Festival.
Member of the 1980s rock band Martini Ranch. James Cameron directed a video for their song "Reach" featuring many Cameron alumni (Kathryn Bigelow, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein).
Son of John Paxton.
Met his current wife, Louise, on a number 13 bus in London. She is his second wife.
Bill's paternal grandfather was friend and neighbor to the great American painter, Thomas Hart Benton.
Learned to speak German to prepare for his part in the Pat Benatar video, "Shadows of the Night."
Attended Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas. The same high school as John Denver and Lee Harvey Oswald (who left before he graduated).
He has earned the nickname "Wild Bill" among friends and co-stars for his apparently crazed sense of humor and his love for elaborate pranks.
Has appeared in five films with Michael Biehn: The Lords of Discipline (1983), The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Navy Seals (1990), Tombstone (1993).
Was the first choice as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code (2006). He turned the part down because he was already signed for "Big Love " (2006). Tom Hanks was cast for the film instead.
Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame during their annual induction gala at Austin Studios in Austin, Texas on March 9, 2007 for his career achievement in the motion picture film industry. The Texas Film Hall of Fame inductees are native-born Texans who have achieved excellence in their film career.
For his role on Tombstone (1993), he was trained by renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed, who has also trained such actors as: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliot, Leonardo DiCaprio, Girard Swan, Michael Biehn and Ben Foster.
