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William B. Davis

William B. Davis

Birthday: 1938-01-13 | Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

William Bruce Davis (born January 13, 1938) is a Canadian actor, known for his role as The Smoking Man on The X-Files. He has also appeared in Stargate SG-1 as Damaris, a Prior of the Ori and as Mayor Tate on Smallville. Most recently he has appeared in FOX's Human Target as an aging mobster. Davis was born in Toronto, Ontario, to an attorney father and psychologist mother. In 1959, he graduated from the University of Toronto with a B.A. in philosophy. Afterwards, he went on to become a drama professor at Bishop's University. He is also the founder of the William Davis Centre for Actors Study acting school in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also a former national champion water skier. Despite being known for his smoking character, Davis actually quit smoking in the 1970s; when The X-Files started up, he was given a choice between herbal cigarettes and actual cigarettes. At first he chose the actual cigarettes, but switched to herbal shortly after for fear of becoming addicted again while playing the Cigarette Smoking Man. He voiced the antagonist Colonel Whitley of the game The Thing. Davis had a co-starring role in a 2001 episode of The Outer Limits revival series, playing the ruthless director of a secret scientific project, in an episode entitled "Worlds Within." Davis also hosts and narrates the series Critical Eye on the Science Channel. In 2011, he will also co-star in The Tall Man. ​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

2017
Residue

as    Lamont

2013
Stonados

as    Ben

2012
The Mountain Runners

as    Henry Engberg

2012
The Tall Man

as    Sheriff Chestnut

2011
Behemoth

as    William Walsh

2010
Medium Raw

as    Dr. Robert Parker

2009
Possession

as    Hypnotist

2009
Damage

as    Veltz

2008
Passengers

as    Jack

2007
The Messengers

as    Colby Price

2007
Numb

as    Peter Milbank

2007
Judicial Indiscretion

as    Senator Garland Wolf

2006
Sisters

as    Dr. Lucas Bryant

2006
Dark Storm

as    General Killion

2006
Her Fatal Flaw

as    Richard O'Brien

2004
The Cradle Will Fall

as    Alex Myerson

2004
Snakehead Terror

as    Doc Jenkins

2002
Aftermath

as    Deputy Director Edwards

2002
Saint Sinner

as    Father Michael

2001
The Proposal

as    Agent Frank Gruning

2001
Anthrax

as    Tye Crow

1999
Killing Moon

as    Ed

1998
The X Files

as    The Cigarette-Smoking Man

1988
Midnight Matinee

as    Heath Harris