Billy Wirth
Billy Wirth | |
|---|---|
 Wirth in 1975 | |
| Born | William E. Wirth June 23, 1962 |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Spouse | Sarah Skogland (2007-present) |
Billy Wirth (born June 23, 1962) is an American Hollywood actor, film producer, and former fashion model, perhaps best known for his role as the vampire, Dwayne in the 1987 horror film, The Lost Boys.
Life and career
[edit]Nicknamed "Billy", he was born William E. Wirth on June 23, 1962 in New York City, in the United States. He was the son of Morris A. Wirth an American who was of Russian and Jewish background, who worked as a lawyer, while his mother Jean Wirth was a visual artist. His mother Jean, who was born in the state of Iowa, is of Anglo-American and Native American[1] heritage. Billy's paternal grandparents from his father's side were Russian and Israeli, while in his mother's side, they were British immigrants and Indigenous American descent.
Wirth was a student at Collegiate School (New York), where he was a classmate of musician John Hermann,[2] and attended Brown University where he was discovered by fashion model photographer Bruce Weber, and soon began a modeling career. He modeled for American and European fashion magazines such as Seventeen, GQ, Interview, Teen magazines and took part in fashion show events in the 1980s. Wirth originally worked as a fashion model until he gave up on fashion and turned to Hollywood acting.
Wirth moved to Los Angeles, California in the mid 1980s to pursue an acting career, which began with a role in the 1985 feature film, Seven Minutes in Heaven. His performance as Dwayne in The Lost Boys followed, and he landed a starring role in the 1988 film War Party.
Wirth continued modeling combining it with acting, until he walked away from the fashion industry in the early 1990s, to dedicate his time to full-time acting. In the 1990s he appeared in both film and television, appearing in Abel Ferrara's 1993 film Body Snatchers as well as Sex and the City and CSI. He took part in the global-hit television game show American Gladiators, competing during the series' first season in 1989 and advancing to the first-half semi-finals before failing to win the title.[3]
He also appeared in the official Electric Crown music video by the American heavy metal band, Testament in 1992.
He also starred in Charmed as the witch, Matthew Tate. Since 1999, besides acting in films, he has been writing, directing, and producing independent films. His most notable film directing was MacArthur Park in 2001.
Wirth is married to Sarah Skogland.
Filmography
[edit]Film and Television credits
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Seven Minutes in Heaven | "Zoo" Knudsen | Film |
| 1985 | The Equalizer | Ralph | Episode: "Mama's Boy" |
| 1986 | The Ellen Burstyn Show | Johnny | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1987 | Nothing in Common | Joey D. | TV series |
| 1987 | The Lost Boys | Dwayne | Film |
| 1988 | War Party | Sonny Crowkiller | Film |
| 1989 | American Gladiators | Contestant / Himself | 3 episodes |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | Eddie Tempest | Episodes: "The Rip-Off Stick", "High Dollar Bop", "Hip Hop on the Gravy Train" |
| 1990 | Parker Kane | Jesse | TV movie |
| 1991 | Tales from the Crypt | Ted Morgan | Episode: "Split Second" |
| 1992 | Red Shoe Diaries | Thomas K. Butler, The Workman | TV movie |
| 1992 | Who Killed the Baby Jesus | Travis Adams | Film |
| 1992 | Crow's Nest | Tommy Crosetti | Film |
| 1993 | Body Snatchers | Tim Young | Film |
| 1994 | The Fence | Terry Griff | Film |
| 1994 | Judicial Consent | Martin | Film |
| 1994 | Final Mission | Tom "Outlaw" Waters | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | Venus Rising | Nick | Film |
| 1995 | Boys on the Side | Nick | Film |
| 1995 | Children of the Dust | Corby / White Wolf | TV movie |
| 1996 | Starlight | Kieran | Film |
| 1996 | Space Marines | Zack Delano | Film |
| 1997 | Last Lives | Malakai | Film |
| 1998 | Relax... It's Just Sex | Jared Bartoziak | Film |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Kevin Seidel | Episode: "Extreme Measures" |
| 1998 | Charmed | Matthew Tate | Episode: "The Witch Is Back" |
| 1999 | Kismet | Fantasy Guy | Short film, also Director |
| 1999 | Me and Will | Charlie | Film |
| 2000 | Sex and the City | Dr. Mark Raskin | Episode: "Drama Queens" |
| 2001 | American Reunion | Brad | Film |
| 2002 | Looking for Jimmy | Billy | Film |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Aaron Westonson | Episode: "Eleven Angry Jurors" |
| 2004 | The Talent Given Us | Billy | Film |
| 2004 | The Drone Virus | Stephen Roland | Film |
| 2005 | Summerland | Garrett | Episode: "The Wisdom to Know the Difference" |
| 2006 | Seven Mummies | Travis | Film |
| 2006 | Running Out of Time in Hollywood | Billy | Film |
| 2009 | Powder Blue | David | Film |
| 2009 | Duress | The Detective | Film |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Billy Gray | Episode: "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" |
| 2012 | Being Flynn | Travis | Film |
| 2014 | Echoes | Joe | Film |
| 2014 | Chicago PD | Charlie Pugliese | Season 1 Episode 13, 14, & 15 |
| 2015 | Cats Dancing on Jupiter | Oleg | Film |
| 2015 | Midlife | Brian | Film |
| 2015 | Alto | Ceasar Bellafusco | Film |
| 2015 | Scorpion | Mark Willis | Episode: "Area 51" |
| 2018 | Betrayed | Mike Wolf | Film |
| 2018 | Space Diner Tales | Souldbird | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2019 | Hell to Pay | Killian | Short film |
| 2019 | Eternal Code | Mark Pellegrini | Film |
| 2019 | Godfather of Harlem | Detective Kramer | Episode: "The Nitty Gritty" |
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Category/Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Grand Jury Prize | Dramatic for: MacArthur Park | Nominated |
- Taos Talking Picture Festival
| Year | Award | Category/Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Taos Land Grant Award | for: MacArthur Park | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ "The Fight Over 'War Party'". L.A. Times. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ The Dutchman (the Collegiate School yearbook), 1975 edition, page 33
- ^ Murray, Noel (June 25, 2015). "American Gladiators gave misfit athletes a second chance to be champions". The A.V. Club.
External links
[edit]
- Living people
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- Male models from New York (state)
- American people of Russian descent
- American people of Jewish descent
- American people of British descent
- American people of Native American descent
- Contestants on American game shows
- Collegiate School (New York) alumni