Acting

William Finley

Born September 20, 1942 · Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Died April 14, 2012 · aged 69

William Finley (September 20, 1940 – April 14, 2012) was an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, and The Wedding Party. He had a long-running friendship and collaboration with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films Woton's Wake (1962) and Murder à la Mod (1968). Most recently, he contributed a small but effective came…

Known For

Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill · 1980

Dressed to Kill

MovieThrillerMystery

After witnessing a mysterious woman brutally slay a homemaker, prostitute Liz Blake finds herself trapped in a dangerous situation. While the police thinks she is the murderer, the real killer is intent on silencing her only witness.

The Black Dahlia

The Black Dahlia · 2006

The Black Dahlia

MovieCrimeThriller

In 1940s Los Angeles, two former boxers-turned-cops must grapple with corruption, narcissism, stag films and family madness as they pursue the killer of an aspiring young actress.

Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise · 1974

Phantom of the Paradise

MovieComedyDrama

Singer-songwriter Winslow Leach seeks revenge on the nefarious music producer Swan, who steals both Winslow's music and his favorite singer for the grand opening of Swan's new rock palace, the Paradise.

The Funhouse

The Funhouse · 1981

Rebellious teen Amy defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz, and their friends Liz and Richie. Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.

Silent Rage

Silent Rage · 1982

MovieActionHorror

A mentally ill man in a small Texas town goes on a killing rampage and is fatally wounded by police. When doctors use an experimental serum to bring him back to life, the killer develops superhuman strength and the town sheriff must pursue him.

Eaten Alive

Eaten Alive · 1976

A psychotic redneck owns a dilapidated hotel in rural East Texas, where he murders those who upset him or his business, and then feeds their remains to his pet crocodile in the swamp beside his hotel.

The Fury

The Fury · 1978

MovieHorrorScience Fiction

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

Sisters

Sisters · 1973

MovieThrillerHorror

Inquisitive journalist Grace Collier is horrified when she witnesses her neighbor, fashion model Danielle Breton, violently murder a man. Panicking, she calls the police. But when the detective arrives at the scene and finds nothing amiss, Grace is forced to take matters into her own hands. Her first move is to recruit private investigator Joseph Larch, who helps her to uncover a secret about Danielle's past that has them both seeing double.

Filmography

Sort

Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill · 1980

Dressed to Kill

MovieThrillerMystery

After witnessing a mysterious woman brutally slay a homemaker, prostitute Liz Blake finds herself trapped in a dangerous situation. While the police thinks she is the murderer, the real killer is intent on silencing her only witness.

Bobbi (voice) (uncredited)

The Black Dahlia

The Black Dahlia · 2006

The Black Dahlia

MovieCrimeThriller

In 1940s Los Angeles, two former boxers-turned-cops must grapple with corruption, narcissism, stag films and family madness as they pursue the killer of an aspiring young actress.

George Tilden

Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise · 1974

Phantom of the Paradise

MovieComedyDrama

Singer-songwriter Winslow Leach seeks revenge on the nefarious music producer Swan, who steals both Winslow's music and his favorite singer for the grand opening of Swan's new rock palace, the Paradise.

Winslow Leach / The Phantom

The Funhouse

The Funhouse · 1981

Rebellious teen Amy defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz, and their friends Liz and Richie. Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.

Marco the Magnificent

Silent Rage

Silent Rage · 1982

MovieActionHorror

A mentally ill man in a small Texas town goes on a killing rampage and is fatally wounded by police. When doctors use an experimental serum to bring him back to life, the killer develops superhuman strength and the town sheriff must pursue him.

Dr. Paul Vaughn

Eaten Alive

Eaten Alive · 1976

A psychotic redneck owns a dilapidated hotel in rural East Texas, where he murders those who upset him or his business, and then feeds their remains to his pet crocodile in the swamp beside his hotel.

Roy

The Fury

The Fury · 1978

MovieHorrorScience Fiction

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

Raymond Dunwoodie

Sisters

Sisters · 1973

MovieThrillerHorror

Inquisitive journalist Grace Collier is horrified when she witnesses her neighbor, fashion model Danielle Breton, violently murder a man. Panicking, she calls the police. But when the detective arrives at the scene and finds nothing amiss, Grace is forced to take matters into her own hands. Her first move is to recruit private investigator Joseph Larch, who helps her to uncover a secret about Danielle's past that has them both seeing double.

Emil Breton

The Wedding Party

The Wedding Party · 1969

The Wedding Party

MovieComedyRomance

Young Charlie begins to develop cold feet as his wedding looms nearer. Desperate to throw the plans off-track, he tries a variety of tactics, including attempting to rekindle the relationship between his fiancée, Josephine, and her former boyfriend.

Alistair

Night Terrors

Night Terrors · 1993

A woman visiting her father in Egypt becomes involved with the Marquis de Sade's descendant and his terrifying cult.

Dr. Matteson

Double Negative

Double Negative · 1985

Double Negative

Horror film director must plot to steal the negative of his film in order to save it from being destroyed in an insurance scam cooked up by his sleazy producers.

Milt

Wise Blood

Wise Blood · 1979

MovieComedyDrama

A Southerner--young, poor, ambitious but uneducated--determines to become something in the world. He decides that the best way to do that is to become a preacher and start up his own church.

Man (uncredited)

Simon

MovieComedyScience Fiction

A group of scientists take Simon, a psychology professor, as a test person for a brainwashing experiment and try to convince him that he is a living being from another planet.

Fichandler

Murder à la Mod

Murder à la Mod · 1968

Murder à la Mod

MovieCrimeMystery

Naive young Karen wants to help her struggling amateur filmmaker boyfriend Christopher raise enough money so he can divorce his wife. Meanwhile, jolly psycho-prankster Otto stalks the building where Christopher is shooting a low-grade adult movie in order to keep himself afloat.

Otto

Woton's Wake

Woton's Wake · 1963

MovieHorrorComedy

Woton Wretchichevsky has a disfigured face, dresses in a cloak and mask, and stalks couples to burn them with a blowtorch. He is also a sculptor of steel and garbage installations. One day, one of his creations comes to life in the form of a young woman. She flees from him when he tries to express his love by pointing his blowtorch at her.

Woton

Sick Girl

Sick Girl · 2006

MovieHorrorTV Movie

A shy entomologist named Ida—whose girlfriend has left her, due to her interest in insects—develops a crush on a strange girl, Misty. After Ida receives a mysterious insect in the mail, the two women spend the night together, and Ida awakens to find that Misty has stumbled upon her insect collection and has a great interest in them herself.

Husband

Last Hours Before Morning

Last Hours Before Morning · 1975

Last Hours Before Morning

MovieCrimeDrama

An ex-cop, now a private detective, investigating a gambler's murder finds that there may be a connection between that crime and the jewel robbery at a beautiful movie star's home.

Elmo

The First Time

The First Time · 1983

A young film student pursues a woman while studying under a bizarre, eccentric film professor.

Screenplay

Brian De Palma : Les Années 60

Brian De Palma : Les Années 60 · 2003

Brian De Palma : Les Années 60

MovieDocumentary

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman · 1976

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

SeriesDramaSoap

In the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, suburban housewife Mary Hartman seeks the kind of domestic perfection promised by Reader’s Digest and TV commercials. Instead she finds herself suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune: mass murders, low-flying airplanes and waxy yellow buildup on her kitchen floor.

Dr. Elvin McCabe