William B. Davis

Known For: Acting
Born: January 13, 1938
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

William B. Davis

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 c…

Filmography

Bribe, Inc.

2024 · Figaro (voice)

Murder in a Small Town

2024 · Captain Darcy Stewart

Better Off

2024 · Self

It's a Wonderful Knife

2023 · Roger Evans

Upload

2020 · David Choak

50 States of Fright

2020 · Frank

Phil

2019 · Father Grant

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

2018 · Methuselah

Bad Times at the El Royale

2018 · Judge Gordon Hoffman

The Doctor's Case

2018 · Doctor Watson

Game Over, Man!

2018 · Ray - Security

Death Note

2017 · Radio Host

Residue

2017 · Lamont

Abduct

2016 · Zane

2BR02B: To Be or Naught to Be

2016 · Granddad

The Real 'X-Files'?

2015 · Himself

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible Dream

2015 · Harper

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told

2015 · Harper

Focus

2014 · Mr. Grant

Stonados

2013 · Ben

Singularity Principle

2013 · Lawrence Cason

The Package

2013 · Dr. Willhelm

The Mountain Runners

2012 · Henry Engberg

Continuum

2012 · Future Alec Sadler

The Tall Man

2012 · Sheriff Chestnut

Rise of the Damned

2011 · Doctor

Behemoth

2011 · William Walsh

Flowers for Norma

2010 · Older Gentleman #2

R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour

2010 · Plumberg, Grandfather

Amazon Falls

2010 · Calvin

Medium Raw

2010 · Dr. Robert Parker

Web of Desire

2010 · Dr. Charles Friedman

Caprica

2010 · Minister Chambers

Human Target

2010 · Whitey Doyle

Damage

2009 · Veltz

Something Evil Comes

2009 · Mr. Dutton

The Thaw

2009 · Ted

Possession

2009 · Hypnotist

Reverse

2008 · Chris, Director, Editor, Writer

Passengers

2008 · Jack

Fear Itself: In Sickness and in Health

2008 · Father Chris

Fear Itself

2008 · Father Chris

Masters of Science Fiction

2007

Exhuming 'The Messengers'

2007 · Self

Numb

2007 · Peter Milbank

Judicial Indiscretion

2007 · Senator Garland Wolf

The Messengers

2007 · Colby Price

Her Fatal Flaw

2006 · Richard O'Brien

Sisters

2006 · Dr. Lucas Bryant

The Secret of Hidden Lake

2006

Dark Storm

2006 · General Killion

Goose on the Loose

2006 · Alphonse David

Dark Pines

2005 · Shannon Fraser

Supernatural

2005 · College Professor

Robson Arms

2005

Max Rules: Adventures of a Super Spy

2005 · Rick Brinkley

Tilt

2005 · Father Luke

Packing Up

2004 · Jenkins, Director, Editor, Writer, Executive Producer

The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying

2004 · Alderman Godfrey Shepcote

Snakehead Terror

2004 · Doc Jenkins

The Cradle Will Fall

2004 · Alex Myerson

Word of Honor

2003 · Lewis Kaplan - Tyson's Boss

Exchange

2003 · Writer, Producer, Director, Editor, Executive Producer

100 Days in the Jungle

2002 · Ambassador Shear

Saint Sinner

2002 · Father Michael

Aftermath

2002 · Deputy Director Edwards

Out of Line

2001 · Russell

Smallville

2001 · William Tate

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

2001 · Cigarette Smoking Man (uncredited)

MythQuest

2001 · Drossos

Mindstorm

2001 · Parish

Broken Saints

2001 · Benjamin Palmer (voice)

The Proposal

2001 · Agent Frank Gruning

Science Of Death

2001 · Narrator

Anthrax

2001 · Tye Crow

Andromeda

2000 · Professor Logitch

Becoming Dick

2000 · Dr. Hardwin

Perpetrators of the Crime

2000 · Henderson

Murder Most Likely

1999 · Detective Inspector

Killing Moon

1999 · Ed

First Wave

1998 · Sagon

The X-Files

1998 · The Cigarette-Smoking Man

Inside The X-Files

1998 · Self

Voyage of Terror

1998 · Dr. Norman Ellisy

Stargate SG-1

1997 · Damaris

More Secrets of the X-Files

1996 · Self

Poltergeist: The Legacy

1996 · Dr. Bill Nigel

Unforgettable

1996 · Doctor

When the Vows Break

1995 · Dr. Alexander

Secrets of the X-Files

1995 · Self

Circumstances Unknown

1995 · Gene Reuschel

The Outer Limits

1995 · John Wymer, Dr. Frank Biemler, Ed

Sliders

1995 · Prof. Myman

Not Our Son

1995 · Police Chief

Dangerous Intentions

1995 · Group Leader

Don't Talk to Strangers

1994 · Huddleston

Heart of a Child

1994 · Vern

The X-Files

1993 · Cigarette Smoking Man, Cancer Man, SS Oberfuehrer / Smoking Man, CGB Spender, Writer

Nightmare Cafe

1992 · Doctor

The Commish

1991

Omen IV: The Awakening

1991 · Lawyer (uncredited)

The Hitman

1991 · Dr. Atkins

It

1990 · Mr. Gedreau

Anything to Survive

1990 · Dr Reynolds

Look Who's Talking

1989 · Drug Doctor

Midnight Matinee

1988 · Heath Harris

Wiseguy

1987

21 Jump Street

1987 · Mr. Weidlin, Mr. Wickenton, Judge Harrison

Sworn to Silence

1987 · Peter Massio

Deadly Deception

1987 · Lawyer

Danger Bay

1985 · Norris

MacGyver

1985 · Judge

Head Office

1985 · University Dean

The Cuckoo Bird

The Cuckoo Bird

1985 · Ted

Airwolf

1984 · F.I.R.M. Official, Newman

The Dead Zone

1983 · Ambulance Driver

49th & Main

— · Creator

William B. Davis · Virelixia