William Ragsdale
{{Short description|American actor (born 1961)}}
{{other people}}
{{Infobox person
| name = William Ragsdale
| image = William Ragsdale Photo Op Nightmare Weekend Richmond 2023.jpg
| caption = Ragsdale at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2023
| birth_name = Robert William Ragsdale
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|1|19}}{{cite web| url=http://www.hotflick.net/celebs/william_ragsdale.html| title=William Ragsdale profile| website=hotflick.net|access-date=July 3, 2014}}
| birth_place = El Dorado, Arkansas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| yearsactive = 1979–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Andrea Ragsdale|1999}}
| children = 2
| known_for = Fright Night
| occupation = Actor
}}
Robert William Ragsdale (born January 19, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for playing Charley Brewster in the cult horror-comedy film Fright Night (1985) and its sequel Fright Night Part 2 (1988), and Herman Brooks on the television series Herman's Head (1991–94).{{cite news| url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-09-07/features/9102040153_1_wimp-animal-fox| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515050939/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-09-07/features/9102040153_1_wimp-animal-fox| url-status=dead| archive-date=May 15, 2014| title=Fox Network Should Hang 'Herman's Head' In Shame| newspaper=Sun-Sentinel| location=Ft. Lauderdale| date=September 7, 1991| access-date=June 6, 2013| first=Tom| last=Jicha}}
Early life and education
Ragsdale was born January 19, 1961,{{cite book|author=|title=Chase's Calendar of Events 2018|location=Lanham, Md.|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|date=2017|isbn=9781598889253|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAY3DwAAQBAJ|page=93}} in El Dorado, Arkansas, and attended Hendrix College, where he appeared in plays alongside Natalie Canerday.
Career
He garnered attention as the young hero of Fright Night and Fright Night Part 2 and onstage in Neil Simon's plays Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues,{{Cite web |url=http://www.nationaltheatre.org/mainstage/mainstagepast1950-1999.htm |title=Past Shows on the Mainstage of the National Theatre - 1950-1999 |access-date=2006-05-28 |archive-date=2013-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313085055/http://www.nationaltheatre.org/mainstage/mainstagepast1950-1999.htm |url-status=dead }} two of the three parts of Simon's trilogy, which ends with Broadway Bound. Ragsdale featured in the romance comedy movie Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991).{{cite news| title=Review: Mannequin on the Move| url=https://variety.com/1990/film/reviews/mannequin-on-the-move-1200428842/| date=December 31, 1990| newspaper=Variety| access-date=January 14, 2021}}
Ragsdale has had a sporadic career with regard to prime-time television. He featured for three years on Herman's Head. He had a brief recurring role in the television series Judging Amy. He played a television producer for Grosse Pointe, which lasted one season.
He was cast in the pilot for Charmed, but refused the series to feature in the short-lived situation comedy Brother's Keeper.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-19-ca-64901-story.html| title=In 'Brother's Keeper,' ABC Has a Friday Night Oddity| first=Don| last=Heckman| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=January 19, 1999| access-date=January 14, 2021| url-access=subscription}} He appeared on Ellen as the boyfriend of Ellen Morgan (played by Ellen DeGeneres) before her character revealed her homosexuality. He has had guest roles on television, including a four-episode stint on Less than Perfect, as well as small feature movie roles.
He played the role of Gary Hawkins in 12 episodes of the television series Justified from March 2010 through March 2012, during the series' first three seasons.{{cite journal| title=How Far Will Justified's Raylan Go to Help His Ex's New Man?| url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/justified-william-ragsdale-1018336/| last=Bryant| first=Adam| date=May 11, 2010| journal=TV Guide| access-date=January 14, 2021}} In 2014, he played Chris Smith in the remake of the movie Left Behind.{{cite news| title=Left Behind| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/hollywood/previews/Left-Behind/articleshow/43813519.cms| date=September 29, 2014| newspaper=The Times of India| location=Mumbai| access-date=January 14, 2021}}
In 2017, he appeared in the role of Reverend Todd in the Off-Broadway production of Man from Nebraska at the Second Stage Theatre.Clement, Olivia (February 15, 2017). [http://www.playbill.com/article/man-from-nebraska-opens-at-second-stage# "'Man from Nebraska' Opens at Second Stage"] Playbill.
In 2023, Ragsdale appeared as a vampire-hunting priest in the horror comedy Renfield, a nod to his Fright Night role.{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=John |date=2023-04-18 |title=‘Renfield’ – Did You Spot ‘Fright Night’ Star William Ragsdale in Universal’s Horror-Comedy? |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3758802/renfield-did-you-spot-fright-night-star-william-ragsdale-in-universals-horror-comedy/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role |
| 1979
|Service Station Attendant |
| rowspan="2"| 1985
|Charley Brewster |
| Smooth Talk
|Jeff |
| 1988
|Charley Brewster |
| 1991
|Jason Williamson / Prince William |
| 1998
|Brent |
| rowspan="3"|2006
|Bob |
| Road House 2
|Sands Cooper |
| The Last Time
|Rogers |
| rowspan="2"| 2007
|Sheriff Cade |
| LA Blues
|Paul Cooper |
| 2008
|Agent #1 |
| 2009
|Buford Parks |
| 2012
|Joe Newall |
| 2013
|Mr. Davies |
| 2014
|Chris Smith |
| 2018
|Ron Truelove |
| 2019
|When We Dance the Music Dies |Tom Walton |
| 2023
|Priest |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1984
|Student |Episode #1.43 |
| 1989
|Wally and the Valentines |Wally Gillis | rowspan="3" |Television film |
| 1990
|The Bobby & Larry Show |Larry |
| 1991
|Frankenstein: The College Years |Mark Chrisman |
| 1991–1994
|Herman Brooks |72 episodes |
| 1994–1997
|Dan |4 episodes |
| 1995
|Todd Farrit | rowspan="2" |Television film |
| 1995
|Nowhere Fast |Zack |
| 1996
|Danny Saterfield |2 episodes |
| 1996
|Bunk Bed Brothers |Matt Archer |Television film |
| 1997
|Faster Baby, Kill |Andrew Kincaid |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1998–1999
|Porter Waide |23 episodes |
| 2000–2001
|Rob Fields |17 episodes |
| 2000–2003
|Charles Duff |5 episodes |
| 2003
|Russell Dixon |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004
|Dr. Anthony Parker |Episode: "The 5 Wood" |
| 2004
|Mitch Calgrove |4 episodes |
| 2004
|The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel |B. B. Boudreaux |Television film |
| 2005
|Romy and Michele: In the Beginning |Kevin |Television film |
| 2005
|Mr. Dooley |Episode: "The Guide to Baby Talk" |
| 2005
|Tommy |Television film |
| 2005
|Principal Glavin |Television film |
| 2006
|Earl Randall |Television film |
| 2006
|Dan Goldman |Episode: "Still Graduating" |
| 2007
|Bob |Episode: "Shattered" |
| 2007
|Doctor |Episode: "The Graduate" |
| 2007
|Rick |Episode: "The Big Chill" |
| 2007
|Scott McKinney |Episode: "What Would We Do Without You?" |
| 2007
|Frank Giovanello |Episode: "The Day Fuckers" |
| 2008
|Robert Newton |Episode: "Hard Reset" |
| 2008
|Russell Furlong |Episode: "A Cure for What Ails You" |
| 2008
|Mark |Television film |
| 2009
|Glenn Drew '67 |Episode: "The Brush Man" |
| 2010
|Murphy Traver |Episode: "Cackle-Bladder Blood" |
| 2010
|Kenneth McGuire |Episode: "Manhunt" |
| 2010–2012
|Gary Hawkins |13 episodes |
| 2011
|Bird Dog |Deputy Russell Gitz |Television film |
| 2012
|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Dr. Bill Ryan |Episode: "Tressed to Kill" |
| 2012
|Announcer |Episode: "Judge It Up" |
| 2012
|Dr. Julian Corvis |Episode: "Lovesick" |
| 2012
|Travis Cooper |Episode: "The Road Not Taken" |
| 2013
|Dr. Strauss |2 episodes |
| 2013
|NCIS |Brett Creevy |Episode: "Oil and Water" |
| 2014
|Alan Peterson |Episode: "Desperate Housewife" |
| 2014
|Dr. Blakeley |3 episodes |
| 2014
|Jack Conroy |Episode: "All's Fair" |
| 2015
|Leo's Father |Episode: "The Guilted Age" |
| 2015
|Capt. Dale Shavers |Episode: "Lockdown" |
| 2016
|Russell Franklin |Episode: "Swift Hardhearted Stone" |
| 2016
|Hank Leafton |Episode: "Playing Politics: Living Life in the Shadow of the Budget Showdown - A Critique" |
| 2016
|Chuck |3 episodes |
| 2016
|Patrick Moore |Episode: "Pick Your Poison" |
| 2017
|A Very Merry Toy Store |Pete Griffin |Television film |
| 2018
|Peter Gunderson |Episode: "Mitya" |
| 2018
|Rodney Pebbler |Episode: "Day 464" |
| 2019
|Auctioneer |Episode: "Gunbarrel" |
| 2019
|Lockhart |Episode: "Finders Keepers" |
| 2019
|Hoffman |Episode: "This Trust Thing" |
| 2019, 2021
|Jeffrey Jacobs |2 episodes |
| 2020
|Lt. Dean Stafford |Episode: "Vested Interests" |
| 2020
|Dr. Chubb |Episode: "Best Supporting Husband" |
| 2021
|Carl Conway |Episode: "The Fribourg Confidence (No. 140)" |
| 2021
|Herman Brooks |Episode: "To Protect and Serve" (archival footage) |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|706619}}
- {{IBDB name|70099}}
- {{IOBDB name|48395}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ragsdale, William}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Male actors from Arkansas
Category:People from El Dorado, Arkansas
Category:Hendrix College alumni
{{US-tv-actor-1960s-stub}}