William Earl Brown (born September 7, 1963) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, musician, and songwriter. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Kenny, the cameraman in the film Scream (1996), Warren in the film There's Something About Mary (1998), Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), and the voice and motion capture of Bill in the video game The Last of Us (2013). He has appeared in films such as Backdraft, The Master, Being John Malkovich, The Sessions, Vanilla Sky, The Lone Ranger, and Bloodworth (which he also wrote and produced), as well as series such as Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, The X-Files, Six Feet Under, Preacher, Bates Motel, True Detective, American Horror Story, Chicago Fire, Psych, and The Mandalorian.
Early life Brown was born in Golden Pond, Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's degree from Murray State University before moving to Chicago, where he received an MFA from DePaul University Theatre School in 1989.
Career After his breakout performance in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's outreach staging of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, Brown began working in television and film. He appeared in films such as Backdraft, The Babe, Excessive Force, and Rookie of the Year. In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles and was cast in Wes Craven's New Nightmare. He also had a minor role in Craven's Vampire in Brooklyn, and a bigger one as a news cameraman working for Gale Weathers in Craven's Scream. He played Warren in the 1998 comedy film There's Something About Mary and later took roles in Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, Dancing at the Blue Iguana, The Alamo, and The Big White.
In 2009, Brown wrote, produced, and appeared in the film Bloodworth. His 2010s film credits include The Master, The Sessions, The Lone Ranger, Brother's Keeper, and Wild. On television, he is best known for his portrayal of Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006). He has also guest starred on Bates Motel, Rectify, Luck, American Horror Story, Justified, Six Feet Under, NYPD Blue, X-Files, The Mentalist, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Ellen, Seinfeld, True Detective, and others. He also portrayed singer Meat Loaf in VH1's television film Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back. In 2013, he performed the voice and motion capture of Bill in the critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us.
Brown also writes and performs with the country music band Sacred Cowboys.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1991 Backdraft Paramedic 1992 The Babe Herb Pennock1993 Rookie of the Year Billy Frick (Bullpen Catcher) Excessive Force Vinnie DiMarco 1994 Wes Craven's New Nightmare Morgue Attendant1995 Without Evidence Grace Vampire in Brooklyn 'Thrasher' 1996 Scream Kenny 1997 Kiss the Girls Locksmith1998 Deep Impact McCloud There's Something About Mary Warren Jensen 1999 Being John Malkovich J.M. Inc. Customer2000 Dancing at the Blue Iguana Bobby Lost Souls William Kelson2001 Vanilla Sky Barman Sugar & Spice Hank 'The Terminator' Rogers2003 Pauly Shore Is Dead Bucky From Kentucky Dunsmore Ronny Roy Pritcher2004 Killer Diller Holister The Last Shot Willie Gratzo The Alamo David Burnet2005 The Big White Jimbo Kids in America Boss McGinn2010 Bloodworth Brady Bloodworth Also writer and producer The Last Rites of Ransom Pride Matthew2011Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie RetrospectiveHimselfDocumentary film2012 The Sessions Rod The Master Fighting Businessman2013 A Single Shot Puffy AIC 23 Alan Poole McLard Short film, also co-writer The Lone Ranger Mustached Ranger Beneath the Harvest Sky Roger Knights of Badassdom Randy Brother's Keeper Turner Monroe2014 Wild Frank Draft Day Ralph Mowry2015 Chasing Ghosts Roger Simons Black Mass Johnny Martorano 2016 Porcupine Owen Talbott 2016 Spaceman Dick Dennis 2018 Dad Band Jim Jimbo Short film, also writer 2019 The Highwaymen Ivy Methvin2021 No Man of God Warden Wilkenson The Unforgivable Mac Whelan 2023 The Dead Don't Hurt Alan Kendall 2024 Shirley George Wallace
Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Angel Street Patrolman Unknown episode1993 The Untouchables Jack Zuta 2 episodes The Woman Who Loved Elvis Pete Television film Bakersfield P.D. Hood Episode: "The Ex-Partner"1994 Seinfeld Al Episode: "The Stand In" Murder, She Wrote Guard Episode: "Murder of the Month Club" Lily in Winter Sheriff Boyd Television film1995 Ellen Customer #3 Episode: "Gladiators" The Single Guy The Cabbie Episode: "Neighbors" Nowhere Man Roy Episode: "It's Not Such a Wonderful Life"1996 Project ALF ErnieTelevision film A Season in Purgatory Fatty Malloy Caroline in the City Floyd Gerber Episode: "Caroline and the Therapist" The Cherokee Kid Calloway Television film1997 Diagnosis: Murder Dusty Wilton Episode: "Murder, Country Style" Smart Guy Sonny Episode: "The Dating Game" Bella Mafia Fredrico Luciano Television film 1998 Profiler Raymond Boudreaux Episode: "The Sum of Her Parts" 1999 Martial Law Larry Gambozza Episode: "Big Trouble"2000 Chicago Hope Harry Cram Episode: "Cold Hearts" NYPD Blue Bruce Rhodes Episode: "Welcome to New York" Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back Meat Loaf Television film Angel Menlo Episode: "The Shroud of Rahmon"2001 CSI Roger Peet Episode: "Justice Is Served" Charmed Shadow / Warlock Episode: "Pre-Witched" Dead Last Victor Korsky Episode: "The Problem with Corruption" WANTED COMIX Drew Lujan Episode: "Frank and Beans" Wolf Lake Bruce Cates Episode: "Excitable Boy"2002 Philly Billy Temple Episode: "Brotherly Love" The X-Files Robert M. Fassl Episode: "Underneath" Six Feet Under Pete Episode: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" Push, Nevada Shadrach 5 episodes 2003 NYPD Blue Terry Parkhurst Episode: "22 Skidoo" 2004 Cold Case Victor Lake Episode: "Maternal Instincts" 2004–06 Deadwood Dan Dority 36 episodes; also wrote one episode 2005 CSI: Miami Jesse Kramer Episode: "Whacked" 2006 Standoff Doug Frohmer Episode: "Man of Steele"2007 Numbers Abner Stone Episode: "Nine Wives" Psych Dwayne Tancana Episode: "Bounty Hunters!" The Minister of Divine 'Buzz' Unsold pilot 2008 The Mentalist Rulon Farnes Episode: "Redwood"2009 Hawthorne Mr. Deegan Episode: "Trust Me" CSI 'Slick' Episode: "Appendicitement"2010 Justified Cal Wallace Episode: "Blowback " Miami Medical Jesse Episode: "Medicine Man"2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Phil Critter Episode: "Smoldering Children" Burn Notice Zechariah Episode: "Besieged" Breakout Kings Cliff Krauss Episode: "Paid in Full" Scream: The Inside Story Himself Documentary film2012 Luck Mulligan 2 episodes Blue Eyed Butcher Thomas Dean Television film Perception Frank Prentice Episode: "Faces" Major Crimes Jim Martino Episode: "Before and After"2013 The Sixth Gun General Oliander Hume Unsold pilot Bates Motel Keith Summers Episode: "First You Dream, Then You Die" Rectify The Stranger Episode: "Drip, Drip" Rogue Charlie 5 episodes Longmire R.J. Watts Episode: "The Road to Hell"2014 Ground Floor 'Digger' Tomkins Episode: "Dynamic Duo" Grey's Anatomy Herb Cramer Episode: "Throwing It All Away" Chicago Fire Dave Bloom 3 episodes2015 American Crime Tom Carlin 10 episodes True Detective Detective Teague Dixon 5 episodes Documentary Now! Mitch Dragando Episode: "Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee, Part 1" Wicked City Captain Dan Wilkinson 4 episodes 2016 Archer Head Biker (voice) Episode: "The Handoff" 2016–17 Preacher Hugo Root 11 episodes2017 Training Day Chief Wade Episode: "Wages of Sin" I'm Dying Up Here Teddy 7 episodes 2017–18 Superstition The Dredge 3 episodes 2019 Deadwood: The Movie Dan Dority Television film 2019 Reprisal Witt 7 episodes2020 Hoops (voice) Episode: "The Scout" The MandalorianTaanti Episode: "Chapter 9: The Marshal"2022 The Book of Boba Fett 2 episodes Hacks Michael7 episodes Five Days at Memorial Ewing Cook2023 Paul T. Goldman Royce Rocco 4 episodes Hello Tomorrow! Big Fred 6 episodes The Ghost and Molly McGee Lord Doom (voice) 2 episodes 2024 Yellowstone Deputy Spears Episode: "Desire Is All You Need"2025–present Fire CountryWes Fox Guest role (2 episodes) Sheriff Country Main role 2026 The Boys Greg Dupree Episode: One-Shots
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2013 The Last of Us Bill Voice and motion capture 2025 The Last of Us Part II Remastered No Return mode
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