Billy Wirth

Last updated
Billy Wirth
Billy Wirth in 1975.jpg
Wirth in 1975
Born
William E. Wirth

(1962-06-23) June 23, 1962 (age 62)
Occupations
Years active1985–present
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
SpouseSarah Skogland (2007-present)

Billy Wirth (born June 23, 1962) is an American Hollywood actor, film producer, and former fashion model, best known for his role as the vampire, Dwayne in the 1987 horror film, The Lost Boys .

Contents

Life and career

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 .

John Hermann (left), Wirth (bottom right) and a classmate in 1975 JoJo Hermann & Billy Wirth, 1975.jpg
John Hermann (left), Wirth (bottom right) and a classmate in 1975

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

Film and Television credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 Seven Minutes in Heaven "Zoo" KnudsenFilm
1985 The Equalizer RalphEpisode: "Mama's Boy"
1986 The Ellen Burstyn Show JohnnyEpisode: "Pilot"
1987 Nothing in Common Joey D.TV series
1987 The Lost Boys DwayneFilm
1988 War Party Sonny CrowkillerFilm
1989 American Gladiators Contestant / Himself3 episodes
1989 Wiseguy Eddie TempestEpisodes: "The Rip-Off Stick", "High Dollar Bop", "Hip Hop on the Gravy Train"
1990Parker KaneJesse TV movie
1991 Tales from the Crypt Ted MorganEpisode: "Split Second"
1992 Red Shoe Diaries Thomas K. Butler, The WorkmanTV movie
1992Who Killed the Baby JesusTravis AdamsFilm
1992Crow's NestTommy CrosettiFilm
1993 Body Snatchers Tim YoungFilm
1994The FenceTerry GriffFilm
1994 Judicial Consent MartinFilm
1994Final MissionTom "Outlaw" Waters Direct-to-video
1995 Venus Rising NickFilm
1995 Boys on the Side NickFilm
1995 Children of the Dust Corby / White WolfTV movie
1996StarlightKieranFilm
1996 Space Marines Zack DelanoFilm
1997Last LivesMalakaiFilm
1998 Relax... It's Just Sex Jared BartoziakFilm
1998 Martial Law Kevin SeidelEpisode: "Extreme Measures"
1998 Charmed Matthew TateEpisode: "The Witch Is Back"
1999KismetFantasy Guy Short film, also Director
1999 Me and Will CharlieFilm
2000 Sex and the City Dr. Mark RaskinEpisode: "Drama Queens"
2001 American Reunion BradFilm
2002Looking for JimmyBillyFilm
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Aaron WestonsonEpisode: "Eleven Angry Jurors"
2004 The Talent Given Us BillyFilm
2004The Drone VirusStephen RolandFilm
2005 Summerland GarrettEpisode: "The Wisdom to Know the Difference"
2006Seven MummiesTravisFilm
2006Running Out of Time in HollywoodBillyFilm
2009 Powder Blue DavidFilm
2009 Duress The DetectiveFilm
2011 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Billy GrayEpisode: "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap"
2012 Being Flynn TravisFilm
2014 Echoes JoeFilm
2014 Chicago PD Charlie PuglieseSeason 1 Episode 13, 14, & 15
2015Cats Dancing on JupiterOlegFilm
2015MidlifeBrianFilm
2015 Alto Ceasar BellafuscoFilm
2015 Scorpion Mark WillisEpisode: "Area 51"
2018BetrayedMike WolfFilm
2018Space Diner TalesSouldbirdEpisode: "Pilot"
2019Hell to PayKillianShort film
2019Eternal CodeMark PellegriniFilm
2019 Godfather of Harlem Detective KramerEpisode: "The Nitty Gritty"

Awards

Sundance Film Festival
YearAwardCategory/RecipientResult
2001Grand Jury PrizeDramatic for: MacArthur Park Nominated
Taos Talking Picture Festival
YearAwardCategory/RecipientResult
2001Taos Land Grant Awardfor:MacArthur ParkNominated

References

  1. "The Fight Over 'War Party'". L.A. Times. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  2. The Dutchman (the Collegiate School yearbook), 1975 edition, page 33
  3. Murray, Noel (June 25, 2015). "American Gladiators gave misfit athletes a second chance to be champions". The A.V. Club .