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 63)
Occupations
Years active1985–present
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)

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.

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.

Filmography

Film

Billy Wirth film credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 Seven Minutes in Heaven "Zoo" Knudsen
1987 The Lost Boys Dwayne
1988 War Party Sonny Crowkiller
1992Who Killed the Baby JesusTravis Adams
1993 Body Snatchers Tim Young
1994The FenceTerry Griff
1994 Judicial Consent Martin
1994Final MissionTom "Outlaw" WatersVideo
1995 Venus Rising Nick
1995 Boys on the Side Nick
1996StarlightKieran
1996 Space Marines Zack Delano
1997Last LivesMalakai
1998 Relax... It's Just Sex Jared Bartoziak
1999KismetFantasy GuyShort. Director
1999 Me and Will Charlie
2001 American Reunion Brad
2002Looking for JimmyBilly
2004 The Talent Given Us Billy
2004The Drone VirusStephen Roland
2006Seven MummiesTravis
2006Running Out of Time in HollywoodBilly
2009 Powder Blue David
2009 Duress The Detective
2012 Being Flynn Travis
2014 Echoes Joe
2015Cats Dancing on JupiterOleg
2015MidlifeBrian
2015 Alto Ceasar Bellafusco
2018BetrayedMike Wolf
2019Hell to PayKillianShort film
2019Eternal CodeMark Pellegrini

Television

Billy Wirth television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 The Equalizer RalphEpisode: "Mama's Boy"
1986 The Ellen Burstyn Show JohnnyEpisode: "Pilot"
1987 Nothing in Common Joey D.
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"
1992Crow's NestTommy CrosettiTV movie
1992 Red Shoe Diaries Thomas K. Butler, The WorkmanTV movie
1995 Children of the Dust Corby / White WolfTV movie
1998 Martial Law Kevin SeidelEpisode: "Extreme Measures"
1998 Charmed Matthew TateEpisode: "The Witch Is Back"
2000 Sex and the City Dr. Mark RaskinEpisode: "Drama Queens"
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Aaron WestonsonEpisode: "Eleven Angry Jurors"
2005 Summerland GarrettEpisode: "The Wisdom to Know the Difference"
2011 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Billy GrayEpisode: "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap"
2014 Chicago PD Charlie PuglieseSeason 1 Episode 13, 14, & 15
2015 Scorpion Mark WillisEpisode: "Area 51"
2018Space Diner TalesSouldbirdEpisode: "Pilot"
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 .