---
name: "Bill Smillie"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/bill-smillie"
fi1m_id: "bill-smillie"
imdb_id: "nm0806995"
tmdb_id: 1484151
wikidata_id: "Q23900874"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 July 1922"
died: "12 November 2003"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-26T01:38:11.592126+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bill Smillie

## Identity

Bill Smillie

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/bill-smillie
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** bill-smillie
- **IMDb ID:** nm0806995
- **TMDB ID:** 1484151
- **Wikidata ID:** Q23900874
- **Same entity:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23900874, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0806995/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1484151

Actor. Born 9 July 1922 in Stewarton, Scotland, UK. Died 12 November 2003.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 July 1922, Stewarton, Scotland, UK
- **Died:** 12 November 2003
- **Active:** 1987–1992
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 78 (1), 1990s 74 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23900874, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0806995/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1484151

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Housekeeping*](https://film.one/film/housekeeping.md) (78)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Bill Smillie (1922–2003) was a Scottish-born American character actor. Born in Stewarton, Scotland, he emigrated to the United States as an infant and later served in the US Navy during the Second World War. He began his career on stage, including Broadway productions of *Porgy and Bess* and *Catch a Rising Star*, before moving into film and television.

Over six decades he appeared in supporting roles in numerous films and series. His credits include the sheriff in *Housekeeping* (1987), the custodian in *Die Hard 2* (1990), the jailer in *Piranha* (1978) and the evangelist in *The Philadelphia Experiment* (1984). Television work encompassed guest appearances in *Married... with Children*, *The West Wing*, *Charlie's Angels* and *Knots Landing*. He was married to actress Gwen Van Dam.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, latimes.com, heraldscotland.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Singles* (1992), Fi1m 74, as Boston Doctor — [page](https://film.one/film/singles.md)
- *Housekeeping* (1987), Fi1m 78, as Sheriff — [page](https://film.one/film/housekeeping.md)

## Complete filmography (30)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Soulkeeper* (2001), as Old Priest
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Elderly Man — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Caroline in the City* (1995), series, as Funeral Director
- *Save Me* (1994), as Security Guard
- *Singles* (1992), as Boston Doctor — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/singles.md)
- *And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird!* (1991), as Henry Kilbrandt
- *Die Hard 2* (1990), as Custodian — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/die-hard-2.md)
- *The Outsiders* (1990), series, as Mr. Hopper
- *Dead Solid Perfect* (1988), Actor
- *Housekeeping* (1987), as Sheriff — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/housekeeping.md)
- *Married... with Children* (1987), series, as Pops
- *The Philadelphia Experiment* (1984), as Evangelist
- *Yes, Giorgio* (1982), as Stagehand
- *Mysterious Two* (1982), as Smilin' Jack
- *The Princess and the Cabbie* (1981), as Doorman #1
- *Underground Aces* (1981), as Fire Chief
- *The Comeback Kid* (1980), as Guard
- *Marathon* (1980), as Gen. Underhill
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Bartender
- *And Baby Makes Six* (1979), as Pharmacist
- *Supertrain* (1979), series, as Chicago Cabby
- *Piranha* (1978), as Jailer
- *Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid* (1978), as Male Passenger
- *Wild and Wooly* (1978), as Foreman
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Chef
- *Charlie's Angels* (1976), series, as Doorman
- *The Quest: The Longest Drive* (1976), as Townsman
- *Starsky & Hutch* (1975), as Apartment Manager
- *The Missing Are Deadly* (1975), Actor
- *Arsenic and Old Lace* (1969), Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bill-smillie