---
name: "Will Lyman"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/will-lyman"
fi1m_id: "will-lyman"
imdb_id: "nm0528164"
tmdb_id: 163671
wikidata_id: "Q1629137"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "20 May 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-03T21:26:21.852017+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."
---

# Will Lyman

## Identity

Will Lyman

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/will-lyman
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** will-lyman
- **IMDb ID:** nm0528164
- **TMDB ID:** 163671
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1629137
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Lyman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1629137, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528164/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/163671

Actor. Born 20 May 1948 in Burlington, Vermont, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 20 May 1948, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- **Active:** 1996–2008
- **Also known as:** William Remington Lyman, William Lyman
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 79 (3), 2000s 81 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 71 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Action 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, History 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $754m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Lyman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1629137, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528164/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/163671

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Welcome to the Dollhouse*](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md) (82)

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

## Biography

Will Lyman is an American actor and voice artist. Born William Remington Lyman on 20 May 1948 in Burlington, Vermont, he studied at Boston University’s School of Fine and Applied Arts, graduating in 1971. His screen career began with a small part in the 1975 film *Jaws*.

Lyman is best known as the narrator of the PBS documentary series *Frontline* since its second season in 1984. He played the title role in the television series *Crossbow* (1987–1989) and has appeared in films including *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996) as Mr. Edwards, *A Perfect Murder* (1998), *The Siege* (1998), *Mystic River* (2003) and *Mother/Android* (2021). He has also provided narration for *Little Children* (2006), *Iron Man* (2008) and *The Simpsons* (2014).

Lyman has worked extensively in theatre, particularly in Boston, and received multiple IRNE and Elliot Norton Awards for his stage performances.

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

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Iron Man* (2008), Fi1m 80, as Award Ceremony Narrator (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/iron-man.md)
- *Mystic River* (2003), Fi1m 82, as FBI Agent Birden — [page](https://film.one/film/mystic-river.md)
- *The West Wing* (1999), Fi1m 86, as Narrator (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *The Crucible* (1996), Fi1m 68, as Isaiah Goodkind — [page](https://film.one/film/the-crucible.md)
- *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996), Fi1m 82, as Mr. Edwards — [page](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md)

## Complete filmography (133)

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

- *The War Cabinet* (2026), as Narrrator
- *The Deal: Trump Bukele & The Gangs of El Salvador* (2026), as Narrator (voice)
- *Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy* (2026), as Narrator
- *The Rise of RFK Jr.* (2025), as Narrator
- *Trump's Power & the Rule of Law* (2025), as Narrator (voice over)
- *The Arborist* (2025), as Arthur Randolph
- *The Electric State* (2025), as Documentary Narrator (voice)
- *Battle for Tibet* (2025), as Narrator
- *Aftermath* (2024), as Joe Kozak
- *Crisis on Campus* (2024), as Narrator
- *Children of Ukraine* (2024), as Narrator
- *Democracy on Trial* (2024), as Narrator
- *Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in Gaza* (2023), as Narrator
- *The Discord Leaks* (2023), as Narrator
- *Inside the Uvalde Response* (2023), as Narrator
- *Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power, and the Supreme Court* (2023), as narrator
- *Putin and the Presidents* (2023), as Narrator
- *The Power of Big Oil* (2022), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Mother/Android* (2021), as Captain
- *Shots Fired* (2021), as Narrator
- *Taliban Takeover* (2021), as Narrator
- *Boeing's Fatal Flaw* (2021), as Narrator (voice)
- *America After 9/11* (2021), as narrator
- *Animaniacs* (2020), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Christmas on Ice* (2020), as Mayor Greenwood
- *The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden* (2020), as Narrator (voice)
- *United States of Conspiracy* (2020), as Narrator (voice)
- *Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos* (2020), as Narrator
- *Battle for Hong Kong* (2020), as Narrator
- *UN Sex Abuse Scandal* (2018), as Narrator (voice)
- *Life on Parole* (2017), as Narrator
- *Iraq Uncovered* (2017), as Narrator
- *Out of Gitmo* (2017), as narrator
- *Hunting ISIS* (2017), as Narrator
- *Divided States of America* (2017), as Narrator
- *Frontline: President Trump* (2017), as Narrator
- *The Choice 2016* (2016), as Narrator
- *Business of Disaster* (2016), as Narrator (voice)
- *Chasing Heroin* (2016), as Narrator
- *Isis in Afghanistan* (2015), Actor
- *Losing Iraq* (2014), as Narrator
- *Separate and Unequal* (2014), as Narrator
- *United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy Lost* (2014), as Narrator
- *Generation Like* (2014), as Narrator (voice)
- *A Death in St. Augustine* (2013), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Suicide Plan* (2012), as Narrator
- *Last Man Out* (2012), as Walt Whitman (voice)
- *Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown* (2012), as Narrator
- *The Anthrax Files* (2011), Actor
- *Bud Greenspan Presents Vancouver 2010: Stories of Olympic Glory* (2011), as Narrator
- *The Other Guys* (2010), as Frontline Narration App
- *Behind Taliban Lines* (2010), Actor
- *The Boneyard* (2009), as Narrator
- *What Doesn't Kill You* (2008), as Sully
- *The War Briefing* (2008), as Narrator
- *Abuse of Power* (2008), as Nolan Flannery
- *Young & Restless in China* (2008), Actor
- *Iron Man* (2008), as Award Ceremony Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/iron-man.md)
- *Rules of Engagement* (2008), as Narrator
- *Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe* (2007), as Moe Fresno
- *On Our Watch* (2007), as Narrator
- *Bud Greenspan’s Torino 2006: Stories of Olympic Glory* (2007), as Narrator
- *I'm Paige Wilson* (2007), as Ben Foxworthy
- *Little Children* (2006), as Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/little-children.md)
- *The Age of AIDS* (2006), as Narrator (voice)
- *Fierce People* (2006), as Documentary Narrator (voice)
- *Is It Real?* (2006), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Commander in Chief* (2005), series, as Teddy Bridges, Teddy Bridges (uncredited)
- *Our Fathers* (2005), as Wilson Rogers Jr.
- *The New Asylums* (2005), as narrator
- *The Secret History of the Credit Card* (2004), as Narrator
- *American Meltdown* (2004), as Homeland Chief Utley
- *Golden Road: Today's Senior Drivers* (2004), as Narrator
- *Truth, War and Consequences* (2003), as Narrator (voice)
- *Mystic River* (2003), as FBI Agent Birden — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/mystic-river.md)
- *Threat Matrix* (2003), series, as Roger Atkins
- *Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History* (2003), as Narrator (voice)
- *Coming Home from Space: The Challenge of Re-Entry* (2003), as Narrator
- *Wake Island: Alamo of the Pacific* (2003), as Narrator
- *Salt Lake City 2002: Stories of Olympic Glory* (2003), as Narrator
- *Alma Mater* (2002), Actor
- *American Porn* (2002), as Narrator
- *The Pink Satin Suit* (2002), Director
- *The Day Reagan Was Shot* (2001), as Narrator (voice)
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Roger Jameson
- *Sydney 2000: Stories of Olympic Glory* (2001), as Narrator
- *Sinking the Lusitania* (2001), as Narrator
- *Dog Days* (2001), as Dad
- *Ed* (2000), series, as Gus McGraw
- *Satan in the Suburbs* (2000), as Narrator (voice)
- *Warriors of the French Foreign Legion* (2000), as Narrator
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela* (1999), Actor
- *The Autumn Heart* (1999), as Doctor
- *Michael Jordan: His Airness* (1999), as Narrator
- *Nagano ’98 Olympics: Stories of Honor and Glory* (1998), as Narrator
- *The Siege* (1998), as FBI Director
- *A Perfect Murder* (1998), as Jason Gates
- *Atlanta’s Olympic Glory* (1997), as Narrator
- *Floating* (1997), as Van's Father
- *The Bay of Pigs* (1997), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Crucible* (1996), as Isaiah Goodkind — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-crucible.md)
- *The Ultimate Guide: T-Rex* (1996), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Ultimate Guide* (1996), series, as Narrator
- *Celtic Pride* (1996), as Rich Man
- *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996), as Mr. Edwards — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md)
- *The Ultimate Guide: Sharks* (1996), as Narrator
- *The Search for Satan* (1995), Actor
- *Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of Glory* (1994), as Narrator
- *Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976* (1994), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald* (1993), as Narrator (voice) (US version, Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?)
- *The Arming of Saudi Arabia* (1993), as Narrator
- *School Ties* (1992), as Swanson
- *Nixon* (1990), as Narrator (voice)
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Victor Conner — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Hull High* (1990), series, as John Deerborn
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Hostile Takeover* (1989), as Smolen
- *Crossbow: The Movie* (1989), as William Tell
- *Crossbow* (1987), series, as William Tell
- *Hostage in Iran* (1986), as Narrator · Executive Producer
- *Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera* (1985), as narrator (himself)
- *Three Sovereigns for Sarah* (1985), as Rev. Parris
- *Three Sovereigns for Sarah* (1985), series, as Rev. Parris
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Allan Wooster
- *The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2* (1984), as Narrator
- *The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1* (1984), as Narrator
- *Vietnam: A Television History* (1983), series, as Narrator
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Reverend Parris
- *NOVA* (1974), series, as Narrator, Narrator (voice)
- *Another World* (1964), series, Actor
- *Yemen Under Siege*, as Narrator
- *News War*, as Narrator

---
© 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/will-lyman