Marvelously quirky, distinctive and versatile character actor William
Franklin Finley was born on September 20, 1940 in New York City. Finley
attended Columbia University, where he first met future filmmaker
Brian De Palma. The lanky 6'4" Finley
first began acting on the New York stage. He made his film debut in De
Palma's odd short movie Woton's Wake. Finley went on to play a
deliciously rich and colorful array of strikingly idiosyncratic parts
for De Palma: a slow-witted stage hand in Murder a la Mod (1968), the
disapproving friend of a guy who was about to be married in
The Wedding Party (1969), the
wicked titular villain in
Dionysus in '69 (1970); splendid as Margot
Kidder's freaky psychiatrist husband in
Sisters (1972); excellent and engaging in
a rare substantial lead as the meek and nerdy struggling songwriter
Winslow Leach in the delightfully outrageous
Phantom of the Paradise (1974),
and a seedy psychic in
The Fury (1978).
Finley tackled a couple of equally memorable off-center roles in a pair
of superior
Tobe Hooper fright features: he
was Marilyn Burns' deranged husband in
Eaten Alive (1976) and a pathetic
drunken carnival magician in
The Funhouse (1981). Finley was once
again fine as a geeky scientist in the exciting Chuck Norris
horror/action hybrid
Silent Rage (1982). In addition to
acting, Finley composed the theme song for Murder a la Mod and co-wrote
the script for the offbeat teen coming-of-age comedy The First Time
(1983). Finley had a small, yet chilling part as a creepy private
investigator in the disappointing
The Black Dahlia (2006). William
Finley died at age 71 on April 14, 2012; he was survived by his wife
Susan and son Dashiell.
The First Time(1981)
The Black Dahlia(2006)as George Tilden
Masters of Horror(2005)as Husband
Sabrina the Teenage Witch(1996)as Werewolf
Tales from the Crypt(1989)as Dr. Nevel
Night Terrors(1993)as Dr. Matteson
Phantom of the Paradise(1974)
Murder à la Mod(1968)
Paradise Regained: Brian de Palma's 'Phantom of the Paradise'(2006)as Self
Sisters, l'autopsie(2004)as Self
Welcome to the Basement(2012)as Winslow, The Phantom
De Palma(2015)as Winslow, The Phantom
The Gator Creator with Tobe Hooper(2007)as Roy
5ive Minutes with Marilyn(2007)as Roy
Terror in the Aisles(1984)as The Phantom
