A lover of music and scenic arts since his childhood, Bill Thornbury
graduated from the California State University at Fresno with a
teaching degree in music and nowadays teaches in Northern California.
His sporadic and short cinematic career started at the age of 22,
playing a small role in an independent film called
Summer School Teachers (1975)
and directed by the controversial
Barbara Peeters. In the
following years, he appeared in a couple of productions made for TV:
the drama movie
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975)
and an episode for
The Rockford Files (1974).
In these early period, and in the upcoming years, he was also featured
in many national television commercials, including "Honda Motorcycles",
"Chrysler/Plymouth", and "Coca-Cola".
Anyway, his breakthrough came in 1978, being 26 years old, when he
portrayed the character he will always be identified with: Jody
Pearson, elder brother of Mike, the young protagonist of
Phantasm (1979). During a long
production that lasted over two years, he set a strong friendship with
director
Don Coscarelli and fellow actors
A. Michael Baldwin,
Reggie Bannister and
Angus Scrimm that still lasts today.
Together, they are the key center of what fans call "The Phantasm
Phamily". Due to his skills as a musician, guitar player, and singer,
he was given the chance to perform on-screen a theme composed by
himself: the country ballade "Sittin' Here at Midnight". The scene
where he plays the song with
Reggie Bannister became one of the most
unforgettable moments of the saga, and the song itself is today a
collector's item for followers worldwide.
During the eighties, Bill started to focus more and more on his musical
career, leaving acting aside. Nevertheless, he was casted on a couple
of episodes in a brief soap opera called
Secrets of Midland Heights (1980)
and had a small role in
The Lost Empire (1984). After
that, he practically retired from acting to turn his talents into music
and teaching.
Due to his friendship with
Don Coscarelli, he returned to the world
of Phantasm and delighted many fans reprising his role of Jody in
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)
and in
Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998).
It seems he will only come out of retirement to play this character,
forever associated with him.
Bill, today a professional singer/songwriter, has been a staff
songwriter for 20th Century-Fox in Los Angeles, and MTM Records in
Nashville. In addition to recording albums, Mr. Thornbury also performs
with the critically acclaimed band The Sons of the San Joaquin.
Bill resides in Northern California with his wife Sharon, his son Ben,
as well as a great variety of adorable pets.
A Blind Bargain(2025)as Jody
Phantasm: Ravager(2016)as Jody
Phantasm: Deleted Scenes(1999)as Jody
Phantasm IV: Oblivion(1998)as Jody
Phantasmagoria(2005)
Phantasm(1979)
Shoplifting - The Losing Game(1974)
Women of Phantasm: The Documentary with Balls!(2022)as Self
It's Never Over: The Making of Phantasm III - Lord of the Dead(2017)as Self
Phantasm II(1988)as Jody