William Forsythe

William Forsythe (born June 7, 1955) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of various gangsters and tough guys in films such as Raising Arizona, Gotti, Once Upon a Time in America, Stone Cold, Out For Justice, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, Dick Tracy, The Rock, American Me and The Devil's Rejects as sheriff John Quincy Wydell. He also played recurring characters in the series Boardwalk Empire, Justified, and John Doe.

Career

Forsythe started out in a couple of minor film roles and guest appearances in high-rated TV shows including CHiPs (1977), Hill Street Blues (1981) and T. J. Hooker (1982). He appeared in Once Upon a Time in America (1984), co-starred with John Goodman in Raising Arizona (1987) and as a renegade soldier in Extreme Prejudice.

Forsythe also portrayed comic book villain "Flattop" in Dick Tracy (1990), co-starred with Steven Seagal in Out for Justice (1991) and appeared with Brian Bosworth in the biker action film Stone Cold (1991). He portrayed Al Capone in the short-lived '90s revival of the classic '60s crime show, The Untouchables (1993), and also starred in The Waterdance (1992), the film noir Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), as real-life mobster Sammy Gravano, aka "The Bull", in Gotti (1996) and supporting another ex-NFL player's foray into film acting, when L.A. Raider Howie Long debuted in Firestorm (1998).

Forsythe portrayed serial killer John Wayne Gacy in Dear Mr. Gacy, a film adaptation of The Last Victim, the memoirs of Jason Moss, a college student who corresponded with Gacy his last year on death row. The film was released in 2010.