William B. Davis

Biography

William Bruce Davis, born on January 13, 1938, is a prominent Canadian actor, best recognized for his iconic portrayal of The Smoking Man in the cult classic series The X-Files. His extensive television career also includes notable roles such as Damaris, a Prior of the Ori in Stargate SG-1, and Mayor Tate in Smallville. More recently, he has appeared as an aging mobster in FOX's Human Target.

Davis hails from Toronto, Ontario, where he was raised by an attorney father and a psychologist mother. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto in 1959. Subsequently, he transitioned into academia as a drama professor at Bishop's University and founded the William Davis Centre for Actors Study in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition to his acting career, Davis is a former national champion water skier.

Ironically, although he is best known for his smoking character, Davis quit smoking in the 1970s. When The X-Files debuted, he was initially offered real cigarettes for his role but opted for herbal alternatives to avoid potential addiction. Beyond television, he lent his voice to Colonel Whitley, the antagonist in the video game The Thing, and had a significant role in a 2001 episode of The Outer Limits reboot.

Davis also hosts and narrates the Critical Eye series on the Science Channel and is set to co-star in The Tall Man in 2011.