Bill Pullman
He brought a grounded, everyman decency to roles ranging from a besieged president to a lovelorn radio host, becoming an unlikely action hero.
Born 1953 (age 73)·American actor·Birthday: December 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bill Pullman took a winding road to Hollywood, first teaching theater in Montana before his sharp, watchful presence landed him on stage and screen. He never fit the mold of a traditional leading man, which became his greatest asset. Pullman mastered the art of playing ordinary men thrust into extraordinary circumstances, whether as the nervy abductee in 'Lost Highway' or the resolute President Whitmore rallying the world in 'Independence Day.' His career is a study in versatility, shifting seamlessly from romantic comedies like 'While You Were Sleeping' to dark indie dramas, always bringing a specific, intelligent vulnerability that made his characters feel authentically human.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bill was born in 1953, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1953
#1 Movie
Peter Pan
Best Picture
From Here to Eternity
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1953Born
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1958Started school
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1966Became a teenager
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Could drive
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1971Could vote
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Turned 21
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1983Turned 30
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 40
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 50
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 60
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 70
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 73 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as President Thomas J. Whitmore in the blockbuster film 'Independence Day,' a defining role of 1990s cinema.
- Delivered a critically praised performance as the troubled Fred Madison in David Lynch's psychological thriller 'Lost Highway.'
- Originated the role of the charismatic but dangerous dentist in Edward Albee's Pulitzer-finalist play 'The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?' on Broadway.
- Served as President of the Actors' Equity Association from 2002 to 2005, advocating for performers' rights.
Did You Know?
He owned and operated a cattle ranch in Montana with his family for years.
Pullman has a Master of Fine Arts degree and was a theater professor before acting professionally.
He performed his own stunts, including the famous punch, in the film 'Ruthless People.'
“The thing about being an actor is you're always looking for the next good part, the next challenge.”
