Bill Smitrovich

Stanley William Zmitrowicz Jr., known professionally as Bill Smitrovich, was born on May 16, 1947, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The son of Anna (née Wojna) and Stanley William Zmitrowicz, a tool and die maker, Smitrovich is of Polish descent. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Bridgeport in 1972 and an MFA from Smith College in 1976. He is married to Shaw Purnell of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the couple has two children: a son, Alexander John, and a daughter, Maya Christina.

Smitrovich made his Broadway appearance in 1980 in The American Clock. His stage work preceded a lengthy career in film and television that would span several decades and encompass a wide range of genres and roles.

On television, Smitrovich first gained significant attention playing Det. Sgt. Danny Krychek in the 1980s series Crime Story. He subsequently starred in the drama Life Goes On from 1989 to 1993. His television work also includes serving as lead guest star in the pilot film of Miami Vice, appearing in the final episode of NYPD Blue, and playing Seattle police lieutenant Bob Bletcher in the 1996 series Millennium. He portrayed Inspector Cramer on the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Walsh on The Practice, and recurring character Chief Alex Olcyk on Without a Trace. In 2010, he took on the role of Vice President Raymond Jarvis in the NBC series The Event. Additional television credits include guest appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 24, Numb3rs, Touched by an Angel, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Criminal Minds, Castle, and the Dynasty reboot, as well as a role in the final episode of NYPD Blue. He played Alexander Haig in the 2003 biographical miniseries The Reagans, and also appeared in the television films Futuresport (1998) and The '60s (1999).

Smitrovich's film career includes the Stephen King adaptation Silver Bullet (1985), Renegades (1989), Independence Day (1996), The Trigger Effect (1996), Air Force One (1997), Thirteen Days (2000), Fail Safe (2000), Gridiron Gang (2006), Eagle Eye (2008), and the Marvel Comics film Iron Man (2008). He appeared alongside Johnny Depp in The Rum Diary as Mr. Zimburger, and played CIA head Hanley in Pierce Brosnan's The November Man. He has also appeared in The Henry Lee Project alongside Danny Glover.