Bill began his career as an actor in the 1960s, first appearing on screen as
Frank Sinatra's ingenuous younger brother in
Come Blow Your Horn (1963). The same year, he appeared in
Soldier in the Rain starring
Jackie Gleason and
Steve McQueen. Thereafter, he was cast as Chris Herrod in the 1965 episode "An Elephant Is Like a Tree" of the drama series
Mr. Novak. Bill specialized in juveniles and young leads. In the mid-1960s, he made two appearances in the BBC's
Play of the Month anthology series, he took the lead in
Lee Oswald Assassin and played Biff to
Rod Steiger's Willy Loman in
Death of a Salesman (both 1966). Often his characters were likeable but none too bright. Other acting credits include
Marriage on the Rocks (1965),
None but the Brave (1965), ''
You're a Big Boy Now (1966), Never a Dull Moment (1968), How to Steal the World (1968), Ice Station Zebra (1968), Castle Keep (1969), Flap (1970), Shampoo (1975), Are You in the House Alone? (1978), Heart Beat (1980), The Little Dragons (1980), Freedom (1981), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), Less than Zero (1987), and The Killing Mind'' (1991). Bill continued to act in television movies, miniseries, and guest spots, though with decreasing frequency as he segued into directing. In 1965, Bill guest-starred in "An Echo of Bugles," the opening episode of
Rod Serling's Western series
The Loner, playing a hot-headed bully who taunts a Confederate veteran and challenges series star Lloyd Bridges to a duel. He appeared in the 1966 episode "Chaff in the Wind" of the western
The Virginian and the 1966 episode "The Oath" of the western
Bonanza. He was cast in the 1967 episode "The Predators" of
The Road West. He also starred in a 1968 episode of
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. titled "The Seven Wonders of the World Affair, Parts 1 and 2." He was featured on an ABC movie titled
Haunts of the Very Rich (1972), appeared in the 1977 miniseries
Washington: Behind Closed Doors, and the drama anthology series as the narrator ''
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?''. In 1980, Bill directed his first film
My Bodyguard. He went on to direct
Six Weeks (1982),
Five Corners (1987),
Crazy People (1990),
A Home of Our Own (1993),
Untamed Heart (1993), and
Flyboys (2006), which Bill claims was one of the early features shot entirely with digital cameras. For television, Bill directed Truman Capote's
One Christmas (1994),
Harlan County War (2000), and
Pictures of Hollis Woods (2007). In 2009, Bill published the book
Movie Speak: How to Talk Like You Belong on a Film Set. The book traces the etymology of the language of the movie set and is filled out with stories from Bill's career in film. From 1984 to 2000, he co-owned with
Dudley Moore the
72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill, a restaurant in Venice, California. == Personal life ==