William Ragsdale

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For other people named William Ragsdale, see William Ragsdale (disambiguation).
William Ragsdale
Ragsdale at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2023
Born
Robert William Ragsdale

(1961-01-19) January 19, 1961 (age 63)[1]
El Dorado, Arkansas, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
Known forFright Night
Spouse
Andrea Ragsdale
​
(m. 1999)​
Children2

Robert William Ragsdale (born January 19, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for playing Charley Brewster in the cult horror-comedy film Fright Night (1985) and its sequel Fright Night Part 2 (1988), and Herman Brooks on the television series Herman's Head (1991–94).[2]

Early life and education[edit]

Ragsdale was born January 19, 1961,[3] in El Dorado, Arkansas, and attended Hendrix College, where he appeared in plays alongside Natalie Canerday.

Career[edit]

He garnered attention as the young hero of Fright Night and Fright Night Part 2 and onstage in Neil Simon's plays Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues,[4] two of the three parts of Simon's trilogy, which ends with Broadway Bound. Ragsdale featured in the romance comedy movie Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991).[5]

Ragsdale has had a sporadic career with regard to prime-time television. He featured for three years on Herman's Head. He had a brief recurring role in the television series Judging Amy. He played a television producer for Grosse Pointe, which lasted one season.

He was cast in the pilot for Charmed, but refused the series to feature in the short-lived situation comedy Brother's Keeper.[6] He appeared on Ellen as the boyfriend of Ellen Morgan (played by Ellen DeGeneres) before her character revealed her homosexuality. He has had guest roles on television, including a four-episode stint on Less than Perfect, as well as small feature movie roles.

He played the role of Gary Hawkins in 12 episodes of the television series Justified from March 2010 through March 2012, during the series' first three seasons.[7] In 2014, he played Chris Smith in the remake of the movie Left Behind.[8]

In 2017, he appeared in the role of Reverend Todd in the Off-Broadway production of Man from Nebraska at the Second Stage Theatre.[9]

In 2023, Ragsdale appeared as a vampire-hunting priest in the horror comedy Renfield, a nod to his Fright Night role.[10]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role
1979 Screams of a Winter Night Service Station Attendant
1985 Fright Night Charley Brewster
Smooth Talk Jeff
1988 Fright Night Part 2 Charley Brewster
1991 Mannequin Two: On the Move Jason Williamson / Prince William
1998 Just a Little Harmless Sex Brent
2006 Big Momma's House 2 Bob
Road House 2 Sands Cooper
The Last Time Rogers
2007 The Reaping Sheriff Cade
LA Blues Paul Cooper
2008 What Just Happened Agent #1
2009 Wonderful World Buford Parks
2012 Thunderstruck Joe Newall
2013 Broken City Mr. Davies
2014 Left Behind Chris Smith
2018 Alex Strangelove Ron Truelove
2019 When We Dance the Music Dies Tom Walton
2023 Renfield Priest

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Santa Barbara Student Episode #1.43
1989 Wally and the Valentines Wally Gillis Television film
1990 The Bobby & Larry Show Larry
1991 Frankenstein: The College Years Mark Chrisman
1991–1994 Herman's Head Herman Brooks 72 episodes
1994–1997 Ellen Dan 4 episodes
1995 Favorite Deadly Sins Todd Farrit Television film
1995 Nowhere Fast Zack
1996 Hope & Gloria Danny Saterfield 2 episodes
1996 Bunk Bed Brothers Matt Archer Television film
1997 Faster Baby, Kill Andrew Kincaid Episode: "Pilot"
1998–1999 Brother's Keeper Porter Waide 23 episodes
2000–2001 Grosse Pointe Rob Fields 17 episodes
2000–2003 Judging Amy Charles Duff 5 episodes
2003 Miss Match Russell Dixon Episode: "Pilot"
2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Dr. Anthony Parker Episode: "The 5 Wood"
2004 Less than Perfect Mitch Calgrove 4 episodes
2004 The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel B. B. Boudreaux Television film
2005 Romy and Michele: In the Beginning Kevin Television film
2005 The Bad Girl's Guide Mr. Dooley Episode: "The Guide to Baby Talk"
2005 Pizza My Heart Tommy Television film
2005 Campus Confidential Principal Glavin Television film
2006 For One Night Earl Randall Television film
2006 Still Standing Dan Goldman Episode: "Still Graduating"
2007 Crossing Jordan Bob Episode: "Shattered"
2007 The War at Home Doctor Episode: "The Graduate"
2007 The Game Rick Episode: "The Big Chill"
2007 Desperate Housewives Scott McKinney Episode: "What Would We Do Without You?"
2007 Entourage Frank Giovanello Episode: "The Day Fuckers"
2008 Without a Trace Robert Newton Episode: "Hard Reset"
2008 Medium Russell Furlong Episode: "A Cure for What Ails You"
2008 Living Proof Mark Television film
2009 Cold Case Glenn Drew '67 Episode: "The Brush Man"
2010 The Mentalist Murphy Traver Episode: "Cackle-Bladder Blood"
2010 CSI: Miami Kenneth McGuire Episode: "Manhunt"
2010–2012 Justified Gary Hawkins 13 episodes
2011 Bird Dog Deputy Russell Gitz Television film
2012 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dr. Bill Ryan Episode: "Tressed to Kill"
2012 Shake It Up Announcer Episode: "Judge It Up"
2012 Perception Dr. Julian Corvis Episode: "Lovesick"
2012 Touch Travis Cooper Episode: "The Road Not Taken"
2013 Necessary Roughness Dr. Strauss 2 episodes
2013 NCIS Brett Creevy Episode: "Oil and Water"
2014 Drop Dead Diva Alan Peterson Episode: "Desperate Housewife"
2014 Mistresses Dr. Blakeley 3 episodes
2014 White Collar Jack Conroy Episode: "All's Fair"
2015 Red Band Society Leo's Father Episode: "The Guilted Age"
2015 Criminal Minds Capt. Dale Shavers Episode: "Lockdown"
2016 Blindspot Russell Franklin Episode: "Swift Hardhearted Stone"
2016 BrainDead Hank Leafton Episode: "Playing Politics: Living Life in the Shadow of the Budget Showdown - A Critique"
2016 Search Party Chuck 3 episodes
2016 Elementary Patrick Moore Episode: "Pick Your Poison"
2017 A Very Merry Toy Store Pete Griffin Television film
2018 Madam Secretary Peter Gunderson Episode: "Mitya"
2018 The Good Fight Rodney Pebbler Episode: "Day 464"
2019 NOS4A2 Auctioneer Episode: "Gunbarrel"
2019 Instinct Lockhart Episode: "Finders Keepers"
2019 The Deuce Hoffman Episode: "This Trust Thing"
2019, 2021 Younger Jeffrey Jacobs 2 episodes
2020 Blue Bloods Lt. Dean Stafford Episode: "Vested Interests"
2020 Black-ish Dr. Chubb Episode: "Best Supporting Husband"
2021 The Blacklist Carl Conway Episode: "The Fribourg Confidence (No. 140)"
2021 Only Murders in the Building Herman Brooks Episode: "To Protect and Serve" (archival footage)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "William Ragsdale profile". hotflick.net. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  2. ^ Jicha, Tom (September 7, 1991). "Fox Network Should Hang 'Herman's Head' In Shame". Sun-Sentinel. Ft. Lauderdale. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  3. ^ Chase's Calendar of Events 2018. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield. 2017. p. 93. ISBN 9781598889253.
  4. ^ "Past Shows on the Mainstage of the National Theatre - 1950-1999". Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2006-05-28.
  5. ^ "Review: Mannequin on the Move". Variety. December 31, 1990. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  6. ^ Heckman, Don (January 19, 1999). "In 'Brother's Keeper,' ABC Has a Friday Night Oddity". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  7. ^ Bryant, Adam (May 11, 2010). "How Far Will Justified's Raylan Go to Help His Ex's New Man?". TV Guide. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Left Behind". The Times of India. Mumbai. September 29, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  9. ^ Clement, Olivia (February 15, 2017). "'Man from Nebraska' Opens at Second Stage" Playbill.
  10. ^ Squires, John (2023-04-18). "'Renfield' – Did You Spot 'Fright Night' Star William Ragsdale in Universal's Horror-Comedy?". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 2024-01-24.

External links[edit]

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