Photo: Shane Saunders / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Petersen is, for me, the definition of an actor who wins through substance rather than flash. He built himself up through Chicago stage work before sharp films like To Live and Die in L.A. and Manhunter marked him as a serious talent. Then CSI made Gil Grissom a household figure, and his calm, cerebral presence anchored that show for years. A Screen Actors Guild ensemble award in 2005 and a star on the Walk of Fame confirm the respect he commands. I admire performers whose appeal deepens with age rather than fading, and his understated gravitas is exactly the kind of craft I find myself drawn to.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- William Petersen
- Name (Japanese)
- ウィリアム・ピーターセン
- Reading
- うぃりあむ・ぴーたーせん
- Born
- February 21, 1953 (age 73)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Snake
- Origin
- Evanston, Illinois, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film producer / stage actor / film actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Bishop Kelly High School
- University
- Idaho State University
Awards & achievements
- 2005 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | — | |
| Notable work | The Staircase | — | |
| Notable work | To Live and Die in L.A. | — | |
| Notable work | Manhunter | — | |
| Notable work | Young Guns II | — | |
| Notable work | Fear | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was William Petersen born?
Born February 21, 1953 (age 73).
Where is William Petersen from?
William Petersen is from Evanston, Illinois, United States.
What does William Petersen do?
William Petersen works as film producer, stage actor, film actor, television actor, actor.
What is William Petersen known for?
Notable works include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Staircase, To Live and Die in L.A..
Film producer — see all → · Stage actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.