Bill Paxton

For the founder of Adobe Systems, see Bill Paxton (computer scientist).
Not to be confused with Bill Pullman.
American actor, director and film producerTemplate:SHORTDESC:American actor, director and film producer[[Category:**Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Pagetype/config' not found.**s with short description]]

Template:Use mdy dates

* Actor
* film director

**William Paxton** (May 17, 1955 – February 25, 2017) was an American actor and director. He appeared in films such as *The Terminator* (1984), *Commando* (1985), *Weird Science* (1985), *Aliens* (1986), *Near Dark* (1987), *Predator 2* (1990), *Tombstone* (1993), *True Lies* (1994), *Apollo 13* (1995), *Twister* (1996), *Titanic* (1997), *Mighty Joe Young* (1998), *U-571* (2000), *Vertical Limit* (2000), *Frailty* (2001), *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014), and *Nightcrawler* (2014). He also starred in the HBO drama series *Big Love* (2006–2011), earning three Golden Globe Award nominations during the show's run. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for portraying Randall McCoy in the History channel miniseries *Hatfields & McCoys* (2012). His final film appearance was in *The Circle* (2017), released two months after his death.

## Early life

 File:JFK-Special 612x380 0.jpg
Paxton was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of Mary Lou (*née* Gray) and John Lane Paxton. His father was a businessman, lumber wholesaler, museum executive and, later, during his son's career, an occasional actor, most notably appearing in Sam Raimi's *Spider-Man* films. Paxton's great-great-grandfather was Elisha Franklin Paxton, a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War, who was killed commanding the legendary Stonewall Brigade at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Bill's mother was Roman Catholic and he and his siblings were raised in her faith. Paxton was in the crowd when President John F. Kennedy emerged from the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, Texas on the morning of his assassination on November 22, 1963. Photographs of an eight-year-old Paxton being lifted above the crowd are on display at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas. He later co-produced the film *Parkland*, about the assassination. Paxton is distantly related to actress Sara Paxton and great nephew of Mary Paxton Keeley, prominent journalist and close friend of Bess Wallace Truman.

On the Marc Maron podcast, Paxton revealed that at the age of 13 he contracted rheumatic fever, which had damaged his heart. During his teens, Paxton worked as a paper delivery boy with Mike Muir.

## Career

 File:BillPaxtonDIFFApr10.jpg
Among Paxton's earliest roles were a minor role as a punk in *The Terminator* (1984), a minor role as a bartender in *Streets of Fire*, a supporting role as the lead protagonist's bullying older brother Chet Donnelly in John Hughes's *Weird Science* (1985), and Private W. Hudson in *Aliens* (1986).

He directed several short films, including the music video for Barnes & Barnes's novelty song "Fish Heads," which aired during *Saturday Night Live'*s low-rated 1980–81 season and was in heavy rotation during the early days of Canadian music channel MuchMusic. He was cast in a music video for the 1982 Pat Benatar song "Shadows of the Night" in which he appeared as a Nazi radio officer.

### Music career

*Main article: Martini Ranch*
In 1982, Paxton and his friend, Andrew Todd Rosenthal, formed a new wave musical band called Martini Ranch. The band released its only full-length album, *Holy Cow*, in 1988 on Sire Records. The album was produced by Devo member Bob Casale, and featured guest appearances by two other members of that band. The music video for the band's single "Reach" was directed by James Cameron.

### 1980s

Paxton worked with Cameron on *The Terminator* (1984) and then reunited with him on *Aliens* (1986). His performance in the latter film as Private Hudson earned him the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.

### 1990s

He and Cameron collaborated again on *True Lies* (1994) and *Titanic* (1997), the latter of which was the highest-grossing film of all time at its release. In his other roles, Paxton played Morgan Earp in *Tombstone* (1993), Fred Haise in *Apollo 13* (1995), Bill Harding in *Twister* (1996), and lead roles in dark dramas such as *One False Move* (1992) and *A Simple Plan* (1998). In 1990, he co-starred with Charlie Sheen and Michael Biehn in *Navy Seals*.

### 2000s–2010s

Paxton directed the feature films *Frailty* (2001), in which he also starred, and *The Greatest Game Ever Played* (2005). Four years after appearing in *Titanic*, he joined Cameron on an expedition to the actual Titanic. A film about this trip, *Ghosts of the Abyss* was released in 2003. He also appeared in the music video for Limp Bizkit's 2003 song "Eat You Alive" as a sheriff.

His highest profile television performances received much positive attention, including his lead role in HBO's *Big Love* (2006–2011), for which Paxton received three Golden Globe Award nominations. Paxton also received good reviews for his performance in the History Channel's miniseries *Hatfields & McCoys* (2012), for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award alongside co-star, Kevin Costner.

In 2014, he played the role of the villainous John Garrett in *Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.*, and a supporting role in *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014). He starred alongside Jon Bernthal, Rose McGowan and John Malkovich as a playable character in the 2014 video game *Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare* (downloadable "Exo Zombies" mode). In February 2016, Paxton was cast as Detective Frank Rourke for *Training Day*, a crime-thriller television series set 15 years after the events of the eponymous 2001 movie; it premiered a year later.

## Personal life

Paxton was married to Kelly Rowan from 1979 to 1980. In 1987 he married Louise Newbury and they had two children: James and Lydia.

## Death

In February 2017, Paxton stated in an interview with Marc Maron that he had a damaged heart valve, which resulted from rheumatic fever in his youth. Paxton underwent open heart surgery to repair the damaged heart valve and his aorta on February 14, 2017. Eleven days later, on February 25, 2017, at age 61, Paxton died of a stroke.

He was cremated, and is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park of Hollywood Hills.

### Tributes

Upon learning of his death, a number of storm chasers paid tribute to his *Twister* role by spelling out his initials via the Spotter Network.

Book authors also paid tribute, such as Dennis E. Taylor (Bobiverse Series; Book 3 - "For Bill Paxton, who brought a little more humanity to some great SF movies.")

### Film dedications

The film *Call Me by Your Name*, released in November 2017, is dedicated to Paxton's memory. Peter Spears, producer of the film, explained that this was because his husband, Brian Swardstorm, who was also Paxton's best friend and agent, visited the set with Paxton during filming and befriended the film's director, Luca Guadagnino, who ultimately decided to dedicate the movie "in loving memory of Bill Paxton." Close friend and frequent collaborator James Cameron wrote a tribute to Paxton in an article for *Vanity Fair* detailing their 36-year friendship and expressing remorse over the projects they wouldn't be able to make together. Numerous other filmmakers and actors also paid tribute, including Rob Lowe, Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Jordan Peele, William Shatner, Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as his years-long *Big Love* co-stars Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin. Sevigny remembered Paxton as:

> One of the less cynical, jaded people I've ever met in the business.... He believed in entertainment being transportive and transformative. He believed in the magic of what we can bring to people. That was really a gift that he gave to me.
>
>

 The 2019 John Travolta film, *The Fanatic*, was dedicated to Paxton.

## References

1. ↑ "Bill Paxton". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/bill-paxton. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
2. ↑ "Bill Paxton". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. http://www.emmys.com/bios/bill-paxton. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
3. ↑ "The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild. http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/19th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
4. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (April 27, 2017). "Tribeca: 'The Circle' Team on Bill Paxton, Real-Life Inspirations for Tech Thriller". *The Hollywood Reporter*. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/circle-team-bill-paxton-talks-real-life-inspirations-tech-thriller-tribeca-film-festival-2017-9. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
5. ↑ "John Paxton Profile". imdb.com. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668123/. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
6. ↑ Spitznagel, Eric (January 8, 2010). "Bill Paxton Can Defend Polygamy, But He Can't Defend Sarah Palin". http://www.ericspitznagel.com/awkward-question-time/bill-paxton. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
7. ↑ Wilonsky, Robert (March 28, 2007). "The Day Bill Paxton Saw John F. Kennedy". Dallas Observer Blogs. http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2007/03/the\_day\_bill\_paxton\_saw\_john\_f.php. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
8. ↑ DiBlasi, Loren (May 25, 2012). "Live With Kelly: Bill Paxton 'Hatfields & McCoys' Interview". *Recapo*. http://www.recapo.com/live-with-kelly-ripa/live-with-kelly-interviews/live-with-kelly-bill-paxton-hatfields-mccoys-interview. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
9. ↑ "Suicidal Tendencies' Mike Muir Mourns Death of Bill Paxton". http://loudwire.com/suicidal-tendencies-mike-muir-mourns-death-bill-paxton/.
10. ↑ Pearis, Bill. "Bill Paxton, RIP". http://www.brooklynvegan.com/bill-paxton-rip/. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
11. ↑ "Holy Cow – Martini Ranch | Credits | AllMusic". http://www.allmusic.com/album/holy-cow-mw0000195274/credits. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
12. ↑ Peters, Mitchell. "Remembering Bill Paxton's 1980s New Wave Band Martini Ranch". http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7702133/remembering-bill-paxton-1980s-new-wave-band-martini-ranch. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
13. ↑ Macdonald, Susan (February 26, 2017). "Bill Paxton, Saturn-Award Winning Actor, Dead at 61". http://kryptonradio.com/2017/02/26/bill-paxton-saturn-award-winning-actor-dead-at-61/. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 14.31 14.32 14.33 14.34 14.35 14.36 14.37 14.38 14.39 14.40 14.41 14.42 14.43 14.44 14.45 14.46 14.47 14.48 14.49 14.50 14.51 14.52 14.53 14.54 14.55 14.56 14.57 14.58 14.59 14.60 14.61 14.62 14.63 "Filmography for Bill Paxton". http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/149065%7C0/Bill-Paxton/filmography.html.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Zadzooks: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Havoc – Exo Zombies review". http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/31/zadzooks-cod-advanced-warfare-havoc-exo-zombies/. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
16. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 26, 2016). "Bill Paxton To Star In 'Training Day' Pilot" (in en-US).
17. ↑ "Bill Paxton, Star of 'Big Love' and Action Blockbusters, Dies at 61", *The New York Times* (February 26, 2017). Retrieved on February 26, 2017.
18. ↑ "Bill Paxton's Secret Health Battle — What Was Wrong with His Heart?". http://extratv.com/2017/03/02/bill-paxtons-secret-health-battle-what-was-wrong-with-his-heart/.
19. ↑ Bill Paxton Died Of Stroke Following Surgery – Update March 6, 2017.
20. ↑ Strickland, Ashley (March 7, 2017). "Bill Paxton's death caused by stroke after surgery". *CNN*. https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/06/health/bill-paxton-death-stroke/index.html. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
21. ↑ "Actor Bill Paxton Dead at 61 Due to Complications from Surgery". https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/actor-bill-paxton-dead-61-due-complications-surgery-n725776. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
22. ↑ Gilbey, Ryan (February 27, 2017). "Bill Paxton obituary".
23. ↑ Ross, Martha (March 7, 2017). "Bill Paxton's death related to heart defect and possibly to childhood illness". *The Mercury News*. https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/07/bill-paxtons-death-related-to-heart-disease-childhood-illness/. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
24. ↑ "Cause of death revealed for Bill Paxton" (in en), *WBAL* (March 6, 2017).
25. ↑ Meteorologist, Brandon Miller, CNN. "Storm chasers pay tribute to Bill Paxton". http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/27/us/bill-paxton-storm-chaser-tribute/index.html.
26. ↑ Kelly, Emma. "Call Me By Your Name is one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, with critics hailing it as a modern gay classic.". http://metro.co.uk/2017/10/24/call-me-by-your-name-producer-gives-beautiful-reason-why-the-film-is-dedicated-to-bill-paxton-7023634/.
27. ↑ Cameron, James. "James Cameron Remembers Bill Paxton: "The World Is a Lesser Place For His Passing". VF. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/james-cameron-bill-paxton. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
28. ↑ "Rob Lowe Pays Tribute to Bill Paxton in Emotional Essay" (in en-US), *E! Online* (February 28, 2017).
29. ↑ Evans, Greg (February 26, 2017). "Hollywood Mourns Bill Paxton: "A Wonderful Man", Says Tom Hanks". http://deadline.com/2017/02/hollywood-reaction-bill-paxton-tom-hanks-1202000357/. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 Nolfi, Joey (February 14, 2017). "Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, more stars pay tribute to Bill Paxton". *Entertainment Weekly*. http://ew.com/movies/2017/02/26/bill-paxton-dead-celebrities-react/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
31. ↑ Bacle, Ariana. "True Lies stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis remember Bill Paxton". EW. http://ew.com/movies/2017/02/26/bill-paxton-dead-true-lies-costars-tribute/. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
32. ↑ "Game Over, Man: 'Aliens' Cast Remembers the 'Irreplaceable' Bill Paxton on Alien Day" (April 26, 2017). Retrieved on May 6, 2018.
33. ↑ Franich, Darren (March 1, 2017). "Chloë Sevigny remembers Big Love costar Bill Paxton". *Entertainment Weekly*. http://ew.com/tv/2017/03/01/chloe-sevigny-bill-paxton-big-love-tribute/. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
34. ↑ Saperstein, Pat; Lang, Brent (February 26, 2017). "Bill Paxton, 'Titanic' and 'Big Love' Star, Dies at 61". https://variety.com/2017/film/news/bill-paxton-dead-dies-1201996712/.
35. ↑ Lin, Kristian (September 28, 2011). ""Taking Tiger Mountain" in Dallas". https://www.fwweekly.com/2011/09/28/taking-tiger-mountain-in-dallas/.
36. ↑ "*Resistance* (cast & crew)". *AllMovie*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v360827/cast-crew. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
37. ↑ "Plots and Personalities Collide on a Tropical Island". *The New York Times*. September 15, 2006. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/movies/15have.html.
38. ↑ "*Magnificent Desolation* (cast & crew)". *AllMovie*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v318411/cast-crew. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
39. ↑ Lee, Maggie. "Shanghai Calling", *Variety*.
40. ↑ "Bill Paxton – 1 Character Image". https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Bill-Paxton/.
41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 Campbell, Tina (February 26, 2017). "Aliens actor Bill Paxton dead at 61 from heart failure". http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/aliens-actor-bill-paxton-dead-61-heart-failure-1608649.
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 "Bill Paxton Biography". FilmReference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/82/Bill-Paxton.html. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Mccann, Erin (February 26, 2017). "Bill Paxton, Star of 'Big Love' and Action Blockbusters, Dies at 61".
44. ↑ "Muere el actor Bill Paxton tras ser operado del corazón". Univision. http://www.univision.com/entretenimiento/muere-el-actor-bill-paxton-tras-ser-operado-del-corazon.
45. ↑ "Cynthia Addai-Robinson Lands Lead In History's Texas Rangers Miniseries". March 18, 2014. http://www.deadline.com/2014/03/cynthia-addai-robinson-lead-history-texas-rangers-miniseries-2/. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
46. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley. "Bill Paxton, Brendan Fraser Among History's All-Star 'Texas Rising' Cast". *The Hollywood Reporter*. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bill-paxton-brendan-fraser-historys-687998. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
47. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (April 22, 2015). "GTA Drama Casts Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Paxton". gamespot.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. https://www.webcitation.org/6Xzwxf5kh?url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-drama-casts-daniel-radcliffe-and-bill-paxton/1100-6426802/. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
48. ↑ Adams, Sam (February 26, 2017). "Aliens, Big Love Actor Bill Paxton Is Dead at 61". http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/02/26/bill\_paxton\_the\_star\_of\_aliens\_big\_love\_and\_titanic\_reported\_dead\_at\_61.html.
49. ↑ Template:Cite book
50. ↑ "Saturn Awards". http://www.saturnawards.org/saturn\_awards\_past.html.
51. ↑ "The TV Column: [Final Edition]", *The Washington Post* (November 4, 1994), p. F06.
52. ↑ Template:Cite book
53. ↑ "The 4th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards — Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards.org. http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/4th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards.
54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 "Bill Paxton". GoldenGlobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/bill-paxton. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
55. ↑ "Saturn Awards Nominations". http://www.saturnawards.org/san.html.
56. ↑ "11th Satellite Awards — FilmAffinity". https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/awards.php?award\_id=satellite&year=2006.
57. ↑ "12th Satellite Awards — FilmAffinity". https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/awards.php?award\_id=satellite&year=2007.
58. ↑ "2009 — Categories — International Press Academy". http://www.pressacademy.com/award\_cat/2009/.
59. ↑ "Nominations Search". Emmys.com. http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominations/award-search?search\_api\_views\_fulltext=&field\_celebrity\_details\_field\_display\_name=bill%20Paxton&field\_show\_details\_field\_nominee\_show\_nr\_title=&field\_show\_details\_field\_network=All&field\_show\_details\_field\_production\_company=All&field\_nominations\_year=1949-01-01%2000:00:00&field\_nominations\_year\_1=2017-01-01%2000:00:00&field\_award\_category=All&submit=Search.
60. ↑ "Nominations Announced for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® — Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards.org. http://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/press-releases/nominations-announced-19th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards%C2%AE.

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