A blond lead and supporting player of stage, screen and TV, Katt came to prominence in director Brian De Palma's modern horror classic, "Carrie" (1976), portraying a handsome athlete who pays a heavy price when he escorts the title character to the prom. He went on to appear in such films as the surfer feature "Big Wednesday" (1978), the Western prequel "Butch and Sundance: The Early Years" (1979) and the horror film "House" (1986). Much of Katt's subsequent feature work has been released direct to video.On the small screen, Katt made his debut as star of the fantasy series "The Greatest American Hero" (ABC, 1981-83), playing a mild-mannered school teacher who is endowed with super human powers when he dons a special costume. He received kudos for his sensitive portrayal of a retarded young man in the TV-movie "The Rainmaker" (1982) before co-starring with his mother, Barbara Hale, in a series of Perry Mason TV-movies beginning with "Perry Mason Returns" (1985) and seven follow-ups in which he played Paul Drake, Jr., offspring of Perry's personal private investigator (William Hopper).
Profession(s):
Actor, director, singer, musician
Sometimes Credited As:
Bill Katt
William Theodore Katt Jr
Family
father:Bill Williams
mother:Barbara Hale (best-known as Della Street on "Perry Mason")
son:Emerson Hunter Katt (born on April 5, 1985)
son:Clayton Alexander Katt (born on January 27, 1980)
wife:Deborah Kahane (married on July 2, 1979)
Companion(s)
Amy Irving
, Companion
, ```..dated before filming of "Carrie"
Education
Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, California music
Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Workshop Los Angeles, California
1999 Feature directorial debut, "The Clean and Narrow"; also co-wrote script
1991 Had featured role on the short-lived series "Good Sports" (CBS)
1989 Star of short-lived TV series, "Top of the Hill"
1986 Regular role in a series, "Our House"
1985 Co-starred with his mother Barbara Hale in a series of Perry Mason reunion TV-movies beginning with "Perry Mason Returns"
1982 TV-movie debut, "The Rainmaker"
1981 - 1983 TV debut as star of fantasy series, "The Greatest American Hero"
1978 First starring role in a feature, "Big Wednesday"
1976 Breakout role in a feature, "Carrie"
1971 Feature debut, "The Late Liz"
Grew up in Southern California
Stage acting debut at the South Coast Repertory Theater in "We Bombed in New Haven"
Did six year stint in the US Air National Guard
Had recurring role on "Models Inc." (Fox)
