Skip to content
MovieCove
William Finley

William Finley

Actor · Died April 14, 2012, aged 69 · Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

William Finley (September 20, 1940 – April 14, 2012) was an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, and The Wedding Party. He had a long-running friendship and collaboration with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films Woton's Wake (1962) and Murder à la Mod (1968). Most recently, he contributed a small but effective cameo in De Palma's 2006 release The Black Dahlia. Under the name W. Franklin Finley, he wrote the screenplay for the 1983 film The First Time. He was also the co-author of the 1985 book Racewalking. Finley graduated from Columbia University in 1963. He resided in New York City with his wife and son.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 20, 1942
Died
April 14, 2012 (aged 69)
From
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 24 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 17% in 30 days

What are William Finley's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
26%
Self
18%
Morality
17%
Bonds
14%
Power
13%
Ideas
10%
Society
3%
Identity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 3 · Wry 1 · Earnest 6

Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 2 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Trickster
2 of 6
Mentor
2 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Absurd
6
Dread
5
Thrilling
3
Melancholic
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch William Finley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Finley's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

24 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • De Palma(2015)

    as Winslow

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Weird World Of Weird: Volume 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Woton’s Wake

  • The Black Dahlia(2006)

    as George Tilden

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Sick Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Husband

  • Brian De Palma : Les Années 60 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Night Terrors(1993)

    as Dr. Matteson

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Double Negative (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Milt

  • The First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Screenplay

  • Silent Rage(1982)

    as Dr. Paul Vaughn

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Funhouse(1981)

    as Marco the Magnificent

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Dressed to Kill(1980)

    as Bobbi (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Simon(1980)

    as Fichandler

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Wise Blood(1979)

    as Man (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Fury(1978)

    as Raymond Dunwoodie

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Eaten Alive(1976)

    as Roy

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Elvin McCabe

  • Last Hours Before Morning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Elmo

  • Phantom of the Paradise(1974)

    as Winslow Leach / The Phantom

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sisters(1972)

    as Emil Breton

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Wedding Party(1969)

    as Alistair

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Murder à la Mod(1968)

    as Otto

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Woton's Wake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Woton

  • Meatcleaver Sharkfuck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Robert Johnson

  • Zelenka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Zelenka

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 23 titles, 21 of them dated from 1963 to 2011; peak year 1973.

Biggest box office

Silent Rage (1982)

$10M worldwide

Highest rated

De Palma (2015)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Film career

19632011

Peak 1973 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting22 of 23: 22 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score38thWriting1 of 23: 1 only writing, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s3 · acting1970s7 · acting1980s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew1990s1 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 9% of 11 roles
6878

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do William Finley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 14 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Night Terrors (1993)

67th percentile spread · 68% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

De Palma (2015)

Midcredits 92nd · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is William Finley's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles66–88 · median 80 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles22–59 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles33–59 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles41–60 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles57–88 · median 78 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does William Finley work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Finley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Brian De Palma shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers