William Wisher Jr.

William Wisher Jr.
Occupation Screenwriter

William Howard Peter Wisher Jr. is an American screenwriter, known for his work with long-time friend James Cameron on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Career

Wisher has had roles behind and in front of the camera. In the first Terminator film, Wisher has a brief role as 1L19 (real name unknown), an LAPD police officer who is incapacitated into his own police cruiser by the Terminator, who then steals his vehicle and briefly assumes his identity on the police radio band. He also has a cameo appearance in Terminator 2: Judgment Day; here he plays a man shopping with his girlfriend and takes pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 Terminator getting back on his feet after being thrown through a store window. He also plays news reporter Bill Tyler in Cameron's 1989 film The Abyss.

Wisher's other screenwriting work includes Judge Dredd, The 13th Warrior and both versions of The Exorcist prequel. He is an uncredited script doctor on two films in the Die Hard series, 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance and 2007's Live Free or Die Hard (on which he also served as executive producer).

Filmography

Year Title Credit Other notes
1984 The Terminator Additional Dialogue also co-wrote the novelization ( ISBN 0-553-25317-4)
1989 Desperado: The Outlaw Wars Teleplay
1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Written by Co-Wrote screenplay with James Cameron
1995 Judge Dredd Story, Screenplay Co-wrote Story with Michael De Luca, Co-wrote Screenplay with Steven E. de Souza
1999 The 13th Warrior Screenplay Co-wrote screenplay with Warren Lewis
2004 Exorcist: The Beginning Story Co-wrote Story with Caleb Carr
2005 Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist Written by Co-written with Caleb Carr
2007 Live Free or Die Hard Executive Producer
2016 I.T. Screenplay, Executive Producer Co-wrote screenplay with Dan Kay
TBA The Englishman Screenplay by based on the 1997 novel "Once a Pilgrim: The True Story of One Man’s Courage Under Rebel Fire" by Will Scully
Come Hell or High Water Written by

Uncredited revisions

Unmade projects

Acting credits

Year Film Role Notes
1977 The Reunion Unspecified Role
1978 Xenogenesis Raj
1984 The Terminator 1L19 (police officer) Cameo Appearance
1988 Martini Ranch: Reach Music video
1989 The Abyss Bill Tyler
1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Tourist/Photographer in Galleria Mall Cameo Appearance