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Where There’s Smoke
While the name William B. Davis may not be a household name, Davis certainly has a face that is instantly recognizable to millions of people worldwide as the Cigarette Smoking Man or "Cancerman" in the hit television series The X-Files. His legions of fans worldwide continue to enjoy his guest appearances on shows such as Human Target, Capricia, and Supernatural.
In his revealing memoir, WHERE THERE'S SMOKE: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man (December 2001, ECW), David details his life events leading up to his late in life success on THE X-Files and recounts how his character evolved over the course of the series of the show. He also provides plenty of humorous anecdotes and insider stories from the set, and dishes candidly about the show's famous co-stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
WHERE'S THERE IS SMOKE is an intriguing read that reveals how one of television's most enigmatic and iconic villains came to be. Davis's story begins with his childhood acting experiences and how they prepared him for a life of acting and directing which would eventually encompass productions with the CBC radio, theatre, and film. Davis began his career in entertainment studying at The University of Toronto, where Davis once debated a young Stephen Lewis-an experience that he admits helped his portrayal of the Cigarette Smoking Man. Davis then turned his career to directing, a move that took him to theatre school in Britain and a West End Directing Career.
Along with his undergraduate colleague, movie and television star Donald Sutherland, Davis had the opportunity to work with numerous acting legends at the National Theatre in London including:
. Sir Laurence Olivier
. Dame Maggie Smith
. Seven-time Academy-Award nominee Albert Finney.
Davis was also the artistic director of the English Acting Program at Canada's famed National Theatre School and later founded the William David Foundation for Actor's Study in Vancouver. Davis has also appeared in films opposite stars such as Penelope Ann Miller, Martin Sheen, Margot Kidder, and Brian Dennehy.
In his revealing memoir, WHERE THERE'S SMOKE: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man (December 2001, ECW), David details his life events leading up to his late in life success on THE X-Files and recounts how his character evolved over the course of the series of the show. He also provides plenty of humorous anecdotes and insider stories from the set, and dishes candidly about the show's famous co-stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
WHERE'S THERE IS SMOKE is an intriguing read that reveals how one of television's most enigmatic and iconic villains came to be. Davis's story begins with his childhood acting experiences and how they prepared him for a life of acting and directing which would eventually encompass productions with the CBC radio, theatre, and film. Davis began his career in entertainment studying at The University of Toronto, where Davis once debated a young Stephen Lewis-an experience that he admits helped his portrayal of the Cigarette Smoking Man. Davis then turned his career to directing, a move that took him to theatre school in Britain and a West End Directing Career.
Along with his undergraduate colleague, movie and television star Donald Sutherland, Davis had the opportunity to work with numerous acting legends at the National Theatre in London including:
. Sir Laurence Olivier
. Dame Maggie Smith
. Seven-time Academy-Award nominee Albert Finney.
Davis was also the artistic director of the English Acting Program at Canada's famed National Theatre School and later founded the William David Foundation for Actor's Study in Vancouver. Davis has also appeared in films opposite stars such as Penelope Ann Miller, Martin Sheen, Margot Kidder, and Brian Dennehy.
Submitted on December 21, 2011 in By David.
