Bill L. Norton
Birth dateAugust 13, 1943 (age 83)
OccupationFilm and television director, writer, and producer
FatherWilliam W. Norton
SpouseRosanna Norton (m. 1967; div. 1979)

Bill L. Norton (born August 13, 1943) is an American film and television director, writer, and producer. Among many projects, he is the writer-director of the films Cisco Pike (1971) and More American Graffiti (1979).

Life and career

Norton is most notable as a film director, including his first feature film, Cisco Pike in 1971, which he also wrote.[1][2][3] He worked as a screenwriter in the 1970s and '80s, writing the scripts for Convoy and Outlaw Blues, among other films.[4]

He also has directed many television series, among them Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, John Doe, Hack, Las Vegas, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Lincoln Heights and Roswell.

He was married to costume designer Rosanna Norton.[5] He is the son of screenwriter William W. Norton, who was convicted in 1986 of importing arms to Northern Ireland for the IRA and the INLA.[6]

Sometimes, he is credited as B.W.L. Norton, Bill Norton or William Lloyd Norton.

Filmography

Films

YearTitleDirectorWriter
1964How to Succeed with Girls
1971Cisco Pike
1977Outlaw Blues
1978Convoy
1979More American Graffiti
1982Losin' It
1985Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend
1987Back to the Beach
Three for the Road
Other credits
YearTitleRole
1965Girl HappyUncredited camera operator
1966The Chase
The Fortune Cookie
1973Messiah of EvilActor

Television

As Director
TitleYear(s)EpisodeNotes
Gargoyles1972TV movie
The Twilight Zone1985-1986"Teacher's Aide"
''Monsters!"
Tour of Duty1987-1989''Pilot''Also co-executive producer
''Notes from the Underground''Also writer & co-executive producer
''Brothers, Fathers, and Sons''
''Battling Baker Brothers''
''Pushin' Too Hard''Also co-executive producer
''Soldiers''
''Angel of Mercy''
''Saigon: Part 1''
''Saigon: Part 2"
''Popular Forces''
Grand Slam1990''Grand Slam''
''Chop Shop''
Angel of DeathTV movies
False Arrest1991
The Boys of Twilight1992"A Bend in the River"
Crossroads
Seaquest DSV1993''Brothers and Sisters''
''Give Me Liberte''
Hercules: The Legendary1994''Hercules and the Amazon Women''
''Hercules in the Underworld''
The Women of Spring Break1995TV movies
Deadly Whispers
Stolen Innocence
Gone in the Night1996
Them
Vows of Deception
A Deadly Vision1997
Our Mother's Murder
Bad to the Bone
Every Mother's Worst Fear1998
Thirst
Vengeance Unlimited1998-1999''Justice''
''Legalese''
Sons of Thunder1999''Moment of Truth''
A Crime of PassionTV movie
Profiler2000''Quid Pro Quo''
''Pianissimo''
The Fugitive''Sanctuary''
Roswell2000-2001''The End of the World''
''Control''
FreakyLinks2001''Subject: Sunrise at Sunset Streams''
The Invisible Man''Going Postal''
''Den of Thieves''
''Flash to Bang''
Angel2001-2003''Happy Anniversary''
''That Vision Thing''
''Provider''
''Supersymmetry''
''Calvary''
''Life of the Party''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer2002''Two to Go''
Pasadena''Someone to Talk To''
Haunted''Last Call''
John Doe''Past Imperfect''
Hack2003''Sinners and Saints''
The Guardian2004''Amends''
''Remember''
Medium2005''Coded''
''A Priest, a Doctor and a Medium Walk Into an Execution Chamber''
Threshold''Pulse''
Ghost Whisperer''Hope and Mercy''
Law & Order: Criminal Intent2005-2006''Ex Stasis''
''Slither''
''Country Crossover''
The Unit2006-2009''Unannounced''
''Silver Star''
''Two Coins''
''Inside Out''
''Bad Beat''
Heartland2007''Picking Up Little Things''
Lincoln Heights2007-2009''Missing''
''The Old Man and the G''
''Ode to Joy''
''Persons of Interest''
Las Vegas2008''Three Weddings and a Funeral: Part 1''
Generation GapTV movie
As Producer only
TitleYear(s)EpisodeNotes
Tour of Duty1987-1988''Dislocations''Co-executive producer
''War Lover''
''Sitting Ducks''
''Burn Baby, Burn''
''The Good, the Bad, and the Dead''
''Nowhere to Run''
''Roadrunner''
''USO Down''
''Under Siege''
''Gray-Brown Odyssey''
''Blood Brothers''
''The Short Timer''
''Paradise Lost''
''The Hill''
Grand Slam1990''Who's Crazy?''Executive producer

Video game

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005, director)

References

  1. ^ Canby, Vincent (1972-01-15). "' Cisco Pike':Tale of Has-Been Rock Star Opens at Forum". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  2. ^ "The Celluloid Time Capsule". Los Angeles Times. 2006-05-28. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  3. ^ Horwath, Alexander; Elsaesser, Thomas; King, Noel (2004). The Last Great American Picture Show: New Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s. Amsterdam University Press. ISBN 978-90-5356-631-2.
  4. ^ Taylor, Tadhg (October 27, 2015). Masters of the Shoot-'Em-Up: Conversations with Directors, Actors and Writers of Vintage Action Movies and Television Shows. McFarland. ISBN 9781476620985. – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Rosanna Norton, Oscar-Nominated Costume Designer on 'Tron,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  6. ^ Woo, Elaine (October 10, 2010). "William W. 'Bill' Norton dies at 85; screenwriter became gunrunner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 17, 2017.