Wil Wheaton
Encyclopedia
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American
actor
and writer
. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher
on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me
and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers
. As a writer, he is best known for his blog, Wil Wheaton Dot Net.
, to Debbie (née
O’Connor), an actress, and Richard William Wheaton, Jr., a medical specialist. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. Both appeared uncredited in the episode "When the Bough Breaks" of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
, the movie adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien
's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
. He had a minor role in the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter
. He first gained widespread attention in 1986 as Gordie Lachance in Stand by Me
, the film adaptation of Stephen King
's The Body
. In 1991, he played Joey Trotta in the film Toy Soldiers.
From 1987 to 1990, he appeared in the role of Wesley Crusher
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
throughout its first four seasons.
Although his Star Trek character, and by extension Wheaton himself, was disliked by a vocal group of Trekkie
s during TNGs first run, he commented about his critics in an interview for WebTalk Radio:
After leaving Star Trek, Wheaton moved to Topeka, Kansas
, to work for NewTek
, where he helped to develop the Video Toaster 4000
, doing product testing and quality control. He later used his public profile to serve as a technology evangelist
for the product. Wheaton said this was a period of growth in his life, and living out of Los Angeles helped him deal with anger issues. He came back to Los Angeles, attended acting school for five years, then re-entered the acting world.
Wheaton's popularity among Star Trek fandom is covered in a number of web comics. ArcaneTimes of March 25, 2005 offers a sympathetic position. Something Positive presents a range of opinions as part of the storyline Mike's Kid. Abstruse Goose tries to distinguish between the character and the actor.
He was a contestant on a 2001 episode of The Weakest Link
featuring Star Trek actors as contestants to win money for a charity each had chosen.
s, including the award-winning The Good Things
, in which he portrays a frustrated Kansas
tollbooth
worker; it was selected Best Short Film at the 2002 Deauville Film Festival. He received the Best Actor award at the 2002 Melbourne Underground Film Festival
for his performance in Jane White is Sick and Twisted.
From September 2006 to September 2007, he hosted a Revision3 syndicated video podcast
called InDigital along with Jessica Corbin
and veteran host Hahn Choi.
Wheaton's more recent acting work includes guest appearances on the November 23, 2007 episode of the TV series Numb3rs
, and the October 22, 2008 episode of the series Criminal Minds
. He has also appeared in Internet presentations, including a cameo in a comedy sketch ("Lock Out") for LoadingReadyRun
(and a reprise of the same the following year in CommodoreHustle 4), and the May 30, 2008 episode of the Internet series Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show
.
He has worked as a voice actor
in many original series, video games and anime
, which started as young Martin Brisby in The Secret of NIMH
when he was 10 years old. His most noteworthy credits include the roles of Aqualad
in the cartoon Teen Titans, the voice of radio journalist Richard Burns in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, Kyle in the Nickelodeon
cartoon, Kyle + Rosemary, Himself and various other characters on both Family Guy
and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
, the second Blue Beetle
, Ted Kord, on Batman: The Brave and the Bold
in the episode "Fall of the Blue Beetle!", Yakumo in Kurokami: The Animation, Menma in Naruto
, Hans in Slayers Evolution-R and Aaron Terzieff in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
.
Wheaton has performed improvisational and sketch comedy
at the ACME Comedy Theater in Hollywood. He has a traveling sketch comedy/improv troupe called "EarnestBorg9" that performs science fiction-related comedy at conventions.
He appeared as himself in a skit on nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot
's album Final Boss
attempting to be a rapper, whose rhymes only involved shellfish
. He later collaborated with Frontalot on "Your Friend Wil", a track from the album Zero Day
on the subject of Wheaton's Law. Wheaton and Frontalot have both appeared at the Penny Arcade Expo
.
Wheaton appears in seasons three, four and five of the web series "The Guild
" as Fawkes, the leader for a rival guild known as Axis of Anarchy.
He appeared in "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary" (2009), the fifth episode of the third season of the situation comedy The Big Bang Theory
, playing a fictionally antagonistic version of himself, as the focus of Sheldon Cooper
's ire for not having attended a Star Trek convention at which his appearance was scheduled. He later appeared on the show in episodes "The Wheaton Recurrence", which involves a bout at a bowling alley, and "The 21-Second Excitation" at re-screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark
. On September 20, 2011 it was announced by CBS
that Wheaton would be returning in Season Five of The Big Bang Theory in the episode "The Russian Rocket Reaction". In it Leonard gets invited to Wheaton's house Party and Sheldon is angry because of this.
Wheaton has done the reading for the audio CD of Peter and Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham
, which was released on December 8, 2009.
Wil is one of the three headline acts of the w00tstock
shows, appearing in nearly all of them when his filming schedule has allowed.
Starting in the July 23, 2010 episode, Wheaton has appeared in a recurring, guest-starring role on Eureka
, playing Dr. Isaac Parrish, the head of the Non-Lethal Weapons Lab at Global Dynamics and a thorn in Fargo
's side.
Between 2001 and fall 2004, he operated a message board, known as "The Soapbox
" or "Paracosm
", as part of the blog site. Two collections of writings taken from postings to the message board have been published, titled Boxer Shorts (ISBN 1-932461-00-0) and Boxer Shorts Redux (ISBN 1-932461-03-5).
He contributes regularly to the Los Angeles-based Metroblogging
site. In June 2005, he became that month's featured Tech writer for the SuicideGirls
Newswire. He had a monthly column, entitled "Wil Save," in the Dungeons & Dragons
-based magazine Dungeon
; in May 2005, he ceased writing it. From January 2005 to October 2006, he wrote a column for The Onion AV Club about early video games, called "Games of Our Lives." On December 12, 2008, he returned to his role as Geek in Review editor, with his editorials being published every second Wednesday of the month.
In spring 2003, he founded the independent publishing company Monolith Press and released a memoir
entitled Dancing Barefoot. Monolith Press was "founded on the idea that publication should not be limited by opportunity." Most of the entries are extended versions of his blog entries. Dancing Barefoot sold out three printings in four months.
In winter 2003 Wheaton signed to publisher Tim O'Reilly
with a three-book contract. O'Reilly
acquired Dancing Barefoot, and published his extended memoirs, Just a Geek
, in summer of 2004. He has since written about his bitterness regarding how the book was marketed, believing it was pitched as a Star Trek book when he intended it as more of a personal memoir.
In February 2009, Wheaton released Sunken Treasure: Wil Wheaton's Hot Cocoa Box Sampler. As a 'chap book', it contains several small extracts of various different projects, including two short stories from Ficlets
, an ACME comedy sketch, and a Criminal Minds
production diary. Instead of using traditional publishing, Wheaton decided to self-publish using Lulu Publishing (allowing books to be available as both paperbacks, and digital downloadable files), something he has continued to do with all his publications since.
Later that same year, Wheaton released Memories of the Future: Volume 1. A humorous critique of the first thirteen episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation
, this book features a review of each episode, as well as an account Wheaton's own experience and memories.
Closing up 2009, Wheaton published "Happiest Days of Our Lives", and his now-adopted son, Ryan, contributed by writing the afterword.
Wheaton has also recorded several of his published books as downloadable audiobooks. These include Just a Geek, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, and his Criminal minds diary from Sunken Treasure. He also released excerpts of Memories of The Future: Vol 1 as free podcasts.
in 2005. In September 2006 he criticised George W. Bush
's plan to permit torture
of unlawful combatant
s: "Shame on President Bush. Shame on his Republican
allies in Congress
."
A column that he wrote for Salon.com
in 2005, The Real War on Christmas, attacked commentators like Bill O'Reilly
and detailed his arguments with his conservative parents over current political matters. Wheaton's parents were very offended by the article, and he posted a lengthy apology on his site and an interview in which his parents clarified their political views.
On August 24, 2007, he gave the keynote
for the yearly Penny Arcade Expo
, which was subsequently made available online. He stepped in following a public battle between the formerly-scheduled keynote debate participants, noted anti-games activist Jack Thompson
and Hal Halpin
, the president of the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA)
. Much of Wheaton’s address focused on the debate over violence in video games. He also gave the keynote at PAX East 2010 in Boston, MA.
He supported Barack Obama
in the 2008 Presidential Election and opposed Proposition 8
, calling it "nothing but hate and discrimination".
on his blog. The following year, he began writing more extensively about his poker-playing experiences, including stories about playing Texas hold 'em
tournaments locally and in Las Vegas
. Eventually, he worked up to regular play, including a run at the 2005 World Poker Tour
Championships. On June 23, 2005, Wheaton accepted an invitation to join Team PokerStars
. He went on to play in that year's World Series of Poker
and was the guest speaker for the 2005 B.A.R.G.E
Banquet. In June 2007, he announced he would no longer be on Team Pokerstars due to changes in the U.S. legal system that would cause poker sites to have to focus on European and Asian markets and held a farewell Pokerstars tournament on June 5, 2007, which he titled So Long and Thanks for All the Chips.
Wheaton is a Dungeons & Dragons
player, and played during the PAX 2010 and PAX 2011 event using the 4th edition rules. Wil Wheaton along with Jerry Holkins, Scott Kurtz and Mike Krahulik played in front of a live audience. The game was hosted and recorded by Wizards of the Coast with Chris Perkins as the dungeon master.
"Don't Be a Dick!" This was intended to apply to life in general, not just online gaming.
Wheaton's Law Revised is an expansion by comics artist and writer Bill Willingham
, which states: "Don't be a dick, but it's okay to play one on TV."
for some time. They met at a showing of Arachnophobia
in Burbank, California
.
Wheaton married Anne Prince in 1999. He lives with his wife and stepsons, Nolan and Ryan, in Arcadia, California
. When Ryan was 19, he asked Wheaton to legally adopt him, which he did.
A Long Way Home (1981)
The Shooting (1982)
Highway to Heaven
(1985) St. Elsewhere
(1986) The Defiant Ones
(1986) Long Time Gone (1986)
Family Ties
(1987) Young Harry Houdini (1987) (ABC
) The Man Who Fell to Earth
(1987) Star Trek: The Next Generation
(1987–1994) My Dad Can't Be Crazy... Can He? (1989)
Family Double Dare (1990)
Monsters
(1990) The Arsenio Hall Show
(1991) The Last Prostitute (1991)
Star Trek 25th Anniversary Special (1991)
Tales from the Crypt
(1993) It Was Him or Us (1995)
Mr. Stitch (1995)
The Outer Limits
: "The Light Brigade" (1996) The Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998)
Diagnosis: Murder
(1998) The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998)
The Flintstones: On the Rocks (2001)
The Invisible Man: Perchance to Dream (2001)
Twice in a Lifetime
Episode 22 "The Choice" (2001)
Weakest Link
(2001) (Star Trek-themed edition)
Beat the Geeks
(2002)
A&E Biography
: "Eclipsed by Death – The Life of River Phoenix
" (2002 - narrator)
Walking the Tracks: The Summer of "Stand by Me" (2002) (Stand by Me documentary)
Arena
(2002) (also as writer)
Favorite Stars: Then & Now (2003)
Book of Days (2003)
The Screen Savers
(2003, 2002)
Call for Help
(2004)
Teen Titans
(2004–2005) (voice of Aqualad
)
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
(2005) (voice)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
(2005)
I Love the '80s 3-D
(2005)
I Love Toys
(2006)
Legion of Super Heroes
(2006) (voice of Cosmic Boy)
Ben 10
(2007) (voice)
Ben 10: Alien Force
(voice of Mike Morningstar/Darkstar)
Numb3rs
: "Graphic" (2007) (as Miles Sklar, 1 episode)
What I Learned From the Movies (2007)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
(2008) (as Blue Beetle/Ted Kord)
I Love the New Millennium
(2008)
Criminal Minds
(2008) (Episode "Paradise" as Floyd Hansen/Wayne Dryden)
Kyle + Rosemary (2008) (voice)
Family Guy
(2009 & 2010) (voice) (Episodes "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
" and "Partial Terms of Endearment
", as himself and a protester)
Naruto
(2009) (voice of Menma)
Kurokami: The Animation (2009) (voice of Yakumo)
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
(2009) (voice)
Slayers Evolution-R (2010) (voice of Hans)
Naruto Shippuden: The Movie
(2010) (voice of Taruho and Shizuku)
Leverage
(2009 & 2010) (Episodes "The Two Live Crew Job" (2009) & "The Ho Ho Ho Job" (2010) as Chaos)
The Big Bang Theory
(2009 - 2011) ("The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary", "The Wheaton Recurrence", "The 21-Second Excitation" and "The Russian Rocket Reaction" as himself)
Eureka
(2010) (Season 4) (as Dr. Parrish)
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
(2011) (Episode 3: "Ghost of Laplace") (voice of Aaron Terzieff, Additional Voices)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers
Toy Soldiers (1991 film)
Toy Soldiers is a 1991 American action-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and starring Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Louis Gossett, Jr., Andrew Divoff and Mason Adams. The plot revolves around an elite, independent all-male boarding school, the Regis High School, which is overtaken by terrorists...
. As a writer, he is best known for his blog, Wil Wheaton Dot Net.
Early life
Wheaton was born in Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, to Debbie (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
O’Connor), an actress, and Richard William Wheaton, Jr., a medical specialist. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. Both appeared uncredited in the episode "When the Bough Breaks" of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek and early career
Wheaton made his acting debut in the 1981 TV film A Long Way Home, and his first cinema role was as Martin Brisby in the 1982 animated film The Secret of NIMHThe Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
, the movie adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien
Robert C. O'Brien
Robert Leslie Conly was an American author and journalist for National Geographic Magazine.-Early life:...
's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a 1971 children's book by Robert C. O'Brien. Illustrated by Zena Bernstein, it won the 1972 Newbery Medal. A film adaptation, The Secret of NIMH, was released in 1982....
. He had a minor role in the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction adventure film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan , an average teenage boy recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also featured Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Norman...
. He first gained widespread attention in 1986 as Gordie Lachance in Stand by Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
, the film adaptation of Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's The Body
The Body (novella)
The Body, or Fall from Innocence, is a novella by Stephen King, originally published in King's 1982 collection Different Seasons and in 1986 adapted into the acclaimed film Stand by Me...
. In 1991, he played Joey Trotta in the film Toy Soldiers.
From 1987 to 1990, he appeared in the role of Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
throughout its first four seasons.
Although his Star Trek character, and by extension Wheaton himself, was disliked by a vocal group of Trekkie
Trekkie
A Trekkie or Trekker is a fan of the Star Trek franchise, or of specific television series or films within that franchise.-History:In 1967, science fiction editor Arthur W...
s during TNGs first run, he commented about his critics in an interview for WebTalk Radio:
Later, I determined that the people who were really, really cruel – like the Usenet weenies – really are a statistically insignificant number of people. And I know, just over the years from people who've e-mailed me at my web site and people who I've talked to since I started going toStar Trek conventions again in the last five years, that there are so many more people who really enjoyed everything about the show, including my performance, including the character.
After leaving Star Trek, Wheaton moved to Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, to work for NewTek
NewTek
NewTek, Inc. is a San Antonio, Texas-based hardware and software company that produces live and post-production video tools and visual imaging software for personal computers...
, where he helped to develop the Video Toaster 4000
Video Toaster
The NewTek Video Toaster is a combination of hardware and software for the editing and production of standard-definition and high-definition video in NTSC, PAL, and resolution independent formats on Commodore Amiga computers and subsequently on computers running the Windows operating system...
, doing product testing and quality control. He later used his public profile to serve as a technology evangelist
Technology evangelist
A technical or technology evangelist is a person who attempts to build a critical mass of support for a given technology in order to establish it as a technical standard in a market that is subject to network effects...
for the product. Wheaton said this was a period of growth in his life, and living out of Los Angeles helped him deal with anger issues. He came back to Los Angeles, attended acting school for five years, then re-entered the acting world.
Wheaton's popularity among Star Trek fandom is covered in a number of web comics. ArcaneTimes of March 25, 2005 offers a sympathetic position. Something Positive presents a range of opinions as part of the storyline Mike's Kid. Abstruse Goose tries to distinguish between the character and the actor.
He was a contestant on a 2001 episode of The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
featuring Star Trek actors as contestants to win money for a charity each had chosen.
Post-
Star Trek In the late 1990s, Wheaton appeared in several independent filmIndependent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
s, including the award-winning The Good Things
The Good Things (film)
The Good Things is a 2001 short film which received Best Short Film at the 2002 Deauville Film Festival....
, in which he portrays a frustrated Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
tollbooth
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
worker; it was selected Best Short Film at the 2002 Deauville Film Festival. He received the Best Actor award at the 2002 Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Melbourne Underground Film Festival
The Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
for his performance in Jane White is Sick and Twisted.
From September 2006 to September 2007, he hosted a Revision3 syndicated video podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
called InDigital along with Jessica Corbin
Jessica Corbin
Jessica Lynn Corbin is an American television personality and actress. She is best known as a former TechTV personality, where she worked as a segment producer on The Screen Savers, and as a co-anchor on the nightly news program TechLive.-Early life:In high school, Corbin was named an...
and veteran host Hahn Choi.
Wheaton's more recent acting work includes guest appearances on the November 23, 2007 episode of the TV series Numb3rs
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
, and the October 22, 2008 episode of the series Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
. He has also appeared in Internet presentations, including a cameo in a comedy sketch ("Lock Out") for LoadingReadyRun
LoadingReadyRun
LoadingReadyRun, often abbreviated to LRR, is a Canadian sketch comedy website, based in Victoria, British Columbia, founded by Graham Stark and Paul Saunders...
(and a reprise of the same the following year in CommodoreHustle 4), and the May 30, 2008 episode of the Internet series Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show is an internet comedy talk show parody starring a Japanese character called Kiko. The video series debuted on YouTube in 2007 and was created by husband-and-wife team Greg Benson and Kim Evey's production company, Mediocre Films...
.
He has worked as a voice actor
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
in many original series, video games and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, which started as young Martin Brisby in The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
when he was 10 years old. His most noteworthy credits include the roles of Aqualad
Aqualad
Aqualad is the name of two fictional comic book superheroes appearing in books published by DC Comics. The first Aqualad, Garth, debuted in Adventure Comics #269 , and was created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist Ramona Fradon...
in the cartoon Teen Titans, the voice of radio journalist Richard Burns in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, Kyle in the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
cartoon, Kyle + Rosemary, Himself and various other characters on both Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy is an American cartoon web series created by Seth MacFarlane.-Background:The series, which consists of comic cartoon shorts unrelated to each other, is released on YouTube. The series, which aired several episodes a month, was originally sponsored by...
, the second Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
, Ted Kord, on Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
in the episode "Fall of the Blue Beetle!", Yakumo in Kurokami: The Animation, Menma in Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, Hans in Slayers Evolution-R and Aaron Terzieff in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
is a novel by popular Japanese author Harutoshi Fukui . The novel takes place in Gundam's Universal Century timeline. Character and mechanical designs are provided by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Hajime Katoki, respectively...
.
Wheaton has performed improvisational and sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
at the ACME Comedy Theater in Hollywood. He has a traveling sketch comedy/improv troupe called "EarnestBorg9" that performs science fiction-related comedy at conventions.
He appeared as himself in a skit on nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot
MC Frontalot
Damian Hess , better known by stage name MC Frontalot, is a Brooklyn-based hip hop musician and self-proclaimed "world's 579th greatest rapper". He is best known in nerdcore hip hop and video game culture, for naming the nerdcore subgenre, and performing at Penny Arcades annual Penny Arcade Expo...
's album Final Boss
Final Boss (album)
Final Boss is the third studio album from nerdcore hip hop artist MC Frontalot. It was released on November 4, 2008. The first single, "Wallflowers", is available to listen to at his website, as well as the title track Final Boss, and Diseases of Yore....
attempting to be a rapper, whose rhymes only involved shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
. He later collaborated with Frontalot on "Your Friend Wil", a track from the album Zero Day
Zero Day (album)
Zero Day is the fourth studio album from nerdcore hip hop artist MC Frontalot. It was released on April 6, 2010. The first single, "Your Friend Wil", is available for free from the official website...
on the subject of Wheaton's Law. Wheaton and Frontalot have both appeared at the Penny Arcade Expo
Penny Arcade Expo
The Penny Arcade Expo is a semi-annual gamer festival held in Seattle and Boston. PAX was created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, the authors of the Penny Arcade webcomic, because they wanted to attend a show that gave equal attention to console gamers, computer gamers, and tabletop...
.
Wheaton appears in seasons three, four and five of the web series "The Guild
The Guild
The Guild is an American comedy web series created and written by Felicia Day, who also stars as Cyd Sherman . It premiered on YouTube on July 27, 2007. Subsequent webisodes premiered on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace, Zune Marketplace, and MSN Video. The webisodes were later made available on...
" as Fawkes, the leader for a rival guild known as Axis of Anarchy.
He appeared in "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary" (2009), the fifth episode of the third season of the situation comedy The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
, playing a fictionally antagonistic version of himself, as the focus of Sheldon Cooper
Sheldon Cooper
Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. is a fictional character from Texas on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons...
's ire for not having attended a Star Trek convention at which his appearance was scheduled. He later appeared on the show in episodes "The Wheaton Recurrence", which involves a bout at a bowling alley, and "The 21-Second Excitation" at re-screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
. On September 20, 2011 it was announced by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
that Wheaton would be returning in Season Five of The Big Bang Theory in the episode "The Russian Rocket Reaction". In it Leonard gets invited to Wheaton's house Party and Sheldon is angry because of this.
Wheaton has done the reading for the audio CD of Peter and Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham is an American writer and artist of comics.-Career:Willingham got his start in the late 1970s to early 1980s as a staff artist for TSR, Inc., where he illustrated a number of their role-playing game products...
, which was released on December 8, 2009.
Wil is one of the three headline acts of the w00tstock
W00tstock
w00tstock, billed as "3 Hours of Geeks & Music," is a special event featuring music, comedy, readings, short films, and demonstrations. Shows in 2009 took place in two locations: the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco, California on October 19 and 20; and Largo in Los Angeles, California on...
shows, appearing in nearly all of them when his filming schedule has allowed.
Starting in the July 23, 2010 episode, Wheaton has appeared in a recurring, guest-starring role on Eureka
Eureka (TV series)
Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
, playing Dr. Isaac Parrish, the head of the Non-Lethal Weapons Lab at Global Dynamics and a thorn in Fargo
Douglas Fargo
Douglas Fargo, usually referred to as simply "Fargo", or occasionally "Doctor Fargo", is a character on the American science fiction drama Eureka. He is an employee of Global Dynamics, the research facility in Eureka. Fargo often acts as an assistant to Doctor Nathan Stark, the director of Global...
's side.
Writing
Wheaton runs his own weblog, Wil Wheaton Dot Net which has resulted in books.Between 2001 and fall 2004, he operated a message board, known as "The Soapbox
Soapbox
A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The term originates from the days when speakers would elevate themselves by standing on a wooden crate originally used for shipment of soap or other dry goods from a manufacturer to a...
" or "Paracosm
Paracosm
A paracosm is a detailed imaginary world involving humans and/or animals, or perhaps even fantasy or alien creations. Often having its own geography, history, and language, it is an experience that is developed during childhood and continues over a long period of time: months or even years.The...
", as part of the blog site. Two collections of writings taken from postings to the message board have been published, titled Boxer Shorts (ISBN 1-932461-00-0) and Boxer Shorts Redux (ISBN 1-932461-03-5).
He contributes regularly to the Los Angeles-based Metroblogging
Metroblogging
Metroblogging is an online local media project founded by Jason Defillippo and Sean Bonner now owned by Sean Bonner, Jason DeFillippo and Richard Ault, collectively Bode Media, Inc. Started in Los Angeles in November 2003, the project currently includes 57 city-specific blogs around the world,...
site. In June 2005, he became that month's featured Tech writer for the SuicideGirls
SuicideGirls
SuicideGirls is a website that features softcore pornography and text profiles of goth, punk and indie-styled young women who are known as the "Suicide Girls"...
Newswire. He had a monthly column, entitled "Wil Save," in the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
-based magazine Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
; in May 2005, he ceased writing it. From January 2005 to October 2006, he wrote a column for The Onion AV Club about early video games, called "Games of Our Lives." On December 12, 2008, he returned to his role as Geek in Review editor, with his editorials being published every second Wednesday of the month.
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
entitled Dancing Barefoot. Monolith Press was "founded on the idea that publication should not be limited by opportunity." Most of the entries are extended versions of his blog entries. Dancing Barefoot sold out three printings in four months.
In winter 2003 Wheaton signed to publisher Tim O'Reilly
Tim O'Reilly
Tim O'Reilly is the founder of O'Reilly Media and a supporter of the free software and open source movements.-Life and career:...
with a three-book contract. O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media
O'Reilly Media is an American media company established by Tim O'Reilly that publishes books and Web sites and produces conferences on computer technology topics...
acquired Dancing Barefoot, and published his extended memoirs, Just a Geek
Just a Geek
Just A Geek is a book of memoirs written by actor and author Wil Wheaton. It was published in 2004.In the book, he talks about life before and after Star Trek: The Next Generation. Many parts of the book are derived from posts to his blog....
, in summer of 2004. He has since written about his bitterness regarding how the book was marketed, believing it was pitched as a Star Trek book when he intended it as more of a personal memoir.
In February 2009, Wheaton released Sunken Treasure: Wil Wheaton's Hot Cocoa Box Sampler. As a 'chap book', it contains several small extracts of various different projects, including two short stories from Ficlets
Ficlets
Ficlets is a non-commercial AOL community website dedicated to publishing and archiving ficlets, which are similar to flash fiction. It was founded on October 31, 2006 by Kevin Lawver, though it did not become fully operational until early to mid-March 2007. On June 6, 2008, Lawver severed his...
, an ACME comedy sketch, and a Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
production diary. Instead of using traditional publishing, Wheaton decided to self-publish using Lulu Publishing (allowing books to be available as both paperbacks, and digital downloadable files), something he has continued to do with all his publications since.
Later that same year, Wheaton released Memories of the Future: Volume 1. A humorous critique of the first thirteen episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, this book features a review of each episode, as well as an account Wheaton's own experience and memories.
Closing up 2009, Wheaton published "Happiest Days of Our Lives", and his now-adopted son, Ryan, contributed by writing the afterword.
Wheaton has also recorded several of his published books as downloadable audiobooks. These include Just a Geek, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, and his Criminal minds diary from Sunken Treasure. He also released excerpts of Memories of The Future: Vol 1 as free podcasts.
Politics
Wheaton described himself as a liberalLiberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
in 2005. In September 2006 he criticised George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's plan to permit torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
of unlawful combatant
Unlawful combatant
An unlawful combatant or unprivileged combatant/belligerent is a civilian who directly engages in armed conflict in violation of the laws of war. An unlawful combatant may be detained or prosecuted under the domestic law of the detaining state for such action.The Geneva Conventions apply in wars...
s: "Shame on President Bush. Shame on his Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
allies in Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
."
A column that he wrote for Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
in 2005, The Real War on Christmas, attacked commentators like Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
and detailed his arguments with his conservative parents over current political matters. Wheaton's parents were very offended by the article, and he posted a lengthy apology on his site and an interview in which his parents clarified their political views.
On August 24, 2007, he gave the keynote
Keynote
A keynote in literature, music, or public speaking establishes the principal underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address...
for the yearly Penny Arcade Expo
Penny Arcade Expo
The Penny Arcade Expo is a semi-annual gamer festival held in Seattle and Boston. PAX was created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, the authors of the Penny Arcade webcomic, because they wanted to attend a show that gave equal attention to console gamers, computer gamers, and tabletop...
, which was subsequently made available online. He stepped in following a public battle between the formerly-scheduled keynote debate participants, noted anti-games activist Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson (attorney)
John Bruce "Jack" Thompson is an American activist and disbarred attorney, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Thompson is known for his role as an anti-video-game activist, particularly against violence and sex in video games....
and Hal Halpin
Hal Halpin
Hal Halpin is an American computer game executive and entrepreneur, and is the president and founder of the Entertainment Consumers Association .- Background :...
, the president of the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA)
Entertainment Consumers Association
Entertainment Consumers Association is a United States-based non-partisan, non-government, non-profit organization dedicated to the interests of individuals who play computer and video games in the United States and Canada.-History:Mr...
. Much of Wheaton’s address focused on the debate over violence in video games. He also gave the keynote at PAX East 2010 in Boston, MA.
He supported Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in the 2008 Presidential Election and opposed Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, calling it "nothing but hate and discrimination".
Games
In 2003, Wheaton mentioned his love for the game of pokerPoker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
on his blog. The following year, he began writing more extensively about his poker-playing experiences, including stories about playing Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
tournaments locally and in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Eventually, he worked up to regular play, including a run at the 2005 World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
Championships. On June 23, 2005, Wheaton accepted an invitation to join Team PokerStars
PokerStars
PokerStars is the largest online poker cardroom in the world. PokerStars' satellite tournaments produced the 2003 World Series of Poker champion, Chris Moneymaker. 1983 champion Tom McEvoy, 2005 champion Joe Hachem, 2009 champion Joe Cada and 2010 champion Jonathan Duhamel and others also represent...
. He went on to play in that year's World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
and was the guest speaker for the 2005 B.A.R.G.E
B.A.R.G.E
BARGE, the Big August Rec.Gambling Excursion, is a yearly convention held in Las Vegas during the first weekend of August. It consists of a series of tournaments both of poker and other gambling games, as well as a banquet and a host of informal social and gambling activities organized by attendees...
Banquet. In June 2007, he announced he would no longer be on Team Pokerstars due to changes in the U.S. legal system that would cause poker sites to have to focus on European and Asian markets and held a farewell Pokerstars tournament on June 5, 2007, which he titled So Long and Thanks for All the Chips.
Wheaton is a Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
player, and played during the PAX 2010 and PAX 2011 event using the 4th edition rules. Wil Wheaton along with Jerry Holkins, Scott Kurtz and Mike Krahulik played in front of a live audience. The game was hosted and recorded by Wizards of the Coast with Chris Perkins as the dungeon master.
Comic book
Wil Wheaton made a guest appearance in the comic book PS 238. He appears as himself, but with the power of telekinesis. A PS 238 teacher, Alloy, is his adoring fan.Wheaton's Law
During his keynote speech at the 2007 PAX (Penny Arcade Expo), Wheaton made a note about sportsmanship when playing games online. It has since become known as Wheaton's Law, which states:"Don't Be a Dick!" This was intended to apply to life in general, not just online gaming.
Wheaton's Law Revised is an expansion by comics artist and writer Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham is an American writer and artist of comics.-Career:Willingham got his start in the late 1970s to early 1980s as a staff artist for TSR, Inc., where he illustrated a number of their role-playing game products...
, which states: "Don't be a dick, but it's okay to play one on TV."
Personal life
Wheaton was roommates with Chris HardwickChris Hardwick
Christopher Ryan "Chris" Hardwick is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, musician, podcaster, television personality, and voice artist...
for some time. They met at a showing of Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia (film)
Arachnophobia is a 1990 American comedy horror film directed by Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. It was the first film released by Hollywood Pictures....
in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.
Wheaton married Anne Prince in 1999. He lives with his wife and stepsons, Nolan and Ryan, in Arcadia, California
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
. When Ryan was 19, he asked Wheaton to legally adopt him, which he did.
Television
Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
(1985)
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
(1986)
The Defiant Ones
The Defiant Ones is a 1958 drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis, Sidney Poitier, Theodore Bikel, Cara Williams, Charles McGraw, and Lon Chaney, Jr...
(1986)
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
(1987)
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
)
The Man Who Fell to Earth (TV)
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a 1987 television pilot created for a proposed television series based on Walter Tevis's 1963 novel and Nicolas Roeg's 1976 film.-Plot differences:There are some distinct changes from the novel...
(1987)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
(1987–1994)
Monsters (TV series)
Monsters is a syndicated horror anthology series which originally ran from 1988 to 1991 and reran on the Sci-Fi Channel during the 1990s. As of 2011, Monsters airs on NBC Universal's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller in sporadic weekday marathons.In a similar vein to Tales from the...
(1990)
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
(1991)
Tales from the Crypt (TV series)
Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
(1993)
The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
: "The Light Brigade" (1996)
Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
(1998)
Twice in a Lifetime (TV series)
Twice in a Lifetime is a Canadian mystery/drama series that originally aired from 1999 to 2001. Created by Steve Sohmer, the series aired on CTV in Canada and PAX in the United States.-Synopsis:...
Episode 22 "The Choice" (2001)
Weakest Link (US game show)
The Weakest Link is an American game show that aired on NBC from April 16, 2001 to July 14, 2002. It is based on the British show of the same name. Ten episodes were left unaired until appearing on PAX in 2002, with the remainder eventually airing on GSN...
(2001) (Star Trek-themed edition)
Beat the Geeks
Beat the Geeks is an American comedy game show that aired on Comedy Central from 2001 to 2002. The show was rerun on The Comedy Network in Canada and reruns currently air on G4techTV Canada and Prime in New Zealand....
(2002)
Biography (TV series)
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987...
: "Eclipsed by Death – The Life of River Phoenix
River Phoenix
River Jude Phoenix was an American film actor, musician, and teen icon. He was the oldest brother of fellow actors Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix.Phoenix began acting at age 10 in television commercials...
" (2002 - narrator)
Arena (G4 TV series)
Arena was a G4 TV show which aired from 2002 to 2004. It is devoted entirely to teams competing against one another via multiplayer video games....
(2002) (also as writer)
The Screen Savers
The Screen Savers was a live American TV show on TechTV. The show launched concurrently with the channel ZDTV on May 11, 1998. The Screen Savers originally centered around computers, new technologies, and their adaptations in the world...
(2003, 2002)
Call for Help
Call for Help, also known as CFH, was a computer-themed television program that first aired exclusively on TechTV , a cable and satellite television network focused on technology, and then aired on G4techTV Canada and the HOW TO Channel in Australia...
(2004)
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
(2004–2005) (voice of Aqualad
Garth (comics)
Garth is a fictional character, a superhero in publications from DC Comics, originally known as Aqualad, and later known by the codename Tempest. As Aqualad, he is the teen sidekick and protege to his guardian, the super-hero known as Aquaman, bearing the same super-abilities as his mentor that...
)
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, commonly known by its initialism, SRMTHFG, is an American/Japanese anime television series, and was created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, with animation being done by a Japanese studio known as The Answer Studio...
(2005) (voice)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
(2005)
I Love the '80s 3-D
I Love the '80s 3-D is the follow-up to VH1's 1980s nostalgia show I Love the '80s and its sequel I Love the '80s Strikes Back. It premiered October 24, 2005...
(2005)
I Love Toys
I Love Toys was the eighth in VH1's series of I Love… nostalgia shows. It premiered Monday, March 6, 2006, at 10:00 p.m. EST. It is a countdown of the 100 greatest toys, chosen partially through public voting on vh1.com and also consideration of "sales, historical significance and longevity,"...
(2006)
Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
(2006) (voice of Cosmic Boy)
Ben 10
The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
(2007) (voice)
Ben 10: Alien Force
When it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
(voice of Mike Morningstar/Darkstar)
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
: "Graphic" (2007) (as Miles Sklar, 1 episode)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
(2008) (as Blue Beetle/Ted Kord)
I Love the New Millennium
I Love the New Millennium, the latest entry into the I Love the... series, is a nostalgia show focusing on the 2000's and premiered on VH1 Monday, June 23, 2008. Each night, from Monday to Thursday, two of the eight episodes premiered, corresponding to the years from 2000 to 2007...
(2008)
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
(2008) (Episode "Paradise" as Floyd Hansen/Wayne Dryden)
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
(2009 & 2010) (voice) (Episodes "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
"Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" is the eleventh episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox television network in the United States on March 29, 2009. The episode was directed by Greg Colton and written by Danny Smith...
" and "Partial Terms of Endearment
Partial Terms of Endearment
"Partial Terms of Endearment" is the twenty-first episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. Directed by Joseph Lee and written by Danny Smith, the episode originally aired on BBC Three in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2010, and has not been allowed to air in the United...
", as himself and a protester)
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
(2009) (voice of Menma)
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy is an American cartoon web series created by Seth MacFarlane.-Background:The series, which consists of comic cartoon shorts unrelated to each other, is released on YouTube. The series, which aired several episodes a month, was originally sponsored by...
(2009) (voice)
Naruto: Shippuden the Movie
, is a 2007 film directed by Hajime Kamegaki and written by Junki Takegami. It is the fourth movie in the Naruto movie series. It was released on DVD in Japan on April 23, 2008 and on DVD in the US on November 10, 2009. It was announced that the US DVD could be pre-ordered along with the limited...
(2010) (voice of Taruho and Shizuku)
Leverage (TV series)
Leverage is an American television drama series on TNT that premiered in December 2008. The series is produced by director/executive producer Dean Devlin's production company Electric Television...
(2009 & 2010) (Episodes "The Two Live Crew Job" (2009) & "The Ho Ho Ho Job" (2010) as Chaos)
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
(2009 - 2011) ("The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary", "The Wheaton Recurrence", "The 21-Second Excitation" and "The Russian Rocket Reaction" as himself)
Eureka (TV series)
Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
(2010) (Season 4) (as Dr. Parrish)
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
is a novel by popular Japanese author Harutoshi Fukui . The novel takes place in Gundam's Universal Century timeline. Character and mechanical designs are provided by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Hajime Katoki, respectively...
(2011) (Episode 3: "Ghost of Laplace") (voice of Aaron Terzieff, Additional Voices)
Movies
- The Secret of NIMHThe Secret of NIMHThe Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
(1982) (voice) - Hambone and Hillie (1983)
- The Last StarfighterThe Last StarfighterThe Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction adventure film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan , an average teenage boy recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also featured Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Norman...
(1984) (scenes deleted from film but included as DVD extra) - The Buddy SystemThe Buddy System (film)The Buddy System is a 1984 American romantic comedy film starring Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Nancy Allen, Wil Wheaton and Jean Stapleton. The film was directed by Glenn A. Jordan who is better known for directing and producing numerous television films and television dramas...
(1984) - Stand by MeStand by Me (film)Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
(1986) - The CurseThe Curse (1987 film)The Curse is a 1987 horror film adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft's The Colour Out of Space directed by David Keith.-Plot:Nathan Hayes is a religious man trying to hold onto his farm and keep his family in line. A real estate developer is trying to buy most of the farm property in the area, including Mr...
(1987) - She's Having a BabyShe's Having a BabyShe's Having a Baby is a 1988 American romance film directed by John Hughes.The film portrays a young newlywed couple, Kristy and Jake Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with being married and what is expected of them by their parents. Jake must also deal with the...
(1988) (uncredited cameo) - Toy Soldiers (1991)
- December (1991)
- The Liars' ClubThe Liars' ClubThe Liars' Club is the childhood memoir of American author Mary Karr. Published in 1995 and a New York Times bestseller for over a year it tells the story of Mary Karr's childhood in the 1960s in a small industrial town in Southeast Texas...
(1993) - Pie in the Sky (1996)
- Boys' Night Out (1996)
- Mr Stitch (1996)
- Trekkies (1997)
- Flubber (1997)
- Tales of Glamour and Excess (1997)
- Fag Hag (1998)
- Foreign Correspondents (1999)
- The Girls' Room (2000)
- Deep Core (2000)
- PythonPython (film)Python is a made-for-TV horror movie directed by Richard Clabaugh. The film features several cult favorite actors, including William Zabka of The Karate Kid fame, Wil Wheaton, Casper Van Dien, Jenny McCarthy, Keith Coogan, Robert Englund , and Sean Whalen.The film concerns a...
(2000) - Speechless... (2001)
- The Good Things (2001)
- Jane White is Sick and Twisted (2002)
- Fish Don't Blink (2002)
- Star Trek Nemesis (2002) (briefly; extended scene deleted but appears as DVD extra in some regions)
- Book of Days (2003)
- Four Fingers of the Dragon (2003)
- Neverland (2003)
- Americanizing ShelleyAmericanizing ShelleyAmericanizing Shelley is a Hollywood romantic comedy film with some Bollywood elements. It stars Beau Bridges, Namrata Singh Gujral playing the title role of Shelley, Shaheen Khan, Wil Wheaton, Noureen DeWulf, Tony Yalda and Ajay Mehta....
(2007) - Star Trek (2009) (voices various Romulans)
Internet video
- The GuildThe GuildThe Guild is an American comedy web series created and written by Felicia Day, who also stars as Cyd Sherman . It premiered on YouTube on July 27, 2007. Subsequent webisodes premiered on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace, Zune Marketplace, and MSN Video. The webisodes were later made available on...
(2009-2011) (Fawkes, Axis of Anarchy leader) - LoadingReadyRunLoadingReadyRunLoadingReadyRun, often abbreviated to LRR, is a Canadian sketch comedy website, based in Victoria, British Columbia, founded by Graham Stark and Paul Saunders...
- InDigital
- Retarded Policeman #5
Video games
- Crimson Skies: High Road to RevengeCrimson Skies: High Road to RevengeCrimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is a first-party video game developed by FASA Studio for the Xbox. The game was later made available for download on the Xbox 360 from the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game, like the earlier Crimson Skies for the PC, is an action-oriented arcade flight game...
(2003) (voice) - EverQuest IIEverQuest IIEverQuest II is a 3D fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Sony Online Entertainment , based on EverQuest, and shipped on 8 November 2004...
(2004) (voice) - Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
(2004) (voice) - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 is the third console installment in the popular Ghost Recon tactical shooter video game series, published by Ubisoft. It is a sequel to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon....
(2004) (voice) - Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: LockdownTom Clancy's Rainbow Six: LockdownTom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown is the fourth game in the Rainbow Six series. The initial design and PlayStation 2 version were developed by Red Storm Entertainment and the Xbox version was developed by the Ubisoft Montreal studio. Both are published by Ubisoft...
(2005) (voice) - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced WarfighterTom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced WarfighterTom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter is the third installment in the popular Ghost Recon tactical shooter video game series, published by Ubisoft in 2006. As in previous Ghost Recon games, players command their team of Ghosts while neutralizing hostile forces and completing various mission...
(2005) (voice) - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 is the sequel to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. It expands on the game play of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and is the fourth installment in the popular Ghost Recon tactical shooter video game series, published by Ubisoft.The game...
(2006) (voice) - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a 2005 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto series...
(2005) (voice) - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Vice City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
(2006) (voice) - Grand Theft Auto IVGrand Theft Auto IVGrand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
(2008) (voice) - Fallout New Vegas (2010) (voice of Robobrain)
- DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
(voice of Robin)
External links
- Wil's Typepad weblog - aka WWdN: In Exile
- Wil's Reddit weblog - Posts about various topics he chooses to join discussions in.
- Wil's website - Wil Wheaton Dot Net