Bill Thornbury

A lover of music and scenic arts since his childhood, Bill Thornbury graduated from the California State University at Fresno with a teaching degree in music and nowadays teaches in Northern California. His sporadic and short cinematic career started at the age of 22, playing a small role in an independent film called Summer School Teachers (1975) and directed by the controversial Barbara Peeters. In the following years, he appeared in a couple of productions made for TV: the drama movie Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975) and an episode for The Rockford Files (1974). In these early period, and in the upcoming years, he was also featured in many national television commercials, including "Honda Motorcycles", "Chrysler/Plymouth", and "Coca-Cola". Anyway, his breakthrough came in 1978, being 26 years old, when he portrayed the character he will always be identified with: Jody Pearson, elder brother of Mike, the young protagonist of Phantasm (1979). During a long production that lasted over two years, he set a strong friendship with director Don Coscarelli and fellow actors A. Michael Baldwin, Reggie Bannister and Angus Scrimm that still lasts today. Together, they are the key center of what fans call "The Phantasm Phamily". Due to his skills as a musician, guitar player, and singer, he was given the chance to perform on-screen a theme composed by himself: the country ballade "Sittin' Here at Midnight". The scene where he plays the song with Reggie Bannister became one of the most unforgettable moments of the saga, and the song itself is today a collector's item for followers worldwide. During the eighties, Bill started to focus more and more on his musical career, leaving acting aside. Nevertheless, he was casted on a couple of episodes in a brief soap opera called Secrets of Midland Heights (1980) and had a small role in The Lost Empire (1984). After that, he practically retired from acting to turn his talents into music and teaching. Due to his friendship with Don Coscarelli, he returned to the world of Phantasm and delighted many fans reprising his role of Jody in Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994) and in Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998). It seems he will only come out of retirement to play this character, forever associated with him. Bill, today a professional singer/songwriter, has been a staff songwriter for 20th Century-Fox in Los Angeles, and MTM Records in Nashville. In addition to recording albums, Mr. Thornbury also performs with the critically acclaimed band The Sons of the San Joaquin. Bill resides in Northern California with his wife Sharon, his son Ben, as well as a great variety of adorable pets.