Will Lyman

Biography

William Lyman (born May 20, 1948) is an American actor. Being known for his polished, resonant voice, Lyman has narrated the PBS series Frontline since its second season in 1984 and played William Tell in the action/adventure television series Crossbow.

Career Overview

Will Lyman has 147 screen credits in a career dating back to 1974. Their work spans 2 cinematic universes — most prominently 100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012 with 6 titles. Signature works include Frontline, The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump, Norse America. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

147

Birth Date

1948-05-20 00:00:00

Birth Place

Burlington, Vermont, USA

Known For

• 

  Frontline
• 

  The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump
• 

  Norse America
• 

  Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos
• 

  Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy
• 

  Trump's Power & the Rule of Law

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 2 universes

• 100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012 (6 titles)
• MCU (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Donald Trump (2 collaborations)
• Jane Mayer (2 collaborations)
• Peter Baker (2 collaborations)
• Susan Glasser (2 collaborations)
• Eugene Robinson (2 collaborations)
• Barack Obama (2 collaborations)
• Jeremiah Kissel (1 collaborations)
• Kamala Harris (1 collaborations)
• Louise Sunshine (1 collaborations)
• Mary L. Trump (1 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (145 credits)

  • News War

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • The War Cabinet

    Narrrator

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • Yemen Under Siege

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • The Deal: Trump Bukele & The Gangs of El Salvador

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • The Rise of RFK Jr.

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Trump's Power & the Rule of Law

    Narrator (voice over)

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • The Arborist

    Arthur Randolph

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • The Electric State

    Documentary Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Battle for Tibet

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Aftermath

    Joe Kozak

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Crisis on Campus

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Children of Ukraine

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Democracy on Trial

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in Gaza

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • The Discord Leaks

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Inside the Uvalde Response

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power, and the Supreme Court

    narrator

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Putin and the Presidents

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Lies, Politics and Democracy

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Ukraine: Life Under Russia's Attack

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • The Power of Big Oil

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Mother/Android

    Captain

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Shots Fired

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Taliban Takeover

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Boeing's Fatal Flaw

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • America After 9/11

    narrator

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • China's COVID Secrets

    Self - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Christmas on Ice

    Mayor Greenwood

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • United States of Conspiracy

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Once Upon a Time in Iraq

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Battle for Hong Kong

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Animaniacs

    - The Incredible Gnome In People's Mouths: "Gerard" (2021) ... Narrator (voice) actor actors

    - The Incredible Gnome In People's Mouths (2020) ... Narrator (voice) actor actors
    2020
  • UN Sex Abuse Scandal

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2018
  • Life on Parole

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Iraq Uncovered

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Out of Gitmo

    narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Hunting ISIS

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Divided States of America

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Frontline: President Trump

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • The Choice 2016

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Terror in Europe

    self

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Business of Disaster

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Saudi Arabia Uncovered

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Chasing Heroin

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Supplements and Safety

    Self - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Netanyahu at War

    Self (narrator)

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Obama at War

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Taliban Hunters

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Isis in Afghanistan

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Outbreak

    Self - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • The Fight for Yemen

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Firestone and the Warlord

    Self - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • The Trouble with Antibiotics

    Self - Reporter

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Losing Iraq

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Separate and Unequal

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy Lost

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Prison State

    Himself - Narrator (Voice)

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Generation Like

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • A Death in St. Augustine

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis

    Himself - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • The Suicide Plan

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • Last Man Out

    Walt Whitman (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • The Anthrax Files

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Bud Greenspan Presents Vancouver 2010: Stories of Olympic Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • The Other Guys

    Frontline Narration App

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Behind Taliban Lines

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • The Boneyard

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • What Doesn't Kill You

    Sully

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • The War Briefing

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Abuse of Power

    Nolan Flannery

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Young & Restless in China

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Iron Man

    Award Ceremony Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Rules of Engagement

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe

    Moe Fresno

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • On Our Watch

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Bud Greenspan’s Torino 2006: Stories of Olympic Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Endgame

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • I'm Paige Wilson

    Ben Foxworthy

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Little Children

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Return of the Taliban

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • The Age of AIDS

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Fierce People

    Documentary Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Our Fathers

    Wilson Rogers Jr.

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • The New Asylums

    narrator

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • The Secret History of the Credit Card

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • American Meltdown

    Homeland Chief Utley

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Golden Road: Today's Senior Drivers

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Truth, War and Consequences

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Mystic River

    FBI Agent Birden

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Coming Home from Space: The Challenge of Re-Entry

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Wake Island: Alamo of the Pacific

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Salt Lake City 2002: Stories of Olympic Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Alma Mater

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • American Porn

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Sydney 2000: Stories of Olympic Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Sinking the Lusitania

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Dog Days

    Dad

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent

    - Smothered (2001) ... Roger Jameson actor actors
    2001
  • Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain

    Self - Narrator(voice)

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Warriors of the French Foreign Legion

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Satan in the Suburbs

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The Autumn Heart

    Doctor

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Michael Jordan: His Airness

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The West Wing

    - Access (2004) ... Narrator (voice) actor actors
    1999
  • Nagano ’98 Olympics: Stories of Honor and Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • The Siege

    FBI Director

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Anatomy of a 'Homicide: Life on the Street'

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • A Perfect Murder

    Jason Gates

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Atlanta’s Olympic Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Floating

    Van's Father

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • The Bay of Pigs

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • The Crucible

    Isaiah Goodkind

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • NBA at 50

    Self - Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • The Ultimate Guide: T-Rex

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • Celtic Pride

    Rich Man

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • Welcome to the Dollhouse

    Mr. Edwards

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • The Ultimate Guide: Sharks

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • The Search for Satan

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of Glory

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Norse America

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald

    Narrator (voice) (US version, Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?)

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • The Arming of Saudi Arabia

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • Nixon

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Law & Order

    - Family Values (1994) ... Victor Conner actor actors
    1990
  • Hostile Takeover

    Smolen

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Crossbow: The Movie

    William Tell

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • The Simpsons

    - Specs and the City (2014) ... Narrator (voice) actor actors
    1989
  • American Experience

    - Nixon (1990) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors
    1988
  • The Mystery of the Lost Red Paint People

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • Hostage in Iran

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera

    narrator (himself)

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Three Sovereigns for Sarah

    Rev. Parris

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • Murder, She Wrote

    - Programmed for Murder (1992) ... Allan Wooster actor actors
    1984
  • Frontline

    Self - Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors

    - The Crown Prince & the President (2026) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors

    - Baby Brokers (2026) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors

    - The War Cabinet (2026) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors

    - The President vs. the Fed (2026) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors

    - Caught in the Crackdown (2026) ... Self - Narrator (voice) actor actors
    1983
  • NOVA

    - Battle Plan Under Fire (2004) ... Narrator actor actors

    - Life and Death in the War Zone (2004) ... Narrator actor actors

    - Crash of Flight 111 (2004) ... Narrator actor actors

    - Dirty Bomb (2003) ... Narrator actor actors

    - Spies That Fly (2003) ... Narrator actor actors
    1974

• directing (1 credits)

  • The Pink Satin Suit

    director

    directing
    2002

• production (1 credits)

  • Hostage in Iran

    executive producer

    production
    1986