William Ragsdale (born Robert William Ragsdale) is an American actor. He graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas studying religion and humanities. His parents gave him a graduation present in the form of tuition for the Drama Studio London’s American school at Berkeley, California. He's known for playing teenaged vampire slayer Charley Brewster in the horror vampire film Fright Night. He also garnered attention onstage in Neil Simon's plays, Biloxi Blues and Brighton Beach Memoirs, two of the three parts of Simon's trilogy, which ends with Broadway Bound. He starred in the romance comedy movie Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991). He featured for three years as Herman Brooks in the series Herman's Head, had a brief recurring role in the television series Judging Amy, and played television producer Rob Fields on the series Grosse Pointe, which lasted one season. He starred in the short-lived sitcom Brother's Keeper, and appeared on Ellen as the boyfriend of Ellen Morgan (played by Ellen DeGeneres) before her character revealed her homosexuality. He's had numerous guest roles on television throughout the years, including multi-episode stints on Less than Perfect, Necessary Roughness, Mistresses, Search Party, and Younger, as well as small feature movie roles. He played the role of Gary Hawkins in 12 episodes of the drama series Justified, during the series' first three seasons. In 2014, he played Chris Smith in the remake of the movie Left Behind.

Filmography

• 2026Love in Storytown — Mayor Jeff
• 2026The Barn Part III
• 2025Re-Election
• 2023Renfield — Older Priest
• WeCrashed — Chris
• The Equalizer — Kent, Comic Book Store Owner
• NOS4A2 — Auctioneer
• 2018Alex Strangelove — Ron Truelove
• 2017A Very Merry Toy Store — Pete Griffin
• The Good Fight — Rodney Pebbler
• BrainDead — Hank
• Search Party — Chuck
• Blindspot — Russell Franklin
• Younger — Jeffrey Jacobs
• 2014Left Behind — Chris Smith
• Madam Secretary — Peter Gunderson
• black-ish — Dr. Chubb
• 2013Broken City — Mr. Davies
• The Blacklist — Carl Conway
• Elementary — Patrick Moore
• Perception — Dr. Julian Corvis
• 2012Thunderstruck — Joe Newall
• Touch — Travis Cooper
• Justified — Gary Hawkins
• Shake It Up — Announcer
• White Collar — Jack Conroy
• 2008Living Proof — Andy Marks
• The Mentalist — Murphy Traver
• 2008What Just Happened — Agent #1
• 2007LA Blues — Paul
• 2007The Reaping — Sheriff Cade
• 2006Big Momma's House 2 — Bob
• 2006For One Night — Earl Randall
• 2006Road House 2: Last Call — Sands Cooper
• Medium
• 2005Romy and Michele: In the Beginning — Kevin
• The Bad Girl's Guide
• The War at Home — Doctor
• Desperate Housewives — Scott McKinney
• Entourage — Frank Giovanello
• 2004The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel — B. B. Boudreaux
• Miss Match — Russell Dixon
• NCIS — Brett Creevy
• CSI: Miami — Kenneth McGuire
• Less than Perfect — Mitch Calgrove
• Still Standing — Dan Goldman
• Without a Trace — Robert Newton
• Crossing Jordan — Bob
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Dr. Bill Ryan
• Curb Your Enthusiasm — Dr. Anthony Parker
• Grosse Pointe — Rob Fields
• Judging Amy — Charles Duff
• 1999Just a Little Harmless Sex — Brent
• Brother's Keeper — Porter Waide
• Hope and Gloria — Danny Saterfield
• 1995National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins — Todd Farrit
• Ellen — Dan
• 1991Frankenstein: The College Years — Mark Chrisman
• Herman's Head — Herman Brooks
• 1991Mannequin Two: On the Move — Jason Williamson / Prince William
• Law & Order — Fire Marshal Julian Jenca
• 1988Fright Night Part 2 — Charley Brewster
• 1985Fright Night — Charley Brewster
• 1985Smooth Talk — Jeff
• American Playhouse — Jeff
• 1979Screams of a Winter Night — The Kid - Service Station Attendant
• The Eye from Beyond

Appearances as themselves (2)

• 2022In Search of Darkness: Part III — Self
• 2016You're So Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night — Himself