Billy Wirth


Billy Wirth is an American Hollywood actor, film producer, and former fashion model, best known for his role as the vampire, Dwayne in the 1987 horror film, The Lost Boys.

Life and career

Nicknamed "Billy", he was born William E. Wirth on June 23, 1962 in New York City, in the United States. He was the son of Morris A. Wirth an American who was of Russian and Jewish background, who worked as a lawyer, while his mother Jean Wirth was a visual artist. His mother Jean, who was born in the state of Iowa, is of Anglo-American and Native American heritage.
Wirth was a student at Collegiate School, where he was a classmate of musician John Hermann, and attended Brown University where he was discovered by fashion model photographer Bruce Weber, and soon began a modeling career. He modeled for American and European fashion magazines such as Seventeen, GQ, Interview, Teen magazines and took part in fashion show events in the 1980s. Wirth originally worked as a fashion model until he gave up on fashion and turned to Hollywood acting.
Wirth moved to Los Angeles, California in the mid 1980s to pursue an acting career, which began with a role in the 1985 feature film, Seven Minutes in Heaven. His performance as Dwayne in The Lost Boys followed, and he landed a starring role in the 1988 film War Party.
Wirth continued modeling combining it with acting, until he walked away from the fashion industry in the early 1990s, to dedicate his time to full-time acting. In the 1990s he appeared in both film and television, appearing in Abel Ferrara's 1993 film Body Snatchers as well as Sex and the City and CSI. He took part in the global-hit television game show American Gladiators, competing during the series' first season in 1989 and advancing to the first-half semi-finals before failing to win the title.
He also appeared in the official Electric Crown music video by the American heavy metal band, Testament in 1992.
He also starred in Charmed as the warlock, Matthew Tate. Since 1999, besides acting in films, he has been writing, directing, and producing independent films. His most notable film directing was MacArthur Park in 2001.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Seven Minutes in Heaven"Zoo" Knudsen
1987The Lost BoysDwayne
1988War PartySonny Crowkiller
1992Who Killed the Baby JesusTravis Adams
1993Body SnatchersTim Young
1994The FenceTerry Griff
1994Judicial ConsentMartin
1994Final MissionTom "Outlaw" WatersVideo
1995Venus RisingNick
1995Boys on the SideNick
1996StarlightKieran
1996Space MarinesZack Delano
1997Last LivesMalakai
1998Relax... It's Just SexJared Bartoziak
1999KismetFantasy GuyShort. Director
1999Me and WillCharlie
2001American ReunionBrad
2002Looking for JimmyBilly
2004The Talent Given UsBilly
2004The Drone VirusStephen Roland
2006Seven MummiesTravis
2006Running Out of Time in HollywoodBilly
2009Powder BlueDavid
2009DuressThe Detective
2012Being FlynnTravis
2014EchoesJoe
2015Cats Dancing on JupiterOleg
2015MidlifeBrian
2015AltoCeasar Bellafusco
2018BetrayedMike Wolf
2019Hell to PayKillianShort film
2019Eternal CodeMark Pellegrini

Television

Awards

;Sundance Film Festival:
YearAwardCategory/RecipientResult
2001Grand Jury PrizeDramatic for: MacArthur ParkNominated

;Taos Talking Picture Festival:
YearAwardCategory/RecipientResult
2001Taos Land Grant Awardfor: MacArthur ParkNominated