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.
2026American Voices 2026Movieas Narrator
2026ScammedMovieas Narrator
2026The War CabinetMovieas Narrrator
2026The Deal: Trump Bukele & The Gangs of El SalvadorMovieas Narrator (voice)
2026Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic LegacyMovieas Narrator
2025The Rise of RFK Jr.Movieas Narrator
2025Trump's Power & the Rule of LawMovieas Narrator (voice over)
2025The ArboristMovieas Arthur Randolph2025The Electric StateMovieas Documentary Narrator (voice)
2025Battle for TibetMovieas Narrator2024AftermathMovieas Joe Kozak
2024The Choice 2024: Harris vs. TrumpMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2024Crisis on CampusMovieas Narrator
2024Children of UkraineMovieas Narrator
2024Democracy on TrialMovieas Narrator
2023Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in GazaMovieas Narrator
2023The Discord LeaksMovieas Narrator
2023Inside the Uvalde ResponseMovieas Narrator
2023Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power, and the Supreme CourtMovieas narrator
2023Putin and the PresidentsMovieas Narrator
2022Lies, Politics and DemocracyMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2022Ukraine: Life Under Russia's AttackMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2022The Power of Big OilTV showas Narrator (voice) · 3 episodes2021Mother/AndroidMovieas Captain
2021Shots FiredMovieas Narrator
2021Taliban TakeoverMovieas Narrator
2021Boeing's Fatal FlawMovieas Narrator (voice)
2021America After 9/11Movieas narrator
2021China's COVID SecretsMovieas Self - Narrator2020AnimaniacsTV showas Narrator (voice) · 2 episodes
2020Christmas on IceMovieas Mayor Greenwood
2020The Choice 2020: Trump vs. BidenMovieas Narrator (voice)
2020United States of ConspiracyMovieas Narrator (voice)
2020Once Upon a Time in IraqMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2020Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff BezosMovieas Narrator
2020Battle for Hong KongMovieas Narrator
2020America's Great Divide: From Obama to TrumpTV showas Self - Narrator (voice) · 2 episodes
2018UN Sex Abuse ScandalMovieas Narrator (voice)
2017Life on ParoleMovieas Narrator
2017Iraq UncoveredMovieas Narrator
2017Out of GitmoMovieas narrator
2017Hunting ISISMovieas Narrator
2017Frontline: President TrumpMovieas Narrator
2016The Choice 2016Movieas Narrator
2016Terror in EuropeMovieas self
2016Business of DisasterMovieas Narrator (voice)
2016Saudi Arabia UncoveredMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2016Chasing HeroinMovieas Narrator
2016Supplements and SafetyMovieas Self - Narrator
2016Netanyahu at WarMovieas Self (narrator)
2015Obama at WarMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2015Isis in AfghanistanMovie
2015OutbreakMovieas Self - Narrator
2015The Fight for YemenMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2014Firestone and the WarlordMovieas Self - Narrator
2014The Trouble with AntibioticsMovieas Self - Reporter
2014Losing IraqMovieas Narrator
2014Separate and UnequalMovieas Narrator
2014United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy LostMovieas Narrator
2014United States of SecretsTV showas Narrator · 2 episodes
2014Prison StateMovieas Himself - Narrator (Voice)
2014Generation LikeMovieas Narrator (voice)
2013A Death in St. AugustineMovieas Narrator (voice)
2013League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion CrisisMovieas Himself - Narrator
2012The Suicide PlanMovieas Narrator
2012Last Man OutMovieas Walt Whitman (voice)
2012Money, Power & Wall StreetTV showas Self - Narrator · 2 episodes
2012Inside Japan's Nuclear MeltdownMovieas Narrator
2011The Anthrax FilesMovie
2011Bud Greenspan Presents Vancouver 2010: Stories of Olympic GloryMovieas Narrator2010The Other GuysMovieas Frontline Narration App
2010Behind Taliban LinesMovie2008What Doesn't Kill YouMovieas Sully
2008The War BriefingMovieas Narrator
2008Young & Restless in ChinaMovie2008Iron ManMovieas Award Ceremony Narrator (voice)
2008Rules of EngagementMovieas Narrator
2007Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux UniverseMovieas Moe Fresno
2007On Our WatchMovieas Narrator
2007Bud Greenspan’s Torino 2006: Stories of Olympic GloryMovieas Narrator
2007EndgameMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2007Frontline - News WarTV showas Self · 3 episodes2006Little ChildrenMovieas Narrator (voice)
2006Return of the TalibanMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
2006The Dark SideMovieas Self - Narrator
2006The Age of AIDSMovieas Narrator (voice)
2006Fierce PeopleMovieas Documentary Narrator (voice)
2006Is It Real?TV showas Narrator (voice) · 30 episodes
2005Commander in ChiefTV showas Teddy Bridges · as Teddy Bridges (uncredited) · 2 episodes
2005Our FathersMovieas Wilson Rogers Jr.
2005The New AsylumsMovieas narrator
2004The Secret History of the Credit CardMovieas Narrator
2004American MeltdownMovieas Homeland Chief Utley
2004Golden Road: Today's Senior DriversMovieas Narrator
2003Truth, War and ConsequencesMovieas Narrator (voice)2003Mystic RiverMovieas FBI Agent Birden
2003Threat MatrixTV showas Roger Atkins · 16 episodes
2003Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of HistoryMovieas Narrator (voice)
2003Coming Home from Space: The Challenge of Re-EntryMovieas Narrator
2003Wake Island: Alamo of the PacificMovieas Narrator
2003Salt Lake City 2002: Stories of Olympic GloryMovieas Narrator
2002Alma MaterMovie
2002American PornMovieas Narrator
2001The Day Reagan Was ShotMovieas Narrator (voice)2001Law & Order: Criminal IntentTV showas Roger Jameson · 1 episodes
2001Sydney 2000: Stories of Olympic GloryMovieas Narrator
2000EdTV showas Gus McGraw · 1 episodes
2000Satan in the SuburbsMovieas Narrator (voice)
2000Warriors of the French Foreign LegionMovieas Narrator1999The West WingTV showas Narrator (voice) · 1 episodes
1999The Long Walk of Nelson MandelaMovie
1999The Autumn HeartMovieas Doctor
1999Michael Jordan: His AirnessMovieas Narrator
1998Nagano ’98 Olympics: Stories of Honor and GloryMovieas Narrator1998The SiegeMovieas FBI Director
1998Anatomy of a 'Homicide: Life on the Street'Movieas Self - Narrator (voice)1998A Perfect MurderMovieas Jason Gates
1997Atlanta’s Olympic GloryMovieas Narrator
1997FloatingMovieas Van's Father
1997The Bay of PigsMovieas Narrator (voice)1996The CrucibleMovieas Isaiah Goodkind
1996NBA at 50Movieas Self - Narrator
1996The Ultimate Guide: T-RexMovieas Narrator (voice)
1996The Ultimate GuideTV showas Narrator · 23 episodes1996Celtic PrideMovieas Rich Man1996Welcome to the DollhouseMovieas Mr. Edwards
1996The Ultimate Guide: SharksMovieas Narrator
1995The Search for SatanMovie
1994Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of GloryMovieas Narrator
1994Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976Movieas Narrator (voice)
1994Norse AmericaMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
1993The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey OswaldMovieas Narrator (voice) (US version, Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?)
1993The Arming of Saudi ArabiaMovieas Narrator1992School TiesMovieas Swanson
1990NixonMovieas Narrator (voice)1990Law & OrderTV showas Victor Conner · 1 episodes
1990Hull HighTV showas John Deerborn · 8 episodes1989The SimpsonsTV showas Narrator (voice) · 1 episodes
1989Hostile TakeoverMovieas Smolen
1989Crossbow: The MovieMovieas William Tell
1988American ExperienceTV showas Self - Narrator (voice) · 1 episodes
1987CrossbowTV showas William Tell · 72 episodes
1987The Mystery of the Lost Red Paint PeopleMovieas Self - Narrator (voice)
1986Hostage in IranMovieas Narrator · Executive Producer
1985Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of OperaMovieas narrator (himself)
1985Three Sovereigns for SarahMovieas Rev. Parris1985Three Sovereigns for SarahTV showas Rev. Parris · 3 episodes1984Murder, She WroteTV showas Allan Wooster · 1 episodes
1984The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2Movieas Narrator
1984The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1Movieas Narrator
1983Vietnam: A Television HistoryTV showas Narrator · 13 episodes
1983FrontlineTV showas Self - Narrator (voice) · 857 episodes
1982American PlayhouseTV showas Reverend Parris · 3 episodes
1974NOVATV showas Narrator · as Narrator (voice) · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 12 episodes
1964Another WorldTV show749 episodes
—Yemen Under SiegeMovieas Narrator
—News WarMovieas Narrator