Bill Allen was born in Wichita, Kansas, November 7, 1962. He moved to
Dallas, Texas at the age of four. Having made his acting debut in a
junior high school production of Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine", he
attended various acting workshops at Richardson High School. After
graduation, he began to seriously pursue his chosen career under the
tutelage of Bryan O'Byrne, his mentor and acting coach. He won a
starring role in a movie called "And They're Off", about horse-racing.
Unfortunately, the movie was never released. Bill was signed by
Director Robert Altman for a part in the movie "Streamers" with Matthew
Modine, playing "Lieutenant Townsend". Arriving in Los Angeles in 1983,
he bussed tables in a sandwich shop, and managed to land some
television parts in "Hill Street Blues" (where Hal Needham first saw
him), "Hotel", "Family Ties" and "Amazing Stories". Although not a
professional BMX rider, he was good enough in "Rad" to fool nearly
anyone familiar with the sport.
Bill has toured extensively for the band The Pipefitters with his harmonica, alongside actor/friend, Lou Diamond Phillips. Both also appeared in Dangerous Touch (1994) & Sioux City (1994).
In August 2023, when the RiffTrax guys did their routine on his movie RAD, he attended as a member of the audience and seemed to have a good time.