You probably didn't even know his name. But chances are, you hate William Atherton's guts. Don't worry. It's perfectly natural. In film after film, he plays the smarmiest, weaseliest, oiliest guy on screen. But that's what makes him so much fun to watch. Though he began his career as a leading man (Sugarland Express, Day of the Locust), Atherton soon found a niche playing brainy bad guys and unctuous jerks (Ghostbusters, Die Hard). People might go to the movies to see big stars, but it's the character actors like Atherton who keep things interesting.

Tom Nord