William Davis may refer to:

Academia

* William C. Davis (historian) (born 1946), American historian and university professor * William H. Davis (educator) (1848–1938), American educator and school administrator * William Hatcher Davis (1939–2017), professor of philosophy, Auburn University * William Stearns Davis (1877–1930), American educator, historian, and writer *

William Watson Davis William Watson Davis (February 12, 1884 - April 5, 1960) was a professor and author in the United States. He was part of the white supremacist Dunning School of Confederate sympathizing anti-Reconstruction Southern scholars during the Jim Crow era. ...

(1884–1960), professor and author

Arts and entertainment

Film, television, and theater

William B. Davis William Bruce Davis (born January 13, 1938) is a Canadian actor, best known for his role as the Cigarette Smoking Man on ''The X-Files''. Besides appearing in many TV programs and movies, he founded his own acting school, the William Davis C ...

(born 1938), actor, professor, and waterskier *

Will S. Davis William Senderling Davis (November 22, 1880 – November 19, 1920) was an American film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He was the son of David Jackson Davis and Elizabeth Ann Tees. He directed 36 films between 1913 and 1920. H ...

(1882–1920), American film director *

William Stanford Davis William Stanford Davis (born August 7, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as school custodian Mr. Johnson on the ABC sitcom ''Abbott Elementary'' (2021–present), for which he earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting ...

(born 1951), American actor *

Wee Willie Davis Wee or WEE may refer to: * Wee, a slang term for urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary ...

(1906–1981), American film actor *

Bill C. Davis William Clarke Davis (August 24, 1951February 26, 2021) was an American playwright and actor. He was best known for his 1980 play '' Mass Appeal''. Other noted works of his include ''Dancing in the End Zone'', ''Wrestlers'', ''Spine'', ''Avow'' ...

(1952–2021), American playwright and actor *

Robert Hartford-Davis Robert Hartford-Davis (born William Henry Davis, 23 July 1923 – 12 June 1977) was a British born producer, director and writer, who worked on film and television in both the United Kingdom and United States. He is also sometimes credited as ...

(1923–1977), born William Henry Davis, British producer, director and writer

Music

Bill Davis (musician) Bill Davis (born New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is the founder, lead guitarist, and lead vocalist of the rock band Dash Rip Rock, and a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Davis founded ...

, American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter *

Wild Bill Davis Wild Bill Davis (November 24, 1918 – August 17, 1995) was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis. He is best known for his pioneering jazz electric organ recordings and for his tenure with t ...

(1918–1995), American jazz musician * William "Bill" Davis, baritone, founding member of the 1950s R&B group

The Crows The Crows were an American R&B vocal group formed in 1951. They achieved commercial success and popularity during the 1950s with their debut single and only hit, " Gee". The single, released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first ...

Will Davis (musician) William E. Davis (February 17, 1926 – March 24, 1984) was an American jazz pianist. Life and career Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 17, 1926.

(1926–1984), jazz pianist

Other media

William Davis (journalist) William Davis (born Gunther Keese; 6 March 1933 – 2 February 2019), was a journalist, broadcaster and editor. He was born in Germany but came to Britain in his teens, working for the ''Financial Times'', ''Evening Standard'' and ''Guardian'' ...

(1933–2019), economics editor, BBC presenter, editor of ''Punch'', 1969–1977 *

William Davis (artist) William Davis (1812–1873) was an Irish artist, and part of a group of Liverpool based artists who were influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite style of painting. He mostly painted landscapes. He was born in Dublin, received his artistic education ...

(1812–1873), Irish Pre-Raphaelite artist * William Davis (photographer), American photographer * William Moore Davis (1829–1920), American painter * William Virgil Davis (born 1940), American poet *

Bill Davis (artist) William Robert Davis, aka Bill Davis (born May 1949 in Venice, Los Angeles, California, Venice, California), is an American illustrator, animation director and designer, graphic designer and Painting, painter. He was the creative director at S ...

(born 1949), American illustrator, animation director and designer, graphic designer, and painter

Military

* William A. Davis Jr. (1927–2017), engineer for the United States Army *

William Church Davis William C. Davis (May 11, 1866 – September 23, 1958) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Boxer Rebellion, World War I, he attained the rank of major general and was a ...

(1866–1958), U.S. Army general * William G. M. Davis (1812–1898), Confederate States Army general *

William V. Davis William Virginius Davis Jr. (January 28, 1902 – July 25, 1981) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy. Early life William V. Davis Jr. was one of four children of the marriage of William V. Davis, Sr. and Winifred Bonney, of Savannah, Ge ...

(1902–1981), United States Navy admiral *

William Davis (Royal Navy officer) Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Sir William Wellclose Davis (11 October 1901 – 29 October 1987) was a British Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. Early life and education Davis was the elder son of Walter Ste ...

(1901–1987), British admiral

Politics

Bill Davis William Grenville Davis, (July 30, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was a Canadian politician who served as the 18th premier of Ontario from 1971 to 1985. Behind Oliver Mowat, Davis was the List of premiers of Ontario by time in office, second-longes ...

(1929–2021), Canadian politician, premier of Ontario *

Will Davis (Illinois politician) William Quincy Davis (born July 2, 1968) is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 30th District since January 8, 2003. He is a member of the Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus. Early life and educa ...

(born 1968), Illinois State Representative for the 30th district * Will Davis (Virginia politician), Virginia state legislator for the 39th district * William B. Davis (politician) (died 1935), American politician from Maryland * William C. Davis (American politician) (1867–1934), 11th lieutenant governor of Alabama * William C. Davis (Canadian politician) (born 1939), Canadian politician *

William E. Davis William Eugene "Bud" Davis (February 15, 1929 – September 24, 2021) was an American university president, Democratic politician, and football coach. He was an interim head football coach for the Colorado Buffaloes for the 1962 season. He was ...

(1929–2021), former university president, Democratic politician and football coach * William Hammatt Davis (1879–1964), American politician * William Henry Davis (1872–1951), appointed assistant to the Secretary of War, 1917 * William H. Davis (sheriff), Pittsburgh City Council member, 1952–1954; Sheriff of Allegheny County, 1954–1970 * William H. Davis (Pennsylvania state representative), served 1854 * William H. Davis (Pennsylvania state senator) (1900–1955), served 1955 *

William Lovel Davis William Lovel Davis (24 September 184420 October 1932) was an English-born Australian politician. He was born at Hallingley in Sussex to farmers James and Elizabeth Davis. He was educated at Hailsham, and in 1857 his parents moved to Herstmonc ...

(1844–1932), Australian politician *

William Morris Davis (congressman) William Morris Davis (August 16, 1815August 5, 1891), was an abolitionist, author and a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Among his friends were the New York sculptor Henry Kirke Brown, and the lock inve ...

(1815–1891), U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania * William Walter Davis (1840–1923), Australian politician * William Z. Davis (1839–1923), Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio and Ohio Supreme Court Judge * William Howe Davis (1904–1982), American politician, mayor of Orange, New Jersey

Science

* William Davis (cardiologist) (born 1957), American cardiologist and author of ''Wheat Belly'' *

William C. Davis Jr. William C. Davis Jr. (1921–2010) was an American ballistics engineer, best remembered as a writer and editor on ballistics for ''American Rifleman'' magazine.Mark A. Keefe, IV "William C. Davis, Jr., ''American Rifleman'' Ballistics Editor" ''A ...

(1921–2010), American ballistics engineer and writer * William Conan Davis (1926–2022), African-American scientist *

William Morris Davis William Morris Davis (February 12, 1850 – February 5, 1934) was an American geographer, geologist, geomorphologist, and meteorologist, often called the "father of American geography". He was born into a prominent Quaker family in Philadelphi ...

(1850–1934), American geographer, geologist and meteorologist * William T. Davis (1862–1945), naturalist, entomologist and historian

Sports

American football

* Bill Davis (offensive lineman) (1916–1994), American football tackle * William C. Davis (American football) (1938–2020), American football coach *

Willie Davis (defensive end) Willie D. Davis (July 24, 1934 – April 15, 2020) was an American professional American football, football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Davis played college football for the Grambling State Tigers footb ...

(1934–2020), American football defensive end *

Willie Davis (wide receiver) Willie Clark Davis (born October 10, 1967) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston/Tennessee Oilers. Since rejoining t ...

(born 1967), American football wide receiver *

Will Davis (linebacker) William Benjamin Davis, Jr. (born June 2, 1986) is an American former professional football defensive end. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played college football at Illinois. Early life He p ...

(born 1986), American football defensive end * Will Davis (cornerback) (born 1990), American football cornerback *

Bill Davis (coach) William R. Davis (December 4, 1941 – March 17, 2002) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at South Carolina State University, Savannah State University, Tennessee State University, and Johnson C. Smith Universi ...

(1941–2002), American football coach

Baseball

* William Davis (baseball), Negro league baseball player *

Willie Davis (baseball) William Henry Davis (April 15, 1940 – March 9, 2010) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball and the Nippon Professional Baseball league as a center fielder from through , most prominently as an int ...

(1940–2010), center fielder in Major League Baseball *

Will Davis (baseball) William Randall Davis Jr. (born May 29, 1984) is an Americans, American college baseball coach and former catcher. Davis is the head coach of the Lamar Cardinals baseball team. Davis is the son of former college baseball coach Randy Davis who was ...

(born 1984), American college baseball coach *

Bill Davis (baseball) Arthur Willard Davis (June 6, 1942 – January 13, 2023) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1965 to 1966 and the San Diego Padres in 1969. Due to his imposing , frame, Davis was nicknam ...

(1942–2023), baseball player * Babe Davis (William L. Davis, fl.1937–1939), American baseball player

Basketball

Will Davis (basketball) William Sidney Davis II (born November 9, 1992) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Kaohsiung Steelers of the P. League+. He played college basketball at UC Irvine. Early life and high school Davis was born an ...

(born 1992), American basketball *

Willie Davis (basketball) Willie Edward Davis (born August 9, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player. College career Davis attended North Texas State University, where he played college basketball. Professional career Davis was drafted in the seven ...

(born 1945), basketball player * Bill Davis (basketball) (1921–1975), basketball player

Rugby union

* Will Davis (rugby union) (born 1990), English rugby union player *

Bill Davis (rugby union) William Leslie Davis (born 15 December 1942) is a former rugby union and softball player in New Zealand. Rugby union A wing and centre, Davis represented Hawke's Bay at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, th ...

(born 1942), New Zealand rugby union and softball player * Wendy Davis (rugby union) (William Edward Norman Davis, 1913–2002), international rugby union player for Wales

Other sports

* Bill Davis (darts player) (born 1959), American darts player *

Bill Davis (NASCAR owner) Bill Davis is a former NASCAR car owner that won the Daytona 500 with Ward Burton in 2002, and the 2001 Southern 500, also with Burton. His former team, Bill Davis Racing, fielded the #22 Caterpillar Inc. Toyota Camry and the #23 & #27 Camrys in t ...

, motorsports car owner * J. William Davis, father of the National Letter of Intent for college athletics * William Davis (cricketer, born 1880) (1880–1959), who played for Surrey, London County and the South of England from 1903 to 1911 * Will Davis (cricketer) (born 1996), English cricketer *

William Davis (golfer) William Frederick Davis (1861–1902) was a Scottish professional golfer who designed two of the five charter clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA) including Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and Newport Country Club. At the time of his dea ...

(died 1902), Scottish golfer * Bill Davis (ice hockey) (born 1954), Canadian ice hockey player

Other people

William Davis (miner) William Davis (June 3, 1887 — June 11, 1925) was a coal miner from Cape Breton Island. He was born in Gloucestershire, England and killed by a police officer during a union labour action in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. His name is well-reme ...

(1887–1925), miner killed during strike protest leading to Davis Day *

William Heath Davis William Heath "Kanaka" Davis Jr. (1822 – 1909) was a merchant and trader in Alta California who helped to establish "New Town" (now downtown San Diego) in San Diego, California. Life Davis was born in 1822 in Honolulu in the Kingdom of Ha ...

(1822–1909), early settler of San Diego, California, USA *

William John Davis William John Davis Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (6 August 1848 – 20 October 1934) was a British trade unionist. Born in Birmingham, Davis began working in a brass foundry. In 1869, he represented his local reform organisation at the ...

(1848–1934), British trade unionist * William Rhodes Davis (1889–1941), American oil man and Nazi collaborator * William Davis (bishop) (1908–1987), Anglican bishop and archbishop in Canada * William Davis (judge) (1954–2025), judge of the High Court of England and Wales * William Davis (priest), English priest * William George Davis (born 1984), American serial killer and former nurse