
Biography
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.
Acted in 43
2020s
- 2026
The War Cabinet
Narrrator
- 2025
- 2024
- 2021
- 2020
2010s
- 2015
Isis in Afghanistan
Movie
- 2011
The Anthrax Files
Movie
- 2010
Behind Taliban Lines
Movie
2000s
- 2008
Young & Restless in China
Movie
- 2007
Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe
Moe Fresno
- 2006
- 2005
Our Fathers
Wilson Rogers Jr.
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
Alma Mater
Movie
- 2001
- 2000
1990s
- 1999
The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela
Movie
The Autumn Heart
Doctor
- 1998
- 1997
Floating
Van's Father
- 1996
- 1995
The Search for Satan
Movie
- 1992
- 1990
Hull High
John Deerborn · 8 episodes
1980s
- 1989
Hostile Takeover
Smolen
Crossbow: The Movie
William Tell
- 1987
- 1985
Three Sovereigns for Sarah
Rev. Parris
Three Sovereigns for Sarah
Rev. Parris · 3 episodes
- 1984
- 1982
1960s
- 1964
Produced 1
1980s
- 1986
Hostage in Iran
Executive Producer
Appearances112
2020s
- 2026
American Voices 2026
Narrator
Scammed
Narrator
The Deal: Trump Bukele & The Gangs of El Salvador
Narrator (voice)
Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy
Narrator
- 2025
The Rise of RFK Jr.
Narrator
Trump's Power & the Rule of Law
Narrator (voice over)
Battle for Tibet
Narrator
- 2024
The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump
Self - Narrator (voice)
Crisis on Campus
Narrator
Children of Ukraine
Narrator
Democracy on Trial
Narrator
- 2023
Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in Gaza
Narrator
The Discord Leaks
Narrator
Inside the Uvalde Response
Narrator
Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power, and the Supreme Court
narrator
Putin and the Presidents
Narrator
- 2022
Lies, Politics and Democracy
Self - Narrator (voice)
Ukraine: Life Under Russia's Attack
Self - Narrator (voice)
The Power of Big Oil
Narrator (voice) · 3 episodes
- 2021
Shots Fired
Narrator
Taliban Takeover
Narrator
Boeing's Fatal Flaw
Narrator (voice)
America After 9/11
narrator
China's COVID Secrets
Self - Narrator
- 2020
The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden
Narrator (voice)
United States of Conspiracy
Narrator (voice)
Once Upon a Time in Iraq
Self - Narrator (voice)
Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos
Narrator
Battle for Hong Kong
Narrator
America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump
Self - Narrator (voice) · 2 episodes
2010s
- 2018
UN Sex Abuse Scandal
Narrator (voice)
- 2017
Life on Parole
Narrator
Iraq Uncovered
Narrator
Out of Gitmo
narrator
Hunting ISIS
Narrator
- 2016
The Choice 2016
Narrator
Terror in Europe
self
Business of Disaster
Narrator (voice)
Saudi Arabia Uncovered
Self - Narrator (voice)
Chasing Heroin
Narrator
Supplements and Safety
Self - Narrator
Netanyahu at War
Self (narrator)
- 2015
Obama at War
Self - Narrator (voice)
Outbreak
Self - Narrator
The Fight for Yemen
Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2014
Firestone and the Warlord
Self - Narrator
The Trouble with Antibiotics
Self - Reporter
Losing Iraq
Narrator
Separate and Unequal
Narrator
United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy Lost
Narrator
United States of Secrets
Narrator · 2 episodes
Prison State
Himself - Narrator (Voice)
Generation Like
Narrator (voice)
- 2013
A Death in St. Augustine
Narrator (voice)
League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis
Himself - Narrator
- 2012
The Suicide Plan
Narrator
Money, Power & Wall Street
Self - Narrator · 2 episodes
Inside Japan's Nuclear Meltdown
Narrator
- 2011
Bud Greenspan Presents Vancouver 2010: Stories of Olympic Glory
Narrator
2000s
- 2008
The War Briefing
Narrator
Rules of Engagement
Narrator
- 2007
On Our Watch
Narrator
Bud Greenspan’s Torino 2006: Stories of Olympic Glory
Narrator
Endgame
Self - Narrator (voice)
Frontline - News War
Self · 3 episodes
- 2006
Return of the Taliban
Self - Narrator (voice)
The Dark Side
Self - Narrator
- 2005
The New Asylums
narrator
- 2004
The Secret History of the Credit Card
Narrator
Golden Road: Today's Senior Drivers
Narrator
- 2003
Truth, War and Consequences
Narrator (voice)
Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History
Narrator (voice)
Coming Home from Space: The Challenge of Re-Entry
Narrator
Salt Lake City 2002: Stories of Olympic Glory
Narrator
- 2002
American Porn
Narrator
- 2001
The Day Reagan Was Shot
Narrator (voice)
Sydney 2000: Stories of Olympic Glory
Narrator
- 2000
Warriors of the French Foreign Legion
Narrator
Satan in the Suburbs
Narrator (voice)
1990s
- 1999
Michael Jordan: His Airness
Narrator
- 1998
Nagano ’98 Olympics: Stories of Honor and Glory
Narrator
Anatomy of a 'Homicide: Life on the Street'
Self - Narrator (voice)
- 1997
Atlanta’s Olympic Glory
Narrator
The Bay of Pigs
Narrator (voice)
- 1996
NBA at 50
Self - Narrator
The Ultimate Guide: T-Rex
Narrator (voice)
The Ultimate Guide
Narrator · 23 episodes
The Ultimate Guide: Sharks
Narrator
- 1994
Lillehammer ’94: 16 Days of Glory
Narrator
Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976
Narrator (voice)
Norse America
Self - Narrator (voice)
- 1993
The Mysterious Career of Lee Harvey Oswald
Narrator (voice) (US version, Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?)
The Arming of Saudi Arabia
Narrator
- 1990
Nixon
Narrator (voice)
1980s
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
The Mystery of the Lost Red Paint People
Self - Narrator (voice)
- 1986
Hostage in Iran
Narrator
- 1985
Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera
narrator (himself)
- 1984
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2
Narrator
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1
Narrator
- 1983
No release date
News War
Narrator
Yemen Under Siege
Narrator
Putin’s War at Home
Narrator