Chronicling his own life and times, William B. Davis, the actor who played the notorious villain Cancerman on The X-Files, discusses his loves, losses, hopes, fears, and accomplishments in this unique and engaging autobiography. An all-access look into the life of a versatile actor, this life story includes anecdotes, recollections, and gossip from roles with such greats as Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Martin Sheen, Brian Dennehy, and Donald Sutherland. From the University of Toronto and theater school in Britain to Hollywood and appearances on Smallville and Stargate SG-1, this memoir recalls one actor’s journey from the main stage to the mainstream.
Where There's Smoke...
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"Thoroughly enjoyable. One gets a very clear sense of the enormous devotion and commitment it took in choosing such an elusive lifestyle." —Tom Braidwood, actor, director, producer, The X-Files, Millennium, Da Vinci's Inquest
"Bill Davis’s memoir is a lively personal story and a document in the history of theatre. . . . His account of his life is thoughtful, amusing, even mildly scandalous." —David Helwig, essayist, poet, novelist, The Names of Things
"Bill Davis’s remarkable career in the performing arts makes for a vivid memoir and a valuable cultural history. . . . An entertaining and addictive read." —Jerry Wasserman, actor, critic, and head of the Department of Theatre and Film, University of British Columbia
"Davis dishes candidly about the [X-Files] famous co-stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in his memoir Where There's Smoke while revealing the character of his undergraduate colleague Donald Sutherland and recalling his own work at the National Theatre in London with Sir Laurence Olivier, Dame Maggie Smith and Albert Finney." —BC Bookworld (April 2012)
"Readers in general will enjoy William B. Davis' unforgettable memoir, written with wit, verve, humor, and poignancy, a page turner every bit as intriguing as the man himself." —www.InternetReviewOfBooks.blogspot.ca
"Candid and measured—all mirrors, no smoke." —UC Magazine (April 2012)
"His life before The X-Files makes for book enough. . . Meet him today, in his 70s, and he's courtly and charming, with a certain reserve. But read his book and, Holy Doodle, Bill we hardly knew you." —The Province (March 3, 2012)
About the Author
William B. Davis has been an actor for more than 60 years and is best known for his role as Cancerman in the hit television series The X-Files. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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More About the Author
William B Davis is best known as "Cancerman" from The X-Files. On the small screen his recent credits include guest appearances on hit shows including Human Target, Caprica, and Supernatural. He was the artistic director of the English Acting Program at Canada's National Theatre School and later founded Vancouver's The William Davis Centre for Actor's Study. Davis has also appeared in a succession of films opposite stars including Penelope Ann Miller, Martin Sheen, Anne Archer, Margot Kidder, Matthew Perry, and Brian Dennehy. He lives in Vancouver, B.C
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Walter Sabo
Format:Paperback
I was afraid this was going to be a pandering actor autobiography. IT'S HYSTERICAL. His comments about the process of making the X FILES and about his fellow actors is unique and uniquely funny. He is candid and willing to give it up. The TRUTH is in here. The most fascinating part was....ok I would give it away. Get this book. It's a fast read, much faster than that darn show took to tell all. This is good book by one of the greatest actors of our time.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is not just about a recognizable and great Canadian actor. It's about the history of Canadian theatre and the life of a working actor that really shows people in the industry or those thinking about going into the industry what it's really like. Some of his contemporaries crossed the border to receive fame and fortune (William Shatner, Christopher Plummer and Donald Sutherland but William remained in Canada and has achieved great success in the industry.
This book is an inspiration to theatre lovers everywhere, with a few X-files tidbits for those fans.
A frank read- he holds nothing back, but it's great!
This book is an inspiration to theatre lovers everywhere, with a few X-files tidbits for those fans.
A frank read- he holds nothing back, but it's great!
By Geoff Cowan
Format:Paperback
Anyone that lived in Australia between 1994 and 2003, would remember most Wednesday nights at 8.30pm, the TV show, "The X Files". Scully and Mulder, our intrepid FBI agents investigating the paranormal and unusual matters that were not within the FBI mainstream. Underlying this whole series, over 9 years, was a group of people known as "The Project": a groups preparing for the eventual colonisation of the Earth by aliens. The specialist that is employed by the group was known as the Cigarette Smoking Man (CSM), played by brilliant long-time Canadian actor, William B Davis.
Davis has now written a memoire of his life from the young beginnings in Canada, college and his journey into stage, screen, directing and running an actor's school. His eventual casting as the CSM has placed him in a special place for villains in the world of TV. His presence on the screen had increasable impact on the story line of the X-Files and created an opportunity for Davis is become one of the best known actors on TV. From the X Files Davis went to Stargate and other shows, but always had his heart, it appears, on the stage. But in his first book, Davis reveals his atheist/sceptic side.
But why am I reviewing an actor's memoire? It become apparent to Davis that when he started to attend the X-Files and related conventions such as ComicCon, he was being asked questions in regards to conspiracies, aliens, secret government programs, aliens, Area 51, aliens, Roswell, unmarked helicopters and aliens. As a result, he started to think that many of the fans that watched the show, actually believed in the conspiracies. When confronted with the question, Davis retorted with the statement "Where is your evidence?" This is the beginning of Davis's new gig, being a sceptic. In Davis's book, he states his sceptical/atheist beginning was in school during a lecture on Catholicism. But after his role on the X Files finished, he started to connect with sceptics and now makes presentations to our Canadian sister organisation, the CFI. A chance meeting with CSI's Barry Beyerstein resulted in his standard appearance at sceptics conferences across Canada and the United States.
So, why this book review about an actor? This book provides a background to a person that is involved in our movement: his character in the X Files is completely opposite our sceptical beliefs, but he has taken the responsibility to become an activist for the sceptical movement. A review of his presentations to the CFI (available on You-Tube) show him to be a very knowledgeable person with demonstrated informed opinions on such issues as climate change and psychology. But the sceptic side is small compared to the acting side. The book shows that all sceptics are something else too, either an actor, a teacher, a parent or in the case of Davis, all this and a champion water skier.
The book is not a bout a sceptic as such, it about a Canadian that has a career in acting which moves to stage, screen, his life in England and United States, his loves and eventually his establishment of an Actors School in Vancouver. His sceptic life has a very small part in the book, but the book shows that a well-known person can be a sceptic. If you are interested in the X Files or more importantly, Davis as a actor, this book is a essential reading. Davis also dishes some great stuff on his fellow actors, but you need to read the3 book to get that information. In recent years, many actors and celebrities have started to push wagons on anti-vaccination, homeopathy, coffee enemas and cult membership. It is refreshing that an actor of the status of Davis has come on the side of reason and is now involved in the sceptic community in Canada.
I highly recommend this book. It would make a great gift for that funny festival at the end of the year or a birthday.
Davis has now written a memoire of his life from the young beginnings in Canada, college and his journey into stage, screen, directing and running an actor's school. His eventual casting as the CSM has placed him in a special place for villains in the world of TV. His presence on the screen had increasable impact on the story line of the X-Files and created an opportunity for Davis is become one of the best known actors on TV. From the X Files Davis went to Stargate and other shows, but always had his heart, it appears, on the stage. But in his first book, Davis reveals his atheist/sceptic side.
But why am I reviewing an actor's memoire? It become apparent to Davis that when he started to attend the X-Files and related conventions such as ComicCon, he was being asked questions in regards to conspiracies, aliens, secret government programs, aliens, Area 51, aliens, Roswell, unmarked helicopters and aliens. As a result, he started to think that many of the fans that watched the show, actually believed in the conspiracies. When confronted with the question, Davis retorted with the statement "Where is your evidence?" This is the beginning of Davis's new gig, being a sceptic. In Davis's book, he states his sceptical/atheist beginning was in school during a lecture on Catholicism. But after his role on the X Files finished, he started to connect with sceptics and now makes presentations to our Canadian sister organisation, the CFI. A chance meeting with CSI's Barry Beyerstein resulted in his standard appearance at sceptics conferences across Canada and the United States.
So, why this book review about an actor? This book provides a background to a person that is involved in our movement: his character in the X Files is completely opposite our sceptical beliefs, but he has taken the responsibility to become an activist for the sceptical movement. A review of his presentations to the CFI (available on You-Tube) show him to be a very knowledgeable person with demonstrated informed opinions on such issues as climate change and psychology. But the sceptic side is small compared to the acting side. The book shows that all sceptics are something else too, either an actor, a teacher, a parent or in the case of Davis, all this and a champion water skier.
The book is not a bout a sceptic as such, it about a Canadian that has a career in acting which moves to stage, screen, his life in England and United States, his loves and eventually his establishment of an Actors School in Vancouver. His sceptic life has a very small part in the book, but the book shows that a well-known person can be a sceptic. If you are interested in the X Files or more importantly, Davis as a actor, this book is a essential reading. Davis also dishes some great stuff on his fellow actors, but you need to read the3 book to get that information. In recent years, many actors and celebrities have started to push wagons on anti-vaccination, homeopathy, coffee enemas and cult membership. It is refreshing that an actor of the status of Davis has come on the side of reason and is now involved in the sceptic community in Canada.
I highly recommend this book. It would make a great gift for that funny festival at the end of the year or a birthday.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Davis holds nothing back
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man was an interesting read. When I first received the book, I thought it was going to be about his time on the X-files. Read more
Published 7 months ago by My Book Addiction and More
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
Well written and I learned a lot about the author. Would have liked a little more about his time on the X-Files but it was well written and worth the price.
Published 14 months ago by Freda L. Whaley
