Directed the theatrical short _Fish Heads (1982)_ which won a Special Award at the 1982 Melbourne Film Festival.

Bill's paternal grandfather was friend and neighbor to the great American painter, Thomas Hart Benton.

As a teen, Bill caddied for golf great Ben Hogan in Fort Worth.

He has earned the nickname "Wild Bill" among friends and co-stars for his apparently crazed sense of humor and his love for elaborate pranks.

Member of the 1980s rock band Martini Ranch. James Cameron directed a video for their song "Reach" featuring many Cameron alumni (Kathryn Bigelow, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein).

Has appeared in five films with Michael Biehn: The Lords of Discipline (1983), The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Navy Seals (1990), Tombstone (1993).

Son of John Paxton.

Has two children with Louise Newbury: James Paxton (b. 1994) and Lydia (b. 19 December 1997).

Learned to speak German to prepare for his part in the Pat Benatar video, "Shadows of the Night."

Attended Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas. The same high school as John Denver and Lee Harvey Oswald (who left before he graduated).

Is one of two actors along with Lance Henriksen to have worked in a Terminator, Predator and Alien movie.

Was the first choice as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code (2006). He turned the part down because he was already signed for "Big Love" (2006). Tom Hanks was cast for the film instead.

For his role on Tombstone (1993), he was trained by renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed, who has also trained such actors as: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliot, Leonardo DiCaprio, Girard Swan, Michael Biehn and Ben Foster.

Met his current wife, Louise, on a number 13 bus in London. She is his second wife.

Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame during their annual induction gala at Austin Studios in Austin, Texas on March 9, 2007 for his career achievement in the motion picture film industry. The Texas Film Hall of Fame inductees are native-born Texans who have achieved excellence in their film career.

Co-authored and produced the short, Scoop (1983), which won a Honorable Mention at the 1983 USA Film Festival.

Bill had rheumatic fever in the 7th grade. It kept him hospitalized for a month and bed-ridden for four months. He had to take regular doses of penicillin until he was 18.

Is the only person to be "killed" by a Terminator (The Terminator), an alien (Aliens) and a Predator (Predator 2).