William Shockley, best known for his portrayal of the handsome, moody saloon-keeper "Hank
Lawson" for six seasons on the hit TV series
DR.QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN, is a man who doesn't limit himself to only one of the creative arts. In addition to being
an extremely talented
actor, Shockley is a musician, a writer, and an artist.
In l986 William earned his SAG card with a part in the futuristic film, ROBOCOP, and in l987, on the day when the
film opened in Los Angeles, he moved from Dallas to Hollywood. While taking acting lessons by day and waiting tables
at night, he secured a guest-starring role on the TV series HOUSTON KNIGHTS. Although this break came after only
a month, the year-long WGA writers' strike that almost immediately followed, made roles non-existent for everyone
in the business. The role which William now calls the "never look back" point of his early career was
as one of the leads in the 1989 movie, HOWLING: THE REBIRTH.
Shockley has numerous acting credits in television,
feature films, and in made for television movies.
William also has a love for writing fiction. He co-wrote and
starred in a short film entitled THE WAR WITHIN which is currently being shown in film festival competition nationwide.
A script for a television pilot that he co-wrote and will star in, LAKE TRAVIS, which revolves around the lives
of a community of families and friends
in Austin, Texas is currently under consideration by television networks. In a slightly different vein, he is the
author of a manuscript for a children's book entitled "Dear Sweet Franzblah" for which he is currently
seeking a publisher and is in the process of writing and illustrating a book called "The Greens: A Psychedelic
Subculture Illuminated Manuscript."
His lifelong love of music began at age seven when his mother "made" him take guitar lessons. He states
that he has "pretty much always" been in a band and has been described by other musicians as a "lyric
master," with an "awesome talent" for songwriting. Currently, Shockley is a vocalist and plays
rhythm guitar with the LA-based band, KANAN DUME.
Along with completing the illustrated drawings for his book-in-
progress, William paints with oils and ink. He can frequently be heard
doing "voiceovers" on television and radio commercials for companies such as Cisco Systems and Izuzu.
Branching out further still, Shockley is part-owner of a "Four Star" rated restaurant in Austin, Texas--
"Cafe Josie"--which serves gourmet dishes prepared with spices that are indigenous to North Africa, Indonesia,
and South America.
Although the six-foot-three, blonde, blue-eyed Shockley was born in
Lawrence, Kansas, he considers himself a Texan, having spent most of his growing up years in that state. He admits
to having been "a jock; 100 percent" who initially dismissed his interest in acting as not fitting in
with his image of himself as an athlete in Texas. But along with being co-captain of the basketball team and a
member of the golf and baseball teams, William was also a National Honor Scholar and following his senior year
entered the University of Texas where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. After graduation from Texas
Tech University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Biology, Shockley spent four months
living in Paris and
Milan. When he returned home he was determined to follow his hidden passion for the arts. He moved to Dallas,
enrolled in acting classes, began doing theatre, and was soon signed by a theatrical agent..
Some of the things that William most enjoys are gardening, water sking, surfing, good food, and good friends.
For those interested, Shockley is currently single.
