Back in 1989 two dudes known as Bill S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted “Theodore” Logan (Keanu Reeves) – together they were known as Wyld Stalyns – needed to pass history or the future of all mankind was doomed. They were assisted by a guy from the future named Rufus (George Carlin) who gave them a time travelling phone box. Bill and Ted bounced across history collecting many “historical dudes” to help them with their presentation. Here’s what happened to the actors who played those historical dudes:
Napoleon (Terry Camilleri)
Terry Camilleri already had appearances in Superman III, Let’s Get Harry, Hill Street Blues under his belt. Following Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure he went onto to appear in The Truman Show, Renegade, NYPD Blue, Incident at Raven’s Gate and Knowing.
In 2006, as part of the World Cup campaign in Australia, Camilleri played the character of “History”, an 800-year-old orc-like creature for the Nike “Stuff History” advertisements. Which is part of Nike’s soccer Joga Bonito adverts:
Billy The Kid (Dan Shor)
Shor has maintained a career of being an actor, director, writer, and teacher for over thirty years. Before Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure he appeared as Ram in Tron ( a role he reprised in Tron: The Next Day), Strange Invaders, Black Moon Rising, Cagney & Lacey, and Murder, She Wrote. Following the movie Shor continued teaching, writing, directing and racking up appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Beauty and the Beast, Thirtysomething, Ghoulies Go To College, Star Trek: Voyager, Air Force One, and The X-Files.
Socrates (Tony Steedman)
Tony Steedman was an English actor with many years of experience behind him when he was cast in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Before the film he made a name for himself in It’s Dark Outside, The Protectors, Sherlock Holmes, Theatre 625, Angel Pavement, A Pilgrim’s Progress, The Avengers, The Champions, Department S, Jason King, War & Peace, Coronation Street, The Sweeney, The Professionals, Crossroads, Citizen Smith, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, The Fall Guy, The A-Team, My Two Dads, Scrooged, Beauty and The Beast, The Golden Girls, and Some Mother’s Do Av’em:
Following Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Steedman continued to work with roles on both sides of the Atlantic in Boon, Mystery!: Campion, Doogie Howser, M.D., Inspector Morse, Inspector Morse, Minder, The Brittas Empire, Babylon 5, Animal Ark, plus he provided the voice to Justin Hammer in the 1994 Iron Man cartoon series. Sadly Steedman passed away in 2001 aged 73 following a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Sigmund Freud (Rod Loomis)
Loomis popped up on the Cult Faction radar long before Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure with roles in Jason of Star Command, The Beastmaster, Matt Houston, Dynasty and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Following the movie he continued to make appearances in Matlock, Jake and the Fatman, Quantum Leap, and Stargate SG-1.
Genghis Khan (Al Leong)
Al Leong has been inducted as a Hero of Cult. Click Here to read all about him.
Joan of Arc (Jane Wiedlin)
Weedlin gained fame as an American musician, singer-songwriter as the rhythm guitarist/backup vocalist of the all-female, new wave band The Go-Go’s. She later began acting with small appearances in Clue, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Sleeping Beauty.
Following Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Widlin continued her music career (above) and also added to her acting resume with roles in The New Batman Adventures, King of the Hill, Spyder Games, Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire, Rugrats Pre-School Daze, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,Roundball, HoneyBee and Gen Zed.
Abraham Lincoln (Robert V. Barron)
Barron gained fame as an American TV and film director, producer, screenwriter and actor with pre-Excellent Adventure roles in The Beverly Hillbillies, The Road Hustlers, The Wild Wild West, Bonanza, Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, The Dukes of Hazzard, Robotech, Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years, Amazing Stories, Robotech: The Movie, and Night Court.
Following Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Barron reprised his Lincoln in an episode of Out of This World, L.A. Law, Alien Nation, Get A Life, Frankenstein: The College Years, Quantum Leap, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It should be noted that Barron was a pioneer in buying successful Japanese animated series and dubbing them into English. He became executive director and story editor for Saban Productions, which in the course of five years became one of the largest producers of children’s programming in the world, with such shows as X-Men (1992) and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers (1993). Sadly Barron passed away in 2000 aged 67,
Beethoven (Clifford David)
David is an acclaimed Broadway, TV, and Film actor who made appearances in Street of Sinners, Great Ghost Tales, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Invitation to a Gunfighter, Ironside, Mod Squad, Bonanza, Police Woman, Charlie’s Angels, The Bronx, and The Equaliser. Following his Excellent Adventure, David appeared in The Exorcist III, Murder, She Wrote, Party of Five, Murphy Brown, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Signs, Will & Grace, and Law & Order.
So there you have it, the greatest history presentation of all time that eventually led to global peace!
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