Biography
William DeCoff was born in Danvers, Massachusetts, in the area of Old Salem Village, the site of much of the Salem Witch Hysteria. He is the son of Command Sgt. Major George DeCoff, who served as a personal bodyguard to Major General Robert McClure.
At 14, DeCoff was recruited in a high school hallway to appear in a TV commercial for the clothing store Anderson Little. Soon after, he received method acting training from Rafael Ramirez of The NY Conservatory. Due to his unusually muscular physique for a teenager in the 1970s, William began body part modeling for print and TV.
While competing in teenage bodybuilding, he was cast as a high school bully in the full-length film Blood Tide. Although the movie was never completed, it sparked William’s passion for acting.
At 19, DeCoff launched a professional wrestling career. Trained by Walter "Killer" Kowalski, he wrestled across Canada, focusing on Quebec and the Maritime provinces, and worked throughout the United States, mainly in Dallas and New England. He also competed in and won several "Tough Man" contests, popular at the time.
Known for his exceptional stamina and surprising physical strength, DeCoff won several wrestling titles. However, his smaller size limited his progress, leading him to leave the business multiple times before returning. In 1987, promoter Fritz Von Erich told William that his talents would be better suited in the booking office due to his creativity and promotional skills. After discussing this with Kowalski, who agreed, DeCoff completed his remaining bookings and left wrestling days later.
Friends say DeCoff was deeply affected by the suicide of Mike Von Erich, which may have been the true catalyst for his retirement.
Returning to Massachusetts, he worked as a bouncer, prison guard, bodyguard to Massachusetts State Attorney General James Shannon, and eventually as a police officer.
Disabled as a police officer in 2001, DeCoff resumed acting soon after. He quickly revived his body-part modeling and doubling skills, appearing in numerous indie horror films, a genre he especially enjoyed. His film and TV career was limited by his refusal to take roles requiring overnight travel, as he preferred to stay home with his family.
His comedic performance opposite William Forsythe in the comedy Slip and Fall earned him high praise, with Forsythe calling their scenes some of the funniest of his long career. DeCoff won Best Actor awards at several film festivals.
He established a strong reputation as a character actor, working in dozens of independent films he loved, while occasionally landing small roles in larger TV shows and movies.
In 2017, DeCoff returned to police work, feeling a "call of duty" after seeing many officers his age retire amid social turmoil. He wanted to inspire and mentor younger officers, much as he had done with younger actors. He continues to write, produce, and act when his schedule permits.
