Actor William Sadler among those to receive awards during SUNY Geneseo alumni reunion

Actor William Sadler ’72, who has played in motion pictures such as “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Die Hard 2” and “Iron Man 32” among numerous other roles in show business, received the SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association (SGAA) Professional Achievement Award during the college’s Alumni Reunion June 3 on campus. Sadler was among several alumni to receive awards during the weekend, when an estimated 550 Geneseo alumni and friends returned for activities and entertainment on campus and in the village.

The college presented its Excellence in Education Award to retired educators Timothy ’67 and Linda Hurd ’67 Richter during the 50-Year-Club luncheon. Additional awards the SGAA is presenting included the Outstanding Young Alum Award to acclaimed cabaret vocalist Marissa Mulder ’07; the Distinguished Service Award to Michael ’87 and Sarah ’88 Grammatico, a financial adviser and elementary school teacher, respectively; and the Excellence in Education Award to retired educational administrator Valarie Scott ’82. The SGAA is also granting an Honorary Lifetime Membership to Geneseo English Professor Thomas Greenfield.

Sadler is a Buffalo native who has also had roles in movies like “The Green Mile,” “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “August Rush,” “The Mist,” “Eagle Eye,” and “Kinsey.”

His TV performances include such notable roles as Chuck Cooper in the ABC’s “When We Rise,” “Chesty” Puller in the award winning HBO mini-series “The Pacific,” William Clay in the upcoming Epix series “Berlin Station,” and John McGarrett in “Hawaii Five-O.” He is currently playing Tony Teresi in the series “Power” for the Starz network.

Sadler started his career on the stage in New York and frequently returns to those theater roots. He most recently appeared opposite Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon in the Tony award-winning “Exit the King.