Bill Pullman | President Dale Gilchrist

Bill Pullman stars as President Dale Gilchrist, an ex-marine whose position as the head of state proves to be easier than being the head of the family, in NBC's quirky family comedy "1600 Penn."

Pullman originally started his academic career by going into a building construction program at SUNY Delhi in New York. He then transferred to SUNY Oneonta, where he received his B.A. in theater. He later attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he received both his M.F.A. in theater/directing and an honorary Ph.D.

While teaching directing at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, one of his students was the soon-to-be film director John Dahl, who later cast Pullman in "The Last Seduction."

Pullman is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Callaghan in "While You Were Sleeping." His numerous feature films include "Spaceballs," "Independence Day," where he starred as President Thomas Whitmore opposite Will Smith, "Mr. Wrong," where he starred alongside Ellen DeGeneres, "Casper," "The Last Seduction," "Singles," "Nervous Ticks," "A League of Their Own," "Sleepless in Seattle," "Lost Highway," "Lake Placid," "Ignition" and "Scary Movie 4."

His television credits include "The Tracey Ullman Show," "Revelations" and "Torchwood." He has also appeared in several television movies including "Home Fires Burning," "Crazy in Love," "Mistrial," "Merry Christmas, George Bailey" and "Tiger Cruise."

In addition to acting, Pullman is a creative writer. His first play, "Expedition 6," about the International Space Station mission Expedition 6, opened at San Francisco's Magic Theater in September 2007.

Pullman is based in Los Angeles, New York City and western Montana, where he co-owns a cattle ranch with his brother.