William was born and raised in Danvers, Massachusetts. He worked as a Pro Wrestler who worked full-time from 1982-1987 with over 600 matches to his credit. He was the bodyguard of the Massachusetts state Attorney General James Shannon. He was a Police Officer for over 10 years. Along the way, he won several Tough Man contests. Just 18 months after having a heart attack, he fought his way to 10th in the World's toughest Police and Firefighter contest. He is also a Massage Therapist and personal trainer. His acting idols are Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, and he is a huge fan of Ian McShane of Deadwood (2004).