Reverend Billy
Known for Acting · 5 credits
- Born
- 1950-05-25 (age 76)
- Also known as
- Bill Talen
Biography
The character of Reverend Billy was developed in the early 1990s by actor and playwright, William Talen. He grew up in small towns throughout Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. He left home at 16, moving east with Charles and Patricia Gaines, a writer and painter who encouraged him as an artist. Talen began to perform his poems and stories, hitch-hiking from Philadelphia to New York to San Francisco. His chief collaborator in developing the Reverend Billy character was the Reverend Sidney Lanier, a cousin of Tennessee Williams. Lanier was vicar of The St. Clement's in the 1960s, an Episcopal Church in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan. In an effort to increase attendance at St. Clement's, Lanier had torn out the altar and pews, inviting actors to perform scenes from plays by Tennessee Williams and Terrence McNally, and founding founding the American Place Theater. Lanier described Talen as "more of a preacher with a gift for social prophecy than an actor." In the early 1990s, Talen moved with Lanier to New York City from the San Francisco Bay Area, branding his act as a "new kind of American preacher"
Known For

Culture Jam: Hijacking Commercial Culture
2001
as Himself (Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping)

You Need This
2025
as Self
What Would Jesus Buy?
2007
as Reverend Billy
The Perfect Cappuccino
2008
as Himself

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping
2002
as Himself
Movies (5)

Culture Jam: Hijacking Commercial Culture
2001
as Himself (Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping)

You Need This
2025
as Self
What Would Jesus Buy?
2007
as Reverend Billy
The Perfect Cappuccino
2008
as Himself

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping
2002
as Himself
About Reverend Billy
The character of Reverend Billy was developed in the early 1990s by actor and playwright, William Talen. He grew up in small towns throughout Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. He left home at 16, moving east with Charles and Patricia Gaines, a writer and painter who encouraged him as an artist. Talen began to perform his poems and stories, hitch-hiking from Philadelphia to New York to San Francisco. His chief collaborator in developing the Reverend Billy character was the Reverend Sidney Lanier, a cousin of Tennessee Williams. Lanier was… With 5 credits spanning from 2001 to 2025, Reverend Billy has appeared in 5 films and 0 TV shows.
Fans searching for Reverend Billy movies, Reverend Billy filmography, or the latest projects starring Reverend Billy can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Reverend Billy Movies
- Culture Jam: Hijacking Commercial Culture (2001) — as Himself (Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping)
- You Need This (2025) — as Self
- What Would Jesus Buy? (2007) — as Reverend Billy
- The Perfect Cappuccino (2008) — as Himself
- Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping (2002) — as Himself
Where to Watch Reverend Billy Films
Most Reverend Billy movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Reverend Billy, check our movies catalogue and browse page.