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Former Nypd Detective, Monroe Professor Makes TV Debut

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Following a successful career with the New York City Police Department spanning nearly three decades, Monroe College professor William Cannon took his talents to the classroom. Hollywood may be next.

Monroe College professor and former NYPD detective sergeant William Cannon (left) on set of "The Perfect Murder."

Monroe College professor and former NYPD detective sergeant William Cannon (left) on set of "The Perfect Murder."

Photo Credit: Contributed
William Cannon has been busy with his acting, standup comedy and teaching at Monroe College in New Rochelle.

William Cannon has been busy with his acting, standup comedy and teaching at Monroe College in New Rochelle.

Photo Credit: Zak Failla

Cannon, a 27-year veteran of the police force that spent 9 years heading up the Manhattan North Homicide Squad, recently expanded his horizons as he secured a leading role on Investigation Discovery Channel’s “The Perfect Murder.”

This isn’t Cannon’s first foray into the spotlight, having previously been featured on the Discovery Channel to offer his experience and provide insight regarding an investigation that took place after a pair of bodies were dumped in the East River.

He will no longer be playing himself on the small screen, having secured one of the lead roles in “The Perfect Murder,” which enjoyed a debut episode that saw more than one million viewers overnight.

“This was the first time I actually acted, in the past I just played myself as a detective, it’s what I did for 27 years, including 16 years running investigations,” he said. “This time they gave me my lines and I actually had to act.”

Cannon said that while he will remain a criminal justice professor at Monroe, he hopes to pursue his passion projects within acting. He currently does standup comedy as many as four nights a week – while balancing his other pursuits and maintaining a family – in the tri-state area, and plans to take an acting course in the fall.

Despite all of his accomplishments, Cannon said that the challenge of acting may be his favorite career change so far.

“Acting could very well be the highlight of my career. I’m going to try and pursue it,” he said. “I’ve always been pretty successful at everything I’ve done. So I’m going to try this, and if it works out, that’s great, and if not, then at least we’ll all know.”

The professor, former detective, father and actor noted that he tries to bring his humor to the classroom, which he believes makes his courses a draw for students, adding that he has “developed his acting presence in the classroom,” often “trying out new jokes on the students.”

“I think I’m one of the more popular professors at Monroe because of my wealth of knowledge and because I use humor to keep the students interesting and engaged,” he said. “I feel like if you’re dry and uninteresting, students will shut down, so I do my best to inject some life into every lesson, and that’s only been aided through acting.” 

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