William Norton hails from Los Angeles, attended UCLA, and was the director of the pilot episode of Tour of Duty as well as producing the show. He also worked with the writers L. Travis Clark and Steve Duncan, both Vietnam veterans, in preparing the pilot episode.

He began his career writing and directing the 1972 drama Cisco Pike. Some of his other work includes "More American Graffiti and "Three for the Road" and "Gargoyles"

His last known work since Tour of Duty was a 1998 movie "Thirst"