Biography

William Kernen was born in Boise, Idaho on August 1, 1948. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, moved with his family to California in 1960 and spent the next 35 years living in Southern California. After majoring in Psychology at the University of Redlands from 1966-1970, he graduated cum laude, was Student-Athlete of the Year and immediately signed a professional baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Following a three-year minor league career, he went into coaching, first in high school and then at Orange Coast Junior College. From there, he worked his way into major college baseball at California State, Fullerton, the University of Illinois, California State, Northridge and North Carolina State. Kernen's programs soon became ranked in the Top 10 in the country, winning league and regional championships in the NCAA, and ultimately an NCAA Division I National Championship.

While at the top of a profession in big-time collegiate athletics, Kernen decided at the age of 47 to move to New York City in the summer of 1995 to pursue a career as a playwright. He studied at Columbia University with Eduardo Machado for the next two years. During this time, two full-length plays were written and produced in New York in 1997, And Other Fairy Tales and A Graveyard Symphony. In 1998, another full-length play was completed, Galleria degli Angeli, and a fourth, Musica de Mariposa, was completed in 1999. The former was a finalist in the Oglebay Institute National Playwriting Competition, 1997.

William Kernen is represented by the Robert A. Freedman Dramatic Agency in New York City.
- IMDb mini biography by: William Kernen

Has written 11 plays, two of which were produced while an MFA candidate at Columbia University. 5 other plays, four of which were one-act dramas, were subsequently produced in New York. Full length "Galleria degli Angeli" received critical acclaim and was directed by Kernen as well. Has written, directed and produced a short film "In the House of Athazagora".

Pitching coach at Cal State-Fullerton (1978-1982, 1987). 'Augie Garrido''s pitching coach at Cal State-Fullerton and the University of Illinois.

Named head coach of Cal State-Bakersfield's mens baseball team.