Billy Bob's first role was in 1980s "South of Reno". He played a small role as a man in a restaurant. Billy Bob was also in a 1987 episode of Andy Griffith's series "Matlock". Another one of Thornton's early roles was on the CBS sitcom "Hearts Afire" with John Ritter and Markie Post. His role as the villain in the 1992 movie "One False Move" got him noticed by the critics. He also had small roles in the early 1990s movies "Indecent Proposal", "On Deadly Ground", "Bound by Honor", "Grey Knight", and "Tombstone". Thornton did what Wilder told him to do. He wrote, direct and star in the independent movie "Sling Blade". The movie was released in 1996. The movie was an expansion of a short named "Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade". It told the story of Karl Childers, a mentally handicapped man imprisoned for murder. "Sling Blade" was well liked internationally. Thornton's screenplay earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, a Writers Guild of America Award, and an Edgar Award. His acting in the movie earned him an Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor.