William Hill (nicknamed Shakespeare) is Randall's biological father. Formerly a drug addict, he's suffering from stage four stomach cancer but is well enough to live with and enjoy his new-found family. William can play the piano, which he learned from his father, as well as sing. William is bisexual and previously had a relationship with a man named Jessie. William never broke up with Jessie, who assumed he died when he vanished one night to move to Randall's. William returns to Philadelphia to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in hopes of bumping into Jessie to reconnect. Rebecca realized William was Randall's father when she saw him leave the hospital, and eventually tracked him down, a secret she kept from everyone, including Randall and Jack. William always wanted to have a relationship with his child and regretted giving him up, but promised Rebecca he would stay away for Randall's benefit. William accidentally reveals this secret to Beth one night when they got high together. Randall accidentally finds out himself when he finds a letter in William's apartment while looking for cassette tapes.