| 1919 | born in New York City, educated at Phillips Academy and Yale University |
| 1942-46 | Military service in Africa and Italy |
| 1947-48 | directs Copley Galleries in Beverly Hills, CA (with John Ployardt) |
| 1947 | begins to paint |
| 1951 | moves to Paris |
| 1963 | returns to New York City |
| 1992 | moves to Key West, Florida where he lives until his death in May 1996 |
Solo shows (selection)
| 2012 | William N. Copley (Retrospective), Museum Frieder Burda, Baden-Baden, Germany (C) Reflection on a Past Life, Linn Lühn, Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2011 | See Yourself as Lovers See You, Galerie Klaus Gerrit Friese, Stuttgart, Germany |
| 2010 | X-Rated, Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York (C) |
| 2009 | Linn Lühn, Köln Western Songs, El Sourdog Hex, Berlin Galerie Klaus Gerrit Friese, Stuttgart (K) |
| 2007 | Linn Lühn, Köln |
| 2006 | Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York Galerie manus presse, Stuttgart |
| 2005 | Galerie Onrust, Amsterdam |
| 2004 | Copley - au bonheur des dames, 1958-1990, MAMCO, Musée des Arts Moderne et Contemporain, Genf Galerie Daniel Blau, Munich |
| 2003 | Johann König, Berlin Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York Easy to Read Storybook, BAWAG Foundation, Wien |
| 2002 | Drawings 1956-1994 Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich |
| 2001 | Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Niederlande William Copley, Herning Kunstmuseum, Dänemark Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York |
| 2000 | Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York |
| 1999 | Galerie Fred Jahn, München L.A.C., Lieu d’Art Contemporain, Sigean, Frankreich |
| 1998 | Galerie Lelong, Zürich Galerie Onrust, Amsterdam Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York |
| 1997 | Ulmer Museum, Ulm Galerie Fred Jahn, München |
| 1996 | Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York, NY |
| 1995 | Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hannover (Retrospektive) Galerie Lelong, Zürich |
| 1994 | Nolan/Eckman Gallery, New York, NY |
| 1993 | Galerie Zell am See, Schloss Rosenberg, Österreich Haus Am Lützowplatz, Berlin |
| 1991 | David Nolan Gallery, New York Galerie Fred Jahn, München Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York & Chicago |
| 1990 | Galerie Klewan, München Phyllis Kind Gallery, Chicago |
| 1988 | Galerie 1900/2000, Paris |
| 1987 | Kewenig Galerie, Frechen Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York |
| 1986 | The Tomb of the Unknown Whore, Installation at Workspace, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York |
| 1985 | Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York The Quay Gallery, San Francisco |
| 1983 | Post-Raphaelite Painting by William N. Copley, Reinhard Onnasch Ausstellungen, Berlin Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York |
| 1982 | Phyllis Kind Gallery, Chicago |
| 1981 | CPLY, Galerie Klewan, München Künstler Werkstatt Lothringerstrasse, Munich Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1980-81 | Traveling Retrospective: Badischer Kunstverein e.v., Karlsruhe Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven Musee National D’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris Kunsthalle Bern, Bern |
| 1980 | Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1979 | CPLY: Reflections on a Past Life, Institute for the Arts, Rice University, Houston CPLY/X-Rated Paintings, Galerie Fassbender, München |
| 1978-79 | Variations on a Theme by Francis Picabia, David Stuart Galleries, Los Angeles Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Köln |
| 1978 | Galerie Fassbender, München Galerie Springer, Berlin Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1977 | Phyllis Kind Gallery, Chicago |
| 1976 | Washington Art Association, Washington, CT David Stuart Galleries, Los Angeles Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1974 | Western Songs, Onnasch Galerie, Köln Onnasch Gallery, New York Moore College of Art, Philadelphia CPLY/X-Rated, New York Cultural Center, New York |
| 1973 | Gallerie Il Fauna, Turin |
| 1972 | Gallery Suzanne Saxe, San Francisco Galerie Iolas, Milan & Paris Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York David Stuart Galleries, Los Angeles |
| 1971 | Nouns, Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1970 | Galerie Aspects, Brüssel Galerie Neuendorf, Köln Galerie Springer, Berlin |
| 1969 | Ballads, Galerie Iolas, Genf Gallerie de Leone, Venedig Merida Gallery, Louisville, KY |
| 1967 | Bodley Gallery, New York Homage to Robert W. Service, Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York Galerie Iolas, Paris |
| 1966 | Copley - Entertainment for Men, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam Galerie Iolas, Paris Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1965 | Allan Frumkin Gallery, Chicago Southwestern College, Chula Vista, CA Louisiana Gallery, Houston |
| 1963 | Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York Les Suffragettes Erotiques de Bill Copley, Galerie Iris Clert, Paris The Hanover Gallery, London Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1962 | Gallerie Schwarz, Mailand |
| 1961 | The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1960 | Galleria Cavallino, Venedig Galleria d'Arte del Naviglio, Mailand Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1959 | Galerie Furstenberg, Paris |
| 1958 | Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1956 | Galerie du Dragon, Paris Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York |
| 1954 | Galleria Montenapoleone, Mailand |
| 1953 | Nina Dausset, Paris |
| 1951 | Royer's Book Shop, Los Angeles |