<P> Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C - Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the Fox science fiction - supernatural television series The X-Files . He serves as the arch - nemesis of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder . In the show's sixth season, his name is said to be C.G.B. Spender, but Dana Scully suggests this is one of "hundreds of aliases"; the show's characters and fans continue to refer to him by variations of "the Smoking Man" because he is almost always seen chain - smoking Morley cigarettes . In the eleventh season, he reveals his full name to be Carl Gerhard Busch . </P> <P> Although he utters only four audible words in the entire first season of the show, the Smoking Man eventually develops into the series' primary antagonist . In his early appearances he is seen in the offices of Section Chief Scott Blevins and Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Mulder and his partner Dana Scully's supervisors . An influential man working for the powers that be, he is a key member in a government - conspiracy unit known only as the Syndicate, who are hiding the truth of alien existence and their plan to colonize Earth . His power and influence remained strong, even after most of the Syndicate was destroyed . </P> <P> The Smoking Man is portrayed by Canadian actor William B. Davis . When Davis first received the role, the character was written as an extra for the pilot episode . He returned for small cameo appearances during the first season, making increasingly more appearances in the seasons that followed . Davis never received an award for his portrayal alone, but he was nominated for ensemble awards . </P> <P> TV Guide included him in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time . </P>

Who was the smoking man on the x-files