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Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Highest Rated: 93% The Killing Fields (1984)

Lowest Rated: 7% Shadow Conspiracy (1997)

Birthday: Nov 15, 1940

Birthplace: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

An award-winning theater actor since the early 1970s, Sam Waterston became the soul of honesty, compassion and dedication through his portrayals of Abraham Lincoln in "Gore Vidal's Lincoln" (NBC, 1988) and his 16-year tenure as District Attorney Jack McCoy on "Law and Order" (NBC, 1990-2010). Blessed with a speaking voice that seemed imbued with these same qualities, he found his best showcases in earnest roles that required him to grapple with major issues, like Nick Carraway in "The Great Gatsby" (1974), physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in "Oppenheimer" (PBS, 1980), and journalist Sydney Schanberg in "The Killing Fields" (1984), which earned him an Oscar nomination. Television gave him his most memorable roles - in addition to Lincoln in the Vidal play and in "The Civil War" (PBS, 1990), he was the beloved father and lawyer in "I'll Fly Away" (NBC, 1991-93) and the prickly yet passionate McCoy on "Law and Order" and its many spin-offs. Admired for over four decades by critics, audiences and peers alike, Waterston was a star that eschewed the trappings of fame for the beauty of a great role.

Highest rated movies

93% The Killing Fields
92% Crimes and Misdemeanors
91% The Man in the Moon
81% Hopscotch
78% Mindwalk
78% Interiors
76% Miss Sloane
73% Rancho Deluxe

Photos

Sam Waterston RANCHO DELUXE, Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, 1975 INTERIORS, Sam Waterston, Marybeth Hurt, 1978, (c) United Artists COVER ME BABE, Sam Waterston, Robert Forster, 1970 CAPRICORN ONE, O.J. Simpson, Sam Waterston, James Brolin, 1978, (c) Warner Brothers SWEET REVENGE, Stockard Channing, Sam Waterston, 1977 WHO KILLED MARY WHAT'S 'ER NAME?, Sam Waterston, Alice Playten, 1971 RANCHO DELUXE, Sam Waterston, 1975 WARNING SIGN, Kathleen Quinlan, Sam Waterston, 1985, TM and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. SERIAL MOM, Ricki Lake, Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterston, Matthew Lillard, 1994. WELCOME HOME, Sam Waterston, JoBeth Williams, 1989, (c)Columbia Pictures WELCOME HOME, Kris Kristofferson, JoBeth Williams, Sam Waterston, 1989, (c)Columbia Pictures SERIAL MOM, Sam Waterston, 1994 SERIAL MOM, Sam Waterston, Kathleen Turner, 1994 CAPRICORN ONE, O.J. Simpson, Sam Waterston, 1978, (c) Warner Brothers HEAVEN'S GATE, Sam Waterston, 1980, © United Artists / RANCHO DELUXE, Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, 1975 RANCHO DELUXE, Sam Waterston, Jeff Bridges, 1975 THE KILLING FIELDS, Sam Waterston, 1984. ©Warner Brothers THE GREAT GATSBY, Mia Farrow, Sam Waterston, 1974.
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Man in the Woods Headmaster Waldorf (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story Self - 2020
72% 76% On the Basis of Sex Erwin Griswold (Character) $24.7M 2018
No Score Yet 67% The Mayo Clinic: Faith - Hope - Science Unknown (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators Narrator - 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dateline: Saigon Narrator - 2016
76% 72% Miss Sloane George Dupont (Character) $3.5M 2016
27% 50% Anesthesia Prof. Walter Zarrow (Character) $22.4K 2015
No Score Yet 43% Please Be Normal Dad (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet 86% Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen Narrator - 2013
36% 26% Le Divorce Chester Walker (Character) $9.1M 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Commission J. Lee Rankin (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Matthew Shepard Story Dennis Shepard (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 57% A House Divided David Dickson (Character),
Producer 		- 2000
No Score Yet 54% Exiled: A Law & Order Movie Jack McCoy (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 68% Miracle at Midnight Dr. Karl Koster (Character) - 1998
7% 20% Shadow Conspiracy The President (Character) $2.3M 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Proprietor Harry Bancroft (Character) $113.6K 1996
57% 70% The Journey of August King Mooney Wright (Character),
Producer 		$6.0K 1995
No Score Yet 36% The Enemy Within President William Foster (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 62% David's Mother John Nils (Character) - 1994
63% 72% Serial Mom Eugene Sutphin, D.D.S. (Character) $6.8M 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet David John Nils (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 27% Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker Daniel Chamberlain (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet I'll Fly Away: Then and Now Forrest Bedford (Character) - 1993
91% 85% The Man in the Moon Matthew Trant (Character) $2.2M 1991
78% 88% Mindwalk Jack Edwards (Character) $7.6K 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet I'll Fly Away Forrest Bedford (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Amazing Stories: The Movie IV Jordan Manmouth (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 92% Lantern Hill Andrew Stuart (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Captive in the Land Royce (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 62% Welcome Home Woody (Character) $830.7K 1989
92% 91% Crimes and Misdemeanors Ben (Character) $17.6M 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Nightmare Years Bill Shirer (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami Jim Delmore (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Room Upstairs Travis Coles (Character) - 1987
63% 52% September Peter (Character) $404.8K 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Devil's Paradise Jones (Character) - 1987
33% 52% Just Between Friends Harry Crandall (Character) $5.9M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Certain Desire Inspecteur Gerry Morrison (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fifth Missile Capt. Allard Renslow (Character) - 1986
20% 43% Warning Sign Cal Morse (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 80% Finnegan Begin Again Paul Broadbent (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love Lives On Bernie (Character) - 1985
93% 91% The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 40% Dempsey Doc Kearns (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet In Defense of Kids Paul Wilcox (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Games Mother Never Taught You David Bentells (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sweet William William McClusky (Character) - 1980
57% 54% Heaven's Gate Frank Canton (Character) - 1980
81% 78% Hopscotch Cutter (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Downtown Farmer Felix (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 69% Friendly Fire C.D. Bryan (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 26% Eagle's Wing White Bull (Character) - 1979
65% 58% Capricorn One Peter Willis (Character) - 1978
78% 79% Interiors Mike (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 0% Sweet Revenge Le Clerq (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dandy, the All-American Girl Le Clerq (Character) - 1976
73% 40% Rancho Deluxe Cecil Colson (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mahoney's Last Stand Felix (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Journey Into Fear Mr. Graham (Character) - 1975
39% 47% The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Reflections of Murder Michael Elliott (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet 65% The Glass Menagerie Tom Wingfield (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who Killed Mary What's 'er Name? Alex (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cover Me Babe Cameraman (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet 40% Three Taylor (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Time for Giving Desmond (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 66% Fitzwilly Oliver (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean Andy (Character) - 1966

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? Guest 2024
No Score Yet 83% Law & Order Exec. Asst. D.A. Jack McCoy (Character) 1994-2010 2022-2024
No Score Yet 7% The View Guest 2015 2022
90% 87% Grace and Frankie Sol (Character) 2015-2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Visionaries Host 2013-2020 2022
No Score Yet 49% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2020 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2020
78% 82% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jack McCoy (Guest Star) 2007 2010 2018
83% 85% Godless John Cook (Character) 2017
No Score Yet 91% The Newsroom Charlie Skinner (Character) 2012-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Colbert Report Guest 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stephen Hawking's Sci Fi Masters Havelman (Character) 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Law & Order: Trial by Jury Unknown (Guest Star) 2005
No Score Yet 64% Family Guy Dr. Kaplan (Guest Voice) 2000
91% 90% Homicide: Life on the Street Unknown (Guest Star) 1997 1999
82% 92% Tales From the Crypt Unknown (Character) 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet I'll Fly Away D.A. Forrest Bedford (Character) 1991-1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Civil War Abraham Lincoln (Voice) 1990
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1986