Sam Waterston
Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Born: November 15, 1940 (85 years)
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Samuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy on the NBC television series Law & Order. He has been nominated for multiple Golden Globe-, Screen Actors Guild-, BAFTA- and Emmy Awards, having starred in over eighty film and television productions during his forty-five year career. Allmovie has characterised Waterston as having "cultivated a loyal following with his quietly charismatic, unfailingly solid performances." Description above from the Wikipedia article Sam Waterston, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies as Actor (91)
Carousel

Carousel

as Sam

Jan 22, 2026

The Six Triple Eight

The Six Triple Eight

as Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Dec 6, 2024

Merchant Ivory

Merchant Ivory

as Self

Aug 30, 2024

Rain Falls from Earth: Surviving Cambodia's Darkest Hour

Rain Falls from Earth: Surviving Cambodia's Darkest Hour

as Self (voice)

Jun 1, 2024

A Case for Love

A Case for Love

as Self

Jan 23, 2024

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time

as Self (voice)

Nov 19, 2021

The Man in the Woods

The Man in the Woods

as Headmaster Waldorf

Nov 24, 2020

Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story

Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story

as Self

Sep 1, 2020

On the Basis of Sex

On the Basis of Sex

as Erwin Griswold

Dec 25, 2018

The Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic

as Charlie Mayo (voice)

Sep 25, 2018

Jane Fonda in Five Acts

Jane Fonda in Five Acts

as Self - (archive footage)

Jan 21, 2018

Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators

Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators

as Narrator (voice)

Jun 17, 2017

Dateline: Saigon

Dateline: Saigon

as Narrator (voice)

Mar 7, 2017

Miss Sloane

Miss Sloane

as George Dupont

Nov 25, 2016

Anesthesia

Anesthesia

as Prof. Walter Zarrow

Jan 8, 2016

And It Was Good

And It Was Good

as Judge Alexander Baas / Doctor / Gravedigger

Jun 5, 2015

Dean Smith

Dean Smith

as Narrator

Mar 25, 2015

Please Be Normal

Please Be Normal

as Dad

Mar 20, 2015

The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

as Self

Oct 30, 2010

The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

as John Honeyman (segment "A Walk in the Woods")

May 2, 2006

Hammer and Cycle

Hammer and Cycle

as Self - Narrator

Apr 9, 2004

The Commission

The Commission

as J. Lee Rankin

Nov 7, 2003

Le Divorce

Le Divorce

as Chester Walker

Aug 8, 2003

The Matthew Shepard Story

The Matthew Shepard Story

as Dennis Shepard

Mar 16, 2002

A House Divided

A House Divided

as David Dickson

Jul 30, 2000

The Unfinished Journey

The Unfinished Journey

as Narrator (voice)

Dec 31, 1999

In Bad Taste

In Bad Taste

as Self

Sep 3, 1999

Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs

Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs

as Self / Host / Narrator

Jul 18, 1999

Here Am I, Send Me: The Story of Jonathan Daniels

Here Am I, Send Me: The Story of Jonathan Daniels

as Narrator

Feb 25, 1999

Exiled

Exiled

as Jack McCoy

Nov 8, 1998

Miracle at Midnight

Miracle at Midnight

as Dr. Karl Koster

Mar 17, 1998

Shadow Conspiracy

Shadow Conspiracy

as The President

Jan 25, 1997

The Proprietor

The Proprietor

as Harry Bancroft

Sep 9, 1996

Nixon

Nixon

as Richard Helms

Dec 22, 1995

The Journey of August King

The Journey of August King

as Mooney Wright

Sep 14, 1995

Amazing Stories: The Movie IV

Amazing Stories: The Movie IV

as Jordan Manmouth (archive footage)

Aug 18, 1995

Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage

Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage

as Tom Wingfield (archive footage)

Dec 19, 1994

The Enemy Within

The Enemy Within

as President William Foster

Aug 24, 1994

Serial Mom

Serial Mom

as Eugene Sutphin

Apr 13, 1994

David's Mother

David's Mother

as John Nils

Apr 10, 1994

Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker

Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker

as Daniel Chamberlain

Feb 26, 1994

I'll Fly Away: Then and Now

I'll Fly Away: Then and Now

as Forrest Bedford

Oct 11, 1993

Earth and the American Dream

Earth and the American Dream

as Reader (voice)

Oct 1, 1992

Mindwalk

Mindwalk

as Jack Edwards

Dec 5, 1991

The Man in the Moon

The Man in the Moon

as Matthew Trant

Sep 30, 1991

Night of 100 Stars III

Night of 100 Stars III

as Self

May 21, 1990

A Captive in the Land

A Captive in the Land

as Royce

Jan 7, 1990

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Crimes and Misdemeanors

as Ben

Oct 13, 1989

Welcome Home

Welcome Home

as Woody

Sep 29, 1989

Lantern Hill

Lantern Hill

as Andrew Stuart

Aug 29, 1989

Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami

Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami

as Jim Delmore

Dec 30, 1988

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods

as John Honeyman

Jan 1, 1988

September

September

as Peter

Dec 18, 1987

Devil's Paradise

Devil's Paradise

as Jones

May 7, 1987

Swimming to Cambodia

Swimming to Cambodia

as Additional Cast from 'The Killing Fields' (archive footage)

Mar 13, 1987

The Room Upstairs

The Room Upstairs

as Travis Coles

Jan 31, 1987

Flagrant désir

Flagrant désir

as Inspecteur Gerry Morrison

Jun 11, 1986

Just Between Friends

Just Between Friends

as Harry Crandall

Mar 21, 1986

The Fifth Missile

The Fifth Missile

as Capt. Allard Renslow

Feb 23, 1986

Hannah and Her Sisters

Hannah and Her Sisters

as David (uncredited)

Feb 7, 1986

Warning Sign

Warning Sign

as Cal Morse

Aug 23, 1985

Love Lives On

Love Lives On

as Bernie

Mar 31, 1985

Finnegan Begin Again

Finnegan Begin Again

as Paul Broadbent

Feb 24, 1985

The Killing Fields

The Killing Fields

as Sydney Schanberg

Nov 23, 1984

The Boy Who Loved Trolls

The Boy Who Loved Trolls

as Ofoeti

Oct 29, 1984

Dempsey

Dempsey

as Doc Kearns

Sep 28, 1983

In Defense of Kids

In Defense of Kids

as Paul Wilcox

Apr 6, 1983

Games Mother Never Taught You

Games Mother Never Taught You

as David Bentells

Nov 27, 1982

Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate

as Frank Canton

Nov 19, 1980

Friendly Fire

Friendly Fire

as C.D.B. Bryan

Nov 9, 1980

Hopscotch

Hopscotch

as Jack Cutter

Sep 26, 1980

Sweet William

Sweet William

as William McClusky

Apr 11, 1980

Eagle's Wing

Eagle's Wing

as White Bull

Jul 26, 1979

Interiors

Interiors

as Mike

Aug 2, 1978

Capricorn One

Capricorn One

as Lt. Col. Peter Willis

Dec 10, 1977

Sweet Revenge

Sweet Revenge

as Le Clerq

Jun 6, 1976

Journey into Fear

Journey into Fear

as Mr. Graham

Aug 8, 1975

Rancho Deluxe

Rancho Deluxe

as Cecil Colson

Mar 14, 1975

Reflections of Murder

Reflections of Murder

as Michael Elliott

Nov 24, 1974

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

as Nick Carraway

Mar 27, 1974

The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie

as Tom Wingfield

Dec 16, 1973

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

as Benedick

Feb 2, 1973

Mahoney's Last Stand

Mahoney's Last Stand

as Felix

Nov 1, 1972

Savages

Savages

as James, the Limping Man

Jun 27, 1972

Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?

Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?

as Alex Monte

Dec 11, 1971

Cover Me Babe

Cover Me Babe

as Cameraman

Oct 1, 1970

Three

Three

as Taylor

Dec 23, 1969

Generation

Generation

as Desmond

Dec 15, 1969

Fitzwilly

Fitzwilly

as Oliver

Dec 20, 1967

The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean

The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean

as Andy

Oct 1, 1966

Serial Mom: Surreal Moments

Serial Mom: Surreal Moments

as Self

TV Shows as Actor (35)
Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled

Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled

as Self

May 21, 2023

The Dropout

The Dropout

as George Shultz

Mar 3, 2022

Godless

Godless

as Marshall John Cook

Nov 22, 2017

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

as Self - Guest

Sep 8, 2015

Grace and Frankie

Grace and Frankie

as Sol Bergstein

May 8, 2015

Jo

Jo

Jan 17, 2013

The Newsroom

The Newsroom

as Charlie Skinner

Jun 24, 2012

Prohibition

Prohibition

as Reader (voice)

Oct 2, 2011

Masters of Science Fiction

Masters of Science Fiction

Aug 4, 2007

The Colbert Report

The Colbert Report

as Self (uncredited)

Oct 17, 2005

Law & Order: Trial by Jury

Law & Order: Trial by Jury

as Jack McCoy

Mar 3, 2005

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

as Jack McCoy

Sep 20, 1999

Family Guy

Family Guy

as Bruce Kaplan (voice)

Jan 31, 1999

Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery

Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery

as Thomas Jefferson (voice)

Nov 4, 1997

The View

The View

as Self, Self - Guest

Aug 11, 1997

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

as Thomas Jefferson (voice)

Feb 18, 1997

Time Life's Lost Civilizations

Time Life's Lost Civilizations

as Narrator

Jun 25, 1995

Homicide: Life on the Street

Homicide: Life on the Street

as Jack McCoy

Jan 31, 1993

HBO First Look

HBO First Look

Jun 12, 1992

I'll Fly Away

I'll Fly Away

as Forrest Bedford

Oct 7, 1991

The Civil War

The Civil War

as Abraham Lincoln (voice)

Sep 23, 1990

Law & Order

Law & Order

as Jack McCoy

Sep 13, 1990

The Nightmare Years

The Nightmare Years

as Bill Shirer

Nov 17, 1989

Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt

as G.G. Devoe (segment "As Ye Sow")

Jun 10, 1989

Lincoln

Lincoln

as Abraham Lincoln

Mar 27, 1988

Amazing Stories

Amazing Stories

as Jordan Manmouth

Sep 29, 1985

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy!

as Self

Sep 10, 1984

Q.E.D.

Q.E.D.

Mar 23, 1982

American Playhouse

American Playhouse

as Robert Oppenheimer

Jan 12, 1982

Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer

as Robert Oppenheimer

Oct 29, 1980

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

as Self (uncredited)

Oct 11, 1975

People's Choice Awards

People's Choice Awards

as Self - Presenter

Mar 4, 1975

Film '72

Film '72

as Self

Nov 16, 1971

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

as Mark

Sep 27, 1961

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Travis Coles

Dec 24, 1951