Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a German-American retired stage, film and television actor.
Early life and education Sommer was born in Greifswald, Germany, from which he and his parents, Elisabeth and Clemens Sommer, a professor of art history at the University of North Carolina, emigrated in 1938 with his sister Maria and brother Sebastian. He studied theatre at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Sommer served in the U.S. Army. Afterwards, he trained as an actor at the American Shakespeare Festival in Connecticut.
Career Stage Sommer made his acting debut in 1943 at the age of nine in the Carolina Playmakers production of Lillian Hellman's 1941 American drama play, Watch on the Rhine.
He performed with the Seattle Repertory Theatre in Washington. In 1970, he made his Broadway debut as Brabantio in Othello. In 1971, Sommer played the Defense in the original production of Friar Daniel Berrigan's The Trial of the Catonsville Nine (1971) based upon the real-life Catonsville Nine. Gregory Peck later produced a 1972 film adaptation, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine based on the play. Also during the 1970s, Sommer's Broadway roles and performances include Dr. Karl Yaeger in Jack Horrigan's thriller Children! Children! directed by Joseph Hardy (1972), Nikolai Skrobotov in Maxim Gorky's play Enemies (1972), Antonio in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice (1973), Schmidt in by Erich Maria Remarque's Full Circle directed by Otto Preminger (1973), Arnold J. Pilger in Peter Ustinov's original comedy Who's Who in Hell (1974), Michael Cristofer's original award-winning drama The Shadow Box (1977), and Francis in the musical play Spokesong (1979). In 1980 he played Clifton A. Feddington in the original musical The 1940's Radio Hour, and Dr. Michael Emerson in the revival of Brian Clark's drama Whose Life is it Anyway? Sommer also played The Reverend Lionel Espy in the original production of Racing Demon (1995).
Sommer won Obie Awards for his off-Broadway performances in Lydie Breeze (1982) and Václav Havel's semi-autobiographical play Largo Desolato (1986). He also appeared off-Broadway at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater as Blair in the 1994 revision of Tom Stoppard's play Hapgood. In 1991, Sommer was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for his role in Hamlet.
Film Sommer made his film debut in Dirty Harry (1971), followed by roles in The Stepford Wives (1975), The Front (1976), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Reds (1981), and Still of the Night in 1982. That same year, he was the narrator in Sophie's Choice. He appeared in Silkwood (1983), Peter Weir's thriller Witness (1985) opposite Harrison Ford (where he played a dirty cop), and Target (1985). In 1988, Sommer played the lead role opposite Sylvia Kristel, as the film noir-esque detective in the quirky horror comedy Dracula's Widow. He then appeared in Shadows and Fog (1991). In 1992, he played the eponymous role of Gerald Ducksworth in The Mighty Ducks, a kind-hearted benefactor of inner city youth hockey, who sends his best lawyer to coach the team and donates funds for rink time, safe equipment and proper uniforms. In the film, Gerald Ducksworth is the founder of both the fictional District 5 Ducks and NHL Anaheim Ducks teams., recruiterwebsites.com. Accessed February 3, 2025. He then appeared in Malice (1993), Nobody's Fool (1994), Patch Adams (1998), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).
Television On television Sommer appeared in the role of Roy Mills on The Guiding Light (1974), and played George Barton in the 1983 television adaptation of Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide. He played President Gerald Ford opposite Gena Rowlands in the television film The Betty Ford Story (1987). He had starring roles in the short-lived series, Hothouse (1988) and Under Cover (1991). In 1989, Sommer guest starred on the CBS action drama The Equalizer as master wargame villain Ernest Rasher in the episode "Endgame."
He has a daughter Maria, and has a sister Maria, and a brother Sebastian
Filmography Film
1971: Dirty Harry – District Attorney William T. Rothko 1972: The Witches of Salem: The Horror and the Hope (Short) – Proctor 1974: Man on a Swing – Pete Russell 1975: The Stepford Wives – Ted Van Sant 1977: Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Larry Butler 1978: Oliver's Story – Dr. Dienhart 1980: Hide in Plain Sight – Jason R. Reid 1981: Absence of Malice – McAdam 1981: Reds – State Department Official 1981: Rollover – Roy Lefcourt 1982: Hanky Panky – Adrian Pruitt 1982: Still of the Night – George Bynum 1982: Sophie's Choice – Narrator (voice) 1983: Independence Day – Sam Taylor 1983: Silkwood – Max Richter 1984: Iceman – Whitman 1985: Witness – Chief Paul Schaeffer 1985: D.A.R.Y.L. – Dr. Jeffrey Stewart 1985: Target – Taber 1987: The Rosary Murders – Lieutenant Koznicki 1988: Dracula's Widow – Lannon 1989: Chances Are – Judge Fenwick 1989: Forced March – Father 1989: Bloodhounds of Broadway – Waldo Winchester 1991: Shadows and Fog – Priest 1992: The Mighty Ducks – Gerald Ducksworth 1993: Malice – Lester Adams 1994: Nobody's Fool – Clive Peoples Jr. 1995: Strange Days – LAPD Commissioner Palmer Strickland 1995: Moonlight and Valentino – Thomas Trager 1996: The Chamber – Phelps Bowen 1998: The Proposition – Father Dryer 1998: Bulworth – Doctor (uncredited) 1998: Lulu on the Bridge – Peter Shine (deleted scene) (uncredited) 1998: Patch Adams – Dr. Eaton 2000: The Next Best Thing – Richard Whittaker 2000: Shaft – Curt Fleming 2000: The Family Man – Peter Lassiter 2002: The Sum of All Fears – Senator Jessup 2002: Searching for Paradise – Carl Greenslate 2006: The Elephant King – Bill Hunt 2006: X-Men: The Last Stand – The President 2007: The Invasion – Dr. Henryk Belicec 2008: Stop-Loss – Senator Orton Worrell 2010: The Other Guys – District Attorney Radford (uncredited)
Television
+ Year Title Role Notes 1973–1974 The Doctors Dave Davis 23 episodes 1974 The Guiding Light Roy Mills 1974-1990Great PerformancesNikolai/Polonius2 episodes 1975 Valley Forge Brigadier General 'Dusty' Varnum TV movie 1976 The Adams Chronicles Charles Lee Episode: "Chapter VI: John Adams, President" 1977The Andros TargetsBenson Fischer Episode: "The Killing of a Porno Queen"1978Another World Rev. Higley1 episode1979The Scarlet LetterNathaniel HawthorneMiniseries 1983 Sparkling Cyanide George Barton TV movie 1985I Had Three WivesMcWilliamsEpisode: "Runaround Sue"The Execution of Raymond GrahamJim Neal TV Movie1986Screen TwoJames AngeltonEpisode: "Double Image" Scarecrow and Mrs. King Raoul Nesbitt Episode: "Needs to Know" 1987American PlayhouseDocEpisode: "The Wide Net"1988Hothouse Dr. Sam Garrison7 episodes 1989 Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman Charles Estiman TV movie The Equalizer Ernest Rasher Episode: "Endgame" 1990 The Kennedys of Massachusetts Franklin D. Roosevelt Miniseries 1991A Woman Named JackieJoseph P. Kennedy Jr.Miniseries 1992 Citizen Cohn Albert Cohn TV movie 1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles President Woodrow Wilson Episode: "Paris, May 1919" 1996-2000 Law & Order Judge Lawrence Hellman/Defence Attorney Patrick Rumsey 2 episodes 1997 Early Edition John Dobbs 2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Defence Attorney Patrick Rumsey Episode: "Entitled" Part 2 2002 Benjamin Franklin Cotton Mather TV miniseries 2003 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Spencer Durning Episode: "Cold Comfort" 2004 The West Wing Steve Gaines Episode: "Slow News Day"
References
External links