Sam Waterston is an American actor and producer best known for his portrayal of district attorney Jack McCoy in the long-running police procedural and legal drama television show Law & Order.
Waterston made his film debut in the 1965 drama film The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean. Waterston went on to appear as bond salesman Nick Carraway in the 1974 feature film version of The Great Gatsby, earning Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor and New Star of the Year. Waterston also portrayed Old West figure Frank Canton in Heaven's Gate (1980). Two years later, Waterston played American journalist Sydney Schanberg in the 1984 British drama The Killing Fields, opposite Haing S. Ngor and John Malkovich. For his performance, Waterston was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
On television, Waterston played a shoe salesman in the television drama film The Glass Menagerie (1973), receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Waterston's portrayal of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the 1980 television miniseries Oppenheimer saw him earn a Golden Globe nomination. He also played the title role of President Abraham Lincoln in the miniseries Lincoln (1988) and the 1990 documentary miniseries The Civil War. He portrayed a district attorney in drama television series I'll Fly Away (1991–93), winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. In 1994, he made his first appearance as Jack McCoy in Law & Order. Waterston went on to become the show's second longest-running cast member. The role won him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series and several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He has made guest appearances as McCoy on other shows, including Homicide: Life on the Street (1997, 99) and spin-offs Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000, '07, '10, '18) and Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005), and in Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998). Waterston portrayed the president of a fictional news corporation on political drama The Newsroom (2012–14).
Waterston has starred in numerous stage productions at the Public Theatre, including Indians (1969), The Trial of Catonsville Nine (1970), A Doll's House (1975), Hamlet (1975), Measure for Measure (1977), and Benefactors (1980). He portrayed Abraham Lincoln on Broadway in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1993), receiving a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Waterston has also appeared in La Turista (1967), Halfway Up the Tree (1967), and Henry IV, Part 1, as well as Henry IV, Part 2 (1968), (1972, 1975–76, 2008), Much Ado About Nothing (1972–73, 2004), The Tempest (1974, 2015), and King Lear (2011).
Film Year Title Role Notes 1965The Plastic Dome of Norma JeanAndy1967FitzwillyOliver1969GenerationDesmondThreeTaylor1970Cover Me BabeCameramanAlso known as Run Shadow Run1971Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?Alex1972SavagesJamesMahoney's Last StandFelixAlso known as Mahoney's Estate1974The Great GatsbyNick Carraway1975Rancho DeluxeJourney into Fear1976Sweet RevengeAlso known as Dandy, the All American Girl1977Capricorn One1978InteriorsMike1979Eagle's Wing1980Sweet WilliamWilliamHopscotchHeaven's Gate19841985Warning Sign1986Hannah and Her SistersDavidUncreditedJust Between FriendsFlagrant désirAlso known as Trade Secrets1987Des Teufels ParadiesAlso known as Devil's ParadiseSeptemberPeter1989Welcome HomeWoodyCrimes and MisdemeanorsBen1990Mindwalk19911994Serial Mom, DDS1995Also producerNixonScenes featured only in the director's cut version19961997Shadow ConspiracyPresident of the United States2003Le Divorce2014Please Be NormalDad2015Anesthesia2016Miss SloaneGeorge Dupont2018On the Basis of SexErwin Griswold2024The Six Triple EightPresident Roosevelt2026Carousel
Television Year(s) Title Role Notes 1965Dr. KildareMark2 Episodes 1967N.Y.P.D.MarcoEpisode: "Murder for Infinity"1973Much Ado About NothingBenedickTelevision film1974Reflections of Murder1979Friendly Fire1980Oppenheimer7 episodes; Miniseries; First broadcast in the United States in 19821982Q.E.D.6 episodesGames Mother Never Taught YouTelevision filmFreedom to Speak12 episodes; Miniseries1983In Defense of KidsTelevision filmDempsey1984Ofoeti1985Finnegan Begin AgainLove Lives OnBernie1986Amazing StoriesEpisode: "Mirror, Mirror"1987Television film1988Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim AjamiLincolnMiniseries19891990Lantern HillTelevision filmVoice role; 9 episodes; Miniseries documentary1991–1993I'll Fly Away38 episodes; Also directed episode "Since Walter" (1992)1992Warburg: A Man of InfluenceMiniseries1993Tales from the CryptEpisode: "As Ye Sow"I'll Fly Away: Then and NowTelevision film1994Assault at West PointDavid's Mother1994–2010, 2022–2024 Law & OrderJack McCoy405 episodes1997, 1999Homicide: Life on the StreetEpisodes: "Baby, It's You", "Sideshow"1998Miracle at MidnightTV movieExiled: A Law & Order MovieJack McCoy2000Family GuyVoice roles; 2 EpisodesTelevision film; Also producer2000–2018Law & Order: Special Victims Unit4 episodes2002Television film2005Law & Order: Trial by JuryEpisodes: "The Abominable Snowman", "Skeleton"2007Masters of Science FictionEpisode: "A Clean Escape"2009Reader 2 episodes2011Prohibition3 episodes; Miniseries documentary2012–201425 episodes2013JoEpisode: "Le Marais"2015–2022Grace and FrankieNetflix; 94 episodes2017GodlessNetflix Limited series2022The DropoutHulu Limited series
Narrator Year Title Notes 1987NovaEpisode: "Freud Under Analysis"1988Episode: "Views of a Vanishing Frontier"1995Lost CivilizationsDocumentary1999Documentary short filmMoment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize PhotographsDocumentary2010Documentary short film2013DocumentaryCooper & Hemingway: The True Gen2015Dateline: Saigon2020Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story
Theater Year Title Role Venue 1962Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So SadBellboyPhoenix Repertory Theatre1963As You Like ItSilviusDelacorte TheaterOh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So SadJonathanMorosco TheatreThistle in My BedWessyGramercy Arts Theatre1964–66ColinNew Theatre1966Fitz/ BiscuitWoodfin (Fitz)Circle in the Square Theatre1967La TuristaKentTheater at St. Clement's ChurchPosterity for SaleAburbioHalfway Up the TreeRobertBrooks Atkinson Theatre1968ErgoAslanJoseph Papp Public Theater / Anspacher TheaterMuzeeka / Red Cross (Muzeeka) / Jim (Red Cross)Provincetown PlayhouseHenry IV, Part 1Delacorte TheaterHenry IV, Part 21969Spitting ImageLucille Lortel Theatre1969–70IndiansBrooks Atkinson Theatre1970Hay FeverHelen Hayes Theatre1971Lyceum TheatreClotenDelacorte Theater1972HamletLaertes1972–73Much Ado About NothingBenedickWinter Garden Theatre1974ProsperoMitzi E. Newhouse Theater1975Vivian Beaumont TheaterHamletPrince Hamlet / GhostDelacorte Theater1975–76Prince HamletVivian Beaumont Theater1976Measure for MeasureDuke VincentioDelacorte Theater1977Chez NousPhilStage 731980–81Lunch HourOliverEthel Barrymore Theatre1982GardeniaStage 731982–83Three SistersNew York City Center1985–86BenefactorsBrooks Atkinson Theatre1988Booth Theatre1989Love LettersIPromenade Theatre1990–91Hartford Stage1993–94Vivian Beaumont Theater2004Much Ado About NothingGovernor LeonatoDelacorte Theater2005TravestiesLong Wharf Theatre2008HamletPoloniusDelacorte Theater2009Have You Seen Us?Long Wharf Theatre2010Folger Theatre2011Long Wharf TheatreKing LearKing LearJoseph Papp Public Theater / Newman Theater2015ProsperoDelacorte Theater
Notes
References