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Filmography
-
Known For
Law & Order E.A.D.A. Jack McCoy / D.A. Jack McCoy (1994-2010) -
The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg (1984) -
Serial Mom Dad (1994) -
Known For
The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway (1974) -
Actor
Grace and Frankie Sol Bergstein (2015-2021) -
The Man in the Woods Headmaster Waldorf (2020) -
On the Basis of Sex Erwin Griswold (2018) -
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jack McCoy (2000-2018) -
Godless Marshal John Cook (2017) -
Miss Sloane George Dupont (2016) -
And It Was Good Judge Alexander Baas / Doctor (2015) -
Anesthesia Walter Zarrow (2015) -
The Newsroom Charlie Skinner (2012-2014) -
Please Be Normal Dad (2014) -
![The Path to Violence]( "The Path to Violence")
The Path to Violence Narrator (2013) (2013) -
![Jo]( "Jo")
Jo David Zifkin (2013) -
![Law & Order]( "Law & Order")
Law & Order E.A.D.A. Jack McCoy (1994-2010) -
![Masters of Science Fiction]( "Masters of Science Fiction")
Masters of Science Fiction Havelman (2007) -
![Law & Order: Trial by Jury]( "Law & Order: Trial by Jury")
Law & Order: Trial by Jury E.A.D.A. Jack McCoy (2005) -
![The Commission]( "The Commission")
The Commission J. Lee Rankin (2003) -
![The Divorce]( "The Divorce")
The Divorce Chester Walker (2003) -
![The Matthew Shepard Story]( "The Matthew Shepard Story")
The Matthew Shepard Story Dennis Shepard (2002) -
![A House Divided]( "A House Divided")
A House Divided David Dickson (2000) -
![Family Guy]( "Family Guy")
Family Guy Dr. Kaplan (2000) -
![Homicide: Life on the Street]( "Homicide: Life on the Street")
Homicide: Life on the Street E.A.D.A. Jack McCoy (1997-1999) -
![Exiled]( "Exiled")
Exiled Jack McCoy (1998) -
![The Wonderful World of Disney]( "The Wonderful World of Disney")
The Wonderful World of Disney Dr. Karl Koster (1998) -
![Shadow Conspiracy]( "Shadow Conspiracy")
Shadow Conspiracy The President (1997) -
![The Proprietor]( "The Proprietor")
The Proprietor Harry Bancroft (1996) -
![Nixon]( "Nixon")
Nixon CIA Director Richard Helms (1995) -
![Saturday Night Live]( "Saturday Night Live")
Saturday Night Live Sam Waterston (1995) -
![The Journey of August King]( "The Journey of August King")
The Journey of August King Mooney Wright (1995) -
![The Enemy Within]( "The Enemy Within")
The Enemy Within President William Foster (1994) -
![Serial Mom]( "Serial Mom")
Serial Mom Dad (1994) -
![David's Mother]( "David's Mother")
David's Mother John Nils (1994) -
![Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker]( "Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker")
Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker Daniel Chamberlain (1994) -
A Dog Race in Alaska (1993)
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![I'll Fly Away: Then and Now]( "I'll Fly Away: Then and Now")
I'll Fly Away: Then and Now Forrest Bedford (1993) -
![Tales from the Crypt]( "Tales from the Crypt")
Tales from the Crypt G.G. Devoe (1993) -
![I'll Fly Away]( "I'll Fly Away")
I'll Fly Away Forrest Bedford (1991-1993) -
![Warburg: A Man of Influence]( "Warburg: A Man of Influence")
Warburg: A Man of Influence Siegmund Warburg (1992) -
![The Man in the Moon]( "The Man in the Moon")
The Man in the Moon Matthew Trant (1991) -
![A Captive in the Land]( "A Captive in the Land")
A Captive in the Land Royce (1990) -
![The Civil War]( "The Civil War")
The Civil War President Abraham Lincoln (1990) -
![Mindwalk]( "Mindwalk")
Mindwalk Jack Edwards (1990) -
![The Nightmare Years]( "The Nightmare Years")
The Nightmare Years Bill Shirer (1989) -
![Crimes and Misdemeanors]( "Crimes and Misdemeanors")
Crimes and Misdemeanors Ben (1989) -
![Welcome Home]( "Welcome Home")
Welcome Home Woody (1989) -
![Lantern Hill]( "Lantern Hill")
Lantern Hill Andrew Stuart (1989) -
![A Walk in the Woods]( "A Walk in the Woods")
A Walk in the Woods John Honeyman (1988) -
![American Experience]( "American Experience")
American Experience Narrator (1988) -
![Lincoln]( "Lincoln")
Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (1988) -
![Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami]( "Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami")
Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami Jim Delmore (1988) -
![September]( "September")
September Peter (1987) -
![Devil's Paradise]( "Devil's Paradise")
Devil's Paradise Jones (1987) -
![The Room Upstairs]( "The Room Upstairs")
The Room Upstairs Travis Coles (1987) -
![Flagrant désir]( "Flagrant désir")
Flagrant désir Inspecteur Gerry Morrison (1986) -
![Just Between Friends]( "Just Between Friends")
Just Between Friends Harry Crandall (1986) -
![Amazing Stories]( "Amazing Stories")
Amazing Stories Jordan Manmouth (1986) -
![The Fifth Missile]( "The Fifth Missile")
The Fifth Missile Capt. Allard Renslow (1986) -
![Hannah and Her Sisters]( "Hannah and Her Sisters")
Hannah and Her Sisters David (1986) -
![Warning Sign]( "Warning Sign")
Warning Sign Cal Morse (1985) -
![Love Lives On]( "Love Lives On")
Love Lives On Bernie (1985) -
![Finnegan Begin Again]( "Finnegan Begin Again")
Finnegan Begin Again Paul Broadbent (1985) -
![The Killing Fields]( "The Killing Fields")
The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg (1984) -
![The Boy Who Loved Trolls]( "The Boy Who Loved Trolls")
The Boy Who Loved Trolls Ofoeti (1984) -
![Dempsey]( "Dempsey")
Dempsey Doc Kearns (1983) -
![In Defense of Kids]( "In Defense of Kids")
In Defense of Kids Paul Wilcox (1983) -
![Games Mother Never Taught You]( "Games Mother Never Taught You")
Games Mother Never Taught You David Bentells (1982) -
![Q.E.D.]( "Q.E.D.")
Q.E.D. Prof. Quentin E. Deverill (1982) -
![Oppenheimer]( "Oppenheimer")
Oppenheimer Robert Oppenheimer (1980) -
![Heaven's Gate]( "Heaven's Gate")
Heaven's Gate Frank Canton (1980) -
![Hopscotch]( "Hopscotch")
Hopscotch Joe Cutter (1980) -
![Sweet William]( "Sweet William")
Sweet William William McClusky (1980) -
![Eagle's Wing]( "Eagle's Wing")
Eagle's Wing White Bull (1979) -
![Friendly Fire]( "Friendly Fire")
Friendly Fire C.D.B. Bryan (1979) -
![Interiors]( "Interiors")
Interiors Mike (1978) -
![Capricorn One]( "Capricorn One")
Capricorn One Peter Willis (1977) -
![Sweet Revenge]( "Sweet Revenge")
Sweet Revenge Le Clerq (1976) -
![Journey Into Fear]( "Journey Into Fear")
Journey Into Fear Mr. Graham (1975) -
![Rancho Deluxe]( "Rancho Deluxe")
Rancho Deluxe Cecil Colson (1975) -
![Reflections of Murder]( "Reflections of Murder")
Reflections of Murder Michael Elliott (1974) -
![The Great Gatsby]( "The Great Gatsby")
The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway (1974) -
![The Glass Menagerie]( "The Glass Menagerie")
The Glass Menagerie Tom Wingfield (1973) -
![Much Ado About Nothing]( "Much Ado About Nothing")
Much Ado About Nothing Benedick (1973) -
![Mahoney's Estate]( "Mahoney's Estate")
Mahoney's Estate Felix (1972) -
![Savages]( "Savages")
Savages James, the Limping Man (1972) -
![Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?]( "Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?")
Who Killed Mary Whats'ername? Alex Monte (1971) -
![NET Playhouse]( "NET Playhouse")
NET Playhouse (segment "Foul!") (1967-1970) -
![Cover Me Babe]( "Cover Me Babe")
Cover Me Babe Cameraman (1970) -
![Generation]( "Generation")
Generation Desmond (1969) -
![New York Television Theatre]( "New York Television Theatre")
New York Television Theatre (1969) -
![Three]( "Three")
Three Taylor (1969) -
![N.Y.P.D.]( "N.Y.P.D.")
N.Y.P.D. the Editor (1967-1969) -
![Fitzwilly]( "Fitzwilly")
Fitzwilly Oliver (1967) -
![Hawk]( "Hawk")
Hawk Peter Moreland (1966) -
![The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean]( "The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean")
The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean Andy (1966) -
![Camera Three]( "Camera Three")
Camera Three Man 2 (1966) -
Actor
![Dr. Kildare]( "Dr. Kildare")
Dr. Kildare Mark (1965) -
Producer
![A House Divided]( "A House Divided")
A House Divided (2000) -
Producer
![The Journey of August King]( "The Journey of August King")
The Journey of August King (1995) -
Director
![I'll Fly Away]( "I'll Fly Away")
I'll Fly Away (1992) -
Archive footage
![The Art of Racing in the Rain]( "The Art of Racing in the Rain")
-
![Abandoned]( "Abandoned")
Abandoned (2017) -
![Entertainment Tonight]( "Entertainment Tonight")
Entertainment Tonight (2015) -
![Marry Me]( "Marry Me")
Marry Me (2014) -
![WRAL on the Record]( "WRAL on the Record")
WRAL on the Record (2014) -
![Jeopardy!]( "Jeopardy!")
Jeopardy! (2014) -
Visionado obligado (2011)
-
![Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies]( "Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies")
-
-
![Saturday Night Live]( "Saturday Night Live")
Saturday Night Live (1995-1996) -
Archive footage
![American Masters]( "American Masters")
American Masters (1994) -
![Swimming to Cambodia]( "Swimming to Cambodia")
Swimming to Cambodia (1987)
All Filmography
Videos
Did You Know
Trivia
Forrest Bedford, Waterston's character on I'll Fly Away (1991), was ranked #17 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].
Quotes
I came to New York in 1962 and it began to look like I might be able to make a living in 1972.
Trademark
Frequently portrays Abraham Lincoln (three times) and other Presidents of the United States
Star Sign
Scorpio
Personal Details
Born
Samuel Atkinson Waterston
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Height:
6' 1" (1.85 m)Contribute to this page
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