1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Sam Waterston Biography (1940-)

Full name, Samuel Atkinson Waterston; born November 15, 1940, in Cambridge, MA; son of George Chychele (a teacher and director) and Alice Tucker (a painter; maiden name, Atkinson) Waterston; married Barbara Rutledge Johns (a photographer and writer), 1964 (marriage ended); married Lynn Louisa Woodruff (a model), January 26, 1976; children: (first marriage) James S.; (second marriage) Graham C., Elisabeth P., Katherine B. Addresses: Agent--International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

November 15, 1940

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; Television Appearances; Series
• Professor Quentin E. Deverill, Q.E.D. (also known as Mastermind), CBS, 1982.
• Forrest Bedford, I'll Fly Away, NBC, 1991-93.
• Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy, Law & Order, NBC, 1994--.
• Host and narrator, Lost Civilizations, 1995.
• Host and narrator, The Visionaries, 1995.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Movies
• Tom Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie, ABC, 1973.
• Michael Elliot, Reflections of Murder, ABC, 1974.
• Benedick, Much Ado about Nothing, BBC/CBS, 1974.
• Diabolique, 1975.
• J. Robert Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer, BBC, 1978.
• Court Barnes, Friendly Fire, ABC, 1979.
• David Bentells, Games Mother Never Taught You, CBS, 1982.
• Doc Kearns, Dempsey, CBS, 1983.
• Paul Wilcox, In Defense of Kids, CBS, 1983.
• Bernie Wallace, Love Lives On, ABC, 1985.
• Paul Broadbent, Finnegan Begin Again, HBO, 1985.
• Commander Allard Renslow, The Fifth Missile (also known as The Gold Crew), NBC, 1986.
• Travis Coles, "The Room Upstairs," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1987.
• Abraham Lincoln, Gore Vidal's Lincoln, NBC, 1988.
• William L. Shirer, The Nightmare Years, TNT, 1989.
• Andrew Stuart, Lantern Hill (also known as Jane of Lantern Hill), Disney,1990.
• Forrest Bedford, I'll Fly Away: Then and Now, PBS, 1993.
• Daniel Chamberlain, Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker, Showtime, 1994.
• John Nils, David's Mother, 1994.
• President William Foster, The Enemy Within, HBO, 1994.
• Also appeared in The Shell Seekers.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Episodic
• (Television debut) Camera Three, CBS, 1964.
• Amazing Stories, NBC, 1985.
• G. G. Devoe, "As Ye Sow," Tales from the Crypt, HBO, 1993.
• Contestant, "Celebrity Tournament," Jeopardy!, syndicated, 1997.
• Also appeared in Dr. Kildare, NBC; Hawk, ABC/NBC; N.Y.P.D.,ABC; and Saturday Night Live, NBC.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Specials
• Robert Lowell, 1966.
• The Good Lieutenant, PBS, 1967.
• J. Robert Oppenheimer, "Oppenheimer," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982.
• Liberty Weekend, ABC, 1986.
• The 40th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1986.
• Host, Generation at Risk, PBS, 1987.
• Abraham Lincoln and Justice Louis Brandeis, The Blessings of Liberty, ABC, 1987.
• The 42nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1988.
• Narrator, The American Experience, PBS, 1988.
• Terrorist on Trial: The United States of America vs. Salim Ajami, PBS, 1988.
• John Honeyman, "Walk in the Woods," American Playhouse, PBS, 1989.
• Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990.
• Voice, Earth and the American Dream (documentary), 1993.
• Also appeared in My Mother's House, PBS.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Miniseries
• Voice of Abraham Lincoln, The Civil War, PBS, 1990.
• Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson, 1997.
• Credits; Film Appearances
• (Film debut) Andy, The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean, Compton, 1966.
• Oliver, Fitzwilly (also known as Fitzwilly Strikes Back), United Artists,1967.
• Desmond, Generation (also known as A Time for Caring and A Time for Giving), Avco Embassy, 1969.
• Taylor, Three, United Artists, 1969.
• The cameraman, Cover Me Babe (also known as Run Shadow Run), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970.
• Mahoney's Estate, 1970.
• Alex, Who Killed Mary Whats'ername? (also known as Death of a Hooker andWho Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?), Cannon, 1971.
• James, Savages, Angelika, 1972.
• Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby, Paramount, 1974.
• Mahoney's Last Stand, 1975.
• Cecil Colson, Rancho Deluxe, United Artists, 1975.
• Philip Le Clerq, Dandy, the All-American Girl (also known as Sweet Revenge), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1976.
• Mr. Graham, Journey into Fear (also known as Burn Out), Sterling Gold, 1976.
• Lieutenant Peter Willis, Capricorn One, Warner Bros., 1978.
• Mike, Interiors, United Artists, 1978.
• White Bull, Eagle's Wing, Rank, 1979.
• William McClusky, Sweet William, World Northal, 1980.
• Frank Canton, Heaven's Gate (also known as Johnson County Wars), United Artists, 1980.
• Joe Cutter, Hopscotch, Avco Embassy, 1980.
• The Boy Who Loved Trolls, 1984.
• Sydney Schanberg, The Killing Fields, Warner Bros., 1984.
• Cal Morse, Warning Sign, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985.
• Gerry Morrison, Flagrant desir (also known as A Certain Desire and Flagrant Desire), Hemdale, 1986.
• Harry Crandall, Just between Friends, Orion, 1986.
• David, Hannah and Her Sisters, Orion, 1986.
• Mr. Jones, The Devil's Paradise (also known as Des Teufels Paradies), Overview, 1987.
• Peter, September, Orion, 1987.
• Swimming to Cambodia, Cinecom, 1987.
• Hostile Witness, 1988.
• Ben, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Orion, 1989.
• Woody, Welcome Home, Columbia/Rank, 1989.
• Jack Edwards, Mindwalk, 1990.
• Royce, A Captive in the Land, Gloria Productions, 1991.
• Matthew Trant, The Man in the Moon, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Pathe, 1991.
• Eugene Sutphin, Serial Mom, Savoy Pictures, 1994.
• Mooney Wright, The Journey of August King, Miramax, 1995.
• The Proprietor (also known as La Proprietaire), Warner Bros., 1996.
• President, Shadow Conspiracy (also known as The Shadow Conspiracy and TheShadow Program), Buena Vista, 1997.
• Also appeared in Coup de Foudre; The French Revolution; and The Teddy Bear Habit.
• Credits; Film Work; Producer
• The Journey of August King, Miramax, 1995.
• Credits; Stage Appearances
• Estragon, Waiting for Godot, Clifton Playhouse, Clifton, CT, 1962.
• Silvius, As You Like It, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City, 1963.
• (Broadway debut) Jonathan Rosepettle, Oh, Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung Youin the Closet and I'm Feeling So Bad, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1963.
• Wessy, Thistle in My Bed, Grammercy Arts Theatre, New York City, 1963.
• Colin, The Knack, New Theatre, New York City, 1964.
• Eh?, Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1966.
• Understudy, First One Asleep, Whistle, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1966.
• Woodfin, Fitz (double bill with Biscuit), Circle in the Square, New YorkCity, 1966.
• The Paisley Convertible, Broadway, 1966.
• Robert, Halfway up the Tree, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1967.
• Kent, La Turista, American Place Theatre/St. Clement's Church, New York City, 1967.
• Aburbio, Posterity for Sale, American Place Theatre/St. Clement's Church,1967.
• Aslan, Ergo, New York Shakespeare Company, Public/Anspacher Theatre, NewYork City, 1968.
• Prince Hal, Henry IV, Part I, New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1968.
• Prince Hal, Henry IV, Part II, New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, 1968.
• Jim, Red Cross, and Jack Argue, Muzeeka (double bill), Provincetown Playhouse, New York City, 1968.
• Operation Sidewinder, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA, 1969.
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Williamstown Theatre Festival, 1969.
• Gary Rogers, Spitting Image, Theatre de Lys, New York City, 1969.
• John Grass, Indians, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 1969-70.
• Aaron, And I Met a Man, Lincoln Square Theatre, New York City, 1970.
• Phanocles, The Brass Butterfly, Chelsea Theatre Center, Brooklyn Academyof Music, Brooklyn, NY, 1970.
• Simon Bliss, Hay Fever, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1970.
• Thomas Lewis, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, Good Shepherd- Faith Church, then Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1971.
• Laertes, Hamlet, New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, 1972.
• Oliver, A Meeting by the River, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, CA, then Edison Theatre, New York City, 1972.
• Cloten, The Tale of Cymbeline (also known as Cymbeline), New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, 1972.
• Mosca, Volpone, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, 1972.
• Benedick, Much Ado about Nothing, New York Shakespeare Company, DelacorteTheatre, 1972, then Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1972-73.
• Prospero, The Tempest, New York Shakespeare Company, Public/Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, New York City, 1974.
• Torvald Helmer, A Doll's House, New York Shakespeare Company, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1975.
• Title role, Hamlet, New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, 1975, then Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 1975-76.
• Narrator, King David, Church of Our Savior, New York City, 1976.
• Vicentio, Measure for Measure, New York Shakespeare Company, Delacorte Theatre, 1976.
• Chez nous, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1977.
• Vladimir, Waiting for Godot, BAM/Lepercq Space, New York City, 1978.
• Uncle Vanya, San Diego, CA, 1979.
• Oliver, Lunch Hour, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1980- 81.
• Enemies, Williamstown Theatre Festival, 1982.
• Joshua Hickman, Gardenia, Manhattan Theatre Club/Downstage, New York City, 1982.
• Alexander Vershinin, Three Sisters, Manhattan Theatre Club/Downstage, 1982-83.
• Traveler in the Dark, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1983-84.
• David, Benefactors, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 1985-86.
• John Honeyman, A Walk in the Woods, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1988.
• Night of 100 Stars III, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990.
• Abe Lincoln, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 1993-94.
• Made stage debut as page in Antigone. Appeared as the bill collector, A Streetcar Named Desire, Group Twenty Theatre, Wellesley, MA; and in An Eveningof Primo Levi.
• Credits; Major Tours
• Jonathan Rosepettle, Oh, Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet andI'm Feeling So Bad, U.S. cities, 1963.
• Colin, The Knack, U.S. cities, 1966.