Sam Waterston - Actor Profile

Sam Waterston

Acting
Updated: May 09, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Nov 15, 1940
Birth Place: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

About Sam Waterston

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.

Sam Waterston Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Sam Waterston reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Sam Waterston's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 88% of Sam Waterston's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Sam Waterston Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Sam Waterston's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Sam Waterston has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2024 The Six Triple Eight Franklin Delano Roosevelt Super Hit Similar →
2024 Merchant Ivory Self Super Hit Similar →
2021 Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time Self (voice) Hit Similar →
2018 On the Basis of Sex Erwin Griswold Hit Similar →
2018 The Mayo Clinic Charlie Mayo (voice) Hit Similar →
2018 Jane Fonda in Five Acts Self - (archive footage) Hit Similar →
2017 Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2017 Dateline: Saigon Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2016 Miss Sloane George Dupont Hit Similar →
2004 Hammer and Cycle Self - Narrator Super Hit Similar →
2000 A House Divided David Dickson Hit Similar →
1999 The Unfinished Journey Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
1999 In Bad Taste Self Super Hit Similar →
1999 Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs Self / Host / Narrator Super Hit Similar →
1998 Miracle at Midnight Dr. Karl Koster Super Hit Similar →
1996 The Proprietor Harry Bancroft Hit Similar →
1995 Nixon Richard Helms Hit Similar →
1995 The Journey of August King Mooney Wright Hit Similar →
1994 Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage Tom Wingfield (archive footage) Super Hit Similar →
1994 Serial Mom Eugene Sutphin Hit Similar →
1994 David's Mother John Nils Super Hit Similar →
1994 Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker Daniel Chamberlain Average Similar →
1993 I'll Fly Away: Then and Now Forrest Bedford Super Hit Similar →
1992 Earth and the American Dream Reader (voice) Hit Similar →
1991 Mindwalk Jack Edwards Hit Similar →
1991 The Man in the Moon Matthew Trant Hit Similar →
1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors Ben Hit Similar →
1989 Welcome Home Woody Average Similar →
1989 Lantern Hill Andrew Stuart Super Hit Similar →
1988 Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami Jim Delmore Hit Similar →
1988 A Walk in the Woods John Honeyman Super Hit Similar →
1987 September Peter Average Similar →
1987 Swimming to Cambodia Additional Cast from 'The Killing Fields' (archive footage) Hit Similar →
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters David (uncredited) Super Hit Similar →
1985 Love Lives On Bernie Super Hit Similar →
1985 Finnegan Begin Again Paul Broadbent Hit Similar →
1984 The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg Super Hit Similar →
1983 Dempsey Doc Kearns Average Similar →
1983 In Defense of Kids Paul Wilcox Hit Similar →
1982 Games Mother Never Taught You David Bentells Super Hit Similar →
1980 Heaven's Gate Frank Canton Hit Similar →
1980 Friendly Fire C.D.B. Bryan Super Hit Similar →
1980 Hopscotch Jack Cutter Hit Similar →
1978 Interiors Mike Hit Similar →
1977 Capricorn One Lt. Col. Peter Willis Hit Similar →
1974 Reflections of Murder Michael Elliott Hit Similar →
1974 The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway Average Similar →
1973 The Glass Menagerie Tom Wingfield Super Hit Similar →
1967 Fitzwilly Oliver Average Similar →
1966 The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean Andy Super Hit Similar →

Sam Waterston - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Sam Waterston?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Sam Waterston is "Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Sam Waterston acted in?

Sam Waterston has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Sam Waterston?

Other notable films include "Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage", "A Walk in the Woods", and "I'll Fly Away: Then and Now".

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