Jay O. Sanders - Actor Profile

Jay O. Sanders

Acting
Freshness: Jan 20, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Apr 16, 1953
Birth Place: Austin, Texas, USA

About Jay O. Sanders

Jay Olcutt Sanders (born April 16, 1953) is an American film, theatre and television actor and playwright. He frequently appears in plays off-Broadway at The Public Theatre. He has received a Drama Desk Award and a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. Sanders made his off-Broadway debut in a Shakespeare in the Park production of Henry V in 1976. He originated the role of Bradley in Sam Shepard's Buried Child (1978). He made his Broadway debut in the play Loose Ends (1979). He returned to Broadway in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1983), Saint Joan (1993), Pygmalion (2007), Girl from the North Country (2020), and Purlie Victorious (2023). He made his feature film debut in the comedy Starting Over (1979). He had notable roles in films such as Cross Creek (1983), Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), Glory (1989), JFK (1991), Hostages (1992), Angels in the Outfield (1994), Music of the Heart (1999), Tumbleweeds (1999), and Revolutionary Road (2008). He took recurring roles in television series including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Good Wife, Person of Interest, Blindspot, and Sneaky Pete. He has served as the narrator for the shows Wide Angle, Nova, and Secrets of the Dead. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jay O. Sanders, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Jay O. Sanders reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Drama

The majority of Jay O. Sanders's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 88% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Jay O. Sanders remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Wrestling with Alligators, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Jay O. Sanders Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Jay O. Sanders's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Jay O. Sanders.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2024 His Three Daughters Vincent Hit Similar →
2022 BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths Ambassador Jones Hit Similar →
2020 Sweet and Sad Richard Apple Hit Similar →
2020 Sorry Richard Apple Hit Similar →
2019 NOVA: Decoding da Vinci Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2018 NOVA: First Face of America Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2017 NOVA: Why Trains Crash Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2017 NOVA: Secrets of the Sky Tombs Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2016 NOVA: Iceman Reborn Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2016 NOVA: Mystery Beneath the Ice Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2016 NOVA: Life's Rocky Start Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2016 NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2015 Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2015 Dawn of Humanity Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2015 NOVA: The Great Math Mystery Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2014 The Gathering Swarms Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2013 NOVA: Cold Case JFK Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2013 NOVA: Ground Zero Supertower Self - Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2013 The River Phil Super Hit Similar →
2012 The Man Who Saved the World Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2012 NOVA: Secrets of the Viking Sword Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2012 Earth from Space Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2011 A Novel Romance Walter Evans Super Hit Similar →
2011 The Jewel Mr. Rothman Hit Similar →
2010 Edge of Darkness Whitehouse Average Similar →
2010 Secrets of Stonehenge Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2008 Revolutionary Road Bart Pollock Hit Similar →
2008 Cadillac Records Mr. Feder Hit Similar →
2008 NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
2007 NOVA: Judgement Day - Intelligent Design on Trial Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2007 The Valley of Light Howard Hit Similar →
2006 Half Nelson Russ Dunne Hit Similar →
2004 The Day After Tomorrow Frank Harris Hit Similar →
2004 Hair High Football Announcer (voice) Average Similar →
2003 D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear Douglas Duncan Average Similar →
2001 The Last Brickmaker in America Mike Potter Super Hit Similar →
2001 Along Came a Spider Kyle Craig Average Similar →
2000 Wild Costa Rica Narrator Super Hit Similar →
1999 Tumbleweeds Dan Miller Average Similar →
1999 Music of the Heart Dan Paxton Hit Similar →
1999 The Jack Bull Atty. Gen. Metcalfe Average Similar →
1998 Wrestling with Alligators Rick Super Hit Similar →
1997 Kiss the Girls FBI Agent Kyle Craig Hit Similar →
1995 Down Came a Blackbird Jan Talbeck Super Hit Similar →
1991 JFK Lou Ivon Super Hit Similar →
1989 Glory Gen. George Crockett Strong Super Hit Similar →
1989 Cold Sassy Tree Clayton McAllister Hit Similar →
1989 Just Like in the Movies Ryan Legrand Super Hit Similar →
1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream Kirby Hit Similar →
1983 Cross Creek Charles Rawlings Hit Similar →

Jay O. Sanders - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Jay O. Sanders?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Jay O. Sanders is "Wrestling with Alligators" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Jay O. Sanders acted in?

Jay O. Sanders has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Jay O. Sanders?

Other notable films include "NOVA: Judgement Day - Intelligent Design on Trial", "The River", and "Down Came a Blackbird".