Josef Sommer - Actor Profile

Josef Sommer

Acting
Updated: Apr 11, 2026
50Total Films
7.4 Highest Rated
Born: Jun 26, 1934
Birth Place: Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

About Josef Sommer

Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a German-American retired stage, television, and film actor. His best known roles are as The President in X-Men: The Last Stand, Senator Jessup in The Sum of All Fears, Peter Lassiter in The Family Man, Curtis Flemming in Shaft, Dr. Eaton in Patch Adams, Phelps Bowen in The Chamber, Clive Peoples Jr. in Nobody's Fool, Mr. Duckworth in The Mighty Ducks, Chief Paul Schaefer in Witness, Max Richter in Silkwood, Sam Taylor in Independence Day, Rothko in Dirty Harry, and narrator for the film Sophie's Choice.

Josef Sommer Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Josef Sommer reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

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

Success Ratio

Approximately 40% of Josef Sommer'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 Dirty Harry, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Josef Sommer Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Josef Sommer's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Josef Sommer has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2010 The Other Guys District Attorney Radford (uncredited) Average Similar →
2008 Stop-Loss Senator Orton Worrell Average Similar →
2007 The Invasion Dr. Henryk Belicec Average Similar →
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand The President Average Similar →
2006 The Elephant King Bill Hunt Average Similar →
2002 The Sum of All Fears Senator Jessup Average Similar →
2000 The Family Man Peter Lassiter Hit Similar →
2000 The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Winds of Change Woodrow Wilson Average Similar →
2000 Shaft Curt Flemming Average Similar →
1998 Patch Adams Dr. Eaton Hit Similar →
1998 Bulworth Doctor (uncredited) Average Similar →
1998 The Proposition Dryer Average Similar →
1996 The Chamber Phelps Bowen Average Similar →
1995 Strange Days Palmer Strickland Hit Similar →
1995 Letter to My Killer - Average Similar →
1994 Nobody's Fool Clive Peoples Jr. Hit Similar →
1994 The Enemy Within Defence Secretary Charles Potter Average Similar →
1994 Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker Col. Morrow Average Similar →
1993 Malice Atty. Lester Adams Average Similar →
1992 An American Story Henry Meade Average Similar →
1992 The Mighty Ducks Mr. Ducksworth Hit Similar →
1992 Hostages Tom Sutherland Average Similar →
1992 Citizen Cohn Albert Cohn Average Similar →
1991 Shadows and Fog Priest Hit Similar →
1989 Forced March Richard Kline Hit Similar →
1989 Bloodhounds of Broadway Waldo Winchester Average Similar →
1989 Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman Charles Estiman Hit Similar →
1989 Bridge to Silence Al Duffield Hit Similar →
1989 Chances Are Judge Fenwick Hit Similar →
1987 The Rosary Murders Lieutenant Koznicki Average Similar →
1986 Double Image James Angleton Average Similar →
1985 The Execution of Raymond Graham Jim Neal Average Similar →
1985 Target Barney Taber Average Similar →
1985 D.A.R.Y.L. Dr. Jeffrey Stewart Average Similar →
1985 Brotherly Love Mr. Rafferty Hit Similar →
1985 Witness Schaeffer Hit Similar →
1984 Iceman Whitman Average Similar →
1983 Silkwood Max Richter Hit Similar →
1983 Sparkling Cyanide George Barton Average Similar →
1983 Independence Day Sam Taylor Average Similar →
1982 Sophie's Choice Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
1982 Still of the Night George Bynum Average Similar →
1981 Reds State Department Official Hit Similar →
1981 Absence of Malice McAdam Hit Similar →
1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Larry Butler Hit Similar →
1976 The Front Committee Chairman Hit Similar →
1976 Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys Pomeroy Average Similar →
1975 The Stepford Wives Ted Van Sant Hit Similar →
1974 Man on a Swing Pete Russell Average Similar →
1971 Dirty Harry Rothko Hit Similar →

Josef Sommer - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Josef Sommer?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Josef Sommer is "Dirty Harry" with a rating of 7.4/10.

How many movies has Josef Sommer acted in?

Josef Sommer has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Josef Sommer?

Other notable films include "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Patch Adams", and "Sophie's Choice".

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