Sam Waterston
ActingAbout 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 a strong mix of popular and critically appreciated roles. 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 64% 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 David's Mother, which stands out as a key performance.
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.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 → |
| 2016 | Anesthesia | Prof. Walter Zarrow | Average | Similar → |
| 2015 | Dean Smith | Narrator | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 2000 | A House Divided | David Dickson | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | The Unfinished Journey | Narrator (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | In Bad Taste | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | Exiled | Jack McCoy | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | Miracle at Midnight | Dr. Karl Koster | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | The Proprietor | Harry Bancroft | Average | Similar → |
| 1995 | Nixon | Richard Helms | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | The Journey of August King | Mooney Wright | Hit | Similar → |
| 1994 | The Enemy Within | President William Foster | Average | 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 | Average | 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 | Warning Sign | Cal Morse | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | Love Lives On | Bernie | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Finnegan Begin Again | Paul Broadbent | Average | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Killing Fields | Sydney Schanberg | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Dempsey | Doc Kearns | Average | 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 | Average | 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 "David's Mother" with a rating of 8.1/10.
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 "Lantern Hill", "I'll Fly Away: Then and Now", and "Love Lives On".