Editing Sam Waterston (section)

==Career==
===1963–1973: Early roles ===
[[File:Sam Waterston 1972.jpg|thumb|left|170px|Waterston with the American Shakespeare Festival in 1972]]
The classically trained Waterston has numerous stage credits to his name. In 1962, he made his [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] debut playing Jonathan in the [[Arthur Kopit]] play ''[[Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad]]'' at the [[Morosco Theatre]]. The following year, he made his debut at the [[Delacorte Theatre]] playing Silvius in a production of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[As You Like It]]'' (1963). 

He made his film debut in the 1965 drama movie ''[[The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/sam-waterston/2/|title=Sam Waterston|date=16 April 2010 |publisher=[[CBS News]]|access-date=March 30, 2016}}</ref> He returned to Broadway playing David in ''First One Asleep, Whistle'' (1966), and Robert in the [[Peter Ustinov]] play ''[[Halfway Up the Tree]]'' (1967). On October 13, 1969, he starred in [[Arthur Kopit]]'s play ''[[Indians (play)|Indians]]'' on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] at the [[Brooks Atkinson Theatre]]. The play was directed by Gene Frankel, and he acted alongside [[Stacy Keach]] as Buffalo Bill, [[Manu Tupou]] as Sitting Bull, and other actors such as [[Tom Aldredge]], [[Kevin Conway (actor)|Kevin Conway]], [[Charles Durning]], and [[Raul Julia]]. The play ran for 96 performances and 16 previews.<ref>[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3465 ''Indians''] ibdb.com</ref><ref name=play>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.playbill.com/production/indians-brooks-atkinson-theatre-vault-0000008045|title=Indians|magazine=[[Playbill (magazine)|Playbill]]|date=October 13, 1969}}</ref> 

During this time, Waterston acted in supporting roles in numerous films including [[Delbert Mann]]'s romantic comedy ''[[Fitzwilly]]'' (1967) starring [[Dick Van Dyke]], and the comedy film ''[[Generation (film)|Generation]]'' (1969). He had a leading role in the British romantic drama ''[[Three (1969 film)|Three]]'' acting opposite [[Charlotte Rampling]] and [[Robie Porter]]. He acted in the [[Merchant Ivory]] film ''[[Savages (1972 film)|Savages]]'' based loosely on the [[Luis Buñuel]] film ''[[The Exterminating Angel]]'' (1962). Waterston continued acting in plays at the [[Public Theatre]] including portraying Benedick in [[Joseph Papp]]'s production of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'' (1972) and played the [[Prince Hamlet|title role]] in ''[[Hamlet]]'' (1975), the former earned him a [[Drama Desk Award|Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance]].

=== 1974–1993: Rise to prominence === 
Waterston has a history of doing theater work in the summer, often seen acting in such venues as [[Long Wharf Theatre]] and the [[Yale Repertory Theatre]] in New Haven.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ernio|last=Hernandez|date=11 May 2005|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/92893-Sam-Waterston-Travesties-Opens-at-Long-Wharf-Theatre-May-11|title=Sam Waterston Travesties Opens at Long Wharf Theatre May 11|magazine=[[Playbill (magazine)|Playbill]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017080745/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/92893-Sam-Waterston-Travesties-Opens-at-Long-Wharf-Theatre-May-11 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Celia|last=Wren|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/18/theater/theater-when-chekhov-had-a-bad-dream.html|title=When Chekov had a Bad Dream|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 18, 2003}}</ref> In 1973, acting opposite [[Katharine Hepburn]], he played a shoe salesman in the television drama film ''[[The Glass Menagerie (1973 film)|The Glass Menagerie]]'' (1973), receiving a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]] for his work in the film.<ref name="emmys">{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/bios/sam-waterston |title=Sam Waterston |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=William |last=Glover |title=Sunday: The Glass Menagerie |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19731215&id=nKtVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5245,3981537&hl=sv |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |date=December 15, 1973 |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> He went on to appear as [[Bond (finance)|bond]] salesman [[Nick Carraway]] in the 1974 feature film version of ''[[The Great Gatsby (1974 film)|The Great Gatsby]]''  acting alongside [[Robert Redford]], [[Mia Farrow]], and [[Bruce Dern]]. For his performance he earned two [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] nominations: [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor]] and [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor|New Star of the Year]].<ref name="goldenglobes">{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/sam-waterston |title=Sam Waterston |publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> 

The following year, Waterston acted in the neo-Western comedy film ''[[Rancho Deluxe]]'' (1975) starring [[Jeff Bridges]], [[Elizabeth Ashley]], and [[Harry Dean Stanton]]. That same year, he acted in the Canadian thriller ''[[Journey into Fear (1975 film)|Journey into Fear]]'' with [[Zero Mostel]], [[Vincent Price]] and [[Shelley Winters]]. In 1976, he acted in the thriller ''[[Sweet Revenge (1976 film)|Sweet Revenge]]'' opposite [[Stockard Channing]]. The following year, he acted in the British-American thriller ''[[Capricorn One]]'' playing Lieutenant Colonel Peter Willis. The film had an ensemble cast which included [[Elliott Gould]], [[James Brolin]], [[O. J. Simpson]], and [[Hal Holbrook]]. Also in 1977, he starred in an Off-Broadway production of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Measure for Measure]]'' as Duke Vincentio alongside [[Meryl Streep]] and [[John Cazale]] at the [[Delacorte Theatre]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/13/archives/stage-a-measure-to-test-the-mettle-of-actors.html|title= Stage: A 'Measure' to Test The Mettle of Actors|work= The New York Times|date= August 13, 1976|accessdate= November 28, 2023|last1= Gussow|first1= Mel}}</ref> 

Waterston made his first collaboration with [[Woody Allen]] playing Mike in the drama ''[[Interiors]]'' (1978) starring [[Diane Keaton]], [[Geraldine Page]], [[Maureen Stapleton]], and [[E.G. Marshall]]. The film was a departure from comedy from Allen and received critical acclaim as well as nominations for five [[Academy Awards]]. In 1980, he starred in ''[[Benefactors (play)|Benefactors]]'' alongside [[Glenn Close]], [[Mary Beth Hurt]], and [[Simon Jones (actor)|Simon Jones]] at [[The Brooks Atkinson Theatre]] on Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/personrolespage/person-role-page?person=00000150-ac81-d16d-a550-ecbf68430001|title= Sam Waterston Broadway Credits|website= [[Playbill (magazine)|Playbill]]|access-date= May 12, 2020}}</ref> Also in 1980, he portrayed [[American frontier|Old West]] figure [[Frank M. Canton|Frank Canton]] in ''[[Heaven's Gate (film)|Heaven's Gate]]''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/24/movies/screen-shorter-heaven-s-gate-with-voice-overs-tries-again.html |title=SCREEN: SHORTER 'HEAVEN'S GATE,' WITH VOICE-OVERS, TRIES AGAIN |work=The New York Times |last=Canby |first=Vincent|date=April 24, 1981}}</ref> and [[theoretical physicist]] [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]] in the miniseries ''[[Oppenheimer (miniseries)|Oppenheimer]]'' (1980) earned him nominations for a [[BAFTA Award|BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Television Series]] and a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film]].<ref name="goldenglobes"/> 
[[File:SamWaterstonJan10.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Waterston receiving the star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] in 2010]]
In 1984, Waterston played American journalist [[Sydney Schanberg]] in the British drama ''[[The Killing Fields (film)|The Killing Fields]]'', opposite [[Haing S. Ngor]] and [[John Malkovich]]. For his performance, Waterston received an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] nomination.<ref>{{cite news|title=Polls shows Waterston, Field, 'Killing Fields' as Oscar picks |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19850323&id=rO80AAAAIBAJ&pg=3755,4636688&hl=sv |newspaper=Ocala Star-Banner |date=March 23, 1985 |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Historical pictures lead nominations for coveted Oscars |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=943&dat=19850207&id=nbpPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6458,2885944&hl=sv |agency=United Press International (UPI) |newspaper=Mohave Daily Miner |date=February 7, 1985 |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> Waterston reunited with Woody Allen playing David, a romantic interest for [[Dianne Wiest]] and [[Mia Farrow]] in ''[[Hannah and Her Sisters]]'' (1986), Peter in ''[[September (1987 film)|September]]'' (1987), and Ben, a [[rabbi]] who is losing his eyesight ''[[Crimes and Misdemeanors]]'' (1989). He also took a supporting role in the coming of age film ''[[The Man in the Moon (1991 film)|The Man in the Moon]]'' (1991) starring [[Reese Witherspoon]] in her feature film debut, the [[John Waters]] satirical black comedy film ''[[Serial Mom]]'' (1994) and played [[Abraham Lincoln|President Abraham Lincoln]] in the miniseries ''[[Lincoln (miniseries)|Lincoln]]'' (1988).

Waterston voiced Lincoln in the 1990 [[Ken Burns]] documentary miniseries ''[[The Civil War (TV series)|The Civil War]]''.<ref name="credits"/> Waterston portrayed a district attorney in drama television series ''[[I'll Fly Away (TV series)|I'll Fly Away]]'' (1991–93), winning the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama]].<ref name="goldenglobes"/><ref>{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Thomas |author-link=Bob Thomas (reporter) |title='Scent' film surprise winner at Golden Globe Awards |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19930125&id=pNsrAAAAIBAJ&pg=5792,1965644&hl=sv |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Kentucky New Era |date=January 25, 1993 |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> In 1993, he portrayed [[Abraham Lincoln]] onstage in ''[[Abe Lincoln in Illinois (play)|Abe Lincoln in Illinois]]'' and received [[Tony Award]], [[Drama Desk Award]], and [[Outer Critics Circle Award]] nominations for his performance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/person/sam-waterston-vault-0000070066|title= Sam Waterston - Performer|website= [[Playbill (magazine)|Playbill]]|access-date= May 12, 2020}}</ref>

=== 1994–2010: ''Law and Order'' and acclaim ===
In 1994, Waterston debuted as Executive [[Assistant District Attorney]] [[Jack McCoy]] in the fifth season of the [[NBC]] television series ''[[Law & Order]]'' created by [[Dick Wolf]]. He played the role of John James "Jack" McCoy, who would eventually become Manhattan [[District Attorney]], through the series finale in 2010. The role won him a [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series]], as well as several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.<ref name="emmys"/><ref name="goldenglobes"/><ref name=SAG>{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sam-waterston-law-order-revival-793869|title=Sam Waterston on 'Law & Order' Revival: Let's "Break the Record"|work=Variety|access-date=March 30, 2016|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=May 6, 2015}}</ref> Upon the show's cancellation, Waterston was the second longest-serving cast member (behind [[S. Epatha Merkerson]]), having reprised his role through 16 seasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/trivia |title=Law & Order (TV Series 1990–2010) |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218144936/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/trivia |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |df=mdy }}. [[Internet Movie Database]].</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/bios/bios_sam.shtml |title=Law & Order TV Show Series on NBC: Find Cast Info and Episode Guide . NBC Official Site |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511050930/http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/bios/bios_sam.shtml |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy }}. [[NBC]].</ref> He has also made guest appearances as McCoy on other crime shows, such as ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]'' (1997, 99), ''[[Exiled: A Law & Order Movie]]'' (1998), and spin-offs ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' (2000, 07, 10, 18) and ''[[Law & Order: Trial by Jury]]'' (2005).<ref name="credits">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/sam-waterston-57289932/ |title=Sam Waterston |date=May 12, 2015 |publisher=Hollywood.com |access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> Due to the success of the [[New York City|New York]]–based TV series, Waterston and his fellow longtime ''Law & Order'' castmate [[Jerry Orbach]] were declared "Living Landmarks" by the [[New York Landmarks Conservancy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nylandmarks.org/events/living_landmarks_gala/honoree_list/ |title=Archives: Events |access-date=2016-06-26 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916013409/http://www.nylandmarks.org/events/living_landmarks_gala/honoree_list/ |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |df=mdy }}. [[New York Landmarks Conservancy]].</ref>

Waterston has appeared as a celebrity contestant on ''[[Jeopardy!]]'' twice. He made a popular [[cameo appearance]] on a 1995 episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' as himself, extolling the virtues of [[Old Glory Insurance]], meant to protect the elderly from [[robot]] attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/2340/saturday-night-live-old-glory |title=Hulu - Saturday Night Live: Old Glory |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127010105/http://www.hulu.com/watch/2340/saturday-night-live-old-glory |archive-date=January 27, 2012 |df=mdy }}. [[Hulu]]. Retrieved June 9, 2009.</ref> During this time, he portrayed [[Richard Helms]] in [[Oliver Stone]]'s political drama ''[[Nixon (1995 film)|Nixon]]'' (1995) but his scenes were ultimately cut and remain in the [[Director's cut]] version of the film. The following year, he reunited with [[Merchant Ivory]] for ''[[The Proprietor]]'' (1996) starring [[Jeanne Moreau]]. He portrayed a fictional [[president of the United States]] in the thriller ''[[Shadow Conspiracy]]'' starring [[Charlie Sheen]] and [[Donald Sutherland]]. He acted in his third Merchant Ivory film ''[[Le Divorce]]'' (2003) starring [[Kate Hudson]] and [[Naomi Watts]]. 
[[File:Dan Maffei and Sam Waterston.jpg|thumb|left|U.S. Representative [[Dan Maffei]] and Waterston]] 
Waterston appeared as [[Polonius]] in the 2008 [[Shakespeare in the Park]] production of ''[[Hamlet]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/ |title=Public Theater – Shakespeare in the Park |website=Publictheater.org |date=August 22, 2006 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509165116/http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/ |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> His performance received a positive review in ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/theater/reviews/18hamlet.html|title=Whips and Scorns of Time, Stinging All They Touch|first=Ben|last=Brantley|work=The New York Times |date=June 18, 2008|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> On February 12, 2009, Waterston portrayed [[Abraham Lincoln]] in [[Earl Robinson]]'s "The Lonesome Train: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra" at the [[Riverside Church]] in New York City. The concert was performed to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 |title=Theriversdechurchny.org |publisher=Theriversidechurchny.org |date=February 1, 2009 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027133547/http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 |archive-date=October 27, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/qa-director-lorca-peress-on-the-world-premie-of-the-image-maker-at-queens-college/|title=Q&A: Director Lorca Peress On the World Premie of The Image Maker At Queens College|first=Steven|last=Thrasher|date=May 5, 2012|website=The Village Voice}}</ref>

=== 2011–present: Established actor ===
Waterston has had several other high profile television roles, including his portrayal of cable news president Charlie Skinner in ''[[The Newsroom (U.S. TV series)|The Newsroom]]'', an [[HBO]] series by [[Aaron Sorkin]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Greg Mottola Tapped to Direct Aaron Sorkin's HBO Pilot|url=https://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/greg-mottola-tapped-direct-aaron-sorkin-hbo-pilot-25916|work=[[The Wrap]]|date=March 28, 2011|first=Tim|last=Kenneally|access-date=December 22, 2011|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030205902/https://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/greg-mottola-tapped-direct-aaron-sorkin-hbo-pilot-25916/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Waterston acted opposite [[Jeff Daniels]], [[Emily Mortimer]], [[Dev Patel]], [[Olivia Munn]], and [[Jane Fonda]]. The series ran from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Waterston appeared as [[Prospero]] in a Shakespeare in the Park production of ''[[The Tempest]]'', directed by Michael Greif.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/sam-waterston-to-star-in-the-tempest-in-central-park/|title=Sam Waterston to Star in 'The Tempest' in Central Park|first=Patrick|last=Healy|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/theater/review-the-tempest-stars-sam-waterston-and-the-weather-at-delacorte-theater.html|title=Review: 'The Tempest' Stars Sam Waterston and the Weather at Delacorte Theater|first=Ben|last=Brantley|work=The New York Times |date=June 17, 2015|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In 2015, Waterston joined the cast of the [[Netflix]] series ''[[Grace and Frankie]]'', starring alongside [[Martin Sheen]], [[Jane Fonda]] and [[Lily Tomlin]]. In an interview with the ''[[New York Daily News]]'', Waterston supported Tomlin and Fonda in demanding higher salaries than the supporting actors, saying, "I think they're being cheated."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Vanmetre|first1=Elizabeth|title=Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston agree 'Grace and Frankie' stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin deserve pay raise|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/martin-sheen-sam-waterston-female-stars-pay-raise-article-1.2218513|website=[[The New York Daily News]]|date=May 12, 2015|access-date=June 10, 2015}}</ref> His character Sol appeared on all seven seasons of the show, which concluded in 2022.{{cn|date=September 2023}} 

In 2017, he played Marshal John Cook	in the [[Netflix]] western limited series ''[[Godless (miniseries)|Godless]]'' opposite [[Jeff Daniels]] and [[Michelle Dockery]]. Waterston portrayed George DuPont in the political thriller ''[[Miss Sloane]]'' starring [[Jessica Chastain]] and played [[Erwin Griswold]] in the biographical drama ''[[On the Basis of Sex]]'' starring [[Felicity Jones]] as [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]]. In 2021, Waterston was cast in the revival of ''[[Law & Order]]'', reprising his role as District Attorney [[Jack McCoy]]. He appeared on ''[[The Late Show with Stephen Colbert]]'' to promote the show.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37K1zV-93xc|title= "Like Time Travel" - Sam Waterston On Becoming Jack McCoy Again For "Law & Order"|website= [[YouTube]]|date= February 26, 2022|accessdate= February 27, 2022}}</ref> In 2022, he portrayed [[George Shultz]] in the [[Hulu]] limited series ''[[The Dropout]]'' starring [[Amanda Seyfried]] as [[Elizabeth Holmes]].

On February 2, 2024, it was revealed that Waterson would be leaving ''Law & Order'' after 20 seasons, with his renowned character Jack McCoy, who he also played for 405 episodes being replaced by a new D.A. who will be portrayed by [[Tony Goldwyn]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/law-and-order-sam-waterston-exits-tony-goldwyn-joins-new-district-attorney-7501901|title=Sam Waterston to Exit Law & Order as Tony Goldwyn Joins as New District Attorney|first=Anna Lazarus|last=Caplan|publisher=People|date=February 2, 2024|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}</ref>