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Jay O. Sanders

Jay O. Sanders

Acting1953Austin, Texas, USA

Biography

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.

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Acting History

2027
2023
2020
The Assistant
as Boss (voice)
That Hopey Changey Thing
as Richard Apple
Regular Singing
as Richard Apple
Sweet and Sad
as Richard Apple
Sorry
as Richard Apple
And So We Come Forth
as Richard Apple
Manhunt
TVas Jack Bryant7 eps
Stars in the House
TVas Self1 eps
2019
NOVA: Decoding da Vinci
as Narrator (voice)
DC Noir
as Sgt. Peters
Uncle Vanya
as Vanya
The Violin Alone
as Narrator (voice)
2018
NOVA: First Face of America
as Narrator (voice)
Vice
as Governor
Broken Places
as Narrator (voice)
Chicago Med
TVas Cray1 eps
2016
NOVA: Iceman Reborn
as Narrator (voice)
Catfight
as Angry Guy
NOVA: Life's Rocky Start
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare
as Narrator (voice)
2015
Northern Borders
as Agent Sanders
Dawn of Humanity
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: The Great Math Mystery
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secrets of Noah's Ark
as Narrator (voice)
Blindspot
TVas Bill Weller10 eps
2014
The Gathering Swarms
as Narrator (voice)
The Mystery of Mona Lisa
as Narrator (voice)
True Detective
TVas Billy Lee Tuttle2 eps
2013
The River
as Phil
NOVA: Cold Case JFK
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Ground Zero Supertower
as Self - Narrator (voice)
2012
The Man Who Saved the World
as Narrator (voice)
Earth from Space
as Narrator (voice)
Unforgettable
TVas Jonathan Hedstrom1 eps
Person of Interest
TVas Special Counsel9 eps
Blue Bloods
TVas Jimmy Reagan1 eps
2011
A Novel Romance
as Walter Evans
The Jewel
as Mr. Rothman
Green Lantern
as Carl Ferris
Pan Am
TVas Douglas Vanderway
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
TVas Joseph Hannah8 eps
Body of Proof
TVas Harvey Brady1 eps
The Good Wife
TVas Judge Hal Ferris2 eps
2010
Riddles of the Sphinx
as Narrator (voice)
Edge of Darkness
as Whitehouse
Secrets of Stonehenge
as Narrator (voice)
2009
I Hate Valentine's Day
as Tim the Delivery Guy
The Undying
as Dr. Russell Lassiter
Damages
TVas Calder Security Executive1 eps
2008
Kill the Day
as Dr. Susskind
Cadillac Records
as Mr. Feder
Revolutionary Road
as Bart Pollock
NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
as Narrator (voice)
2006
Half Nelson
as Russ Dunne
Wedding Daze
as Sheriff
2004
Hair High
as Football Announcer (voice)
The Day After Tomorrow
as Frank Harris
Nature
TVas Narrator (voice)5 eps
2003
Abby Singer
as Kevin's Father
2002
Salem Witch Trials
as Thomas Putnam
Law & Order
TVas Defense Attorney Alan Fenwick / Nick Taska / Bill Fallon1 eps
Widows
TVas Detective John Maynard
2001
Along Came a Spider
as Kyle Craig
Boss of Bosses
as Joseph O'Brien
My Husband's Double Life
as Timothy Michael Kingsbury
Dead Dog
as Frank Edmonds
2000
Picnic
as Howard Bevens
Wild Costa Rica
as Narrator
Wonderland
TVas Ed Butowski
Secrets of the Dead
TVas Narrator (voice)
1999
The Jack Bull
as Atty. Gen. Metcalfe
Earthly Possessions
as Zack Emery
Tumbleweeds
as Dan Miller
Music of the Heart
as Dan Paxton
The Confession
as Jack Renoble
ATF
as Sam Sinclair
1997
Kiss the Girls
as FBI Agent Kyle Craig
The Matchmaker
as Senator John McGlory
For Richer or Poorer
as Samuel Yoder
1996
Daylight
as Steven Crighton
The Prosecutors
as DA Alan Baker
1995
Down Came a Blackbird
as Jan Talbeck
The Big Green
as Jay Huffer
Three Wishes
as Coach Schramka
Kiss of Death
as Federal Agent
Silver Strand
as Lucas Hughes
The Outer Limits
TVas Ed Barkley1 eps
1994
Angels in the Outfield
as Ranch Wilder
State of Emergency
as Dr. Jeffrey Forrest
Nobody's Children
as Joe Stevens
New York Undercover
TVas Howard1 eps
1993
Rio Shannon
as John Cleary
My Boyfriend's Back
as Sheriff McCloud
Northern Exposure
TVas Dr. John Summer1 eps
1992
Hostages
as Terry Anderson
1991
Meeting Venus
as Stephen Taylor
V.I. Warshawski
as Murray Ryerson
JFK
as Lou Ivon
Defenseless
as Bull Dozer
1990
Mr. Destiny
as Jackie Earle
L.A. Law
TVas Detective Michael Phillips1 eps
1989
Cold Sassy Tree
as Clayton McAllister
Glory
as Gen. George Crockett Strong
Booker
TVas Gordon Rudd
1986
Crime Story
TVas Steve Kordo24 eps
1985
Spenser: For Hire
TVas Father Crawford1 eps
Miami Vice
TVas Det. Tim Duryea1 eps
1984
A Doctor's Story
as Dr. Curtis
Kate & Allie
TVas Tim Merr
1983
Cross Creek
as Charles Rawlings
Eddie Macon's Run
as Rudy Potts
1982
1981
Starstruck
as Mr. Miller
ABC Afterschool Special
TVas Mr. Miller1 eps
1980
Texas
TVas Seth
1979
The Scarlet Letter
TVas Robert Salter
1974
NOVA
TVas Self - Narrator (voice)
1951

Social Media

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
4/16/1953(72 years old)
Place of Birth
Austin, Texas, USA