Once lived in a house previously owned by New Yorker writer James Thurber.
Son of George C. Waterston, and grew up at Brooks School, a boarding school in North Andover, MA.
He attended Groton Prep School and then entered Yale University on a scholarship in 1958 where he studied French and History and graduated with a BA in 1962. He spent his junior year studying at the Sorbonne in Paris. After failing to quash the acting bug he studied at the American Actors Workshop in Paris. After leaving Yale he spent some months at the Clinton Playhouse. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children, Elisabeth Waterston, Katherine, Graham and James Waterston.
Received honorary degree from Yale [2001]
Forrest Bedford, Waterston's character on "I'll Fly Away" (1991), was ranked #17 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].
He received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from The University of the South on October 12, 2004
Is the official spokesperson for TD Waterhouse, the online investment company. He appears in all of their television commercials (2003/2004-?)
Was nominated for Broadway's 1994 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for playing Abraham Lincoln in a revival of Robert E. Sherwood's "Abe Lincoln in Illinois."
#23 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100]
Appeared in episodes of four different series with Jerry Orbach: "Law & Order" (1990), "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005).
Has appeared in episodes of three different television series with Jesse L. Martin: "Law & Order" (1990), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005).
Has appeared in episodes of four different series with Richard Belzer: "Law & Order" (1990), "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005).
Has the distinction of starring in two television series in which he played a prosecutor; D.A. Forrest Bedford in "I'll Fly Away" and E.A.D.A. Jack McCoy in "Law and Order."
He and Stockard Channing were in five films together: David's Mother, The Room Upstairs, Sweet Revenge, The Matthew Shepard Story, and Le Divorce, with the last two as husband and wife.
Sam Waterston Detailed Biography
Sam Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an Oscar nominated American actor noted particularly for his portrayal of Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy on the long-running NBC television series Law & Order, as well as for his many motion picture roles.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to George Chychele Waterston (an English immigrant) and Alice Tucker Atkinson (an American Mayflower descendant), Waterston is equally at home on the stage, in movies, and on television. Waterston attended both the Brooks School, a boarding school in North Andover, Massachusetts, and the Groton School. He entered Yale University on scholarship in 1958 and graduated with a BA in 1962. He also received a honorary degree in 2001. After graduating from Yale, he attended the Clinton Playhouse for several months. Waterston also attended the Sorbonne and the American Actors Workshop.
His first film was Fitzwilly in 1967. Other films include The Great Gatsby, Rancho Deluxe, Journey Into Fear, Capricorn One, Heaven's Gate, Hopscotch, The Killing Fields (nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor), Interiors, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Mindwalk, and Serial Mom.
Aside from Law & Order, he has played other television roles including D.A. Forrest Bedford in I'll Fly Away.
Waterston is a six time Emmy Award nominee, winner of the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild awards. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Killing Fields.
He is also on the Advisory Committee for the Lincoln Bicentennial, celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. Waterston, who takes an active interest in Lincoln, has portrayed Lincoln on stage and screen (The Civil War, Gore Vidal's Lincoln and Abe Lincoln in Illinois on Broadway).
An active humanitarian, Waterston also donates considerable time to organizations such as Refugees International, City meals-on-Wheels, The United Way, and The Episcopal Actors' Guild of America.
In 2002, Waterston and fellow Law & Order castmate, Jerry Orbach, were honored as "Living Landmarks" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
Currently resides in Connecticut with his wife, Lynn Waterston, and four children, Elisabeth, Katherine, Graham, and James. Elisabeth and James Waterston have both pursued acting careers.
