Jay O. Sanders
Known for: Acting
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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jay O. Sanders, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Nick Taska / Bill Fallon
1990
Series
Law & Order
Defense Attorney Alan Fenwick
1990
Series
Blue Bloods
Jimmy Reagan
2010
Series
Person of Interest
Special Counsel
2011
Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Harry Rowan, Sr.
2001
Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Joseph Hannah
2001
Series
Chicago Med
Cray
2015
Series
The Good Wife
Judge Hal Ferris
2009
Series
NOVA
Self - Narrator (voice)
1974
Series
True Detective
Billy Lee Tuttle
2014
Series
Miami Vice
Det. Tim Duryea
1984
Series
Blindspot
Bill Weller
2015
Series
Nature
Narrator (voice)
1982
Series
Damages
Calder Security Executive
2007
Series
American Playhouse
Adam Penn
1982
Series
Unforgettable
Jonathan Hedstrom
2011
Series
L.A. Law
Detective Michael Phillips
1986
Series
Northern Exposure
Dr. John Summer
1990
Series
Body of Proof
Harvey Brady
2011
Series
Sneaky Pete
Sam
2015
Series
The Outer Limits
Ed Barkley
1995
Series
New York Undercover
Howard
1994
Series
ABC Afterschool Special
Mr. Miller
1972
Series
Kate & Allie
Tim Merr
1984
Series
Manhunt
Watson Bryant
2017
Film
Green Lantern
Carl Ferris
2011
Series
Secrets of the Dead
Narrator (voice)
2000
Series
Crime Story
Steve Kordo
1986
Series
Stars in the House
Self
2020
Series
Spenser: For Hire
Father Crawford
1985
Film
The Day After Tomorrow
Frank Harris
2004
Film
Kiss the Girls
FBI Agent Kyle Craig
1997
Film
Edge of Darkness
Whitehouse
2010
Series
Texas
Seth
1980
Film
Revolutionary Road
Bart Pollock
2008
Series
Pan Am
Douglas Vanderway
2011
Film
Glory
Gen. George Crockett Strong
1989
Series
Booker
Gordon Rudd
1989
Film
Along Came a Spider
Kyle Craig
2001
Film
JFK
Lou Ivon
1991
Film
Daylight
Steven Crighton
1996
Film
Kiss of Death
Federal Agent
1995
Film
Starting Over
Larry
1979
Series
Roseanne
Ziggy
1988
Film
The Assistant
Boss (voice)
2020
Film
Wedding Daze
Sheriff
2006
Film
Cadillac Records
Mr. Feder
2008
Series
Wonderland
Ed Butowski
2000
Film
His Three Daughters
Vincent
2024
Film
Angels in the Outfield
Ranch Wilder
1994
Film
Half Nelson
Russ Dunne
2006
Film
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Kirby
1988
Film
The Jack Bull
Atty. Gen. Metcalfe
1999
Series
Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years
Xander
1995
Film
For Richer or Poorer
Samuel Yoder
1997
Film
Remain
2027
Film
The Big Green
Jay Huffer
1995
Film
The Odd Couple II
Leroy
1998
Film
The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family, Play Two: What Did You Expect?
George Gabriel
2017
Film
Catfight
Angry Guy
2017
Film
Music of the Heart
Dan Paxton
1999
Film
Mr. Destiny
Jackie Earle
1990
Film
The Confession
Jack Renoble
1999
Film
When You Finish Saving the World
Roger
2023
Series
Salem Witch Trials
Thomas Putnam
2003
Film
I Hate Valentine's Day
Tim the Delivery Guy
2009
Film
BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Ambassador Jones
2022
Film
ATF
Sam Sinclair
1999
Film
Hanky Panky
Katz
1982
Film
V.I. Warshawski
Murray Ryerson
1991
Film
Iceman Reborn
Narrator (voice)
2016
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Howard
1951
Film
The Valley of Light
Howard
2007
Film
Eddie Macon's Run
Rudy Potts
1983
Series
The Scarlet Letter
Robert Salter
1979
Film
D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear
Douglas Duncan
2003
Film
Three Wishes
Coach Schramka
1995
Film
Tapes
2020
Film
Abby Singer
Kevin's Father
2003
Film
My Boyfriend's Back
Sheriff McCloud
1993
Film
The Matchmaker
Senator John McGlory
1997
Film
Cross Creek
Charles Rawlings
1983
Series
Widows
Detective John Maynard
2002
Film
The Misfit Brigade
Tiny
1987
Film
Defenseless
Bull Dozer
1991
Film
Silver Strand
Lucas Hughes
1995
Film
Boss of Bosses
Joseph O'Brien
2001
Endsville
Bo Tatum
2000
Film
NOVA: Decoding da Vinci
Narrator (voice)
2019
Film
NOVA: Cold Case JFK
Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
NOVA: Mystery Beneath the Ice
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
Hair High
Football Announcer (voice)
2004
Film
My Husband's Double Life
Patrick Hennessy Welsh
2001
Film
The Prince of Pennsylvania
Trooper Joe
1988
Film
The Undying
Dr. Russell Lassiter
2009
Film
Tumbleweeds
Dan Miller
1999
Film
Northern Borders
Agent Sanders
2015
Film
Revealing Evidence: Stalking the Honolulu Strangler
Tom Marshall
1990
Film
Meeting Venus
Stephen Taylor
1991
Film
A Novel Romance
Walter Evans
2011
Film
The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
Narration
2025
Film
Uncle Vanya
Vanya
2019
Film
Regular Singing
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Sorry
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Girl From the North Country
Nick Laine
2024
Film
Picnic
Howard Bevens
2000
Film
Incidental Moments of the Day
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Decoding the Universe: Quantum
Self - Narrator
2024
Film
Happenstance
Bob
2007
Film
The Secret Life of Girls
1999
Film
Outrage
Frank Brand
2023
Film
Dead Dog
Frank Edmonds
2001
Film
Earthly Possessions
Zack Emery
1999
Film
Adventures in Plymptoons!
Self
2011
Film
Wrestling with Alligators
Rick
1998
Film
The Jewel
Mr. Rothman
2011
Film
The Man Who Saved the World
Narrator (voice)
2012
Film
The Last Brickmaker in America
Mike Potter
2001
Film
Hostages
Terry Anderson
1992
Film
Ghosts of Stonehenge
Narrator (voice)
2017
Film
Saving the Dead Sea
2019
Series
Decoding the Universe
Narrator
2024
Film
DC Noir
Sgt. Peters
2019
Film
Nobody's Children
Joe Stevens
1994
Film
NOVA: The Great Math Mystery
Narrator (voice)
2015
Film
And So We Come Forth
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story
Dick Willey
1983
Film
That Hopey Changey Thing
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Wild Costa Rica
Narrator
2000
Film
Greetings from the Shore
Commodore Callaghan
2007
Film
The Day Christ Died
Peter
1980
Film
The Road to Galena
John Baird
2022
Film
State of Emergency
Dr. Jeffrey Forrest
1994
Film
Queens of Combat: Rome's Female Gladiators
Narrator
2026
Film
The Prosecutors
DA Alan Baker
1996
Film
What Do We Need to Talk About?
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Rio Shannon
John Cleary
1993
Film
Just Like in the Movies
Ryan Legrand
1989
The Revolt of Mother
Adam Penn
1988
Film
Holocaust Escape Tunnel
Narrator (voice)
2017
Film
Earth from Space
Narrator (voice)
2012
Film
Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time
Narrator (voice)
2015
Film
The Violin Alone
Narrator (voice)
2019
Film
The Dissection of Thanksgiving
Cliff
2008
Film
A Doctor's Story
Dr. Curtis
1984
I'm Coming Over
Walter
2011
Film
NOVA: Secrets of the Sky Tombs
Narrator (voice)
2017
Film
The Mystery of Mona Lisa
Narrator (voice)
2014
The River
Phil
2013
Film
Cold Sassy Tree
Clayton McAllister
1989
Film
NOVA: Judgement Day - Intelligent Design on Trial
Narrator (voice)
2007
Film
The Gathering Swarms
Narrator (voice)
2014
Film
Starstruck
Mr. Miller
1981
Film
Broken Places
Narrator (voice)
2018
Film
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee
2024
Film
Sweet and Sad
Richard Apple
2020
Film
Riddles of the Sphinx
Narrator (voice)
2010
Film
Down Came a Blackbird
Jan Talbeck
1995
Secrets of the Dead: The Nero Files
Narrator (voice)
2019
Film
NOVA: Secrets of the Viking Sword
Narrator (voice)
2012
Film
NOVA: Life's Rocky Start
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family, Play Three: Women of a Certain Age
George Gabriel
2017
Film
Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
NOVA: Prediction by the Numbers
Narrator (voice)
2018
Film
Secrets of Stonehenge
Narrator (voice)
2010
Vice
Governor
2018
Film
NOVA: Ground Zero Supertower
Self - Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
NOVA: Secrets of Noah's Ark
Narrator (voice)
2015
Film
NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
Narrator (voice)
2008
Film
World War Speed: The Drugs That Won WWII
Narrator
2019
Film
Decoding the Universe: Cosmos
Self - Narrator
2024
Film
The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family, Play One: Hungry
George Gabriel
2017
Film
NOVA: Who Killed Lindbergh's Baby?
Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
Secrets of the Dead: The Real Trojan Horse
Narrator (voice)
2015
Film
Dawn of Humanity
Narrator (voice)
2015
Film
NOVA: First Face of America
Narrator (voice)
2018
Kill the Day
Dr. Susskind
2008
Film
NOVA: Why Trains Crash
Narrator (voice)
2017