Sam Waterston

A philanthropist at heart, he has actively supported organisations like ‘Refugees International’, ‘Oceana’, ‘Meals on Wheels’ and ‘The United Way’ and has received an award for his support towards refugees around the globe.

Sam was born on 15th November, 1940 at Cambridge, Massachusetts to Alice Tucker and George Waterston. His mother was a landscape painter, while his father was a linguist and amateur dramatist.

He grew up with his three siblings and attended ‘Brooks Boarding School’ and ‘Groton School’, a preparatory institute in Massachusetts. When he was seven he made his first stage appearance in the play ‘Antigone’ which was directed by his father.

After completing high school, he joined ‘Yale University’ on a scholarship. He studied French and History at the university and was a member of the ‘Yale Dramat’, a drama society.

During his college days, he studied for a while in ‘Sorbonne’ Paris and participated in the ‘American Actors Workshop’ conducted by John Berry. In 1962, he acquired a ‘Bachelor of Arts’ degree from ‘Yale University’.

Sam began his career taking up small roles in theatres. He earned major roles in several plays after moving to New York City. A few of his early plays were ‘Oh Dad, Poor Dad’, ‘I’m Feelin’ So Sad’ and ‘Mama’s Hung You in the Closet’.

Slowly pacing towards Broadway, one of his most memorable performances was his role of Thomas Lewis in the drama ‘The Trial of the Catonsville Nine’. It later moved to the Lyceum Theatre after numerous sold-out shows.

What followed was a series of outstanding performances in several Shakespearean plays such as his role of Laertes in ‘Hamlet’, Benedick in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ and Prospero in ‘The Tempest’.

He made his film debut in 1965 with ‘The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean’ and then appeared in the 1967 film ‘Fitzwilly’. He reprised the role of Benedick in a television drama of ‘Much Ado about Nothing’.

In 1973, he was cast in a supporting role in the TV film ‘The Glass Menagerie’ with Katharine Hepburn and starred in many other TV shows like ‘Dr. Kildare’, ‘Hawk’ and ‘The Good Lieutenant’.

Around the same time, he appeared in the comedy ‘Rancho Deluxe’ alongside Jeff Bridges in 1975 and was also cast in the films ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘Journey into Fear’.

In 1981, he played the title character in the BBC show ‘Oppenheimer’. His role in ‘The Killing Fields’ earned him an ‘Oscar’ nomination. Films such as ‘Finnegan Begin Again’ and the 1984 Gore Vindal’s ‘Lincoln’ added more feathers to his bonnet.

He was later cast in ‘Assault at West Point’ alongside Samuel L. Jackson, The Man in the Moon and Mindwalk.