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David Morse (actor)
Encyclopedia
David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama
St. Elsewhere
from 1982 to 1988. Morse continued his movie career with roles in Dancer in the Dark
, The Negotiator
, The Green Mile
, Disturbia
, The Long Kiss Goodnight
, The Crossing Guard
, The Rock
, Extreme Measures
, 12 Monkeys, 16 Blocks
, and Hounddog.
In 2006, Morse had a recurring role as Detective Michael Tritter
on the medical drama House
for which he received an Emmy Award
nomination. Morse portrayed George Washington
in the 2008 HBO Miniseries
John Adams
, which garnered him a second Emmy nomination. Morse has received acclaim for his portrayal of Uncle Peck on the Off-Broadway
play How I Learned to Drive
for which he earned a Drama Desk and Obie Award. He also had success on Broadway, portraying James "Sharky" Harkin in The Seafarer
. As of 2011, Morse is a regular on the HBO series, Treme
, where he plays an honest police officer in a corrupt department.
, the son of Jacquelyn, a school teacher, and Charles Morse, a sales manager. He has three younger sisters. His middle name, Bowditch, comes from mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch
.
. He began his acting career in the theatre as a player for the Boston Repertory Theatre in the early 1970s. He spent some time in New York's theatre community in the early 1980s before moving into television and film. During that time, Morse was listed as one of the twelve most "Promising New Actors of 1980" in John Willis
' Screen World, Vol. 32. Morse's big break came in 1982 when he was cast in the television medical drama St. Elsewhere
. Morse played Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison, a young physician who is forced to deal with the death of his wife and the struggles of a single parent professional.
Morse appeared in a number of supporting roles following the finale of "St. Elsewhere" in 1988. The actor is quoted as saying "I [...] made the decision [that] I didn't care if there was any money in the role or not. I had to find roles that were different from what I had been doing".. His turn in "Desperate Hours
" as antagonist showed a darker Morse . Morse later starred in The Indian Runner
and The Crossing Guard
, written and directed by then novice auteur and writer Sean Penn
. So far, Morse has appeared in three adaptations of Stephen King
stories: The Langoliers
, Hearts in Atlantis
, and The Green Mile
. Additionally Morse was a guest star on Homicide: Life on the Street
, playing the racist cousin of Detective Tim Bayliss
(Kyle Secor
).
In 2002, Morse starred as Mike Olshansky, an ex-Philadelphia police officer turned cab driver, in the television movie Hack. The movie was so well received that a television series was created (also with the title Hack), which ran from 2002 to 2004. For his role in the 2002 crime-drama film Shuang Tong, Morse was nominated as "Best Supporting Actor" in the Golden Horse Awards, the first nomination ever for an English-speaking actor. His most recent big-screen appearance was as questionable neighbor Mr. Turner in the 2007 release Disturbia
. In a review of this film, film critic and commentator John Podhoretz
wrote that Morse is a "largely unsung character actor who enlivens and deepens every movie fortunate enough to have him in the cast".
In 2006, Morse received a phone call from David Shore
, whom he had previously worked with on Hack, who asked him if he would be interested in having a guest role on House
. When Morse watched the show, he could not understand why people watched the show, because, in his words, "This House guy is a total jerk". But when he told some of his friends, their excited reactions convinced Morse to take the part. Morse portrayed Michael Tritter
, a detective with a vendetta against Gregory House
. Morse earned his first Emmy Award
nomination for his work on the series.
In 2008, Morse portrayed George Washington
in the HBO mini-series John Adams
, for which his nose was made bigger. Morse commented: "The first thing that comes to mind is my nose; it was my big idea to do that nose. We didn't have a lot of time, because they asked me to do this about three weeks before they started shooting, and I just kept looking at these portraits and thinking 'This man's face is so commanding', and I did not feel that my face was very commanding in the way his was. So I convinced them that we should try the nose, and we tried it on, and everybody went, 'Wow, that's Washington
'." Morse's portrayal earned him his second Emmy Award
nomination. He is currently "reprising" the role of George Washington
, in voice only, as part of the The Hall of Presidents show in the Magic Kingdom
at the Walt Disney World Resort
.
Morse stated that out of all of the films he has done, his favorites are The Green Mile
, The Crossing Guard
, and The Indian Runner
.
In 2010, Morse guest starred in two episodes of the HBO drama series, Treme
, as Lt. Terry Colson of the New Orleans Police Department. Morse was promoted to series regular starting with season two of the show, which began in April 2011.
Pulitzer Prize-winning
drama How I Learned to Drive
, he received an Obie Award
, a Drama League Award
, a Drama Desk Award
, and a Lucille Lortel Award. That same year Morse played Father Barry in the play adaptation of On the Waterfront
along with James Gandolfini
and Penelope Ann Miller
. The play only ran for a week, with just eight performances. From 2007 to 2008, Morse appeared on Broadway in Conor McPherson's
The Seafarer
.
Medical drama
A medical drama is a television program, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.In the United States, most medical episodes are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming go beyond the...
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
from 1982 to 1988. Morse continued his movie career with roles in Dancer in the Dark
Dancer in the Dark
Dancer in the Dark is a 2000 Danish musical drama film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Icelandic singer Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Cara Seymour, Peter Stormare, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Joel Grey...
, The Negotiator
The Negotiator
The Negotiator is a 1998 drama-thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. It takes place in Chicago and was released on July 29, 1998. The original music score was composed by Graeme Revell.-Plot:...
, The Green Mile
The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
, Disturbia
Disturbia (film)
Disturbia is a 2007 American thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and executive produced by Ivan Reitman. It is an updated version of Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Rear Window...
, The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 action thriller film starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, written by Shane Black and directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
, The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard is a 1995 independent film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn.- Plot :...
, The Rock
The Rock (film)
The Rock is a 1996 action film that primarily takes place on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay area. It was directed by Michael Bay and stars Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris. It was produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and released through Hollywood Pictures. The film...
, Extreme Measures
Extreme Measures
Extreme Measures is a 1996 thriller film based on Michael Palmer's 1991 novel of the same name, about the ethics of how far we are willing to go, and how much we are willing to sacrifice, in order to cure the world's ills.-Cast:...
, 12 Monkeys, 16 Blocks
16 Blocks
16 Blocks is a 2006 crime thriller film directed by Richard Donner. It stars Bruce Willis, Mos Def, and David Morse. The movie unfolds in the real time narration method.- Plot :...
, and Hounddog.
In 2006, Morse had a recurring role as Detective Michael Tritter
Michael Tritter
Detective Michael Tritter is a recurring fictional character in the medical drama series House, portrayed by David Morse. He is the main antagonist of the third season, which ran between 2006 and 2007. Tritter is a police detective, who tries to get Dr. Gregory House to apologize for leaving him...
on the medical drama House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
for which he received an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nomination. Morse portrayed George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
in the 2008 HBO Miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
John Adams
John Adams (TV miniseries)
John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. The miniseries was directed by Tom Hooper. Kirk Ellis wrote the screenplay based on the book John...
, which garnered him a second Emmy nomination. Morse has received acclaim for his portrayal of Uncle Peck on the Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
play How I Learned to Drive
How I Learned To Drive
How I Learned to Drive is a play written by American playwright Paula Vogel. The play premiered on March 16, 1997 off-broadway at the Vineyard Theatre...
for which he earned a Drama Desk and Obie Award. He also had success on Broadway, portraying James "Sharky" Harkin in The Seafarer
The Seafarer (play)
The Seafarer is a 2006 play by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. It is set on Christmas Eve in Baldoyle, a coastal suburb north of Dublin city. The play centers on James "Sharkey" Harkin, an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with his blind, aging brother, Richard Harkin...
. As of 2011, Morse is a regular on the HBO series, Treme
Treme (TV series)
Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans...
, where he plays an honest police officer in a corrupt department.
Early life
Morse was born in Hamilton, MassachusettsHamilton, Massachusetts
Hamilton is a town located in the eastern central portion of Essex County in eastern Massachusetts. It is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates...
, the son of Jacquelyn, a school teacher, and Charles Morse, a sales manager. He has three younger sisters. His middle name, Bowditch, comes from mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S...
.
Career
Morse studied acting at the William Esper StudioWilliam Esper Studio
The William Esper Studio is a school for the performing arts located in Manhattan, New York; the school was founded in 1965.-Background:When William "Bill" Esper was a young man, he saw Eli Wallach and Maureen Stapleton in a touring production of The Rose Tattoo ... "[I] was so struck by the...
. He began his acting career in the theatre as a player for the Boston Repertory Theatre in the early 1970s. He spent some time in New York's theatre community in the early 1980s before moving into television and film. During that time, Morse was listed as one of the twelve most "Promising New Actors of 1980" in John Willis
John Willis
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Frederick Willis GBE, KCB, FRAeS , was a senior Royal Air Force officer.-Flying career:...
' Screen World, Vol. 32. Morse's big break came in 1982 when he was cast in the television medical drama St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
. Morse played Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison, a young physician who is forced to deal with the death of his wife and the struggles of a single parent professional.
Morse appeared in a number of supporting roles following the finale of "St. Elsewhere" in 1988. The actor is quoted as saying "I [...] made the decision [that] I didn't care if there was any money in the role or not. I had to find roles that were different from what I had been doing".. His turn in "Desperate Hours
Desperate Hours
Desperate Hours is a 1990 remake of the 1955 William Wyler crime drama of the same title. Both films are based on the novel by Joseph Hayes, who also co-wrote the script for this movie with Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal...
" as antagonist showed a darker Morse . Morse later starred in The Indian Runner
The Indian Runner
The Indian Runner is a 1991 drama film written and directed by Sean Penn. It is based on Bruce Springsteen's song, "Highway Patrolman".-Plot:...
and The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard is a 1995 independent film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn.- Plot :...
, written and directed by then novice auteur and writer Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
. So far, Morse has appeared in three adaptations of Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
stories: The Langoliers
The Langoliers
"The Langoliers" is one of four novellas published in the Stephen King book Four Past Midnight in 1990.- Plot summary :On a cross-country red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Boston, ten passengers awaken to find that the crew and most of their fellow passengers have disappeared.The ten remaining...
, Hearts in Atlantis
Hearts in Atlantis (film)
Hearts in Atlantis is a 2001 American/Australian drama thriller directed by Scott Hicks. It is loosely adapted from Stephen King's novella "Low Men in Yellow Coats", from his story collection Hearts in Atlantis.-Plot:...
, and The Green Mile
The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
. Additionally Morse was a guest star on Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, playing the racist cousin of Detective Tim Bayliss
Tim Bayliss
Timothy Bayliss is a fictional detective on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was a primary character, and was played by Kyle Secor. He was loosely based on the real-life Det...
(Kyle Secor
Kyle Secor
Kyle Ivan Secor is an American television and movie actor, best known for his role as Detective Tim Bayliss on the crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early years:...
).
In 2002, Morse starred as Mike Olshansky, an ex-Philadelphia police officer turned cab driver, in the television movie Hack. The movie was so well received that a television series was created (also with the title Hack), which ran from 2002 to 2004. For his role in the 2002 crime-drama film Shuang Tong, Morse was nominated as "Best Supporting Actor" in the Golden Horse Awards, the first nomination ever for an English-speaking actor. His most recent big-screen appearance was as questionable neighbor Mr. Turner in the 2007 release Disturbia
Disturbia (film)
Disturbia is a 2007 American thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and executive produced by Ivan Reitman. It is an updated version of Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Rear Window...
. In a review of this film, film critic and commentator John Podhoretz
John Podhoretz
John Podhoretz is an American neoconservative columnist for the New York Post, the editor of Commentary magazine, the author of several books on politics, and a former presidential speechwriter.-Life and career:...
wrote that Morse is a "largely unsung character actor who enlivens and deepens every movie fortunate enough to have him in the cast".
In 2006, Morse received a phone call from David Shore
David Shore
David Shore is a Canadian writer, best known for his work writing and producing in television. As a former lawyer, Shore became known for his work on Family Law, NYPD Blue, and Due South...
, whom he had previously worked with on Hack, who asked him if he would be interested in having a guest role on House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
. When Morse watched the show, he could not understand why people watched the show, because, in his words, "This House guy is a total jerk". But when he told some of his friends, their excited reactions convinced Morse to take the part. Morse portrayed Michael Tritter
Michael Tritter
Detective Michael Tritter is a recurring fictional character in the medical drama series House, portrayed by David Morse. He is the main antagonist of the third season, which ran between 2006 and 2007. Tritter is a police detective, who tries to get Dr. Gregory House to apologize for leaving him...
, a detective with a vendetta against Gregory House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
. Morse earned his first Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nomination for his work on the series.
In 2008, Morse portrayed George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
in the HBO mini-series John Adams
John Adams (TV miniseries)
John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. The miniseries was directed by Tom Hooper. Kirk Ellis wrote the screenplay based on the book John...
, for which his nose was made bigger. Morse commented: "The first thing that comes to mind is my nose; it was my big idea to do that nose. We didn't have a lot of time, because they asked me to do this about three weeks before they started shooting, and I just kept looking at these portraits and thinking 'This man's face is so commanding', and I did not feel that my face was very commanding in the way his was. So I convinced them that we should try the nose, and we tried it on, and everybody went, 'Wow, that's Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
'." Morse's portrayal earned him his second Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nomination. He is currently "reprising" the role of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, in voice only, as part of the The Hall of Presidents show in the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
at the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
.
Morse stated that out of all of the films he has done, his favorites are The Green Mile
The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
, The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard
The Crossing Guard is a 1995 independent film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn.- Plot :...
, and The Indian Runner
The Indian Runner
The Indian Runner is a 1991 drama film written and directed by Sean Penn. It is based on Bruce Springsteen's song, "Highway Patrolman".-Plot:...
.
In 2010, Morse guest starred in two episodes of the HBO drama series, Treme
Treme (TV series)
Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans...
, as Lt. Terry Colson of the New Orleans Police Department. Morse was promoted to series regular starting with season two of the show, which began in April 2011.
Theatre
In addition to his film and television career, Morse has continued to appear on stage. For his performance in the 1997 Off-Broadway production of Paula Vogel'sPaula Vogel
Paula Vogel is an American playwright and university professor. She received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, How I Learned to Drive.-Early years:...
Pulitzer Prize-winning
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
drama How I Learned to Drive
How I Learned To Drive
How I Learned to Drive is a play written by American playwright Paula Vogel. The play premiered on March 16, 1997 off-broadway at the Vineyard Theatre...
, he received an Obie Award
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
, a Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
, a Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
, and a Lucille Lortel Award. That same year Morse played Father Barry in the play adaptation of On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden. The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard...
along with James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
James J. Gandolfini, Jr. is an Italian American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series The Sopranos, about a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia...
and Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller , sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress...
. The play only ran for a week, with just eight performances. From 2007 to 2008, Morse appeared on Broadway in Conor McPherson's
Conor McPherson
Conor McPherson is an Irish playwright and director.-Life and career:McPherson was born in Dublin, . He was educated at University College Dublin, McPherson began writing his first plays there as a member of UCD Dramsoc, the college's dramatic society, and went on to found Fly By Night Theatre...
The Seafarer
The Seafarer (play)
The Seafarer is a 2006 play by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. It is set on Christmas Eve in Baldoyle, a coastal suburb north of Dublin city. The play centers on James "Sharkey" Harkin, an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with his blind, aging brother, Richard Harkin...
.
Personal life
Morse has been married to actress Susan Wheeler Duff since June 19, 1982. They have three children: one daughter and twin sons. In 1994, Morse moved to Philadelphia with his family after the 1994 Northridge earthquake to be near his wife's family.Film work
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Inside Moves Inside Moves Inside Moves is a drama film directed by Richard Donner.- Plot :After a failed suicide attempt leaves a man named Rory partially crippled, he finds himself living in a run-down house in Oakland, California... |
Jerry Maxwell | |
| 1981 | Our Family Business | Phil | TV movie |
| 1982 | Max Dugan Returns Max Dugan Returns Max Dugan Returns is a 1983 American comedy-drama film starring Jason Robards as the titular Max Dugan, Marsha Mason as his daughter Nora, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, and Matthew Broderick as grandson Michael... |
Shoe Store Cop | |
| 1983 | Prototype | Michael | TV movie |
| 1984 | Shattered Vows | Father Tim | TV movie |
| 1985 | When Dreams Come True | Robert Wynton | TV movie |
| 1987 | Place at the Table | TV movie | |
| Personal Foul | |||
| Six Against the Rock | Marvin Hubbard | TV movie | |
| Downpayment on Murder | Det. Jackson | TV movie | |
| 1988 | Winnie Winnie (film) Winnie is an upcoming drama film adaptation of Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life. The film is directed by Darrell Roodt, and will star Jennifer Hudson, Terrence Howard, Wendy Crewson, and Elias Koteas.-Plot:... |
Thomas | TV movie |
| 1989 | Cross of Fire Cross of Fire Cross of Fire was an American 1989 television miniseries based on the horrific rape and murder of Madge Oberholtzer by D. C. Stephenson, a highly successful leader of the Indiana branch of Ku Klux Klan. It starred John Heard as Stephenson and Mel Harris as Oberholtzer. Lloyd Bridges was also in... |
TV movie | |
| 1990 | Desperate Hours Desperate Hours Desperate Hours is a 1990 remake of the 1955 William Wyler crime drama of the same title. Both films are based on the novel by Joseph Hayes, who also co-wrote the script for this movie with Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal... |
Albert | |
| 1991 | Two-Fisted Tales Two-Fisted Tales Two-Fisted Tales was a bimonthly, anthology war comic published by EC Comics in the early 1950s. The title originated in 1950 when Harvey Kurtzman suggested to William Gaines that they publish an adventure comic. Kurtzman became the editor of Two-Fisted Tales, and with the advent of the Korean War,... |
Tom McMurdo | Segment: "Showdown" |
| Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann | Bicycle Pete | TV movie | |
| The Indian Runner The Indian Runner The Indian Runner is a 1991 drama film written and directed by Sean Penn. It is based on Bruce Springsteen's song, "Highway Patrolman".-Plot:... |
Joe Roberts | ||
| 1992 | Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster is a 1992 movie depicting the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster off the coast of Alaska starring Christopher Lloyd, John Heard, Rip Torn and Michael Murphy.-Synopsis:... |
Rick Steiner | TV movie |
| 1993 | Miracle on Interstate 880 | Dr. Jim Betts | TV movie |
| The Good Son The Good Son (1993 film) The Good Son is a 1993 psychological thriller film directed by Joseph Ruben and written by English novelist Ian McEwan. The film stars Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood.-Plot:... |
Jack | ||
| 1994 | The Getaway The Getaway (1994 film) The Getaway is a 1994 crime thriller and a remake of the 1972 film of the same name. The film stars Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, James Woods, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jennifer Tilly, and was directed by Roger Donaldson.-Plot:... |
Jim Deer Jackson | |
| Magic Kid II | Jack | ||
| 1995 | The Taming Power of the Small | ||
| The Langoliers The Langoliers (TV miniseries) The Langoliers is a miniseries consisting of 2 episodes of 2 hours each . It was directed and written by Tom Holland and based on the novella by Stephen King. The series was produced by Mitchell Galin and David R. Kappes... |
Captain Brian Engle | TV movie | |
| Tecumseh: The Last Warrior | Galloway | TV movie | |
| The Crossing Guard The Crossing Guard The Crossing Guard is a 1995 independent film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn.- Plot :... |
John Booth | Nominated: Best Supporting Male at the Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit... |
|
| 12 Monkeys | Dr. Peters | ||
| 1996 | The Rock The Rock (film) The Rock is a 1996 action film that primarily takes place on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay area. It was directed by Michael Bay and stars Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris. It was produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and released through Hollywood Pictures. The film... |
Major Tom Baxter | |
| Extreme Measures Extreme Measures Extreme Measures is a 1996 thriller film based on Michael Palmer's 1991 novel of the same name, about the ethics of how far we are willing to go, and how much we are willing to sacrifice, in order to cure the world's ills.-Cast:... |
FBI Agent Frank Hare | ||
| The Long Kiss Goodnight The Long Kiss Goodnight The Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 action thriller film starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, written by Shane Black and directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:... |
Luke/Daedalus | ||
| 1997 | George B | George | |
| Murder Live! Murder Live! -Plot:A vengeful father takes talk show host Pia Postman, host of The Pia Postman Show on WYBS, and her audience hostage on live TV, when his daughter commits suicide after being humiliated on the show.-Cast:*Marg Helgenberger as Pia Postman... |
Frank McGrath | TV movie | |
| Contact Contact (film) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film adaptation of Contact.... |
Ted Arroway | ||
| 1998 | The Legend of Pig Eye | ||
| The Negotiator | Adam Beck | ||
| 1999 | Crazy in Alabama Crazy in Alabama Crazy in Alabama is a 1999 comedy-drama film directed by Antonio Banderas, written by Mark Childress , and starring Melanie Griffith as an abused wife who heads to California to become a movie star while her nephew back in Alabama has to deal with a racially-motivated murder involving a corrupt... |
Dove Bullis | |
| The Green Mile The Green Mile (film) The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name... |
Brutus "Brutal" Howell | Nominated: Best Cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
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| 2000 | Bait | Edgar Clenteen | |
| Dancer in the Dark Dancer in the Dark Dancer in the Dark is a 2000 Danish musical drama film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Icelandic singer Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Cara Seymour, Peter Stormare, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Joel Grey... |
Bill Houston | Also performed the song "Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world... " in the film. |
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| Proof of Life Proof of Life Proof of Life is a 2000 American film, directed by Taylor Hackford. The title refers to a phrase commonly used to indicate proof that a kidnap victim is still alive... |
Peter Bowman | ||
| 2001 | Diary of a City Priest | Father John McNamee | |
| Hearts in Atlantis Hearts in Atlantis (film) Hearts in Atlantis is a 2001 American/Australian drama thriller directed by Scott Hicks. It is loosely adapted from Stephen King's novella "Low Men in Yellow Coats", from his story collection Hearts in Atlantis.-Plot:... |
Bobby Garfield (Adult) | ||
| 2002 | The Slaughter Rule The Slaughter Rule The Slaughter Rule is an independent film, released in 2002 and starring Ryan Gosling and David Morse. The movie, set in contemporary Montana, explores the relationship between a small-town high school football player , and his troubled coach... |
Gideon "Gid" Ferguson | |
| Hack | Mike Olshansky | TV movie preceding the TV show of the same name. | |
| Double Vision | Kevin Richter | Nominated: Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Horse Film Festival | |
| 2005 | Down in the Valley | Wade | |
| Nearing Grace Nearing Grace Nearing Grace is a 2005 film directed by Rick Rosenthal, based on the novel by Scott Sommer.-Storyline:A coming-of-age independent feature film set in late 1970s, Nearing Grace follows high school senior Henry Nearing... |
Shep Nearing | ||
| Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story | Palmer | ||
| 2006 | A.W.O.L. A.W.O.L. (2006 film) A.W.O.L. is an American motion picture that was released in 2007. It was written by Shane Black , produced by Jessica Wethington and directed by Jack Swanstrom. It stars David Morse, John C... |
Marquette | |
| 16 Blocks 16 Blocks 16 Blocks is a 2006 crime thriller film directed by Richard Donner. It stars Bruce Willis, Mos Def, and David Morse. The movie unfolds in the real time narration method.- Plot :... |
Det. Frank Nugent | ||
| St. Elsewhere St. Elsewhere St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood... : The Place to Be |
Himself; Dr. Jack Morrison | Direct-to-video Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... |
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| 2007 | Hounddog | Daddy | |
| Disturbia Disturbia (film) Disturbia is a 2007 American thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and executive produced by Ivan Reitman. It is an updated version of Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Rear Window... |
Robert Turner | ||
| 2008 | Passengers Passengers (film) Passengers is 2008 thriller film starring Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson, and directed by Rodrigo García. It was released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on October 24, 2008.-Plot:... |
Arkin | |
| 2009 | The Hurt Locker The Hurt Locker The Hurt Locker is a 2009 American war film about a three-man United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team during the Iraq War. The film was directed by Kathryn Bigelow and the screenplay was written by Mark Boal, a freelance writer who was embedded as a journalist in 2004 with a US bomb... |
Colonel Reed | Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast Gotham Independent Film Awards 2009 The 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards were held on November 30, 2009.-Best Feature:The Hurt Locker*Amreeka*Big Fan*The Maid*A Serious Man-Best Ensemble Cast Performance:The Hurt Locker*Adventureland... |
| 2010 | Mother and Child Mother and Child (film) Mother and Child is an American drama film directed and written by Rodrigo García, and stars Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Shareeka Epps and Samuel L. Jackson. It premiered on September 14, 2009 at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and at the Sundance Film Festival on... |
Tom | |
| Shanghai | Richard Astor | ||
| Mint Julep Mint Julep (film) Mint Julep is a 2010 romance film written, directed, and produced by Wisconsin filmmakers Ian Teal and Kathy Fehl, starring David Morse, Angelica Torn, and James Gandolfini. It is set in small-town North Carolina and follows the struggling marriage of Deirdre, a diner waitress played by Torn, and... |
Karl | ||
| 2011 | Drive Angry Drive Angry Drive Angry is a 2011 American action film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Patrick Lussier. It was released on February 25, 2011.- Plot :... |
Webster | |
| Winter in the Blood Winter in the Blood Winter in the Blood is the first novel of James Welch. The Native American author won several national literary awards for his later novel Fools Crow, as well as receiving positive reviews for Indian Lawyer and The Death of Jim Loney. Winter in the Blood was published in 1974 by Harper & Row... |
Airplane Man | ||
| Collaborator Collaborator (film) Collaborator is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Martin Donovan. This film held its world premiere on July 4, 2011 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.-Plot:... |
Gus |
Television work
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Nurse | Kevin Mallory | Episode: Equal Opportunity |
| 1982–1988 | St. Elsewhere St. Elsewhere St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood... |
Dr. Jack Morrison | Also directed the episodes "A Coupla White Dummies Sitting Around Talking" and "Handoff" |
| 1987 | Friday the 13th Friday the 13th: The Series Friday the 13th: The Series is an American-Canadian horror television series that ran for three seasons, from October 3, 1987 to May 26, 1990 in first-run syndication.... |
Director/Writer | Episode: A Friend to the End |
| 1989 | Brotherhood of the Rose | Chris/Remus | Miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| Midnight Caller Midnight Caller Midnight Caller is a dramatic NBC television series created by Richard DiLello, which ran from 1988 to 1991. It was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growing phenomenon of talk radio... |
Chandler | Episode: Wait Until Midnight | |
| 1992 | The Hat Squad The Hat Squad The Hat Squad is a crime drama television series that ran for only one season on CBS, during the 1992-1993 season. 13 episodes were made, but only 11 of them aired.-Synopsis:... |
Episode: Frankie Stein | |
| Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt (TV series) Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO... |
Episode: Showdown | ||
| Reasonable Doubts Reasonable Doubts Reasonable Doubts is a police drama broadcast in the United States by NBC that ran from 1991 to 1993.-Synopsis:Reasonable Doubts is primarily about the working relationship between Assistant District Attorney Tess Kaufman , a prosecutor very sensitive to the rights of the accused, and... |
Edward Durrell | Episode: Moment of Doubt | |
| 1993 | Big Wave Dave's Big Wave Dave's Big Wave Dave's was a sitcom that ran from August 9, 1993 until September 13, 1993. In it, three friends decide to drop everything and run a surf shop in Hawaii. When they arrive, they find out that it's not as easy as they thought... |
Dave Bell | Short running sitcom |
| SeaQuest DSV SeaQuest DSV seaQuest DSV is an American science fiction television series created by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It originally aired on NBC between 1993 and 1996. In its final season, it was renamed seaQuest 2032. Set in "the near future", seaQuest mixes high drama with realistic scientific fiction... |
Lenny Sutter | Episode: SeaWest | |
| Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale... |
Jim Bayliss | Episode: Colors | |
| Action Man Action Man Action Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I... |
Additional Voices | ||
| 2001 | Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided | Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and... |
Miniseries; Voice Role |
| 2002–2004 | Hack | Mike Olshansky | Also wrote the episode "Gone". |
| 2006 2007 |
House House (TV series) House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in... |
Det. Michael Tritter Michael Tritter Detective Michael Tritter is a recurring fictional character in the medical drama series House, portrayed by David Morse. He is the main antagonist of the third season, which ran between 2006 and 2007. Tritter is a police detective, who tries to get Dr. Gregory House to apologize for leaving him... |
Episodes: Fools for Love Fools for Love "Fools for Love" is the fifth episode of the third season of House and the fifty-first episode overall.-Plot:A young interracial couple is hospitalized after the husband, Jeremy, attacks robbers who threaten his wife, Tracy. Her airways close and she collapses, apparently experiencing anaphylaxis.... Que Será Será Son of Coma Guy Son of Coma Guy "Son of Coma Guy" is the seventh episode of the third season of House and the fifty-third episode overall.-Medicine:The episode begins with House eating his lunch next to "vegetative state guy" and watching television. As he and Wilson talk, the son of the comatose man walks into the room... Finding Judas Finding Judas "Finding Judas" is the ninth episode of the third season of House and the fifty-fifth episode overall.-Plot:Six-year-old girl Alice , is enjoying herself at an amusement park with her dad. When they go on a ride, Alice starts screaming uncontrollably.House's team checks her and finds pancreatitis... Merry Little Christmas Merry Little Christmas "Merry Little Christmas" is the tenth episode of the third season of House and the fifty-sixth episode overall.-Plot:Dr. Wilson attempts to create a deal between Detective Tritter and Dr. House, but House stubbornly refuses, in large part because the deal involves House spending up to two months in... Words and Deeds Words and Deeds "Words and Deeds" is the eleventh episode of the third season of House and the fifty-seventh episode overall. This episode concludes the Michael Tritter story arc that began in the episode "Fools for Love".-Plot:... Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Guest Supporting Actor.-Award winners:1970s*1975: Patrick McGoohan – Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light... |
| 2008 | John Adams John Adams (TV miniseries) John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. The miniseries was directed by Tom Hooper. Kirk Ellis wrote the screenplay based on the book John... |
George Washington George Washington George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of... |
Miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... ; Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie. |
| 2009 | Medium Medium (TV series) Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office... |
Douglas Lydecker | three episodes |
| 2010 | Treme Treme (TV series) Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans... |
NOPD New Orleans Police Department The New Orleans Police Department has primary responsibility for law enforcement in New Orleans, Louisiana. The department's jurisdiction covers all of Orleans Parish, while the city is divided into eight police districts.... Lieutenant Terry Colson |
Episodes: Shame, Shame, Shame Wish Someone Would Care I'll Fly Away |
| 2011 | Lights Out Lights Out (2011 TV series) Lights Out is an American television boxing drama series from the FX network in the United States. It stars Holt McCallany as Patrick "Lights" Leary, a New Jersey native, and former heavyweight champion boxer who is considering a comeback. The series premiered on January 11, 2011 at 10 pm ET/PT. On... |
Broadway
| Title | Role | Run |
|---|---|---|
| On the Waterfront On the Waterfront On the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden. The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard... |
Father Barry | May 1, 1995 – May 7, 1995 |
| The Seafarer The Seafarer (play) The Seafarer is a 2006 play by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. It is set on Christmas Eve in Baldoyle, a coastal suburb north of Dublin city. The play centers on James "Sharkey" Harkin, an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with his blind, aging brother, Richard Harkin... |
James "Sharky" Harkin | December 6, 2007 – March 30, 2008 |
Off-Broadway
| Title | Role | Run | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threads Threads Threads is a British television drama produced by the BBC in 1984. Written by Barry Hines and directed by Mick Jackson, it is a documentary-style account of a nuclear war and its effects on the city of Sheffield in northern England.... |
Nub | October 25, 1981 – November 22, 1981 | Circle Theatre | |
| How I Learned to Drive How I Learned To Drive How I Learned to Drive is a play written by American playwright Paula Vogel. The play premiered on March 16, 1997 off-broadway at the Vineyard Theatre... |
Peck | May 6, 1997 – April 19, 1998 | Century Center for the Performing Arts | Won: Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Actor Won: Drama Desk Award Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category... for Outstanding Actor Won: Obie Award Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City... for Performance Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Award Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets... for Outstanding Actor |
External links
- David Morse at the Internet Off-Broadway Database