Cotter Smith

Joseph Cotter Smith (born May 29, 1949) is an American stage, film, and television actor.

Early life He was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Madeline (née Cotter) and John Lewis Smith, Jr., who was a federal judge. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 1968. In 1972, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut.

Smith's grandfather was an attorney, as are his brother and sister, and he said, "It was sort of assumed that I would be a lawyer, too." Instead, when he finished college, he became a teacher. After a few years, however, his interest turned to acting.

Career He began his acting career in New York City in 1978, studying with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio. His New York theater credits include the Broadway premiere productions of Next Fall, which was a 2010 Tony Award nominee for Best New Play, Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter) and Lanford Wilson's Burn This. He also co-starred with Judd Hirsch in the National Tour of the Tony Award-winning play Art. His numerous Off Broadway appearances include the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest with Sam Waterston; Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning How I Learned to Drive with Molly Ringwald; Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize-winning A Soldier's Play with Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson; Michael Weller's Side Effects with Joely Richardson; Athol Fugard's The Blood Knot with Danny Glover; Horton Foote's The Old Friends with Betty Buckley; and the American Premiere of the Olivier Award-winning Cockfight Play, among many others. He was also a ten-year member of the Circle Repertory Company in New York working exclusively on the premiere productions of new American plays.

He is a co-founder of The Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where he has appeared in The Seagull, The Homecoming, Endgame, Mad Forest, and Habeas Corpus. Other Los Angeles performances include Romeo and Juliet, Love Letters, and Raft of the Medusa, as well as the West Coast premieres of "A Soldier's Play' and How I Learned to Drive at the Mark Taper Forum.

With his wife, Heidi Mueller Smith, he co-founded and served as Artistic Director of the Cornerstone Theatre Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 2001 to 2007. Among his directing credits for the company are Edward Albee's The American Dream, Harold Pinter's Night School, and Lanford Wilson's The Gingham Dog. His acting credits for the company include 12 Angry Men, Betrayal, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Educating Rita.

Smith has been nominated four times by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, receiving the Outstanding Performance Award in 1996 for George M. Cohan's "The Tavern". He has received four Drama-Logue Awards and two Ovation Award nominations.

His television and film work ranges from his debut co-starring as Robert Kennedy (opposite Robert Blake's Jimmy Hoffa) in the mini-series Blood Feud, to his role as the President of the United States in the 20th Century Fox film, X2: X-Men United. Over the years he has appeared in many television shows, from his regular roles on the ABC series Equal Justice and Night Stalker to his more recent appearances on The Americans, Madam Secretary, Person of Interest, Forever, and The Good Wife.

Smith is also an acting teacher, for the past six years at The New School for Drama in New York, where he also served as the Department Head of the MFA Acting Program from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that he taught for several years at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting.

Personal life Smith has been married to Heidi Mueller Smith since 2001. He was previously married to actress Mel Harris, with whom he has his only child.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Other notes 1984 Nickel Mountain Tucker 1987 Lady Beware Mac Odell 1988 Cameron's Closet Sergeant Sam Taliaferro 1989 K-9 Gilliam 1996 Invader Dr. Case Montgomery Alternative title: Lifeform2003 Reeseville John Meyers X2 President McKenna 2005 The Sleeper Dr. Altman 2008 Lunatics, Lovers & Poets Scotty MacGregor 2011 Friends with Kids Phil Fryman 2013 Burning Blue Admiral Lynch 2017 The Post William Macomber2024 Unsinkable Senator William Smith 2026 The Gymnast Dr. Sherman Television Year Title Role Notes1982 St. Elsewhere Dr. Rowe 1 episode Hill Street Blues Intern 1 episode 1983 Blood Feud Robert F. Kennedy Television movie1984 Mistral's Daughter Frank Miniseries The Master Chad Webster 1 episode Cagney & Lacey Captain Fuller 1 episode1985 A Bunny's Tale Ned Holcomb Television movie Moonlighting Brian Baker 1 episode The Rape of Richard Beck Lt. Hugo Television movie Hardcastle and McCormick Randy Hopke 1 episode1986 The Twilight Zone Mitchell Chaplin 1 episode Murder, She Wrote Robert Rhine 1 episode D.C. Cops Michael Halsey Television movie 1990 Equal Justice Deputy D.A. Eugene "Gene" Rogan Television movie 1990-1991 Equal Justice Deputy D.A. Eugene "Gene" Rogan 25 episodes 1991 The Last Prostitute Joe Television movie1992 Midnight's Child Television movie A Message from Holly Television movie1993 A Place to Be Loved Mike Caldwell Television movie With Hostile Intent Officer Rob Arnold Television movie L.A. Law Tony Henderson 3 episodes Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox Story Steve Television movie 1994 Armed and Innocent Lonnie Television movie1995 Chicago Hope Dr. Bob Marinak 1 episode Courthouse Andrew Rawson 6 episodes Remember Me Adam Nichols Television movie 1996 High Incident 1 episode1997 Spy Game Adam Quill 1 episode Bridge of Time Robert Creighton Television movie Orleans Bill Brennecke 1 episode Law & Order Eric Martin 1 episode1998 Oz Judge Benjamin Fee 1 episode Trinity Agent 1 episode 1999 Vengeance Unlimited Stan Garcos 1 episode 2000 Run the Wild Fields Silas Green Television movie 2001-2005 Judging Amy ASA Jeremy Friedman 4 episodes 2004 Alias Agent Foster 1 episode 2004-2005 Tru Calling Richard Davies 6 episodes 2005-2006 Night Stalker Tony Vincenzo 10 episodes2006 Commander in Chief Governor Stan Preston 1 episode NCIS NCIS Special Agent in Charge Sam Stevens 1 episode Invasion Deputy Buell 1 episode Without a Trace Fr. Sean McGinnis 1 episode The Unit Bill Lachey 1 episode 2008 Depth Charge Admiral Butler Television movie 2008 Ghost Whisperer Gerald Lucas 1 episode 2011 White Collar Undersecretary of Asian Affairs Adam Wilson 1 episode 2012 Person of Interest Denton Weeks 3 episodes 2013–2015 The Americans Deputy Attorney General 7 episodes2014 Revolution President Jack Davis 5 episodes House of Cards Drewery Episode: "Chapter 16"2015 Forever Neville Episode: "Mystery of Murder" The Following Nathan 2 episodes Blindspot General Episode: "A Stray Howl" Madam Secretary Darren Hahn 2 episodes 2017 Mindhunter Unit Chief Shepard 8 episodes 2018 One Dollar Mayor Britt Episode: "Wilson Furlbee" 2019 The Code Asa Turnbull 3 Episodes