John Finn

John Joseph Finn (born September 30, 1952) is an American character actor known as one of the leads of the television programs Cold Case and EZ Streets. Finn has also had supporting roles in the films The Hunted, Analyze That (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), True Crime (1999), Turbulence (1997), Blown Away (1994), The Pelican Brief (1993), and Glory (1989).

TV series that Finn has had recurring roles on include Dawson's Creek, The Practice, The X-Files, Strange World, NYPD Blue (he also appeared two other times on Blue as different characters), Chicago Hope, and eight episodes of Brooklyn South.

Early life Born to an Irish-American family in The Bronx, New York, he graduated from Eldred Central School in Eldred, New York, in the year 1970. He later joined the Navy for a few years, after which he entered the acting business.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1984 The Pope of Greenwich Village Ginty film debut 1984 Death Mask 1970, Reporter 1988 Shakedown The Bartender 1989 Glory Sergeant Major Mulcahy 1990 Loose Cannons Copcredited as John J. Finn 1990 A Shock to the System Motorman 1990 Desperate Hours Lexington 1991 Cover Up Jeff Cooper 1993 Nowhere to Run Cop In Chase 1993 Cliffhanger FBI Agent Michaels 1993 Carlito's Way Detective Duncan 1993 Geronimo: An American Legend Captain Hentig 1993 The Pelican Brief Matthew Barr 1994 Being Human Detective Cobb 1994 Blown Away Captain Roarke 1996 City Hall Commissioner Coonan 1996 Hoist Away Short film; Director/Writer 1997 Turbulence FBI Agent Frank Sinclair 1997 Trojan War Ben Kimble 1999 True Crime Reedy 2002 Analyze That Richard Chapin 2002 Catch Me If You Can FBI Assistant Director Marsh 2003 The Hunted FBI Special Agent Ted Chenoweth 2003 The Human Stain Louie Borero 2006 Property The Storyteller Short film 2013 The Lifeguard Jason "Big Jason" 2014 The Gift Sean Og 2017 Gifted Aubrey Highsmith 2018 Bent Driscoll 2019 Finding Steve McQueen W. Mark Felt 2019 Ad Astra Stroud 2019 Saved Rounds Short film; Director/Producerpre-production2025Echo ValleyRandy

Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1979 B.J. and the Bear Forman television debutEpisode: "The Eyes of Texas" 1980 Rage! Man #C Television Movie 1981 The Incredible Hulk Mechanic Episode: "Fast Lane" 1982 Fame Driver Cop Episode: "Tomorrow's Farewell" 1982 The Fall Guy Bleeker Episode: "A Piece of Cake" Pete Episode: "No Way Out" 1987 Spenser: For Hire Monroe Episode: "My Enemy, My Friend" Ken Green Episode: "I Confess" 1987 Leg Work Clauson Episode: "The Art of Murder" 1988 Alone in the Neon Jungle Alan Benson Television Movie 1988 Miami Vice Charles Hatch Episode: "Hell Hath No Fury" 1988 Tattinger's Mcintosh's Torpedo Episode: "Pilot" 1989 A Man Called Hawk Unknown Episode: "The Master's Mirror" 1990 ABC Afterschool Specials Unknown Episode: "All That Glitters" 1990 Law & Order Freddo Parisi Episode: "Poison Ivy" 1991 Posing: Inspired by Three Real Stories Jimmy Lanahan Television Movie 1992 Quantum Leap Admiral Spencer Episode: "Running for Honor - June 11, 1964" 1992 Matlock Sheriff Dewey Episode: "The Outcast" 1992 Quicksand: No Escape Detective Harris credited as John Joseph Harris 1992 Street Justice Unknown Episode: "Eye Witness" 1992 Cheers Mitch Ganzell Episode: "Take Me Out of the Ball Game" 1992 Steel Justice Lieutenant Bill Somes Television Movie 1992 Lady Against the Odds Lieutenant Donnelly Television Movie 1992 Mario and the Mob Unknown Television Movie 1992 Citizen Cohn Senator Charles Potter Television Movie 1992 Flying Blind Mr. Rickman Episode: "Pilot" 1993 Frasier Tim Episode: "Miracle on Third or Fourth Street" credited as John J. Finn 1994 SeaQuest 2032 Colonel Schrader Episode: "Nothing But the Truth" 1994-1995 Chicago Hope Dr. Trevor Filburn 3 episodes; recurring role 1995 Truman Bob Hannegan Television Movie 1995 The Client Waite Calhoun Episode: "A Perfect World" 1995 Murderous Intent Unknown Television Movie 1995 Runaway One Colonel Van Damme Television Movie 1995 NYPD Blue Jimmy "Socks" Matlow Episode: "Dirty Socks" 1996 JAG Major Klein Episode: "Boot" 1996 Gone in the Night Gerry Harbin Television Movie 1996 Nash Bridges FBI Special Agent Elliot Rose Episode: "Aloha Bash" 1996 Crazy Horse General George Crook Television Movie 1996-1997 EZ Streets Captain Geary 11 episodes; recurring role 1997 Promised Land Frank Boller Episode: "The Getaway" 1997 Millennium William Garry Episode: "Covenant" 1997 Invasion Airbase Colonel Brown (uncredited) Miniseries 1997 Players Lieutenant Mike Harper Episode: "Rashocon" 1997 NYPD Blue Lieutenant John Shanon 2 episodes 1997-1999 The X-Files Michael Kritschgau 5 episodes; recurring role 1998 Brooklyn South Officer Ray MacElwaine 8 episodes; recurring role 1999 Strange World FBI Special Agent Richard H. Hoffman 2 episodes 1999 Atomic Train Wally Phister Miniseries; 2 episodes 1999 Seasons of Love Gorm Schrader 2 episodes 1999-2003 Dawson's Creek Sheriff John Witter 4 episodes; recurring role 2000 The Practice Detective Henry Dokes 2 episodes 2000 Deadlocked Jack Fisque Television Movie 2000 Rocket's Red Glare Wyatt Claybourne Television Movie 2001 Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family Nathan Martson Episode: "The River" 2001 NYPD Blue Jimmy McElroy Episode: "Nariz a Nariz" 2001 Philly Frank Maguire Episode: "Light My Fire" 2002 Shadow Realm Malone Television Movie 2002 Thieves George Lieser Episode: "Home Is Where the Heist Is" 2002 Night Visions Malone Episode: "Patters/Voices" (segment: Voices) 2002 Without a Trace Abner Harrington Episode: "In Extremis" 2003-2010 Cold Case John Stillman series regular; 156 episodes/Director; 2 episodesEpisode: "Wednesday's Women" (2008)Episode: "The Runaway Bunny" (2010) 2011-2017 NCIS General (former Marine Commandant) Charles T. Ellison 3 episodes 2012 Blue Bloods David Cummings Episode: "Leap of Faith" 2012 Suits Lawrence Kemp 2 episodes 2012 Homeland Rex Henning Episode: "The Clearing" 2013 Golden Boy Ed McKenzie Episode: "McKenzie on Fire" 2014 Believe Mr. Tate Episode: "Sinking" 2014 Madam Secretary Allen Bollings Episode: "Blame Canada" 2014 An Bronntanas Sean Og Miniseries, 5 episodes 2014 Wall Street Ritter Television Movie 2015 The Blacklist Judge Richard Denner 2 episodes 2016 Elementary Neil Dannon Episode: "Down Where the Dead Delight" 2016 The Good Wife Oren Cleary Episode: "Targets" 2017 Doubt Don Wilson Episode: "Pilot" 2018-2020 The Walking Dead Earl Sutton 11 episodes 2018 The Enemy Within Richard Bregman Episode: "Pilot" 2019 The Loudest Voice Jack Welch Miniseries, 1 episode 2019 The Crown Arthur "Bull" Hancock Episode: "Coup" 2021 Arctic Circle Gordon Merriman Season 2, 6 episodes 2024 FBI: Most Wanted Jackson Chase Episode: "White Buffalo"