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

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

He was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Madeline (née Cotter) and John Lewis Smith, Jr., who was a federal judge.[1] He graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 1968.[2] In 1972, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature[citation needed] at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut.[3]

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."[3] Instead, when he finished college, he became a teacher. After a few years, however, his interest turned to acting.[3]

Career

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]
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: Lifeform
2003 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 Macomber
2024 Unsinkable Senator William Smith
2026 The Gymnast Dr. Sherman
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1982 St. Elsewhere Dr. Rowe 1 episode
Hill Street Blues Intern 1 episode
1983 Blood Feud Robert F. Kennedy Television movie
1984 Mistral's Daughter Frank Miniseries
The Master Chad Webster 1 episode
Cagney & Lacey Captain Fuller 1 episode
1985 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 episode
1986 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 movie
1992 Midnight's Child Television movie
A Message from Holly Television movie
1993 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 movie
1995 Chicago Hope Dr. Bob Marinak 1 episode
Courthouse Andrew Rawson 6 episodes
Remember Me Adam Nichols Television movie
1996 High Incident 1 episode
1997 Spy Game Adam Quill 1 episode
Bridge of Time Robert Creighton Television movie
Orleans Bill Brennecke 1 episode
Law & Order Eric Martin 1 episode
1998 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 episodes
2006 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 episodes
2014 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

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Cotter Smith

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Joseph Cotter Smith (born May 29, 1949) is an American actor renowned for his extensive career across stage, film, and television, spanning over five decades with notable portrayals of authoritative figures in both dramatic and historical contexts. Born in , to federal judge John Lewis Smith Jr. and Madeline Cotter Smith, he graduated from in 1968 and earned a B.A. in from Trinity College in , in 1972, followed by acting training at the Actors Studio and with instructors and . Smith began his professional career in the 1970s, initially teaching English and drama at the Maret School in Washington, D.C., before transitioning to full-time acting with early stage roles at the Circle Repertory Theatre and founding memberships in the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles and the Cornerstone Theater Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His breakthrough television role came as Deputy D.A. Eugene Rogan in the ABC series Equal Justice (1990–1991), followed by recurring appearances in shows like The Americans (2013–2018) as Deputy Attorney General and Tru Calling (2003–2005) as Richard Davies. On film, he gained recognition for playing the President of the United States in X2: X-Men United (2003) and Dick Thompson in the HBO biopic You Don't Know Jack (2010). More recently, Smith portrayed Senator William Alden Smith in the historical drama Unsinkable (2024), for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2024 Swedish International Film Festival, and appeared in Rustin (2023) as Chief Wells, while continuing stage work, including Broadway productions like An American Daughter (1997) as Timber Tucker and Off-Broadway revivals such as Cock (2012). Throughout his career, Smith has received acclaim for his versatile performances, receiving Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards in 1993 and 1996, among multiple nominations, and Ovation Awards for stage work, alongside teaching acting at institutions like for Drama, where he served as MFA Acting Department Head from 2015 to 2017. His personal life includes three marriages—to Christane Egloff (divorced 1980), actress (1988–c. 1996), and (2001–)—and he is father to one daughter, Madeline Michael Smith.

Early life and education

Family background

Cotter Smith was born Joseph Cotter Smith on May 29, 1949, in His father, John Lewis Smith Jr., was a prominent federal judge known for his rigid and strict demeanor, while his mother, Madeline Cotter Smith, managed the household as a dedicated "Washington wife." Raised in an Irish Catholic family of five children, Smith grew up in a lively yet structured environment that included four siblings, with several relatives—such as a brother, a sister, and a grandfather—pursuing careers in . His was deeply influenced by his father's judicial career, as the family's home life revolved around the legal world; Smith later recalled that courtrooms served as his "playground" during his youth, fostering an early fascination with public discourse and performance that contrasted with the family's legal traditions. Despite the judicial atmosphere, his mother encouraged him to forge a distinct path, telling him, "You’re going to do something different and I don’t have any idea what that is, but do that." Smith resided in , until age 14, when he transitioned to at in

Academic pursuits

Cotter Smith attended the , a preparatory in , graduating in 1968. His family's background in the judiciary facilitated access to such elite educational settings, fostering an environment conducive to academic development. Smith then enrolled at College in , where he majored in literature and earned a degree in 1972. During his time at , he engaged in extracurricular activities, including a event at Wesleyan University's Honors College in 1972, which highlighted his early interest in performative arts. This emphasized critical analysis and expression, skills that would later inform his approach to . Following graduation, Smith pursued specialized training in the , studying at the Actors Studio in and under the guidance of esteemed instructors and .

Career

Theater

Cotter Smith's stage work encompasses a range of roles in New York and regional theater, beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 2020s, with a focus on dramatic and character-driven parts. His early appearances established him in ensemble and supporting capacities before transitioning to leading roles on Broadway and in regional settings. Throughout his theater career, Smith received multiple accolades, including a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his performance in The Tavern (1993) and a nomination for Borderline (1985), as well as Ovation Awards for his stage work. In 1980, he portrayed Morris in Athol Fugard's The Blood Knot at the Roundabout Theatre, opposite as Zachariah. The following year, Smith served as ensemble member in Particular Friendships at the . Also in 1981, he played Byrd (understudy for Taylor) in Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize-winning with the at Theatre Four. His 1982 regional credit included the role of Jack in Paula Cizmar's The Death of a Miner at Portland Stage Company in , which later transferred to New York City's American Place Theatre for an Off-Broadway run. In 1987, Smith appeared as Pinder in Rafael Lima's at Circle Repertory Theatre. That same year, he understudied the lead role of Pale in Lanford Wilson's , which ran on Broadway from October 14, 1987, to October 29, 1988, at the Plymouth Theatre. Smith returned to Circle Repertory in 1991 as Bobby Brax in Keith Curran's Walking the Dead. In 1997, he took over the role of Uncle Peck (replacement) in Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning at the Vineyard Theatre. That year also marked his starring Broadway debut as Timber Tucker in Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter, which ran from April 13 to June 29, 1997, at the Cort Theatre. In 1999–2000, he played Serge (also starring) in the Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza's at the Royale Theatre, from September 14, 1999, to June 11, 2000. As a founding member of the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, Smith performed in several productions there during the 1990s, including the ensemble role of the Vagabond in The Tavern (1993), Canon Throbbing in Habeas Corpus (1994), and Trigorin in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull (1994). In 2010, Smith earned acclaim as Butch in Geoffrey Nauffts's Next Fall on Broadway at the Theatre, running from March 11 to July 4, 2010. The next year, he portrayed Doug Metz in Michael Weller's Side Effects at MCC Theater's . In 2012, he played the Father in Mike Bartlett's at the on 42nd Street. This was followed by the role of Ratliff in the world premiere of Horton Foote's The Old Friends at Signature Theatre in 2013. Smith's 2015 credit was Antonio in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest at the Delacorte Theatre. After relocating to the Pittsburgh area, he made his local debut as the menacing Walter Brown in John Pollono's Rules of Seconds at barebones productions' Black Box Theater in Braddock in 2018. In 2019, he portrayed Capt. Matthew A. Markinson in Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men at Pittsburgh Public Theater's O'Reilly Theater, running September 12 to October 13. More recently, Smith played Frank Butley in Karen Zacarias's Native Gardens at City Theatre's Lillie Theatre in 2023.

Television

Cotter Smith's television appearances encompass a wide range of roles in series, miniseries, and TV movies, beginning with early guest spots in the 1980s and extending to recurring parts in acclaimed dramas of the 2010s.
Year(s)TitleRoleTypeEpisodes
1982St. ElsewhereDr. RoweTV Series1
1982Hill Street BluesInternTV Series1
1983Blood FeudRobert F. KennedyTV Mini-Series2
1984Mistral's DaughterFrankTV Mini-Series2
1985A Bunny's TaleNed HolcombTV MovieN/A
1985The Rape of Richard BeckLieutenant HugoTV MovieN/A
1990Equal JusticeDep. D.A. Eugene "Gene" RoganTV Series13 (regular)
1992A Message from HollyEd MaxwellTV MovieN/A
1992Midnight's ChildRolloTV MovieN/A
1993A Place to Be LovedMike CaldwellTV MovieN/A
1993Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox StorySteveTV MovieN/A
1993With Hostile IntentOfficer Rob ArnoldTV MovieN/A
1993L.A. LawTony HendersonTV Series3 (recurring)
1994Armed and InnocentLonnieTV MovieN/A
1995Remember MeAdam NicholsTV MovieN/A
1995CourthouseAndrew RawsonTV Series9 (regular)
1997Bridge of TimeRobert CreightonTV MovieN/A
2000Run the Wild FieldsSilas GreenTV MovieN/A
2001–2005Judging AmyASA Jeremy FriedmanTV Series4 (recurring)
2004AliasHank FosterTV Series1
2004–2005Tru CallingRichard DaviesTV Series6 (recurring)
2005Night StalkerTony VincenzoTV Series10 (regular)
2005Commander in ChiefGov. Stan PrestonTV Series1
2006InvasionDeputy BuellTV Series1
2006NCISNCIS Special Agent in Charge Sam StevensTV Series2 (recurring)
2010You Don't Know JackDick ThompsonTV MovieN/A
2012The Good WifeForrest BurkeTV Series1
2012Person of InterestDenton WeeksTV Series3 (recurring)
2013–2015The AmericansDeputy Attorney GeneralTV Series7 (recurring)
2014House of CardsDreweryTV Series1
2014RevolutionPresident Jack DavisTV Series5 (recurring)
2014ForeverNevilleTV Series1
2015The FollowingNathanTV Series2 (recurring)
2015BlindspotGeneralTV Series1
2015Madam SecretaryDarren HahnTV Series1
2018One DollarMayor BrittTV Series1
2019The CodeAsa TurnbullTV Mini-Series3 (recurring)
2017–2019MindhunterUnit Chief ShepardTV Series9 (recurring)
2022Archive 81NicolasTV Series1

Film

Cotter Smith's debut came in the mid-1980s, marking the beginning of a selective career in cinema that emphasized supporting roles in a variety of genres, from thrillers to dramas. His credits span independent productions and occasional high-profile studio films, with notable appearances in and historical dramas.
  • Nickel Mountain (1984): Trucker (supporting role).
  • (1987): Mac Odell (supporting role).
  • (1988): Detective Sam Talliaferro (supporting role).
  • K-9 (1989): Gilliam (supporting role).
  • Lifeform (1996): Dr. Case Montgomery (supporting role).
  • Reeseville (2003): John Meyers (supporting role).
  • X2: United (2003): President McKenna (supporting role).
  • The Sleeper (2005): Dr. Altman (supporting role).
  • Lunatics, Lovers & Poets (2009): Scotty MacGregor (supporting role).
  • (2011): Phil Fryman (supporting role).
  • Burning Blue (2013): Admiral Lynch (supporting role).
  • The Post (2017): William Macomber (supporting role).
  • The (2019): Roman (supporting role).
  • (2021): Tom Claire (supporting role).
  • Jack and the Treehouse (2021): Pap (supporting role).
  • Rustin (2023): Chief Wells (supporting role).
  • Unsinkable (2024): Senator Smith (supporting role).
  • Closure (2025): Pat (supporting role).
His film work often features authoritative figures, such as military officers, detectives, and family patriarchs, contributing to ensemble narratives without leading billing. One highlight is his portrayal of the U.S. President in the blockbuster X2: X-Men United (2003). Though primarily recognized for television, his cinematic output remains focused on character-driven support.

Teaching

Cotter Smith served as the Department Head of the MFA Acting Program at for Drama in New York for six years, where he focused on advanced training in acting techniques. In his teaching, Smith emphasized Active Analysis, a Stanislavskian method involving improvisational exploration of scenes to prioritize energetic exchanges and physicality over intellectual overanalysis, which he introduced to the . He passed on influences from his own mentors, and , encouraging students to adopt an eclectic style that integrates emotional depth with practical and ethical professionalism in performance. Following his relocation to in the 2010s, Smith conducted workshops on Active Analysis at and , fostering local talent through immersive sessions that build collaborative energy among participants. His post-2010s evolved to stress motivated learning environments, where students actively engage as part of a supportive ensemble rather than passive recipients.

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Cotter Smith's first marriage was to Christina Egloff, a radio documentary producer, lasting from 1972 to 1980. He married actress Mel Harris on October 22, 1988, after meeting her on the set of the 1988 film Cameron's Closet. The couple, who frequently collaborated professionally, including in the off-Broadway play Empty Hearts in 1992 and a 1991 staging of Love Letters, divorced in 1996. Smith has been married to actress, director, and theater founder since March 31, 2001. They met through professional connections in the industry; Mueller first noticed Smith while watching the television series Equal Justice (1990–1991), in which he starred alongside her stepfather, actor , and the two were later introduced by DiCenzo approximately a decade after the show's run, bonding initially through letters and emails. Together, they co-founded the Cornerstone Theatre Company in , , shortly after their marriage, and have frequently performed as a duo in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters, including productions in in 2018 and earlier stagings tied to their theater work.

Family

Cotter Smith has one child, a daughter named Madeline Michael Smith, born April 3, 1990, from his marriage to actress . Smith and his wife, Heidi Mueller Smith, have built an ongoing family life in Pittsburgh's Highland Park neighborhood since 2017, incorporating his daughter into their household. Smith's father, John Lewis Smith Jr., was a distinguished federal who served as chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from 1981 to 1982, embodying a legacy of in the . Smith has reflected on his father's influence, describing him as a rigid Irish Catholic figure whose career instilled values of discipline and hard work, shaping his own approach amid a household immersed in legal matters.

Residences

Cotter Smith was born and raised in , where he grew up in a family home near on Massachusetts Avenue. In 1978, at the age of 28, Smith relocated to to pursue his theater career, studying at the Stella Adler Conservatory and performing in Off-Off Broadway productions during the late 1970s and 1980s. He maintained a residence there through the 1990s, establishing himself on Broadway and in regional theater. Smith later moved to in the 1980s to focus on television and film work, residing there for several decades amid opportunities in series and movies during the 1980s through the 2010s. In 2017, Smith relocated to , Pennsylvania, initially for filming the series Mindhunter, but he and his wife were drawn to the city's community and cultural scene, prompting a permanent move. As of 2025, he continues to reside in Pittsburgh's Highland Park neighborhood, where he engages in local theater productions and acting workshops at venues like the and barebones productions.

Filmography

Film

Cotter Smith's debut came in the mid-1980s, marking the beginning of a selective career in cinema that emphasized supporting roles in a variety of genres, from thrillers to dramas. His credits span independent productions and occasional high-profile studio films, with notable appearances in and historical dramas.
  • Nickel Mountain (1984): Trucker (supporting role).
  • (1987): Mac Odell (supporting role).
  • (1988): Detective Sam Talliaferro (supporting role).
  • K-9 (1989): Gilliam (supporting role).
  • Lifeform (1996): Dr. Case Montgomery (supporting role).
  • Reeseville (2003): John Meyers (supporting role).
  • X2: X-Men United (2003): President McKenna (supporting role).
  • The Sleeper (2005): Dr. Altman (supporting role).
  • Lunatics, Lovers & Poets (2009): Scotty MacGregor (supporting role).
  • (2011): Phil Fryman (supporting role).
  • Burning Blue (2013): Admiral Lynch (supporting role).
  • The Post (2017): William Macomber (supporting role).
  • (2019): Roman (supporting role).
  • (2021): Tom Claire (supporting role).
  • Jack and the Treehouse (2021): Pap (supporting role).
  • Rustin (2023): Chief Wells (supporting role).
  • Unsinkable (2024): Senator Smith (supporting role).
  • Closure (2025): Pat (supporting role).
His film work often features authoritative figures, such as officers, detectives, and family patriarchs, contributing to ensemble narratives without leading billing. One highlight is his portrayal of the U.S. President in X2: United (2003), though primarily recognized for television, his cinematic output remains focused on character-driven support.

Television

Cotter Smith's television appearances encompass a wide range of roles in series, , and TV movies, beginning with early guest spots in the and extending to recurring parts in acclaimed dramas of the .
Year(s)TitleRoleTypeEpisodes
1982Dr. RoweTV Series1
1982InternTV Series1
1983Blood FeudTV Mini-Series2
1984FrankTV Mini-Series2
1985Ned HolcombTV MovieN/A
1985The Rape of Richard BeckLieutenant HugoTV MovieN/A
1990Equal JusticeDep. D.A. Eugene "Gene" RoganTV Series13 (regular)
1992A Message from HollyEd MaxwellTV MovieN/A
1992Midnight's ChildRolloTV MovieN/A
1993A Place to Be LovedMike CaldwellTV MovieN/A
1993Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox StorySteveTV MovieN/A
1993With Hostile IntentOfficer Rob ArnoldTV MovieN/A
1993Tony HendersonTV Series3 (recurring)
1994Armed and InnocentLonnieTV MovieN/A
1995Remember MeAdam NicholsTV MovieN/A
1995Andrew RawsonTV Series9 (regular)
1997Bridge of TimeRobert CreightonTV MovieN/A
2000Silas GreenTV MovieN/A
2001–2005ASA Jeremy FriedmanTV Series4 (recurring)
2004AliasHank FosterTV Series1
2004–2005Richard DaviesTV Series6 (recurring)
2005Night StalkerTony VincenzoTV Series10 (regular)
2005Gov. Stan PrestonTV Series1
2006InvasionDeputy BuellTV Series1
2006NCISNCIS Special Agent in Charge Sam StevensTV Series2 (recurring)
2010You Don't Know JackDick ThompsonTV MovieN/A
2012Forrest BurkeTV Series1
2012Denton WeeksTV Series5 (recurring)
2013–2015Deputy Attorney GeneralTV Series7 (recurring)
2014House of CardsDreweryTV Series1
2014President Jack DavisTV Series5 (recurring)
2014ForeverNevilleTV Series1
2015NathanTV Series2 (recurring)
2015BlindspotGeneralTV Series1
2015Madam Secretary HahnTV Series1
2018One DollarMayor BrittTV Series1
2019The CodeAsa TurnbullTV Mini-Series7 (recurring)
2017–2019MindhunterUnit Chief ShepardTV Series9 (recurring)
2022NicolasTV Series1

Theater

Cotter Smith's stage work encompasses a range of roles in New York and regional theater, beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 2020s, with a focus on dramatic and character-driven parts. His early Off-Broadway appearances established him in ensemble and supporting capacities before transitioning to leading roles on Broadway and in regional settings. In 1980, he portrayed Morris in Athol Fugard's The Blood Knot at the Roundabout Theatre, opposite Danny Glover as Zachariah. The following year, Smith served as ensemble member in Particular Friendships at the Astor Place Theatre. Also in 1981, he played Lieutenant Byrd (understudy for Captain Taylor) in Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize-winning A Soldier's Play with the Negro Ensemble Company at Theatre Four. His 1982 regional credit included the role of Jack in Paula Cizmar's The Death of a Miner at Portland Stage Company in , which later transferred to New York City's American Place Theatre for an Off-Broadway run. In 1987, Smith appeared as Pinder in Rafael Lima's at Circle Repertory Theatre. That same year, he understudied the lead role of Pale in Lanford Wilson's , which ran on Broadway from October 14, 1987, to October 29, 1988, at the Plymouth Theatre. Smith returned to Circle Repertory in 1991 as Bobby Brax in Keith Curran's Walking the Dead. In 1997, he took over the role of Uncle Peck (replacement) in Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning at the Vineyard Theatre. That year also marked his starring Broadway debut as Timber Tucker in Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter, which ran from April 13 to June 29, 1997, at the Cort Theatre. In 1999–2000, he played Serge (also starring) in the Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza's at the Royale Theatre, from September 14, 1999, to June 11, 2000. As a founding member of the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, Smith performed in several productions there during the 1990s, including the ensemble role of the Vagabond in The Tavern (1993), Canon Throbbing in Habeas Corpus (1994), and Trigorin in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull (1994). In 2010, Smith earned acclaim as Butch in Geoffrey Nauffts's Next Fall on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre, running from March 11 to July 4, 2010. The next year, he portrayed Doug Metz in Michael Weller's Side Effects at MCC Theater's Lucille Lortel Theatre. In 2012, he played the Father in Mike Bartlett's Cock at the Duke on 42nd Street. This was followed by the role of Howard Ratliff in the world premiere of Horton Foote's The Old Friends at Signature Theatre in 2013. Smith's 2015 credit was Antonio in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest at the Delacorte Theatre. After relocating to the Pittsburgh area, he made his local debut as the menacing Walter Brown in John Pollono's Rules of Seconds at barebones productions' Black Box Theater in Braddock in 2018. In 2019, he portrayed Capt. Matthew A. Markinson in Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men at Pittsburgh Public Theater's O'Reilly Theater, running September 12 to October 13. More recently, Smith played Frank Butley in Karen Zacarias's Native Gardens at City Theatre's Lillie Theatre in 2023.

References

  1. http://www.filmreference.com/film/7/Cotter-Smith.html
  2. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/smith-cotter-1949
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807767/
  4. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/115858-cotter-smith
  5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807767/bio/
  6. http://www.absolutemusicchat.com/music-qa-sessions/in-conversation-with-cotter-smith-actor-mindhunter-the-americans/
  7. https://issuu.com/thelawrencevilleschool/docs/2017_report_of_giving/63
  8. https://core.ac.uk/download/232761776.pdf
  9. https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/cottersmith
  10. https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Cotter-Smith/
  11. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/09/theater/theater-el-salvador-drama-by-rafael-lima.html
  12. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/burn-this-4480
  13. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/13/theater/review-theater-demons-living-within.html
  14. https://playbill.com/article/cotter-smith-to-sit-in-the-drive-seat-with-ringwald-jan-20-com-72922
  15. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/an-american-daughter-4744
  16. https://www.matrixtheatre.com/past-productions/the-seagull-1994
  17. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/next-fall-485029
  18. https://archive.nytimes.com/artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/theater-talkback-a-method-to-their-madness/
  19. https://variety.com/2012/legit/news/off-broadway-cock-assembles-cast-1118051913/
  20. https://playbill.com/article/horton-footes-the-old-friends-starring-hallie-foote-betty-buckley-and-lois-smith-opens-sept-12-com-209401
  21. https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/theater-dance/2018/01/29/rules-of-seconds-barbones-cotter-smith-robin-walsh/stories/201801290072
  22. https://www.abouttheartists.com/productions/123006-a-few-good-men-at-pittsburgh-public-theater-oreilly-theater-2019
  23. https://onstagepittsburgh.com/2023/03/09/native-gardens-blossoms-at-city-theatre/
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098789/
  25. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132623/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5290382/
  27. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cotter_smith
  28. https://www.filmreference.com/film/7/Cotter-Smith.html
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116646/
  30. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327594/
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290334/
  32. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473397/
  33. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1720616/
  34. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_standoff_at_sparrow_creek
  35. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10847964/
  36. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26689505/
  37. https://stellaadler.com/profiles/cotter-smith/
  38. https://blogs.newschool.edu/pressroom/files/2010/07/Drama-Fact-Sheet-new.pdf
  39. https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/cotter-smith-acts-props-set-cock-53022/
  40. https://www.bricolagepgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/frankenstein-Program-final-sm.pdf
  41. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-23-tv-4860-story.html
  42. https://archive.triblive.com/lifestyles/theater-arts/mindhunter-actor-and-wife-find-pittsburgh-a-good-fit-plan-to-stay/
  43. https://www.thealmanac.net/life-culture/2018/feb/26/mt-lebanon-church-hosts-mindhunter-actor-wife-in-love-letters/
  44. https://www.mcall.com/1992/09/27/mel-harris-mindful-of-whats-meaningful/
  45. https://www.newspapers.com/article/1146842771/
  46. https://www.unionprogress.com/2023/08/14/cigar-smoking-teenagers-and-drunk-santas-striking-actors-on-their-remarkable-journeys-through-a-threatened-profession/
  47. https://nextpittsburgh.com/uncategorized/next-up-picking-the-brain-of-mindhunter-star-and-pittsburgh-transplant-cotter-smith/
  48. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/07/obituaries/john-l-smith-jr-79-retired-federal-judge.html
  49. https://dcchs.org/judges/smith-jr-john-lewis/
  50. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/04/19/welcome-back-cotter-smith/0b83b5a3-58a0-45ad-908e-34cab9e287ab/
  51. https://www.homes.com/property/1416-mellon-st-pittsburgh-pa/2zj94f3p1wzn0/
  52. https://onstagepittsburgh.com/2024/11/19/an-audience-staycation-week-pittsburgh-playhouse-lindsay-theater-city-theatre-and-carnegie-stage/
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