Born: December 26, 1930 – Died: December 20, 2018
Donald Moffat, an actor whose journey to the silver screen was as compelling as his performances, was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, to a father who worked as an insurance agent. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Moffat's early career was rooted in the Shakespearean stage, notably with the Old Vic. His move to the United States in the mid-1950s marked a turning point, driven by his discontent with Britain's class system and a longing for a more vibrant theatrical scene.
Early Life and Career
Moffat's early life was marked by a passion for the arts. His stage) debut in "Under Milkwood" on Broadway in 1957 set the stage for a prolific career in theatre. He showcased his versatility across a range of genres, including works by O'Neill, Chekhov, Ibsen, and Miller, and made memorable appearances in productions such as a lauded performance of Falstaff in New York in 1987.
His transition to the United States also saw him taking on various jobs, including bartending and lumberjacking, before fully committing to acting. Moffat's work in the Association of Producing Artists (APA) Phoenix Repertory Company in the 1960s further solidified his presence in the acting world.
Onscreen, Moffat was known for his varied portrayals, often embodying American characters with a dignified, self-effacing, or tough demeanor. His film and television roles spanned a wide range, from judges and doctors to politicians and military officers. Notably, he played Garry in "The Thing" (1982) and President Bennett in "Clear and Present Danger" (1994). His television appearances included roles in "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" and "The West Wing."
Moffat's personal life was equally rich. He was married to Gwen Arner, with whom he had two children.
His contribution to the entertainment industry was significant. Moffat's ability to adapt to a variety of roles, coupled with his dedication to respecting the text and fitting the part, made him a respected and memorable figure in Hollywood. His death in 2018 marked the end of an era for a performer who skillfully bridged the worlds of stage and screen, leaving behind a legacy of diverse and powerful performances.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury (TV Series) | Judge Matthew Sherwood |
| 2003 | The West Wing (TV Series) | Talmidge Cregg |
| 2001 | 61* (TV Movie) | Ford Frick |
| 2000 | Bull (TV Series) | Robert 'The Kaiser' Roberts |
| 1999 | Cookie's Fortune | Jack Palmer |
| 1998 | The Sleep Room | Joseph Rauh |
| 1997 | A Smile Like Yours | Dr. Felber |
| 1997 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (TV Series) | Walt Whitman |
| 1996 | Just in Time (Short) | Ernie (uncredited) |
| 1996 | The Evening Star | Hector Scott |
| 1994 | Trapped in Paradise | Clifford Anderson |
| 1994 | Is There Life Out There? (TV Movie) | Grandpa Walter |
| 1994 | Clear and Present Danger | President Bennett |
| 1993 | Love, Cheat & Steal (TV Movie) | Frank Harrington |
| 1993 | Tales of the City (TV Mini Series) | Edgar Halcyon |
| 1992 | Majority Rule (TV Movie) | Walter Simms |
| 1992 | Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (TV Movie) | O'Connell |
| 1992 | HouseSitter | George Davis |
| 1992 | No Time to Die (TV Movie) | Sheldon Hays |
| 1991 | Babe Ruth (TV Movie) | Jacob Ruppert |
| 1991 | Regarding Henry | Charlie Cameron |
| 1991 | The Great Pretender (TV Movie) | Owen Milner |
| 1991 | Class Action | Quinn |
| 1990 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Mr. McCoy |
| 1990 | Kaleidoscope (TV Movie) | Arthur Patterson |
| 1990 | A Son's Promise (TV Movie) | Paw Paw |
| 1990 | Kojak: Flowers for Matty (TV Movie) | Garrett Fitzsimons |
| 1989 | Music Box | Harry Talbot |
| 1989 | Cross Fire (TV Movie) | George Oberholtzer |
| 1989 | China Beach (TV Series) | Dad |
| 1989 | L.A. Law (TV Series) | Judge Lawrence O'Neil |
| 1989 | Tattinger's (TV Series) | Father Fitzmaurice |
| 1988 | Necessary Parties (TV Movie) | Grampa Mills |
| 1988 | Far North | Uncle Dane |
| 1988 | The Bourne Identity (TV Mini Series) | David Abbott |
| 1987–1988 | Buck James (TV Series) | Les Grant |
| 1988 | The Unbearable Lightness of Being | Chief Surgeon |
| 1987 | When the Time Comes (TV Movie) | Harold |
| 1987 | Desperado (TV Movie) | Malloy, Nora's Dad |
| 1986 | Lily (TV Movie) | John Farnsworth |
| 1986 | Houston: The Legend of Texas (TV Movie) | Col. John Allen |
| 1986 | American Playhouse (TV Series) | Gardner Church |
| 1986 | Monster in the Closet | Gen. Turnbull |
| 1986 | The Best of Times | The Colonel |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone (TV Series) | Dr. Chandler (segment "The Star") |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | Tim Carver |
| 1985 | Alamo Bay | Wally |
| 1984 | The Mississippi (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1984 | License to Kill (TV Movie) | Webster |
| 1983 | Through Naked Eyes (TV Movie) | Patrolman #4 |
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| 1983 | Wagner (TV Mini Series) | Narrator (voice) |
| 1983 | Who Will Love My Children? (TV Movie) | Dick Thomas |
| 1982–1983 | Dallas (TV Series) | Brooks Oliver |
| 1982 | The Thing | Garry |
| 1982 | A House Divided: Denmark Vessey's Rebellion | Captain Vesey |
| 1981 | Ritoru champion | Dr. Myron Shapiro |
| 1981 | The White Lions | Vreeland |
| 1981 | Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (TV Movie) | Hugh Auchincloss |
| 1980 | Popeye | The Taxman |
| 1980 | HealtH | Colonel Cody |
| 1980 | The Long Days of Summer (TV Movie) | Josef Kaplan |
| 1980 | On the Nickel | Sam |
| 1980 | The Chisholms (TV Series) | Enos |
| 1979 | Promises in the Dark | Dr. Walter McInerny |
| 1979 | Mrs. R's Daughter (TV Movie) | Frank Randell |
| 1979 | Ebony, Ivory and Jade (TV Movie) | Ian Cabot |
| 1979 | Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter (TV Movie) | Wally Ball |
| 1977–1979 | Family (TV Series) | Gene Carson | Philip Raskin |
| 1978 | Tartuffe (TV Movie) | Tartuffe |
| 1978 | The Gift of Love (TV Movie) | William Schuyler |
| 1978 | The Word (TV Mini Series) | Henri Aubert |
| 1978 | Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force (TV Movie) | Col. Benton |
| 1977–1978 | Logan's Run (TV Series) | Rem |
| 1978 | Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) | Nathaniel Mears |
| 1977 | Waiting for Godot (TV Movie) | Estragon |
| 1977 | The Fitzpatricks (TV Series) | Father Maloney |
| 1977 | Mary White (TV Movie) | Sir James Barrie |
| 1977 | Land of No Return | Air Traffic Controller |
| 1977 | Exo-Man (TV Movie) | Wallace Rogers |
| 1977 | Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (TV Movie) | Harry Hopkins |
| 1977 | Code R (TV Series) | Jack Douglas |
| 1977 | The Waltons (TV Series) | Lester Morgan |
| 1975–1976 | The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series) | Dr. Martin Davis | Lester Burstyn |
| 1976 | The Call of the Wild (TV Movie) | Simpson |
| 1975 | Great Performances (TV Series) | Charles Bisley |
| 1974 | Earthquake | Dr. Harvey Johnson |
| 1974 | The New Land (TV Series) | Reverend Lundstrom |
| 1974 | The Terminal Man | Dr. Arthur McPherson |
| 1974 | Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love (TV Movie) | Fred |
| 1974 | A Touch of the Poet (TV Movie) | Jamie Cregan |
| 1972–1974 | Ironside (TV Series) | Daniel Keyes | Hartz |
| 1974 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Joseph Graham |
| 1973 | The Snoop Sisters (TV Series) | Shriver Danforth |
| 1973 | Mannix (TV Series) | Don McGrath |
| 1973 | Showdown | Art Williams |
| 1972 | The Trial of the Catonsville Nine | Thomas Melville |
| 1972 | The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid | Manning |
| 1971 | The Devil and Miss Sarah (TV Movie) | Appleton |
| 1971 | Night Gallery (TV Series) | Uncle George (segment "Pickman's Model") |
| 1970–1971 | Bonanza (TV Series) | Thatcher | Judge MacIntyre |
| 1971 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) | Alex Pierson |
| 1970 | The Young Rebels (TV Series) | Colonel Scott |
| 1970 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) | Dr. David Forbes |
| 1970 | R.P.M. | Perry Howard |
| 1970 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) | Henry Simmons |
| 1970 | Lancer (TV Series) | Porter |
| 1969 | Room 222 (TV Series) | Lloyd Hollis |
| 1969 | The File on Devlin (TV Movie) | John Heywood |
| 1969 | Here Come the Brides (TV Series) | Marlowe |
| 1968 | Rachel, Rachel | Niall Cameron |
| 1968 | One Life to Live (TV Series) | Dr. Marcus Polk #1 (1968-1969) |
| 1968 | Of Mice and Men (TV Movie) | Slim |
| 1967 | Coronet Blue (TV Series) | The Rector |
| 1958–1967 | Camera Three (TV Series) | Hjalmar Ekdal |
| 1965 | The Colonial Naturalist -- Mark Catesby | Mark Catesby |
| 1963–1965 | The Defenders (TV Series) | Dr. Finch | Dr. Leon Elm |
| 1961 | Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1958–1961 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) | Joe Cartey | Lieutenant Jack Harrison | Younger Detective ... |
| 1960 | CBS Repertoire Workshop (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1959 | The DuPont Show of the Month (TV Series) | Fletcher |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) | Brickwell |
| 1956 | Person Unknown (Short) | Explosives expert (uncredited) |
| 1956 | Pursuit of the Graf Spee | Swanston - Lookout, HMS Ajax (uncredited) |
General:
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