---
name: "Cotter Smith"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/cotter-smith"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "29 May 1949"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T13:42:13.459408+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Cotter Smith

Actor. Born 29 May 1949 in Washington, D.C., USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 29 May 1949, Washington, D.C., USA
- **Also known as:** Joseph Cotter Smith 
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotter_Smith, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q785863, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807767/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/115858

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*MINDHUNTER*](https://film.one/tv/mindhunter.md) (83)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Cotter Smith, also credited as Joseph Cotter Smith, is an American stage, film and television actor born on 29 May 1949 in Washington, D.C.

He began his career in New York in 1978 after studying with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio. His stage credits include Broadway productions of *Next Fall*, Wendy Wasserstein's *An American Daughter* and Lanford Wilson's *Burn This*. He has received multiple nominations from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and Drama-Logue Awards.

On screen he is known for roles including President McKenna in *X2* (2003), Under Secretary William Macomber in *The Post* (2017) and Unit Chief Shepard in *Mindhunter* (2017-2019). He has also appeared in series such as *The Americans*, *Blindspot* and *Person of Interest*, and has taught acting at The New School for Drama.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *MINDHUNTER* (2017), Fi1m 83, as Unit Chief Shepard — [page](https://film.one/tv/mindhunter.md)

## Complete filmography (73)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *CIA* (2026), series, as Peter Cooper
- *Time of Death* (2025), as Pat
- *Basic Psych* (2025), as Dr. Grant Harrison
- *Unsinkable* (2024), as Senator Smith
- *Rustin* (2023), as Chief Wells
- *Jack and the Treehouse* (2021), as Pap
- *Things Heard & Seen* (2021), as Tom Claire
- *The Standoff at Sparrow Creek* (2019), as Roman
- *The Post* (2017), as Under Secretary William Macomber
- *MINDHUNTER* (2017), series, as Unit Chief Shepard — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/mindhunter.md)
- *The Parable of the Disappearing Recliner* (2017), as Preacher (voice)
- *Blindspot* (2015), series, as General
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as Darren Hahn
- *Burning Blue* (2014), as Admiral Lynch
- *The Americans* (2013), series, as Deputy Attorney General — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-americans.md)
- *The Following* (2013), series, as Nathan
- *Revolution* (2012), series, as Jack Davis
- *Friends with Kids* (2012), as Phil Fryman
- *Person of Interest* (2011), series, as Denton Weeks — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/person-of-interest.md)
- *Unforgettable* (2011), series, as Jay Barrett
- *You Don't Know Jack* (2010), as Dick Thompson
- *Lunatics, Lovers & Poets* (2010), as Scotty MacGregor
- *White Collar* (2009), series, as Adam Wilson
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Forrest Burke — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *Damages* (2007), series, as Federal Investigator — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/damages.md)
- *Brothers and Sisters* (2006), series, as Gordon Alexander
- *The Unit* (2006), series, as Bill Lachey
- *Night Stalker* (2005), series, as Tony Vincenzo
- *Commander in Chief* (2005), series, as Governor Stan Preston
- *Ghost Whisperer* (2005), series, as Gerald Lucas
- *Invasion* (2005), series, Acting
- *Sleeper* (2005), as Dr. Altman
- *Tru Calling* (2003), series, as Richard Davies
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Sam Stevens
- *X2* (2003), as President McKenna
- *Reeseville* (2003), as John Meyers
- *Without a Trace* (2002), series, as Sean McGinnis
- *Alias* (2001), series, as Hank Foster — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md)
- *Run the Wild Fields* (2000), as Silas Green
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as ASA Jeremy Friedman
- *The History of Glamour* (1999), as Loren Valentine (voice)
- *Oz* (1997), series, as Judge Benjamin Fee — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/oz.md)
- *Bridge of Time* (1997), as Robert Creighton
- *Spy Game* (1997), series, Acting
- *Orleans* (1997), series, as Bill Brennecke
- *Lifeform* (1996), as Dr. Case Montgomery
- *Remember Me* (1995), as Adam Nichols
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Bob Marinak
- *Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox Story* (1993), as Steve
- *With Hostile Intent* (1993), as Officer Rob Arnold
- *A Place to Be Loved* (1993), as Mike Caldwell
- *A Message from Holly* (1992), Acting
- *Midnight's Child* (1992), as Nick Cowan
- *The Last Prostitute* (1991), as Joe
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Eric Martin
- *Equal Justice* (1990), series, as Eugene 'Gene' Rogan
- *K-9* (1989), as Gilliam
- *Cameron's Closet* (1988), as Sergeant Sam Taliaferro
- *Lady Beware* (1987), as Mac Odell
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Tony Henderson
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as (segment "To See the Invisible Man")
- *The Rape of Richard Beck* (1985), as Lt. Hugo
- *Moonlighting* (1985), series, as Brian Baker — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/moonlighting.md)
- *A Bunny's Tale* (1985), as Ned Holcomb
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Robert Rhine
- *Mistral's Daughter* (1984), series, as Frank
- *Master Ninja II* (1984), as Chad Webster
- *Nickel Mountain* (1984), as Trucker
- *Blood Feud* (1983), series, as Robert F. Kennedy
- *Blood Feud* (1983), as Robert F. Kennedy
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Dr. Rowe — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Acting — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Acting — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/cotter-smith