---
name: "James Murtaugh"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-murtaugh"
fi1m_id: "james-murtaugh"
imdb_id: "nm0615428"
tmdb_id: 101781
wikidata_id: "Q2151703"
roles: []
born: "28 October 1942"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-04T22:47:50.644254+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."
---

# James Murtaugh

## Identity

James Murtaugh

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-murtaugh
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-murtaugh
- **IMDb ID:** nm0615428
- **TMDB ID:** 101781
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2151703
- **Same entity:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2151703, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615428/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/101781

Actor. Born 28 October 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Born:** 28 October 1942, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 1976–2013
- **Also known as:** James Francis Murtaugh , Jim Murtaugh
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 90 (1), 1980s 71 (1), 2000s 58 (1), 2010s 63 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 70 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Mystery 3, Thriller 2, Action 1, Crime 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $316m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2151703, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615428/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/101781

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Blue Thunder*](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md) (71)

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

## Biography

James Murtaugh is an American actor born on 28 October 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. He began his career in theatre and has been a member of The Actors Company Theater and the Ensemble Studio Theater.

His film credits include *All the President's Men* (1976), *The Howling* (1981), *Blue Thunder* (1983) as Alf Hewitt, *Malcolm X* (1992), *Vanilla Sky* (2001), *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days* (2003) and *Everybody's Fine* (2009). Television appearances include roles in *The Sopranos*, *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*, *The Blacklist* and *Elementary*.

On stage he has appeared in productions including *Ah, Wilderness!* (1998) as David McComber, *Philadelphia, Here I Come!* (1994) as Con Sweeney and *Two Shakespearean Actors* (1992).

*Sources: imdb.com, encyclopedia.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Blacklist* (2013), Fi1m 63, as Charles Lassiter — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *Vanilla Sky* (2001), Fi1m 58, as Benny's Owner — [page](https://film.one/film/vanilla-sky.md)
- *Blue Thunder* (1983), Fi1m 71, as Alf Hewitt — [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md)
- *All the President's Men* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Congress Library Clerk — [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md)

## Complete filmography (77)

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

- *Law & Order: Organized Crime* (2021), series, as Herbert Rixton
- *Evil* (2019), series, as Zach Neville
- *The Last O.G.* (2018), series, as Rudolph
- *Youth in Oregon* (2017), as Dr. Feldstein
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as Theodore Gates
- *Archaeology of a Woman* (2014), as Sgt. Calder
- *The Blacklist* (2013), series, as Charles Lassiter — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *Elementary* (2012), series, as Lawyer
- *I Don't Know How She Does It* (2011), as Roger Harcourt
- *Return* (2011), as Mr. Miller
- *Blue Bloods* (2010), series, as Ret. Det. Loggia
- *Everybody's Fine* (2009), as Dr. Ed
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Foxson — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *Kings* (2009), series, as Michelle's Doctor
- *I Do & I Don't* (2008), as Morton Murphy
- *Two Weeks* (2006), as Jim Cranston
- *30 Rock* (2006), series, as Ron — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md)
- *Invincible* (2006), as Principal
- *Brother's Shadow* (2006), as Hank Stafford
- *The Water Is Wide* (2006), as Ezra Bennington
- *Law & Order: Trial by Jury* (2005), series, as Addison Briggs
- *Out of Time* (2003), as Dr. Frieland
- *Hope & Faith* (2003), series, as Edward Shanowski
- *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days* (2003), as Jack
- *Queens Supreme* (2003), series, Actor
- *The Laramie Project* (2002), as Reverend Fred Phelps
- *Vanilla Sky* (2001), as Benny's Owner — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/vanilla-sky.md)
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Alan Bottner, Studio Owner, Ned Worley
- *Thirteen Conversations About One Thing* (2001), as Lew Kincannon
- *100 Centre Street* (2001), series, as Judge Wisler
- *Ed* (2000), series, as Jack Respaldi
- *Wonderland* (2000), series, as Dr. Lorenzo
- *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Chief Tom McInerney, Dean Thompson's Lover
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Dr. Porterman, Defense Attorney Gibson
- *The Sopranos* (1999), series, as Judge Lapper — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sopranos.md)
- *River Red* (1998), as Chief Bascomb
- *The Last Days of Disco* (1998), as Marshall
- *Hudson River Blues* (1997), as Clifton
- *Liberty!* (1997), series, as Anti-Federalist
- *Night Falls on Manhattan* (1997), as Man in Asylum
- *Private Parts* (1997), as Payton
- *Spin City* (1996), series, Actor
- *Killer: A Journal of Murder* (1996), as Walter Bailey
- *Letter to My Killer* (1995), Actor
- *Romeo Is Bleeding* (1993), as Priest
- *Malcolm X* (1992), as Cop at Harlem Station — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/malcolm-x.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Christianson, Samuel Sorotsky, Dr. Jenner, Dr. Farnsworth, David Solomon, Carter Newton — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *The Rosary Murders* (1987), as Robert Javison
- *Spenser: For Hire* (1985), series, Actor
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Barry Konig
- *A Rose for Emily* (1983), as Pharmacist
- *Blue Thunder* (1983), as Alf Hewitt — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md)
- *I Take These Men* (1983), as Dr. Stuart Sherwood
- *The Howling* (1981), as Jerry Warren
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Actor — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Simon MacLeish
- *Number 96* (1980), series, Actor
- *Casino* (1980), as Andrews
- *Off the Minnesota Strip* (1980), as Bruce McGrath
- *Tenspeed and Brown Shoe* (1980), series, Actor
- *Hart to Hart* (1979), series, as Sumner
- *Pleasure Cove* (1979), as Henry Sinclair
- *Someone's Watching Me!* (1978), as Leone
- *The Roller Girls* (1978), series, as Howie Devine
- *Dr. Scorpion* (1978), as Dave Steel
- *Baa Baa Black Sheep* (1976), series, as Medical Lieutenant
- *The Flying Misfits* (1976), as Medical Lieutenant
- *Alice* (1976), series, Actor
- *All the President's Men* (1976), as Congress Library Clerk — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md)
- *Barney Miller* (1975), series, as Peace Corps Recruiter Vincent Bondell, Joseph Saxon, Ron Giles
- *The Rockford Files* (1974), series, as Bob Parsons, Tom Hanson, Gordon Lyle, Steve McWilliams — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-rockford-files.md)
- *Kolchak: The Night Stalker* (1974), series, Actor
- *Police Woman* (1974), series, as Sanford Elliott
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Sutter — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Hail* (1973), as Sergeant Johnson
- *Police Story* (1973), series, Actor
- *Ironside* (1967), series, as Terry Langley

---
© 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/james-murtaugh