---
name: "Mark Moses"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/mark-moses"
fi1m_id: "mark-moses"
imdb_id: "nm0608601"
tmdb_id: 11889
wikidata_id: "Q442300"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "25 February 1958"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 10
updated: "2026-10-05T02:40:36.643481+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."
---

# Mark Moses

## Identity

Mark Moses

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/mark-moses
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** mark-moses
- **IMDb ID:** nm0608601
- **TMDB ID:** 11889
- **Wikidata ID:** Q442300
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Moses, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q442300, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608601/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11889

Actor. Born 25 February 1958 in New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 25 February 1958, New York City, New York, USA
- **Active:** 1986–2019
- **Also known as:** Mark W. Moses
- **SAG Awards:** 3 SAG Awards (3 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 10 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 79 (2), 1990s 73 (1), 2000s 78 (4), 2010s 76 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 73 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 8, War 3, Action 2, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Horror 1
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $639m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Moses, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q442300, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608601/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11889

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Platoon*](https://film.one/film/platoon.md) (84)
- **Disney+:** [*Desperate Housewives*](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md) (78)

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

## Fi1m on Mark Moses

> Mark Moses is good at playing men whose authority exceeds their ability. His charm makes their weakness more uncomfortable, and his supporting work gives us a reason to pay attention to the people around the lead.

As Lieutenant Wolfe in Oliver Stone’s *Platoon* (1986), Mark Moses plays a hapless officer whose rank offers little reassurance. That is a good early indication of his usefulness on screen: he can make a man’s authority seem worryingly undeserved. We found *Platoon* frightening because the combat is immediate and the soldiers feel like people with lives beyond their uniforms. Stone makes the moral struggle between the sergeants too tidy, but the ensemble keeps the men distinct. Wolfe’s inadequacy has a place in that company.

Moses spent close to two decades in supporting film and television parts before Paul Young in *Desperate Housewives* (2004) gave him a breakthrough. A regular role central to the initial mystery gave his mixture of charm and menace room to develop. Marc Cherry’s series depends on the anger behind polite smiles, and Moses is well suited to a neighbourhood where being courteous is no guarantee of being decent. The plotting grows overexcited, though, and the women sometimes deserve more than another scandal. Keeping a character interesting through all that is a particular kind of supporting work, and one we value.

Duck Phillips in *Mad Men* (2007) brought further recognition through a recurring role. Moses continued working in television ensembles, including as Dennis Boyd in *Homeland* (2011). His blend of charm and pathos is useful in such company, where a supporting character needs to register without bringing the surrounding drama to a halt. He can make us feel sorry for a man we have good reason to dislike.

There is a risk in this recognisable line of work: the casting can tell us too much before the character has had a chance to act. Moses is most rewarding when the writing allows him to be weak without making him merely ridiculous, or menacing without making every encounter a warning. Start with *Desperate Housewives* for the sustained part, provided a suburban soap with more scandals than it needs sounds like an acceptable evening.

## Biography

Mark Moses is an American actor. He played Lieutenant Wolfe in Oliver Stone's *Platoon* (1986).

Moses was born in New York City and trained at New York University. He began his career on stage, appearing in the Broadway production of *The Slab Boys Trilogy* (1983). He later worked in film and television, with recurring roles as Paul Young in *Desperate Housewives* (2004–2011) and Herman "Duck" Phillips in *Mad Men* (2007–2015).

He has appeared in other Oliver Stone films including *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989) and *The Doors* (1991), and in series such as *Homeland* and *The Last Ship*. His brother Burke Moses is also an actor.

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

## On Fi1m (10)

- *Bombshell* (2019), Fi1m 63, as Bill Shine — [page](https://film.one/film/bombshell.md)
- *Mr. Robot* (2015), Fi1m 84, as Older Man at Bar — [page](https://film.one/tv/mr-robot.md)
- *Key & Peele* (2012), Fi1m 82, as Civil War General — [page](https://film.one/tv/key-and-peele.md)
- *Mad Men* (2007), Fi1m 88, as Duck Phillips — [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md)
- *Letters from Iwo Jima* (2006), Fi1m 84, as American Officer — [page](https://film.one/film/letters-from-iwo-jima.md)
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), Fi1m 78, as Paul Young — [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Red Dragon* (2002), Fi1m 64, as Father in Video — [page](https://film.one/film/red-dragon.md)
- *Party of Five* (1994), Fi1m 73, as Ben Atkins — [page](https://film.one/tv/party-of-five.md)
- *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989), Fi1m 74, as Optimistic Doctor — [page](https://film.one/film/born-on-the-fourth-of-july.md)
- *Platoon* (1986), Fi1m 84, as Lieutenant Wolfe — [page](https://film.one/film/platoon.md)

## Complete filmography (115)

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

- *9-1-1: Nashville* (2025), series, as Larry
- *The Hunting Party* (2025), series, as Eli Johnson
- *Reagan* (2024), as William "Judge" Clark
- *Alaska Daily* (2022), series, as Governor Thacker
- *Follow Her* (2022), as Richard
- *So Help Me Todd* (2022), series, as Harry
- *The First Lady* (2022), series, as George W. Bush
- *Modern Persuasion* (2020), as Grayson Keller
- *Unthinkable* (2020), as Damien Berg (Voice)
- *Deputy* (2020), series, as Jerry London
- *Bombshell* (2019), as Bill Shine — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/bombshell.md)
- *Mapplethorpe* (2019), as Harry Mapplethorpe
- *The Gandhi Murder* (2019), as Sir Percy Sillitoe
- *Salvation* (2017), series, as Hugh Keating
- *Incorporated* (2016), series, as George Caplan
- *Berlin Station* (2016), series, as Jason Wolfe
- *Conviction* (2016), series, as Gerard Harrison
- *Fear, Inc.* (2016), as Abe
- *Mr. Robot* (2015), series, as Older Man at Bar — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/mr-robot.md)
- *Little Loopers* (2015), as Louis
- *Man Seeking Woman* (2015), series, as Lucy's Dad
- *Atlas Shrugged: Part III* (2014), as Midas Mulligan
- *Manhattan* (2014), series, as Col. Alden Cox
- *The Last Ship* (2014), series, as Jeffrey Michener — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-last-ship.md)
- *Cesar Chavez* (2014), as Fred Ross
- *Paranoia* (2013), as Dr. Butson
- *Elementary* (2012), series, as Oliver Purcell
- *Seeking a Friend for the End of the World* (2012), as Anchorman
- *Common Law* (2012), series, as Mayor Richard Barnes
- *Scandal* (2012), series, as Congressman Jim Struthers
- *Key & Peele* (2012), series, as Civil War General — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/key-and-peele.md)
- *And They're Off* (2011), as Alex Flamm
- *Homeland* (2011), series, as Dennis Boyd — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/homeland.md)
- *Fairly Legal* (2011), series, as Bob
- *Blue Bloods* (2010), series, as Curtis Swint
- *Human Target* (2010), series, as Hollis
- *Ice Twisters* (2009), as Charlie Price
- *Carriers* (2009), as Doctor
- *Drop Dead Diva* (2009), series, as Joe Dobkins
- *Castle* (2009), series, as Blake Wellesley — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *Swing Vote* (2008), as Attorney General Wyatt
- *Mad Men* (2007), series, as Duck Phillips — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md)
- *Letters from Iwo Jima* (2006), as American Officer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/letters-from-iwo-jima.md)
- *Two Tickets to Paradise* (2006), as Football Dad
- *Big Momma's House 2* (2006), as Tom Fuller
- *Ghost Whisperer* (2005), series, as Dr. Forrest Morgan
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), series, as Senator Cramer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md)
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Commissioner Jay Meyers
- *Monster-in-Law* (2005), as Coffee Shop Customer
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Larry Maxwell — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *After the Sunset* (2004), as Lakers FBI Agent
- *A One Time Thing* (2004), as Dr. Norris
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), series, as Paul Young — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Boston Legal* (2004), series, as A.D.A. George McDougal — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *Saving Jessica Lynch* (2003), as Lieutenant
- *10-8: Officers on Duty* (2003), series, as Dan Harris
- *Las Vegas* (2003), series, as Dr. Miles Marks
- *Oliver Beene* (2003), series, as Dr. Herbert
- *Red Dragon* (2002), as Father in Video — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/red-dragon.md)
- *Boomtown* (2002), series, as Don Schneider
- *American Dreams* (2002), series, as Surgeon
- *Without a Trace* (2002), series, as Rob Darcy
- *Presidio Med* (2002), series, as Nathan
- *CSI: Miami* (2002), series, as Chuck Williams
- *In My Life* (2002), Actor
- *Race to Space* (2001), as Alan Shepard
- *Star Trek: Enterprise* (2001), series, as Henry Archer
- *James Dean* (2001), as Dick Clayton
- *What's Up, Peter Fuddy?* (2001), Actor
- *The District* (2000), series, as Richard Lowe
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Scott Shelton, Jeffrey Forsythe
- *Malcolm in the Middle* (2000), series, as Richard
- *Treehouse Hostage* (1999), as Rick Taylor
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Donald Richter — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as James Grall, George Thanos, Jan Green
- *Family Law* (1999), series, Actor
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Mark Pruitt
- *One Man's Hero* (1999), as Col. Benton Lacy
- *Providence* (1999), series, Actor
- *Deep Impact* (1998), as Tim Urbanski
- *LateLine* (1998), series, Actor
- *Ally McBeal* (1997), series, as Assistant District Attorney — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/ally-mcbeal.md)
- *Rough Riders* (1997), series, as Lt. Woodbury Kane
- *The Practice* (1997), series, as Henry Winslow
- *Just in Time* (1997), as Michael Bedford
- *7th Heaven* (1996), series, as Mr. Smith
- *JAG* (1995), series, as Deke Carson / Earl Ticktin
- *The Single Guy* (1995), series, as Matt Parker
- *Star Trek: Voyager* (1995), series, as Naroq
- *The 5 Mrs. Buchanans* (1994), series, as Charles Buchanan
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Seth Waters
- *ER* (1994), series, as Mr. Marks — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Ron Greenfield
- *Party of Five* (1994), series, as Ben Atkins — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/party-of-five.md)
- *A Kiss Goodnight* (1994), as Michael Turner
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, as Robin Westlin, Stuart Tyler
- *Gettysburg* (1993), as Sgt. Owen
- *Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing* (1992), as Joel McKelvey
- *The Commish* (1991), series, Actor
- *The Doors* (1991), as Jac Holzman
- *Dead Men Don't Die* (1990), as Jordan Penrose
- *Grand* (1990), series, as Richard Peyton
- *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989), as Optimistic Doctor — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/born-on-the-fourth-of-july.md)
- *The Tracker* (1988), as Tom Adams
- *The Silence at Bethany* (1988), as Ira Martin
- *Hollywood Heartbreak* (1988), as Abbey
- *Someone to Watch Over Me* (1987), as Win Hockings
- *Platoon* (1986), as Lieutenant Wolfe — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/platoon.md)
- *Matlock* (1986), series, as Donald Ware
- *North and South* (1985), series, as Ulysses S. Grant
- *The Golden Girls* (1985), series, as David — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-golden-girls.md)
- *Family Ties* (1982), series, as Rick Albert
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Ira Martin
- *Last Hand*, as Johb Bones
- *The Hill*, as Senator Rogers

## Gallery

- ![Actress Alison Brie and actor Mark Moses at Chivas Regal Presents a Night on the Town with "Mad Men" - El Rey Theater, Los Angeles - Oct. 21, 2008](https://film.one/media/person/118563/gallery-f58c56a4ec6e.jpg) Actress Alison Brie and actor Mark Moses at Chivas Regal Presents a Night on the Town with "Mad Men" - El Rey Theater, Los Angeles - Oct. 21, 2008 — watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Alison_Brie%2C_Mark_Moses.jpg/1280px-Alison_Brie%2C_Mark_Moses.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mark Moses at the Opening Night of "The Balusters" on Broadway - April 21, 2026](https://film.one/media/person/118563/gallery-627f15e4cdfb.jpg) Mark Moses at the Opening Night of "The Balusters" on Broadway - April 21, 2026 — PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/MarkMoses-byPhilipRomano.jpg/1280px-MarkMoses-byPhilipRomano.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mark Moses at El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, California, October 2008](https://film.one/media/person/118563/gallery-9172f84e39e9.jpg) Mark Moses at El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, California, October 2008 — watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Mark_Moses_2008.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Mark Moses (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/118563/gallery-4e84543a626f.jpg) Mark Moses (2026) — Fiftywest, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Markmoses.jpg/1280px-Markmoses.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### SAG Awards — 3 won

- 2009: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (won), for *Mad Men*
- 2006: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Desperate Housewives*
- 2005: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Desperate Housewives*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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/mark-moses