Jay O. Sanders
Jay Olcutt Sanders (born April 16, 1953) is an American actor. He is noted for his TV roles as Bill Weller on Blindspot, Jack Bryant on Manhunt, Chief Tom Lidell on The Sinner, Det. John Maynard on Widows, Capt. Joseph Hannah on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and mob lawyer Steven Kordo in NBC's detective series Crime Story (1986-1988), as well as his film roles on The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Green Lantern (2011), and the Alex Cross films starring Morgan Freeman.
He has appeared in many other notable films, including Glory (1989), Mr. Destiny (1990), JFK (1991), Angels in the Outfield (1994), The Big Green (1995), Daylight (1996), The Matchmaker (1997), For Richer or Poorer (1997), Tumbleweeds (1999), Music of the Heart (1999), Half Nelson (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), and Revolutionary Road (2008).
He is also known as the narrator for the PBS series Wide Angle from 2002–2009 and has served as narrator for a number of Nova episodes and documentary specials starting in 2007.
He is the voice of D.S. McKenna in the Red Dead Redemption video game series.
Acted in
Girl From the North Country
2024
as Nick Laine
His Three Daughters
2024
as Vincent
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
2024
as Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee
Decoding the Universe
2024
as Narrator
Outrage
2023
as Frank Brand
When You Finish Saving the World
2023
as Roger
BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
2022
as Ambassador Jones
The Road to Galena
2022
as John Baird
Incidental Moments of the Day
2020
as Richard Apple
And So We Come Forth
2020
as Richard Apple
Tapes
2020
What Do We Need to Talk About?
2020
as Richard Apple
That Hopey Changey Thing
2020
as Richard Apple
Regular Singing
2020
as Richard Apple
Sweet and Sad
2020
as Richard Apple
Sorry
2020
as Richard Apple
Stars in the House
2020
as Self
The Assistant
2020
as Boss (voice)
NOVA: Decoding da Vinci
2019
as Narrator (voice)
Uncle Vanya
2019
as Vanya
DC Noir
2019
as Sgt. Peters
Saving the Dead Sea
2019
Secrets of the Dead: The Nero Files
2019
as Narrator (voice)
The Violin Alone
2019
as Narrator (voice)
Broken Places
2018
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Prediction by the Numbers
2018
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: First Face of America
2018
as Narrator (voice)
Vice
2018
as Governor
Ghosts of Stonehenge
2017
as Narrator (voice)
Manhunt
2017
as Jack Bryant
NOVA: Holocaust Escape Tunnel
2017
as Narrator (voice)
Leonardo: The Man Who Saved Science
2017
as Narrator (voice)
Women of a Certain Age
2017
as George Gabriel
What Did You Expect?
2017
as George Gabriel
Hungry
2017
as George Gabriel
NOVA: Why Trains Crash
2017
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secrets of the Sky Tombs
2017
as Narrator (voice)
Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts
2016
as Narrator (voice)
Catfight
2016
as Angry Guy
NOVA: Iceman Reborn
2016
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Mystery Beneath the Ice
2016
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Life's Rocky Start
2016
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare
2016
as Narrator (voice)
Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Chicago Med
2015
as Cray
Secrets of the Dead: The Real Trojan Horse
2015
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secrets of Noah's Ark
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Blindspot
2015
as Bill Weller
Dawn of Humanity
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Sneaky Pete
2015
as Sam
NOVA: The Great Math Mystery
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Northern Borders
2015
as Agent Sanders
The Mystery of Mona Lisa
2014
as Narrator (voice)
The Gathering Swarms
2014
as Narrator (voice)
True Detective
2014
as Billy Lee Tuttle
NOVA: Cold Case JFK
2013
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Ground Zero Supertower
2013
as Self - Narrator (voice)
The River
2013
as Phil
NOVA: Who Killed Lindbergh's Baby?
2013
as Narrator (voice)
Earth from Space
2012
as Narrator (voice)
The Man Who Saved the World
2012
as Narrator (voice)
NOVA: Secrets of the Viking Sword
2012
as Narrator (voice)
A Novel Romance
2011
as Walter Evans
Pan Am
2011
as Douglas Vanderway
Person of Interest
2011
as Special Counsel
Unforgettable
2011
as Jonathan Hedstrom
I'm Coming Over
2011
as Walter
Green Lantern
2011
as Carl Ferris
Adventures in Plymptoons!
2011
as Himself
Body of Proof
2011
as Harvey Brady
The Jewel
2011
as Mr. Rothman
Blue Bloods
2010
as Jimmy Reagan
Edge of Darkness
2010
as Whitehouse
Riddles of the Sphinx
2010
as Narrator (voice)
Secrets of Stonehenge
2010
as Narrator (voice)
The Good Wife
2009
as Judge Hal Ferris
I Hate Valentine's Day
2009
as Tim the Delivery Guy
The Undying
2009
as Dr. Russell Lassiter
Revolutionary Road
2008
as Bart Pollock
Cadillac Records
2008
as Mr. Feder
NOVA: Arctic Dinosaurs
2008
as Narrator (voice)
The Dissection of Thanksgiving
2008
as Cliff
Greetings from the Shore
2008
as Commodore Callaghan
NOVA: Judgement Day - Intelligent Design on Trial
2007
as Narrator (voice)
Happenstance
2007
as Bob
The Valley of Light
2007
as Howard
Wedding Daze
2006
as Sheriff
Half Nelson
2006
as Russ Dunne
The Day After Tomorrow
2004
as Frank Harris
Hair High
2004
as Football Announcer (voice)
Abby Singer
2003
as Kevin's Father
D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear
2003
as Douglas Duncan
Salem Witch Trials
2002
as Thomas Putnam
Widows
2002
as Detective John Maynard
Dead Dog
2001
as Frank Edmonds
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Harry Rowan, Sr.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Joseph Hannah
The Last Brickmaker in America
2001
as Mike Potter
Boss of Bosses
2001
as Joseph O'Brien
Along Came a Spider
2001
as Kyle Craig
My Husband's Double Life
2001
as Patrick Hennessy Welsh
My Husband's Double Life
2001
as Timothy Michael Kingsbury
Secrets of the Dead
2000
as Narrator (voice)
Picnic
2000
as Howard Bevens
Wonderland
2000
as Ed Butowski
Wild Costa Rica
2000
as Narrator
Tumbleweeds
1999
as Dan Miller
Music of the Heart
1999
as Dan Paxton
ATF
1999
as Sam Sinclair
The Secret Life of Girls
1999
The Jack Bull
1999
as Atty. Gen. Metcalfe
The Confession
1999
as Jack Renoble
Earthly Possessions
1999
as Zack Emery
The Odd Couple II
1998
as Leroy
Wrestling with Alligators
1998
as Rick
For Richer or Poorer
1997
as Samuel Yoder
The Matchmaker
1997
as Senator John McGlory
Kiss the Girls
1997
as FBI Agent Kyle Craig
Daylight
1996
as Steven Crighton
The Prosecutors
1996
as DA Alan Baker
Silver Strand
1995
as Lucas Hughes
Three Wishes
1995
as Coach Schramka
Down Came a Blackbird
1995
as Jan Talbeck
The Big Green
1995
as Jay Huffer
Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years
1995
as Xander
Kiss of Death
1995
as Federal Agent
The Outer Limits
1995
as Ed Barkley
New York Undercover
1994
as Howard
Angels in the Outfield
1994
as Ranch Wilder
Nobody's Children
1994
as Joe Stevens
State of Emergency
1994
as Dr. Jeffrey Forrest
Rio Shannon
1993
as John Cleary
My Boyfriend's Back
1993
as Sheriff McCloud
Hostages
1992
as Terry Anderson
JFK
1991
as Lou Ivon
Meeting Venus
1991
as Stephen Taylor
Defenseless
1991
as Bull Dozer
V.I. Warshawski
1991
as Murray Ryerson
Mr. Destiny
1990
as Jackie Earle
Law & Order
1990
as Nick Taska / Bill Fallon
Law & Order
1990
as Defense Attorney Alan Fenwick
Northern Exposure
1990
as Dr. John Summer
Revealing Evidence - Stalking the Honolulu Strangler
1990
as Tom Marshall
Glory
1989
as Gen. George Crockett Strong
Cold Sassy Tree
1989
as Clayton McAllister
Just Like in the Movies
1989
as Ryan Legrand
Booker
1989
as Gordon Rudd
Roseanne
1988
as Ziggy
The Prince of Pennsylvania
1988
as Trooper Joe
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
1988
as Kirby
The Misfit Brigade
1987
as Tiny
Crime Story
1986
as Steve Kordo
L.A. Law
1986
as Detective Michael Phillips
Spenser: For Hire
1985
as Father Crawford
Miami Vice
1984
as Det. Tim Duryea
A Doctor's Story
1984
as Dr. Curtis
Kate & Allie
1984
as Tim Merr
AfterMASH
1983
as Dr. Gene Pfeiffer
Cross Creek
1983
as Charles Rawlings
Eddie Macon's Run
1983
as Rudy Potts
Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story
1983
as Dick Willey
Nature
1982
as Narrator (voice)
Hanky Panky
1982
as Katz
Starstruck
1981
as Mr. Miller
Texas
1980
as Seth
The Day Christ Died
1980
as Peter
Starting Over
1979
as Larry
The Scarlet Letter
1979
as Robert Salter
NOVA
1974
as Narrator (voice)
ABC Afterschool Special
1972
as Mr. Miller
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Howard