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Josef Sommer
ACTOR

Josef Sommer

Known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · Law & Order · The West Wing

Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a German-American retired stage, television, and film actor. His best known roles are as The President in X-Men: The Last Stand, Senator Jessup in The Sum of All Fears, Peter Lassiter in The Family Man, Curtis Flemming in Shaft, Dr. Eaton in Patch Adams, Phelps Bowen in The Chamber, Clive Peoples Jr. in Nobody's Fool, Mr. Duckworth in The Mighty Ducks, Chief Paul Schaefer in Witness, Max…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Jun 26, 1934
Birthplace
Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Known For
Acting

Biography

Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a German-American retired stage, television, and film actor. His best known roles are as The President in X-Men: The Last Stand, Senator Jessup in The Sum of All Fears, Peter Lassiter in The Family Man, Curtis Flemming in Shaft, Dr. Eaton in Patch Adams, Phelps Bowen in The Chamber, Clive Peoples Jr. in Nobody's Fool, Mr. Duckworth in The Mighty Ducks, Chief Paul Schaefer in Witness, Max Richter in Silkwood, Sam Taylor in Independence Day, Rothko in Dirty Harry, and narrator for the film Sophie's Choice.

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Known For

TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitPatrick Rumsey · 1999
★ 8.0
TVLaw & Order
Law & OrderDefense Attorney Patrick Rumsey · 1990
★ 7.3
TVThe West Wing
The West WingSteve Gaines · 1999
★ 8.3
TVLaw & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal IntentSpencer Durning · 2001
★ 7.6
TVWithout a Trace
Without a TracePeter Ducek · 2002
★ 7.2
TVGreat Performances
Great PerformancesNikolai · 1971
★ 6.1
TVAmerican Playhouse
American PlayhouseDoc · 1982
★ 6.6

Filmography

Movies

Dirty HarryRothko
1971
The Witches of Salem: The Horror and the HopeProctor
1972
EnemiesNikolai
1974
Man on a SwingPete Russell
1974
The Stepford WivesTed Van Sant
1975
Valley ForgeBrig. Gen. Varnum
1975
Judge Horton and the Scottsboro BoysPomeroy
1976
The FrontCommittee Chairman
1976
Close Encounters of the Third KindLarry Butler
1977
Oliver's StoryDr. Dienhart
1978
Too Far to GoHenry Mills
1979
Doctor FrankenMr. Parker
1980
Hide in Plain SightJason R. Reid
1980
The Henderson MonsterDr. Martin Grossman
1980
Absence of MaliceMcAdam
1981
RedsState Department Official
1981
RolloverRoy Lefcourt
1981
Hanky PankyAdrian Pruitt
1982
Sophie's ChoiceNarrator (voice)
1982
Still of the NightGeorge Bynum
1982
Independence DaySam Taylor
1983
Saigon: Year of the CatJack Ockham
1983
SilkwoodMax Richter
1983
Sparkling CyanideGeorge Barton
1983
IcemanWhitman
1984
Brotherly LoveMr. Rafferty
1985
D.A.R.Y.L.Dr. Jeffrey Stewart
1985
TargetBarney Taber
1985
The Execution of Raymond GrahamJim Neal
1985
WitnessSchaeffer
1985
Double ImageJames Angleton
1986
A Special FriendshipGeneral Winder
1987
The Betty Ford StoryPresident Gerald Ford
1987
The Rosary MurdersLieutenant Koznicki
1987
Dracula's WidowLannon
1988
Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic WomanCharles Estiman
1989
Bloodhounds of BroadwayWaldo Winchester
1989
Bridge to SilenceAl Duffield
1989
Chances AreJudge Fenwick
1989
Forced MarchRichard Kline
1989
Money, Power, Murder.Jack Finley
1989
When Will I Be Loved?Martin Ransil
1990
William Shakespeare's HamletPolonius
1990
Before the StormStewart Merriman
1991
Shadows and FogPriest
1991
Under CoverStewart Merriman
1991
An American StoryHenry Meade
1992
Citizen CohnAlbert Cohn
1992
HostagesTom Sutherland
1992
The Mighty DucksMr. Ducksworth
1992
MaliceAtty. Lester Adams
1993
Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson WhittakerCol. Morrow
1994
Don't Drink the WaterAmbassador Magee
1994
Nobody's FoolClive Peoples Jr.
1994
The Enemy WithinDefence Secretary Charles Potter
1994
KansasJoseph 'Joe' Farley
1995
Letter to My Killer
1995
Moonlight and ValentinoThomas Trager
1995
Strange DaysPalmer Strickland
1995
Hidden in AmericaEdward Millerton
1996
MistrialNick Mirsky
1996
The ChamberPhelps Bowen
1996
BulworthDoctor (uncredited)
1998
Patch AdamsDr. Eaton
1998
The PropositionDryer
1998
The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer
1999
ShaftCurt Flemming
2000
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Winds of ChangeWoodrow Wilson
2000
The Family ManPeter Lassiter
2000
The Next Best ThingRichard Whittaker
2000
Searching for ParadiseCarl Greenslate
2002
The Sum of All FearsSenator Jessup
2002
The Elephant KingBill Hunt
2006
X-Men: The Last StandThe President
2006
The InvasionDr. Henryk Belicec
2007
Stop-LossSenator Orton Worrell
2008
The Other GuysDistrict Attorney Radford (uncredited)
2010

Television

Hallmark Hall of FameBrig. Gen. Varnum · 1 eps
1951
Great PerformancesNikolai · 1 eps
1971
Great PerformancesPolonius · 1 eps
1971
The Adams ChroniclesCharles Lee · 1 eps
1976
The Andros TargetsBenson Fisher · 1 eps
1977
Mourning Becomes ElectraEzra Mannon · 5 eps
1978
The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthorne · 4 eps
1979
American PlayhouseDoc · 1 eps
1982
American PlayhouseWaldo Winchester · 1 eps
1982
Scarecrow and Mrs. King1 eps
1983
Screen TwoJames Angleton · 1 eps
1985
The EqualizerErnest Rasher · 1 eps
1985
HothouseDr. Sam Garrison · 7 eps
1988
Law & OrderDefense Attorney Patrick Rumsey · 1 eps
1990
Law & OrderJudge Lawrence Hellman · 1 eps
1990
The Kennedys of MassachusettsFranklin D. Roosevelt · 3 eps
1990
A Woman Named JackieJoseph Kennedy Sr. · 3 eps
1991
UC
Under CoverStewart Merriman · 14 eps
1991
Early EditionJohn Dobbs · 2 eps
1996
Ally McBealHenry Thompson · 1 eps
1997
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitPatrick Rumsey · 1 eps
1999
ProvidenceThomas Wheelock · 1 eps
1999
The Hunt For The Unicorn Killer2 eps
1999
The West WingSteve Gaines · 1 eps
1999
Law & Order: Criminal IntentSpencer Durning · 1 eps
2001
Without a TracePeter Ducek · 1 eps
2002

Photos

Josef Sommer photo
Josef Sommer photo
Josef Sommer photo
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