Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Born
June 26, 1934 (age 92)
Place of Birth
Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Also Known As
M. Josef Sommer
Josef Somer
جوزف سومر
Josef Sommer
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.
Witness - Best Line
VideoKnown For
TV
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Patrick Rumsey
1999
TV
Law & Order
Defense Attorney Patrick Rumsey
1990
TV
Law & Order
Judge Lawrence Hellman
1990
TV
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Spencer Durning
2001
TV
The West Wing
Steve Gaines
1999
TV
Without a Trace
Peter Ducek
2002
TV
Screen Two
James Angleton
1985
TV
Great Performances
Nikolai
1971
TV
Great Performances
Polonius
1971
TV
The Equalizer
Ernest Rasher
1985
TV
Early Edition
John Dobbs
1996
TV
American Playhouse
Doc
1982
TV
American Playhouse
Waldo Winchester
1982
TV
Providence
Thomas Wheelock
1999
TV
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
TV
Ally McBeal
Henry Thompson
1997
Film
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Larry Butler
1977
Film
The Other Guys
District Attorney Radford (uncredited)
2010
Film
The Sum of All Fears
Senator Jessup
2002
Film
The Invasion
Dr. Henryk Belicec
2007
Filmography
2010FilmThe Other Guysas District Attorney Radford (uncredited)2008FilmStop-Lossas Senator Orton Worrell2007FilmThe Invasionas Dr. Henryk Belicec2006FilmX-Men: The Last Standas The President2006FilmThe Elephant Kingas Bill Hunt2002TVWithout a Traceas Peter Ducek2002FilmSearching for Paradiseas Carl Greenslate2002FilmThe Sum of All Fearsas Senator Jessup2001TVLaw & Order: Criminal Intentas Spencer Durning2000FilmThe Family Manas Peter Lassiter2000FilmThe Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Winds of Changeas Woodrow Wilson2000FilmShaftas Curt Flemming2000FilmThe Next Best Thingas Richard Whittaker1999TVThe West Wingas Steve Gaines1999TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitas Patrick Rumsey1999FilmThe Hunt for the Unicorn Killer1999TVThe Hunt For The Unicorn Killer1999TVProvidenceas Thomas Wheelock1998FilmPatch Adamsas Dr. Eaton1998FilmBulworthas Doctor (uncredited)1998FilmThe Propositionas Dryer1997TVAlly McBealas Henry Thompson1996FilmHidden in Americaas Edward Millerton1996FilmMistrialas Nick Mirsky1996FilmThe Chamberas Phelps Bowen1996TVEarly Editionas John Dobbs1995FilmStrange Daysas Palmer Strickland1995FilmMoonlight and Valentinoas Thomas Trager1995FilmLetter to My Killer1995FilmKansasas Joseph 'Joe' Farley1994FilmNobody's Foolas Clive Peoples Jr.1994FilmDon't Drink the Wateras Ambassador Magee1994FilmThe Enemy Withinas Defence Secretary Charles Potter1994FilmAssault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittakeras Col. Morrow1993FilmMaliceas Atty. Lester Adams1992FilmAn American Storyas Henry Meade1992FilmThe Mighty Ducksas Mr. Ducksworth1992FilmHostagesas Tom Sutherland1992FilmCitizen Cohnas Albert Cohn1991FilmShadows and Fogas Priest1991TVA Woman Named Jackieas Joseph Kennedy Sr.1991FilmBefore the Stormas Stewart Merriman1991TVUnder Coveras Stewart Merriman1991FilmUnder Coveras Stewart Merriman1990FilmWhen Will I Be Loved?as Martin Ransil1990FilmWilliam Shakespeare's Hamletas Polonius1990TVLaw & Orderas Defense Attorney Patrick Rumsey1990TVThe Kennedys of Massachusettsas Franklin D. Roosevelt1989FilmMoney, Power, Murder.as Jack Finley1989FilmBloodhounds of Broadwayas Waldo Winchester1989FilmForced Marchas Richard Kline1989FilmBionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Womanas Charles Estiman1989FilmBridge to Silenceas Al Duffield1989FilmChances Areas Judge Fenwick1988FilmDracula's Widowas Lannon1988TVHothouseas Dr. Sam Garrison1987FilmThe Rosary Murdersas Lieutenant Koznicki1987FilmA Special Friendshipas General Winder1987FilmThe Betty Ford Storyas President Gerald Ford1986FilmDouble Imageas James Angleton1985FilmThe Execution of Raymond Grahamas Jim Neal1985FilmTargetas Barney Taber1985TVThe Equalizeras Ernest Rasher1985FilmD.A.R.Y.L.as Dr. Jeffrey Stewart1985FilmBrotherly Loveas Mr. Rafferty1985FilmWitnessas Schaeffer1985TVScreen Twoas James Angleton1984FilmIcemanas Whitman1983FilmSilkwoodas Max Richter1983FilmSaigon: Year of the Catas Jack Ockham1983FilmSparkling Cyanideas George Barton1983TVScarecrow and Mrs. King1983FilmIndependence Dayas Sam Taylor1982FilmSophie's Choiceas Narrator (voice)1982FilmStill of the Nightas George Bynum1982FilmHanky Pankyas Adrian Pruitt1982TVAmerican Playhouseas Doc1981FilmRedsas State Department Official1981FilmAbsence of Maliceas McAdam1981FilmRolloveras Roy Lefcourt1980FilmThe Henderson Monsteras Dr. Martin Grossman1980FilmHide in Plain Sightas Jason R. Reid1980FilmDoctor Frankenas Mr. Parker1979FilmToo Far to Goas Henry Mills1979TVThe Scarlet Letteras Nathaniel Hawthorne1978FilmOliver's Storyas Dr. Dienhart1978TVMourning Becomes Electraas Ezra Mannon1977FilmClose Encounters of the Third Kindas Larry Butler1977TVThe Andros Targetsas Benson Fisher1976FilmThe Frontas Committee Chairman1976FilmJudge Horton and the Scottsboro Boysas Pomeroy1976TVThe Adams Chroniclesas Charles Lee1975FilmValley Forgeas Brig. Gen. Varnum1975FilmThe Stepford Wivesas Ted Van Sant1974FilmMan on a Swingas Pete Russell1974FilmEnemiesas Nikolai1972FilmThe Witches of Salem: The Horror and the Hopeas Proctor1971FilmDirty Harryas Rothko1971TVGreat Performancesas Nikolai1951TVHallmark Hall of Fameas Brig. Gen. Varnum