Jay Olcutt Sanders (born April 16, 1953) is an American film, theatre and television actor and playwright. He frequently appears in plays

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

The Public Theatre The Public Theater is an arts organization in New York City. Founded by Joseph Papp, The Public Theater was originally the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954; its mission was to support emerging playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: A ...

. He has received a

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

and a

New York Drama Critics' Circle Award The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 23 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization is best known for its annual awards for excellence in theater.Jon ...

. Sanders made his off-Broadway debut in a

Shakespeare in the Park Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This conc ...

production of ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

'' in 1976. He originated the role of Bradley in

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American playwright, actor, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned half a century. He wrote 58 plays as well as several books of short stories, essays, ...

's ''

Buried Child ''Buried Child'' is a play written by Sam Shepard that was first presented in 1978. It won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and launched Shepard to national fame as a playwright. The play depicts the fragmentation of the American nuclear family ...

'' (1978). He made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

debut in the play ''Loose Ends'' (1979). He returned to Broadway in ''

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial may refer to: * The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (play), a play by Herman Wouk, adapted from his novel ''The Caine Mutiny'' * The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1955 film), a TV play based on the play * The Caine Mutiny ...

'' (1983), '' Saint Joan'' (1993), '' Pygmalion'' (2007), ''

Girl from the North Country "Girl from the North Country" (occasionally known as "Girl ''of'' the North Country") is a song written by Bob Dylan. It was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City in April 1963, and released the following month as the second tr ...

'' (2020), and ''

Purlie Victorious ''Purlie Victorious (A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch)'' is a three-act comedic stage play written by American actor Ossie Davis. It tells the fictional story of Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson, a dynamic traveling preacher return ...

'' (2023). He made his feature film debut in the comedy '' Starting Over'' (1979). He had notable roles in films such as '' Cross Creek'' (1983), '' Tucker: The Man and His Dream'' (1988), '' Glory'' (1989), ''

JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until Assassination of John F. Kennedy, his assassination in 1963. He was the first Catholic Chur ...

'' (1991), ''

Hostages A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized—such as a relative, employer, law enforcement, or government—to act, o ...

'' (1992), '' Angels in the Outfield'' (1994), ''

Music of the Heart ''Music of the Heart'' is a 1999 American biographical film, biographical musical film, musical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Wes Craven and written by Pamela Gray, based on the 1995 documentary ''Small Wonders''. A dramati ...

'' (1999), ''

Tumbleweeds A tumbleweed is a kind of plant habit or structure. Tumbleweed, tumble-weed or tumble weed may also refer to: Films * Tumbleweeds (1925 film), ''Tumbleweeds'' (1925 film), William S. Hart film * Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935 film), ''Tumbling Tumble ...

'' (1999), and '' Revolutionary Road'' (2008). He took recurring roles in television series including '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', ''

The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in law ...

'', ''

Person of Interest "Person of interest" is a term used by law enforcement in the United States, Canada, and other countries when identifying someone possibly involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime. It has no leg ...

'', '' Blindspot'', and ''

Sneaky Pete ''Sneaky Pete'' is an American black comedy crime drama television series created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston. The series follows Marius Josipović ( Giovanni Ribisi), a released convict who adopts the identity of his cellmate, Pete Murph ...

''. He has served as the narrator for the shows ''

Wide Angle ''Wide Angle'' is the debut studio album by Welsh breakbeat group Hybrid (Welsh band), Hybrid. It was released to critical acclaim, described by ''The Times'' as "one of the most moving pieces of electronic music ever". The album was re-relea ...

'', ''

Nova A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...

,'' and ''

Secrets of the Dead ''Secrets of the Dead'', produced by WNET 13 New York, is an ongoing PBS television series which began in 2000. The show generally follows an investigator or team of investigators exploring what modern science can tell viewers about some of t ...

''.

Early life and education

Sanders was born on April 16, 1953 in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

to James Olcutt Sanders, an arts organization executive and violinist (1917-1983), and Phyllis Rae née Aden. His parents were

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...

. He attended the acting conservatory at

SUNY Purchase The State University of New York at Purchase, commonly referred to as Purchase College or SUNY Purchase, is a Public college, public Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Purchase, New York. Established in 1967 by G ...

Career

Sanders made his off-Broadway debut in a

production of ''

'' in 1976. He played Bradley in the first New York production of

's ''

'' in 1978. Sanders has had a long career in film and television. He is perhaps most recognized for his work in the films ''

The Day After Tomorrow ''The Day After Tomorrow'' is a 2004 American science fiction disaster film conceived, co-written, co-produced, and directed by Roland Emmerich, based on the 1999 book '' The Coming Global Superstorm'' by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber, and ...

'' (2004), ''

Green Lantern Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...

'' (2011), and the ''Alex Cross'' films starring

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, producer, and narrator. In a career spanning six decades, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as a nomination for a Tony ...

. He has appeared in many other notable films, including '' Glory'' (1989), ''

Mr. Destiny ''Mr. Destiny'' is a 1990 American fantasy comedy film directed by James Orr, and starring Jim Belushi, Linda Hamilton, Michael Caine, Jon Lovitz, Courteney Cox, Jay O. Sanders and Rene Russo. It is heavily inspired by the 1946 film '' It's ...

'' (1990), ''

'' (1991), '' Angels in the Outfield'' (1994), ''

The Big Green ''The Big Green'' is a 1995 family sports comedy film by Walt Disney Pictures written and directed by Holly Goldberg Sloan. The film stars Olivia d'Abo, Steve Guttenberg and Jay O. Sanders. The film is about the antics of a soccer team consis ...

'' (1995), ''

Daylight Daylight is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and (often) both of these reflected by Earth and terrestrial objects, like landforms and buildings. Sunlig ...

'', ''

'' (1999), ''

'' (1999), '' Half Nelson'' (2006), ''

Cadillac Records ''Cadillac Records'' is a 2008 American biographical drama film written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-compa ...

'' (2008), and '' Revolutionary Road'' (2008). On television, Sanders played mob lawyer Steven Kordo in the 1986–88

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

detective series '' Crime Story'', Norbert "Ziggy" Walsh on two episodes of ''

Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American television sitcom created by Matt Williams (producer), Matt Williams that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May ...

'', and recurring characters on shows such as ''

'' and ''

True Detective ''True Detective'' is an American Anthology series, anthology Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Nic Pizzolatto for the premium cable network HBO. The series premiered on January 12, 2014, and ...

''. He is the narrator for the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

series ''

'' from 2002 to 2009, and has served as narrator for a number of ''

'' episodes starting in 2007. On stage, Sanders has appeared on

in ''Loose Ends'' (1979), ''

'' (1983), ''Saint Joan'' (1993), ''Pygmalion'' (2007)., ''

Girl from the North Country (musical) ''Girl from the North Country'' is a jukebox musical with music and lyrics by Bob Dylan and written by Conor McPherson. It is the second show to use Dylan's music after Twyla Tharp's '' The Times They Are a-Changin'.'' Production history Worl ...

'' (2020), and ''

'' (2023). Off-Broadway, he appeared as

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

in Sir David Hare's ''Stuff Happens'' in 2006. He played in a number of Shakespearean plays: ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'' (Bottom, 2007), ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' (Ghost of Hamlet's Father/Player King/Gravedigger, 2008), ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'' (as Sir Toby Belch, 2009), and the title role in Shakespeare's ''

Titus Andronicus ''The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus'', often shortened to ''Titus Andronicus'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first t ...

'' (2011). Sanders appeared in the ''Apple Family Plays'', a series of plays written by Richard Nelson which ran

at the Public Theatre in 2010 (''That Hopey Changey Thing''), 2011 (''Sweet and Sad''), 2012 (''Sorry''), and 2013 (''Regular Singing''). Sanders has appeared in more plays at the

Delacorte Theatre The Delacorte Theater is a 1,800-seat open-air theater in Central Park, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is home to the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park productions. As of September 2023, it has been closed for reno ...

(Shakespeare in Central Park) than any other actor to date. His first play, ''Unexplored Interior'', about the

Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, occurred from 7 April to 19 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. Over a span of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Gre ...

debuted in November 2015 at the

Atlas Performing Arts Center The Atlas Performing Arts Center is a multiple space performing arts facility located on H Street (Washington, D.C.), H Street in the Near Northeast, Washington, D.C., Near Northeast neighborhood of Washington, DC. Housed in a renovated Art Deco m ...

Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

He had been working on it for more than a decade.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

Awards and honors

He received the 2018 Joe A. Callaway Award, presented by the Actors’ Equity Foundation for "best performance in a professional production of a classic play", for his performance in Chekhov's ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897, and first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by Konstan ...

''. He also received the Drama Desk Award for 2019 for Actor in a Play for ''Uncle Vanya''. In 2024, he received an

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town news ...

for Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play for his performance in '' Primary Trust''.

References

External links

* * *
Jay O. Sanders AudiographyeBooks and/or Audio Books by Jay O. Sanders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Jay O. 1953 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American dramatists and playwrights 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male writers American male dramatists and playwrights American male film actors American male Shakespearean actors American male stage actors American male television actors Audiobook narrators Living people Male actors from Austin, Texas State University of New York at Purchase alumni Writers from Austin, Texas