Cotter Smith

Acting

Cotter Smith

Born

1949-05-29 (77)

Place of birth

Washington, D.C., USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

75 titles

Joseph Cotter Smith (born May 29, 1949) is an American stage, film, and television actor.

Known for

Person of Interest poster
8.1

John Reese, former CIA paramilitary operative, is presumed dead and teams up with reclusive billionaire Finch to prevent violent crimes in New York City by initiating their own type of justice. With the special training that Reese has had in Covert Operations and Finch's genius software inventing mind, the two are a perfect match for the job that they have to complete. With the help of surveillance equipment, they work "outside the law" and get the right criminal behind bars. 

Person of Interest

2011

NCIS poster
7.6

From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has any connection to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

NCIS

2003

Law & Order poster
7.3

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Law & Order

1990

MINDHUNTER poster
8.2

An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.

MINDHUNTER

2017

The Good Wife poster
7.6

Alicia Florrick boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail.

The Good Wife

2009

Ghost Whisperer poster
8.1

Newlywed Melinda Gordon tries to help the dead communicate with loved ones, but sometimes the messages she receives are intense and confusing. Most of Melinda's efforts involve resolving conflicts that are preventing the spirits from passing over.

Ghost Whisperer

2005

Film credits

2020s · 6 titles

2010s · 7 titles

The Post poster
7.0

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government. Inspired by true events.

The Post

2017

Friends with Kids poster
5.9

In the wake of their friends' marriages and eventual offspring, longtime pals Julie and Jason decide to have a child together without becoming a couple. By becoming "time-share" parents, they reason, they can experience the joys of parenthood without significantly curbing their personal freedom. However, when Julie and Jason both become involved with others, they discover that they secretly harbor romantic feelings for each other.

Friends with Kids

2012

You Don't Know Jack poster
7.0

Controversy and legal problems follow Dr. Jack Kevorkian as he advocates assisted suicide.

You Don't Know Jack

2010

The Standoff at Sparrow Creek poster
6.0

After a mass shooting at a police funeral, reclusive ex-cop Gannon finds himself unwittingly forced out of retirement when he realizes that the killer belongs to the same militia he joined after quitting the force.

The Standoff at Sparrow Creek

2019

Burning Blue poster
6.3

Two Navy fighter pilots find themselves in the midst of a forbidden relationship throwing their lives and careers into disarray.

Burning Blue

2014

No artwork available
NR

When Frank comes to pick up his favorite recliner from his ex-wife Donna, they learn what is left of their marriage and what must be left behind.

The Parable of the Disappearing Recliner

2017

Lunatics, Lovers & Poets poster
2.0

A struggling novelist finds himself haunted by the character in his book, when his homeless, alcoholic father shows up after 20 years of reciting Shakespeare

Lunatics, Lovers & Poets

2010

2000s · 4 titles

1990s · 10 titles

Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox Story poster
6.5

Three people, including a pregnant woman, embark on a yachting excursion during a hurricane.

Desperate Journey: The Allison Wilcox Story

1993

A Message from Holly poster
7.3

Kate is a high-powered, workaholic executive who discreetly takes time off from her work to live with her artist friend Holly, who reveals she has terminal cancer which leaves her with only six months left to live. Over the course of those months, things get tense after Kate accepts custody of Holly's daughter.

A Message from Holly

1992

The Last Prostitute poster
4.5

Two 60s teenagers find work rather than pleasure when it turns out that the prostitute they desire now owns a horse farm.

The Last Prostitute

1991

A Place to Be Loved poster
5.6

Gregory Kingsley, a boy passed off onto social services by his natural mother and abused by his natural father, finds the foster family he is put into to be the type of family he needs and takes his natural mother to court to have her parental rights revoked so that he can be adopted by the Russes. The story is based on the real case of the boy who really did have to take this action to avoid being sent back into an unacceptable situation.

A Place to Be Loved

1993

Remember Me poster
5.1

Set in a Victorian haunted mansion, Kelly McGillis as a grieving Mom is being driven mad by a vocal but unseen entity. She believes it to be her son.

Remember Me

1995

Lifeform poster
5.4

When the Viking space capsule suddenly returns to Earth from its long ago trip to Mars, it brings with it an intelligent visitor that is part "Alien" and part "ET". Encased in armor, it extends a human like form from its shell to examine its surroundings and shows an interest in humans including a soft caress of a female scientist prior to the Army killing it. This only enrages its sibling.

Lifeform

1996

Midnight's Child poster
5.2

Spooky tale of a lawyer who sees Satan in the Swiss au pair she and her artist husband have hired for their young daughter.

Midnight's Child

1992

Bridge of Time poster
6.5

Three travelers find themselves in a strange world after their plane crashes in an isolated valley. They encounter a hidden city whose occupants are in possession of many of the great works of civilization, ready to rebuild the world if the existing one is destroyed.

Bridge of Time

1997

No artwork available
8.0

After police officer Miranda Berkley dumps her boyfriend, who's also her superior, she and her colleague Kathy Arnold constantly are harassed by their male co-workers. In everyday as well as in dangerous situations they don't get any support. The women see no other way than to lodge a complaint with the internal affairs division under judge Baxter - and make the men even more furious.

With Hostile Intent

1993

The History of Glamour poster
NR

The story of rock'n'roll singer Charles Valentine, who came from small-town Ohio and conquered New York. Charles' own narration is interspersed with interviews to people who know her — her friend Sarah, her brother Loren, her manager and more. Beauty, talent, charisma: Charles has it all, and it nets her a glamourous life. But is glamour enough for her? And what does glamour mean?

The History of Glamour

1999

1980s · 8 titles

K-9 poster
6.2

The extravagant cop Michael Dooley needs some help to fight a drug dealer who has tried to kill him. A "friend" gives him a dog named Jerry Lee (Officer Lewis), who has been trained to smell drugs. With his help, Dooley sets out to put his enemy behind the bars, but Jerry Lee has a personality of his own and works only when he wants to. On the other hand, the dog is quite good at destroying Dooley's car, house and sex-life...

K-9

1989

Cameron's Closet poster
4.7

A father who experiments with his son's psychokinetic powers is unaware that these experiments have released a demon from hell which lives in his son's closet, preparing to take over the young boy's soul.

Cameron's Closet

1988

The Rape of Richard Beck poster
6.8

The tables turn for cynical police officer Richard Beck when he's viciously attacked by two homicidal crooks. Having never been empathetic toward the victims he's dealt with on a daily basis, Beck must now confront the tough system he was a part of. As he struggles to regain his status at work, he also must make sure those responsible for his attack are prosecuted.

The Rape of Richard Beck

1985

Lady Beware poster
5.3

A department store window dresser starts being stalked by a married man who’s obsessed with her.

Lady Beware

1987

A Bunny's Tale poster
5.3

A dramatization of Gloria Steinem's undercover investigation of the working conditions Bunnies faced at the Playboy Clubs.

A Bunny's Tale

1985

Master Ninja II poster
7.2

A ninja and his apprentice assist two strangers in their travels across the United States. Episodes three and four of the failed TV show 'The Master' repackaged as a movie.

Master Ninja II

1984

Nickel Mountain poster
4.2

Henry Soames owns a rural diner, and has befriended Willard Freud and Callie Wells. One day Willard and Callie get the news that Callie is pregnant, and Willard splits. Henry takes in Callie, and helps her through the pregnancy. They fall in love and get married. All is going well until Willard is back from the road and wants the baby.

Nickel Mountain

1984

Blood Feud poster
NR

Made for TV movie about Bobby Kennedy's campaign to bring Jimmy Hoffa to justice.

Blood Feud

1983

Series credits

Person of Interest poster
8.1

John Reese, former CIA paramilitary operative, is presumed dead and teams up with reclusive billionaire Finch to prevent violent crimes in New York City by initiating their own type of justice. With the special training that Reese has had in Covert Operations and Finch's genius software inventing mind, the two are a perfect match for the job that they have to complete. With the help of surveillance equipment, they work "outside the law" and get the right criminal behind bars. 

Person of Interest

2011

NCIS poster
7.6

From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has any connection to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

NCIS

2003

Law & Order poster
7.3

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Law & Order

1990

MINDHUNTER poster
8.2

An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.

MINDHUNTER

2017

The Good Wife poster
7.6

Alicia Florrick boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail.

The Good Wife

2009

Ghost Whisperer poster
8.1

Newlywed Melinda Gordon tries to help the dead communicate with loved ones, but sometimes the messages she receives are intense and confusing. Most of Melinda's efforts involve resolving conflicts that are preventing the spirits from passing over.

Ghost Whisperer

2005

Chicago Hope poster
7.2

Chicago Hope is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It ran on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charity hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Hope

1994

Chicago Hope poster
7.2

Chicago Hope is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It ran on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charity hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Hope

1994

Without a Trace poster
7.2

The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City.

Without a Trace

2002

Murder, She Wrote poster
7.5

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.

Murder, She Wrote

1984

The Americans poster
7.9

Set during the Cold War period in the 1980s, The Americans is the story of Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American married couple in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and their neighbor, Stan Beeman, an FBI Counterintelligence agent.

The Americans

2013

Madam Secretary poster
7.0

After years away from the CIA, Elizabeth McCord is pulled back into the political arena. The newly appointed Secretary of State is tough, fair, and smart, driving international diplomacy, wrangling office politics, and circumventing protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home.

Madam Secretary

2014

Blindspot poster
7.4

A vast international plot explodes when a beautiful Jane Doe is discovered naked in Times Square, completely covered in mysterious, intricate tattoos with no memory of who she is or how she got there. But there's one tattoo that is impossible to miss: the name of FBI agent Kurt Weller, emblazoned across her back. "Jane," Agent Weller and the rest of the FBI quickly realize that each mark on her body is a crime to solve, leading them closer to the truth about her identity and the mysteries to be revealed.

Blindspot

2015

Brothers and Sisters poster
7.1

The close-knit Walker family deals with struggles and triumphs.

Brothers and Sisters

2006

White Collar poster
8.2

In exchange for his freedom, charming con artist Neal Caffrey provides his expertise to help straight-man FBI agent Peter Burke catch elusive white-collar criminals.

White Collar

2009

L.A. Law poster
7.0

The high-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, usually for high fees. However, office politics and romance often distract the legal staffers from matters in the courtroom.

L.A. Law

1986

Unforgettable poster
7.2

Former Syracuse, New York, police detective Carrie Wells has hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to visually remember everything. She reluctantly joins the New York City Police Department's Queens homicide unit after her former boyfriend and partner asks for help with solving a case. The move allows her to try to find out the one thing she has been unable to remember, which is what happened the day her sister was murdered.

Unforgettable

2011

Judging Amy poster
7.5

Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character is a judge who serves in a family court, and in addition to the family-related cases that she adjudicates, many episodes of the show focus on her own experiences as a divorced mother, and on the experiences of her mother, a social worker who works in the field of child welfare. This series was based on the life experiences of Brenneman's mother.

Judging Amy

1999

St. Elsewhere poster
5.7

St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series starred Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd and William Daniels as teaching doctors at a lightly-regarded Boston hospital who gave interns a promising future in making critical medical and life decisions.

St. Elsewhere

1982

Hill Street Blues poster
7.6

A realistic glimpse into the daily lives of the officers and detectives at an urban police station.

Hill Street Blues

1981

Damages poster
7.5

Damages is an American legal thriller television series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler. The plot revolves around the brilliant, ruthless lawyer Patty Hewes and her protégée, recent law school graduate Ellen Parsons. Each season features a major case that Hewes and her firm take on, while also examining a chapter of the complicated relationship between Ellen and Patty. The first two seasons center around the law firm Hewes & Associates. Later seasons center more on Patty and Ellen's relationship as Ellen begins to distance herself from Hewes & Associates and begins an independent career.

Damages

2007

CIA poster
8.4

When by-the-book FBI Special Agent Bill Goodman is loaned out to a clandestine CIA/FBI task force, he finds himself teamed up with secretive and roguish CIA case officer Colin Glass. Together they work covert operations in New York, uncovering international plots, terrorist cells, and geopolitical secrets.

CIA

2026

Oz poster
8.0

The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorize their mutual enemies.

Oz

1997

The Unit poster
7.4

A covert team of special forces operatives risk their lives on undercover missions around the globe, while their wives maintain the homefront, protecting their husbands' secrets.

The Unit

2006

The Twilight Zone poster
7.7

This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two or three) rooted in horror or suspense, often with a surprising twist at the end. Episodes usually feature elements of drama and comedy.

The Twilight Zone

1985

Cagney & Lacey poster
7.0

Mary Beth Lacey and Chris Cagney are teamed up as NYPD police detectives. Their opposing personalities (one is tough and the other sensitive) mesh to make this one of the great crime-fighting duos of all time.

Cagney & Lacey

1982

The Following poster
6.9

Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.

The Following

2013

Moonlighting poster
7.5

After being duped and going bankrupt, model Maddie is convinced by David to become a partner in a detective agency. Together they solve various cases, while getting comfortable with each other.

Moonlighting

1985

Moonlighting poster
7.5

After being duped and going bankrupt, model Maddie is convinced by David to become a partner in a detective agency. Together they solve various cases, while getting comfortable with each other.

Moonlighting

1985

Tru Calling poster
7.2

A university graduate working in the city morgue is able to repeat the same day over again to prevent murders or other disasters.

Tru Calling

2003

Revolution poster
6.4

One day, electricity just stopped working and the world was suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Now, 15 years later, a young woman's life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously—and unbeknownst to her—had something to do with the blackout. An unlikely group sets out off on a daring journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.

Revolution

2012

Commander in Chief poster
7.5

Mackenzie Allen has a lot on her plate -- she has twin teenagers, a 6-year-old at home and an ambitious husband at the office, and she is about to become the first female president of the United States. Before that happens, however; Mackenzie, who serves as vice president, has to decide whether or not to go against the dying wishes of the current president, who has asked her to step down and let someone "more appropriate" fill his shoes in the Oval Office. Not only does the president want her to resign, so does the entire party that elected her in the first place. But when the moment of truth arrives, Mackenzie isn't willing to be a mere footnote in history. Instead of allowing her detractors to keep her down, she decides to trust her instincts and accept the most powerful job in the world.

Commander in Chief

2005

Invasion poster
7.1

In the aftermath of a hurricane the Florida Park Ranger and his family deal with strange occurrences, including luminescent creatures in the water. People in the town start to act different, who can you trust?

Invasion

2005

Alias poster
6.8

Sydney Bristow, an agent who has been tricked to believe she is working for the U.S. government, is actually working for a criminal organization named the Alliance of Twelve. Upon learning this, Sydney becomes a double agent for the real CIA.

Alias

2001

Equal Justice poster
6.8

Equal Justice was a television legal drama broadcast in the United States by ABC from March 27, 1990 to July 3, 1991. This series details on the lives of the district attorney's office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The series stars George DiCenzo, Cotter Smith, Kathleen Lloyd, Jane Kaczmarek, Sarah Jessica Parker, Barry Miller, Joe Morton, James Wilder, Jon Tenney and Debrah Farentino. Despite earning critical acclaim, the show received low ratings throughout its run and was cancelled after only two seasons.

Equal Justice

1990

666 Park Avenue poster
6.1

What would you do to have everything you desire? Step inside 666 Park Avenue, New York's most seductive address. We all have some burning needs, desires and ambitions. For the residents of The Drake, the premier apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, these will all be met – for a price – courtesy of the building's mysterious owner, Gavin Doran. But be careful what you wish for, because the price you have to pay is your soul.

666 Park Avenue

2012

Night Stalker poster
5.6

Carl Kolchak and his partner Perri investigate the mysterious death of Kolchak's wife and the paranormal phenomena plaguing their city.

Night Stalker

2005

The Master poster
5.4

An aging ninja master and his young pupil travel in a custom van helping people in need along the way.

The Master

1984

Spy Game poster
7.7

Spy Game is a short-lived American action-adventure television series that aired on the ABC network for 13 episodes during the spring and summer of 1997. The series was created by screenwriter and physician Ivan Raimi, director Sam Raimi, and writer John McNamara.

Spy Game

1997

Mistral's Daughter poster
6.0

Mistral's Daughter is a 1984 American television miniseries written by Terence Feely and Rosemary Anne Sisson, based on Judith Krantz's eponymous 1982 novel. The eight-episode serial—starring Stacy Keach, Stefanie Powers, and Lee Remick—follows the lives of women connected to tempestuous painter Julien Mistral, across several decades in France, exploring themes of art, love, and scandal.

Mistral's Daughter

1984