Sam Waterston News Archives 2001-2002

Sam appears in Adopt a Sailor

Thanks to TLT for this report!

(New York City, Sept. 11 2002)

Sam and Amy Irving played an affluent Upper West Side couple. Liev Schriber played the sailor, who Amy 'adopted' for a day - a "darling" idea which she got from one of her affluent friends. Sailor came over for tea and lunch. Sam played a Columbia history professor, very cynical and sardonic. Amy ran a "darling" little boutique. Sam and Amy were at each other's throats with caustic comments, each berating the other for their very different individual responses to 9/11, while Sailor, who was a shy, country boy, sat quietly, not knowing what to say. After a particularly nasty exchange, Amy said to Sailor, "This is how people talk when they don't love each other anymore." As Sam and Amy glared at each other after a long pause, Sailor got up quietly to leave. He made a comment about how he was on a carrier in the Indian Ocean when the towers were attacked. He spoke about how, after he and his shipmates had digested all the awful details and listened to all the news reports, they stood on deck that night, comforted by the fact that despite what had happened, the same stars they had gazed on the night before were still in the sky. And that was a very good thing. Amy and Sam looked at each other, and suddenly looked very ashamed of themselves for being so petty. And that was the end. It only lasted about 15 minutes. All of the skits were 15 minutes or less.

I wish you could have been there. Sam looks younger in person. He was wearing jeans (surprise! surprise! HA!), a denim shirt and a tweed jacket. He came up into the audience during some of the other skits and watched. I watched HIM instead of the skits! He has such presence. That silvering hair only adds to it. When he walks he just flows like water!

After watching Ethan Hawke, Cynthia Nixon, Fisher Stevens, Edie Falco, Stanley Tucci and the other performers who were on stage prior to Sam, Sam just blew them all away. He is absolutely wonderful on stage. I hope the others watched Sam's performance because he is a marvelous example for the rest of them! Last night was the first time I'd actually seen him perform on stage, other than the "Lincoln Portrait" narrative which just isn't the same thing. You may have heard the comment that Sam only uses about 1/4 of his talent making L&O and you are right! He has such range and is so wonderfully talented. I could tell that he enjoyed himself immensely last night. He must miss the stage.

Link to Other 2002 Articles Here

click here to read about Sam and SAG, Sam's fundraising activities, his chats with fans, and his activities with RI!

Sam and 9-11

Thanks, Mott, for the information!

(Ground Zero, just after September 11) Many of Sam's fans have wondered what he did in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. An article in a suburban Chicago newspaper finally fills us in. It seems that Sam, along with actors Chevy Chase, Robert DeNiro, Ron Howard, Al Franken, Kevin Bacon, and Matthew Bodine, went down to Ground Zero to give moral support to the workers who were there sorting through the wreckage, trying to find survivors. But it was Sam who went up to the workers--and asked for their autographs! Typical Sam--doing important work where he can with no fanfare--and acknowledging the courage and heroism of others!

Sam At Lincoln Lecture

by Anne Mikusinski & Stace Taylor

(New York NY Feb. 7 2001) The lecture began promptly at six. Sam walked out on stage and...OMG! How wonderful he looked! He wore a dark blue suit, white shirt, light blue tie, dark socks, and maybe loafers.

As much as our Mr. Waterston insists that he is nothing like Jack McCoy, our favorite EADA was very much in evidence. All his mannerisms, from the emphasizing points with his hands to playing with his fingers, to the licking of his fingers when he turns a page...all of these behaviors must be his own.

He sat very straight on his stool as he waited for his turn to read. He stood so tall as he read so eloquently and passionately the words of our sixteenth President. (Click here to read an article by Sam about Lincoln)

He must have been tired, though. At one point, he messed up, cleared his throat, started to read again, messed up AGAIN and then just stood there, shrugged, and made a face--everyone laughed! He looked so sheepishly adorable it was hard not to run up on stage and just hug the man!

He was a little more hoarse than usual and he drank a lot of water and coughed, but he turned his head away from the mike when he did--what a gentleman!

It was over far too quickly, and there was really no chance to meet him. But was it worth it? OH YEAH!

"I Was Shocked!" Sam on Rosie O'Donnell

as reported by Anne Mikusinski

(New York NY Jan. 29 2001) Wearing new dark jeans, a tan button-down shirt and brown sports coat, Sam Waterston smiled his way through an interview with Rosie O'Donnell on her popular show. He said he was shocked to be named one of the sexiest men on TV, and seemed a bit embarrassed by the cheers from the audience.

Sam said he enjoyed his work on Law and Order, describing the cast and crew as "a community". He atttributed the continued popularity of the show to A&E, which airs episodes four times every weekday.

Sam & Lynn Celebrate 25 Years of Marriage

(NY or CT Jan. 26 2001) Today, Sam and Lynn Waterston celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. As their hand-holding at the Emmys showed, they are still very much in love. Fans all over the world wish the couple all the best and many more years of happiness together.

Sam's Causes

(Cyberspace) Anyone putting the name "Sam Waterston" into a search engine will find more than fan sites and movie reviews. Sam is active in supporting many causes.

For example, in April, 2000, he spoke at a fundraiser for the National Cathedral Association, a group of individuals supporting the National Cathedral in Washington DC in its role as a "house of prayer for all people".

In 1999, Suffolk University in Massachusetts created the Waterston Fellowship in recognition of Sam's contribution to creating positive programming and the Waterston family's longstanding involvement in education.

In 1998, Sam was at a dinner hosted by the Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights, where he talked of the need for the US to be more responsive to the needs of persecuted refugees who come to our shores seeking asylum.

That same year, Sam was elected to the Board of Directors of the New York branch of the Screen Actor's Guild. And every fan knows about his long-term membership on the Board of Directors of Refugees International. And in 2002, he did a benefit for Austen Riggs Center; he's on their Board of Directors. To quote their mission statement: "The mission of the Austen Riggs Center is to improve the lives of emotionally troubled and 'treatment-resistant' patients by providing quality and cost-effective treatment. The focus throughout the Center's programs is the importance of human relationships and the responsibility and dignity of the individual."