David Morse
Birth Place: Hamilton, MA, USA
The American Theatre of Actors Brings You A REPERTORY OF ONE-ACT WORKS: (Nov 24, 2025)
Photos: First Look at THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME Season 2, Coming in 2026 (Nov 5, 2025)
TRAITORS by Bruce Lawder to be Staged at American Theatre of Actors (Sep 19, 2025)
BIO
Morse became widely known for his role as Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison in the medical drama series St. Elsewhere (1982–88), and he has had roles in The Negotiator, The Good Son, Horns, Contact, The Green Mile, Dancer in the Dark, Disturbia, The Hurt Locker, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Rock and 12 Monkeys.
In 2006, Morse had a recurring role as Detective Michael Tritter on the medical drama series House, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination. He portrayed George Washington in the 2008 HBO miniseries John Adams, which garnered him a second Emmy nomination. From 2010 to 2013, he portrayed Terry Colson, an honest police officer in a corrupt New Orleans police department, on the HBO series Treme. Morse appeared in the WGN America series Outsiders (2016–17), the Showtime miniseries Escape at Dannemora (2018), and the Netflix comedy drama series The Chair (2021).
For his performance in the 1997 Off-Broadway production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama How I Learned to Drive, he received an Obie Award, a Drama League Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award. That same year, he played Father Barry in the play adaptation of On the Waterfront. From 2007 to 2008, Morse appeared on Broadway in Conor McPherson's play The Seafarer. He received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the 2018 Broadway revival of The Iceman Cometh.
Photos
STAGE CREDITS
Movies
[ 1980 ] Jerry Maxwell
[ 1981 ] Phil
[ 1983 ] Shoe Store Cop
[ 1983 ] Michael
[ 1984 ] Father Tim
[ 1985 ] Robert Wynton
[ 1987 ] Det. Jackson
[ 1987 ] Ben
[ 1987 ] Marvin Hubbard
[ 1988 ] Tom Williams
[ 1988 ] Thomas
[ 1989 ] Klell Henry
[ 1990 ] Albert
[ 1991 ] Bicycle Pete
[ 1991 ] Joe Roberts
[ 1992 ] Rick Steiner - Fishermen
[ 1992 ] Tom McMurdo
[ 1993 ] Dr. Jim Betts
[ 1993 ] Jack
[ 1994 ] Jack
[ 1994 ] Jim Deer Jackson
[ 1995 ] Galloway
[ 1995 ] John Booth
[ 1995 ] Dr. Peters
[ 1996 ] FBI Agent Frank Hare
[ 1996 ] Luke / Daedalus
[ 1996 ] Major Tom Baxter
[ 1997 ] Ted Arroway
[ 1997 ] George
[ 1997 ] Frank McGrath
[ 1998 ]
[ 1998 ] Adam Beck
[ 1999 ] Dove
[ 1999 ] Brutus 'Brutal' Howell
[ 2000 ] Edgar Clenteen
[ 2000 ] Bill Houston
[ 2000 ] Peter Bowman
[ 2001 ] Father John McNamee
[ 2001 ] Adult Bobby Garfield
[ 2002 ] Kevin Richter
[ 2002 ] Gideon Ferguson
[ 2005 ] Wade
[ 2005 ] Palmer
[ 2005 ] Shep Nearing
[ 2006 ] Frank Nugent
[ 2007 ] Mr. Turner
[ 2007 ] Daddy
[ 2008 ] Arkin
[ 2008 ] Colonel Reed
[ 2009 ] Tom
[ 2010 ] Karl
[ 2010 ] Richard Astor
[ 2011 ] Gus Williams
[ 2011 ] Webster
[ 2012 ] James Green, Sr.
[ 2012 ] Psychologist
[ 2013 ] Dale Williams
[ 2013 ] Eugene 'Mack' McCanick
[ 2013 ] Airplane Man
[ 2013 ] Ex-CIA Agent
[ 2014 ] Conklin
[ 2015 ] Mike Webster
[ 2015 ] John Henley
[ 2017 ] Fred Gusman
[ 2017 ] Gerry
[ 2021 ] The Deputy
[ 2024 ] Archbishop Corrigan
[ 2025 ] Abraham Lincoln
[ 2025 ]
[ 2025 ] Abraham Lincoln (voice)
TV Shows
Kevin Mallory
[ 1982-1988 ] Dr. Jack Morrison
Remus
Chandler
Edward Durrell
Tom McMurdo
Dave Bell
Lenny Sutter
Frankie Stein
Jim Bayliss
Brian Engle
[ 2002-2004 ] Mike Olshansky
Dr. Jack Morrison
[ 2006-2007 ] Michael Tritter, Detective Michael Tritter
George Washington
Douglas Lydecker
Jerry 'The Rainmaker' Raines
Douglas MacArthur
The Lorax, Robin Hood
[ 2010-2013 ] Lt. Terry Colson
Eliot Bezzerides
[ 2016-2017 ] Big Foster Farrell
Gene Palmer
[ 2018-2019 ] Hank Crawford
Matthew Rouse
Mr. Jackson
[ 2017-2020 ] Hank Crawford
Dutch Henry Sherman
Dean Paul Larson
[ 2025-2025 ] Harris Sinclair
Awards and Nominations
David Morse, How I Learned to Drive
winner
David MorseHow I Learned to Drive
David Morse, How I Learned To Drive
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
David Morse, Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh
David Morse, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin
winner
David Morse, How I Learned to Drive
David Morse, How I Learned to Drive
winner
David Morse, How I Learned to Drive
Videos
VIDEO: PRETTY WOMAN's Christian Brailsford Dishes All About the National Tour on Survival Jobs
by Survival Jobs - 2022-07-03 16:00:20
VIDEO: Mary-Louise Parker Talks Her HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE Pre-Show Ritual on LATE NIGHT
by Michael Major - 2022-04-29 09:39:44
VIDEO: David Morse Discusses Returning to His HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE Role 25 Years Later on GMA
by Michael Major - 2022-04-25 09:47:41
TV: Mary-Louise Parker, David Morse & More Talk Bringing HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE Back to Broadway!
by Nicole Rosky - 2020-03-03 13:32:43
Theater Talk: Tony Nominees Jessie Mueller & Joshua Henry Sing from CAROUSEL!
by Theater Talk - 2018-05-29 09:38:42
TV: Celebrate the Best of Off-Broadway Backstage at the Obie Awards!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-05-28 10:00:50
VIDEO: Denzel Washington Talks THE ICEMAN COMETH and His Diverse Career on CBS SUNDAY MORNING
by Stephi Wild - 2018-04-29 11:52:47
TV: Denzel Washington & Company Bringeth THE ICEMAN COMETH Back to Broadway!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-04-12 14:24:39
VIDEO: WGN Shares First Look at Season Two of Hit Drama Series OUTSIDERS, Premiering Today
by BWW
News Desk - 2017-01-24 00:30:00
VIDEO: WGN Shares First Look at Season Two of Hit Drama Series OUTSIDERS, Premiering 1/24
by Caryn Robbins - 2016-11-16 07:58:34
BWW Exclusive: Watch Broadway Veteran Phyllis Somerville in WGN America's OUTSIDERS
by Nicole Rosky - 2016-01-25 11:00:01
VIDEO: First Look at Daniel Radcliffe in Supernatural Thriller HORNS Revealed at Comic Con
by Caryn Robbins - 2014-07-28 08:55:28
VIDEO: Final Trailer for MCCANICK, Featuring GLEE's Cory Monteith
by Movies News Desk - 2013-08-14 16:39:00
News
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 24, 2025
The American Theatre of Actors will present a repertory of one-act productions featuring two international works and two early plays by Eugene O’Neill. Performances will take place across ATA’s Sargent Theatre and Beckmann Theatre in Midtown Manhattan.
by Josh Sharpe - Nov 5, 2025
Apple TV has revealed a first look and premiere date for the highly anticipated second season of “The Last Thing He Told Me,” starring and executive-produced by Jennifer Garner. Check out the new photos now.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 19, 2025
The American Theatre of Actors will present TRAITORS, a new play by Bruce Lawder directed by John DeBenedetto. Performances will take place at the ATA September 24–27 at 8:00 p.m., September 28 at 3:00 p.m., October 1–4 at 8:00 p.m., and October 5 at 3:00 p.m.
by Stephi Wild - Jun 12, 2025
Elliot Norton Award winning Hub Theatre Company of Boston will kick off its highly anticipated 12th season with Theresa Rebeck’s celebrated comedy The Understudy, directed by five time Elliot Norton Award winner Paula Plum.
by A.A. Cristi - May 21, 2025
Hub Theatre Company of Boston will kick off its 12th season with Theresa Rebeck's celebrated comedy The Understudy, directed by five time Elliot Norton Award winner Paula Plum.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 16, 2025
The Tank will present YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS UKRAINE @THE TANK, the first New York production of two plays from Young Playwrights Ukraine. Learn more here and see how to attend!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 28, 2025
The American Theatre of Actors will present Joseph P. Krawczyk's timely -- and cautionary -- new play LIVING THE PLAY: A DANGEROUS TIME FOR WOMEN. Learn more!
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 15, 2025
NYU's Tisch New Theatre will present Fun Home Off-Broadway at the American Theatre of Actors from April 26th to May 4th, 2025. Welcome to the Fun Home, and be sure to wipe your shoes at the door.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 22, 2025
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are back on Broadway in the revival of Othello. As these two mega-stars make their Broadway returns, we're taking a walk down memory lane and reliving some of their stage highlights from their careers!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 13, 2025
Shaker Bridge Theatrewill present a one-night-only staged reading of SAMANTHA INSIDE OUT, a new one-woman show written by Marisa Smith, directed by Theresa Rebeck, and starring Jayne Atkinson as part of Shaker Bridge's commitment to developing new work.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 24, 2024
George Bernard Shaw's OVERRULED, directed by John DeBenedetto, explores the concept of open marriage in a modernized setting. The production will run at the American Theatre of Actors in New York City. Learn how to purchase tickets.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 26, 2024
Experience world-class performances by the next generation of artists at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Check out the fall 2024 schedule of major events and secure your tickets now.
by Blair Ingenthron - Aug 10, 2024
American Theatre of Actors will present what is considered by some to be Shaksepeare's masterpiece: King Lear. Performances run August 14 - 25.
by Josh Sharpe - May 20, 2024
Tony-nominated actor David Morse will be appearing in a regular role in the upcoming Prime series We Were Liars, based on the best-selling book by E. Lockhart. Morse joins Mamie Gummer, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Candice King in a series that is 'a tragic love story and an amnesia thriller set on a privately owned island off the coast of Massachusetts.” In the show, Morse will play the character of Harris Sinclair.
by A.A. Cristi - May 13, 2024
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Theresa Rebeck's SUNDAY ON THE ROCKS with a revival in London's pub theatre scene.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 9, 2024
Explore the comedic dynamics of love triangles in CRAZY LOVE, a play featuring romantic betrayal and philosophical ramblings. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.
by Bruce Glikas - Apr 29, 2024
Mother Play officially opened on Broadway on April 25 at the Hayes Theater. Check out photos of the cast and VIPs at the after party here!
by Stephi Wild - Apr 25, 2024
Tiffany Mann, Aisha Jackson, Courtnee Carter, Charl Brown, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Ron Himes, Aramie Payton, Robby Clater and Natalie Kaye Clater will star in the Muny production of Dreamgirls.
by Tyler Hinton - Apr 3, 2024
The national tour of PRETTY WOMAN, now playing at the Eccles Theater, is an appealing adaptation of the 1990 film that makes for a romantic, feel-good night out.
by Michael Major - Feb 23, 2024
Iconic Tenor Andrea Bocelli and his daughter, rising star, Virginia Bocelli have released the duet “Dare To Be” (From The Motion Picture Cabrini), an original song written for the end credits of the upcoming Angel Studios film Cabrini. The film also features Virginia Bocelli’s remarkable acting debut.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
David Morse has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.
David Morse has not appeared in the West End.
Distinguished Performance Awards (Drama League Awards) for How I Learned to Drive, Special Achievement Awards (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for How I Learned to Drive, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for How I Learned To Drive, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Iceman Cometh, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for The Iceman Cometh, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin, Outstanding Actor - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for How I Learned to Drive, Best Actor - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for How I Learned to Drive and Outstanding Lead Actor (The Lortels) for How I Learned to Drive.
David Morse has won Special Achievement Awards from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for How I Learned to Drive. He also received the Outstanding Actor in a Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for How I Learned to Drive, as well as the Outstanding Lead Actor award from The Lortels for the same production.
Videos