Josef Sommer

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is an American film actor. He was born Maximilian Josef Sommer in Greifswald, Germany and was raised in North Carolina, the son of Elisabeth and Clemons Sommer, a professor of art history at the University of North Carolina. He studied at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He has a daughter, Maria. Sommer made his acting debut at the age of nine in a North Carolina production of Watch on the Rhine. He made his film debut in 1971 in Dirty Harry, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind in 1977, and appeared in Witness opposite Harrison Ford (where he played a crooked police officer) and Moonlight and Valentino with Elizabeth Perkins. He appeared as President Gerald Ford opposite Gena Rowlands in the 1987 made-for-TV movie The Betty Ford Story. He has also had starring roles in two short-lived series, Hothouse (1988) and Under Cover (early 1990s). As of 2007, he has appeared, as a character actor, in almost 100 films. Some of his more famous roles have been as a crooked businessman or a corrupt politician. Description above from the Wikipedia article Josef Sommer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Dirty Harry (1971)

Action-packedDepressing

When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the psychopath. Harry eventually collars Scorpio in the process of rescuing a kidnap ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Siegel
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Andrew Robinson  •  John Vernon  •  Reni Santoni

When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the psychopath. Harry eventually collars Scorpio in the process of rescuing a kidnap ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Don Siegel
CAST:  Clint Eastwood  •  Andrew Robinson  •  John Vernon  •  Reni Santoni

Absence of Malice (1981)

Thought provokingPowerfulMind blowingClever

Megan Carter is a reporter duped into running an untrue story on Michael Gallagher, a suspected racketeer. He has an alibi for the time his crime was allegedly committed—but it involves an innocent party. When he tells Carter the truth and the newspaper runs it, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sydney Pollack
CAST:  Paul Newman  •  Sally Field  •  Bob Balaban  •  Melinda Dillon

Megan Carter is a reporter duped into running an untrue story on Michael Gallagher, a suspected racketeer. He has an alibi for the time his crime was allegedly committed—but it involves an innocent party. When he tells Carter the truth and the newspaper runs it, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sydney Pollack
CAST:  Paul Newman  •  Sally Field  •  Bob Balaban  •  Melinda Dillon

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

EpicAdventurousThought provokingSlow moving

After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Spielberg
CAST:  Richard Dreyfuss  •  François Truffaut  •  Teri Garr  •  Melinda Dillon

After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Spielberg
CAST:  Richard Dreyfuss  •  François Truffaut  •  Teri Garr  •  Melinda Dillon

Don't Drink the Water (1994)

Somewhere behind the early 1960s cold-war iron curtain, the Hollander family cause an international spying incident when Walter photographs a sunset in a sensitive region. In order to stay out of jail, the Hollanders take refuge in the American Embassy, which is ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Josef Sommer  •  Michael J. Fox  •  Woody Allen  •  Julie Kavner

Somewhere behind the early 1960s cold-war iron curtain, the Hollander family cause an international spying incident when Walter photographs a sunset in a sensitive region. In order to stay out of jail, the Hollanders take refuge in the American Embassy, which is ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Josef Sommer  •  Michael J. Fox  •  Woody Allen  •  Julie Kavner

Nobody's Fool (1994)

EnjoyableCharmingEmotionalFunny

Sully is a rascally ne'er-do-well approaching retirement age. While he is pressing a worker's compensation suit for a bad knee, he secretly works for his nemesis, Carl, and flirts with Carl's young wife Toby. Sully's long- forgotten son and family have moved back ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Benton
CAST:  Paul Newman  •  Bruce Willis  •  Melanie Griffith  •  Jessica Tandy

Sully is a rascally ne'er-do-well approaching retirement age. While he is pressing a worker's compensation suit for a bad knee, he secretly works for his nemesis, Carl, and flirts with Carl's young wife Toby. Sully's long- forgotten son and family have moved back ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Benton
CAST:  Paul Newman  •  Bruce Willis  •  Melanie Griffith  •  Jessica Tandy

Patch Adams (1998)

BeautifulCleverComplex

The true story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, who in the 1970s found that humor is the best medicine, and was willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh—even if it meant risking his own career.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tom Shadyac
CAST:  Robin Williams  •  Philip Seymour Hoffman  •  Bob Gunton  •  Peter Coyote

The true story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, who in the 1970s found that humor is the best medicine, and was willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh—even if it meant risking his own career.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tom Shadyac
CAST:  Robin Williams  •  Philip Seymour Hoffman  •  Bob Gunton  •  Peter Coyote

Reds (1981)

An account of the revolutionary years of the legendary American journalist John Reed, who shared his adventurous professional life with his radical commitment to the socialist revolution in Russia, his dream of spreading its principles among the members of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Warren Beatty
CAST:  Diane Keaton  •  Warren Beatty  •  Jack Nicholson  •  Edward Herrmann

An account of the revolutionary years of the legendary American journalist John Reed, who shared his adventurous professional life with his radical commitment to the socialist revolution in Russia, his dream of spreading its principles among the members of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Warren Beatty
CAST:  Diane Keaton  •  Warren Beatty  •  Jack Nicholson  •  Edward Herrmann

Shadows and Fog (1991)

With a serial strangler on the loose, a bookkeeper wanders around town searching for the vigilante group intent on catching the killer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Woody Allen  •  Mia Farrow  •  Kathy Bates  •  David Ogden Stiers

With a serial strangler on the loose, a bookkeeper wanders around town searching for the vigilante group intent on catching the killer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Woody Allen  •  Mia Farrow  •  Kathy Bates  •  David Ogden Stiers

Shaft (2000)

New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence will get him ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Singleton
CAST:  Samuel L. Jackson  •  Jeffrey Wright  •  Christian Bale  •  Busta Rhymes

New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence will get him ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Singleton
CAST:  Samuel L. Jackson  •  Jeffrey Wright  •  Christian Bale  •  Busta Rhymes

Silkwood (1983)

Thought provokingReal

The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kurt Russell  •  Cher  •  Craig T. Nelson

The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kurt Russell  •  Cher  •  Craig T. Nelson

Sophie's Choice (1982)

Thought provokingEmotionalDepressingHeartbreaking

Stingo, a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie and her lover Nathan, he learns that she is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alan J. Pakula
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kevin Kline  •  Peter MacNicol  •  Rita Karin

Stingo, a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie and her lover Nathan, he learns that she is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alan J. Pakula
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kevin Kline  •  Peter MacNicol  •  Rita Karin

Strange Days (1995)

In the last days of 1999, ex-cop turned street hustler Lenny Nero receives a disc which contains the memories of the murder of a prostitute. With the help of bodyguard Mace, he starts to investigate and is pulled deeper and deeper in a whirl of murder, blackmail ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kathryn Bigelow
CAST:  Ralph Fiennes  •  Angela Bassett  •  Tom Sizemore  •  Juliette Lewis

In the last days of 1999, ex-cop turned street hustler Lenny Nero receives a disc which contains the memories of the murder of a prostitute. With the help of bodyguard Mace, he starts to investigate and is pulled deeper and deeper in a whirl of murder, blackmail ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kathryn Bigelow
CAST:  Ralph Fiennes  •  Angela Bassett  •  Tom Sizemore  •  Juliette Lewis

The Chamber (1996)

Idealistic young attorney Adam Hall takes on the death row clemency case of his racist grandfather, Sam Cayhall, a former Ku Klux Klan member he has never met.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Foley
CAST:  Chris O'Donnell  •  Gene Hackman  •  Faye Dunaway  •  Robert Prosky

Idealistic young attorney Adam Hall takes on the death row clemency case of his racist grandfather, Sam Cayhall, a former Ku Klux Klan member he has never met.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Foley
CAST:  Chris O'Donnell  •  Gene Hackman  •  Faye Dunaway  •  Robert Prosky

The Family Man (2000)

Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman. The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate, his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Ratner
CAST:  Nicolas Cage  •  Téa Leoni  •  Don Cheadle  •  Saul Rubinek

Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman. The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate, his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Ratner
CAST:  Nicolas Cage  •  Téa Leoni  •  Don Cheadle  •  Saul Rubinek

The Front (1976)

A cashier poses as a writer for blacklisted talents to submit their work through, but the injustice around him pushes him to take a stand.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Ritt
CAST:  Andrea Marcovicci  •  Michael Murphy  •  Woody Allen  •  Herschel Bernardi

A cashier poses as a writer for blacklisted talents to submit their work through, but the injustice around him pushes him to take a stand.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Ritt
CAST:  Andrea Marcovicci  •  Michael Murphy  •  Woody Allen  •  Herschel Bernardi

The Stepford Wives (1975)

Thought provokingMysteriousDarkFantastical

Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bryan Forbes
CAST:  Katharine Ross  •  Paula Prentiss  •  Nanette Newman  •  Judith Baldwin

Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bryan Forbes
CAST:  Katharine Ross  •  Paula Prentiss  •  Nanette Newman  •  Judith Baldwin

The Sum of All Fears (2002)

When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia among American CIA officials, so CIA director Bill Cabot recruits a young analyst to supply insight and advice on ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Phil Alden Robinson
CAST:  Ben Affleck  •  Morgan Freeman  •  James Cromwell  •  Ken Jenkins

When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia among American CIA officials, so CIA director Bill Cabot recruits a young analyst to supply insight and advice on ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Phil Alden Robinson
CAST:  Ben Affleck  •  Morgan Freeman  •  James Cromwell  •  Ken Jenkins

Witness (1985)

SuspensefulIntenseAction-packedBeautiful

A sheltered Amish child is the sole witness of a brutal murder in a restroom at a Philadelphia train station, and he must be protected. The assignment falls to a taciturn detective who goes undercover in a Pennsylvania Dutch community. On the farm, he slowly ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Weir
CAST:  Harrison Ford  •  Kelly McGillis  •  Josef Sommer  •  Lukas Haas

A sheltered Amish child is the sole witness of a brutal murder in a restroom at a Philadelphia train station, and he must be protected. The assignment falls to a taciturn detective who goes undercover in a Pennsylvania Dutch community. On the farm, he slowly ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Weir
CAST:  Harrison Ford  •  Kelly McGillis  •  Josef Sommer  •  Lukas Haas

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men—led by Professor Charles Xavier—and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organised under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Ratner
CAST:  Hugh Jackman  •  Halle Berry  •  Ian McKellen  •  Patrick Stewart

When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men—led by Professor Charles Xavier—and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organised under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brett Ratner
CAST:  Hugh Jackman  •  Halle Berry  •  Ian McKellen  •  Patrick Stewart

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

After reckless young lawyer Gordon Bombay gets arrested for drunk driving, he must coach a kids hockey team for his community service. Gordon has experience on the ice, but isn't eager to return to hockey, a point hit home by his tense dealings with his own former ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephen Herek
CAST:  Emilio Estevez  •  Joss Ackland  •  Lane Smith  •  Heidi Kling

After reckless young lawyer Gordon Bombay gets arrested for drunk driving, he must coach a kids hockey team for his community service. Gordon has experience on the ice, but isn't eager to return to hockey, a point hit home by his tense dealings with his own former ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephen Herek
CAST:  Emilio Estevez  •  Joss Ackland  •  Lane Smith  •  Heidi Kling
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