Actor, narrator, director, author, and smooth customer.
Next to Stacy Keach, Peter Coyote (born Robert Peter Cohon; October 10, 1941 in New York City, New York) is arguably the best-known American voice narrator of his generation. His mellow tones are often compared with those of Henry Fonda.
Before becoming an actor at the age of 39, he spent 15 years as a member of the Diggers
and counterculture rebel during The '60s. He wrote a memoir of that time called Sleeping Where I Fall.
It was not until 1982 that he landed a big-time role — playing the 'good' scientist, Keys, in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He then found himself in high demand in Hollywood, but seemed ill-fit for a leading man. Later, Coyote was cast as the overzealous prosecutor in Jagged Edge (1985) and finally seemed to have found his niche: that of the antagonist who may be right.
Beginning in The '80s, Coyote began doing voice-overs, which has led to a very successful side venture, now numbering over 120 films. He continues to lend his voice to narrations for commercials and documentaries (including many a Ken Burns production, like The Vietnam War), and often donates his voice to films that support issues close to his heart.
Notable screen roles:
- Sgt. Poole in Southern Comfort (1981)
- Keys in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Thomas Krasny in Jagged Edge (1985)
- Det. Larry Ringwald in The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)
- Alex Nolan in The Hitchhiker ("Last Scene", 1986)
- Adam Grant in The Twilight Zone ("Shadow Play", 1986)
- Michael Santers in Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- Romney Penhallow in Road to Avonlea ("Old Quarrels, Old Love", 1991)
- Oscar in Bitter Moon (1992)
- Don Bresler in Unforgettable (1996)
- Cap. Harold C. Barnes in Sphere (1998)
- Bill Davis in Patch Adams (1998)
- Cullen Chandler in Random Hearts (1999)
- Kurt Potter in Erin Brockovich (2000)
- Watts in Femme Fatale (2002)
- Ross in The Division (2002)
- Rev. Sullivan in A Walk to Remember (2002)
- Chief Bloomenbergensteinenthal in The Hebrew Hammer (2003)
- Dennis Ryland in The 4400 (12 episodes, 2004-06)
- General Cook in Deadwood ("Sold Under Sin", 2004)
- Mike LaSalle in Law & Order: Trial by Jury ("41 Shots", 2005)
- Special Agent Virgil "Web" Webster in The Inside (13 episodes, 2005-06)
- Warren Keaton in Commander in Chief (7 episodes, 2005-06)
- Mark August in Brothers & Sisters (4 episodes, 2007)
- Lionel Shill in Law & Order: Criminal Intent ("Self-Made", 2007)
- Ned Quinn in NCIS ("Silent Night", 2008)
- President Dave Segovia in Flash Forward (2 episodes, 2009)
- D.A. Jerry Hardin in Law & Order: LA (8 episodes, 2010-11)
- Leland Strand in Intelligence (3 episodes, 2014)
- James Alan Pierce in Perception (4 episodes, 2014-15)
- Senator Ted McCreary in Blue Bloods ("Payback", 2015)
