Judd Hirsch Movies
Bronx-born actor Judd Hirsch attended CCNY, where he majored in engineering and physics. A blossoming fascination in the theatre convinced Hirsch that his future lay in acting. He studied at the AADA and worked with a Colorado stock company before his 1966 Broadway debut in Barefoot in the Park. He spent many years at New York's Circle Repertory, where he appeared in the first-ever production of Lanford Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore. After an auspicious TV-movie bow in the well-received The Law (1974), Hirsch landed his first weekly-series assignment, playing the title character in the cop drama Delvecchio (1976-77). From 1978 to 1982, he was seen as Alex Reiger in the popular ensemble comedy Taxi, earning two Emmies in the process. While occupied with Taxi, Hirsch found time to act off-Broadway, winning an Obie award for the 1979 production Talley's Folly. In the following decade, he was honored with two Tony Awards for the Broadway efforts I'm Not Rappoport and Conversations with My Father. His post-Taxi TV series roles include Press Wyman in Detective in the House (1985) and his Golden Globe-winning turn as John Lacey in Dear John (1988-92). Judd Hirsch could also be seen playing Jeff Goldblum's father in the movie blockbuster Independence Day (1996). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
FBI Special Agent Don Eppes recruits his mathematical genius brother Charlie to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. The two brothers take on the most confounding criminal cases from a very distinctive perspective. Assisting Don at the FBI is behavioral specialist Megan Reeves and FBI agents David Sinclair and Colby Granger. Charlie's colleagues at the University where he teaches include Dr. Larry Fleinhardt and former grad student Amita Ramanjuan, both of whom offer their math expertise to assist Charlie with the most perplexing cases. Don and Charlie's father, Alan Eppes, is pleased to see his two sons working together, but fears their competitive nature will lead to trouble.
- Starring:
- Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, (more)
- 2006
An ex-con trying to put his life back on track turns to his family, but they aren't so sure they want him back in the fold in this independent drama from writer and director Todd S. Yellin. Jake Groden (Scott Cohen) is the black sheep in his family, an alcoholic and habitual felon who has spent 14 years in jail. Jake has always suffered in comparisons with his hardworking twin brother, and when his brother dies unexpectedly not long after Jake is released from jail, he braces himself for an uncomfortable reunion with his family. Jake's father, Leo (Judd Hirsch), makes no secret that he doesn't trust his son, and he recedes into his strong Jewish faith rather than reconnect with his errant son. Jake's sister-in-law, Emily (Susan Floyd), is still coming to terms with the death of her husband and having to raise their son on her own, and she's torn between a resentment of Jake and her attraction to a man who closely resembles the man she still loves. And Adam (Elliot Korte), Emily's son, is curious about the man who vanished from his family a decade and a half before. About the only thing his family will say in Jake's favor is that he's very good with woodworking, and in an effort to mend fences with his father and keep himself on the straight and narrow, Jake focuses his attention to saving the family business, a cabinetry shop that's seen better days. Brother's Shadow received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Cohen, Judd Hirsch, (more)
FBI Special Agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) recruits his mathematical genius brother Charlie (David Krumholtz) to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. The two brothers take on the most confounding criminal cases from a very distinctive perspective. Dr. Larry Fleinhardt (Peter MacNicol) is Charlie's friend and colleague who urges Charlie to focus more on his university studies than on FBI business. Don and Charlie's father, Alan Eppes (Judd Hirsch), is pleased to see his two sons working together, but fears their competitive nature will lead to trouble.
- Starring:
- Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, (more)
NUMB3RS is a drama about an FBI agent who recruits his mathematical-genius brother to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. The two brothers take on the most confounding criminal cases from a very distinctive perspective. Inspired by actual cases, the series depicts how the confluence of police work and mathematics provides unexpected revelations and answers to the most perplexing criminal questions. A dedicated FBI agent, Don Eppes (Rob Morrow), couldn't be more different from his younger brother, Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz), a brilliant mathematician who, since he was little, yearned to impress his big brother. As a seasoned investigator, Don deals in hard facts and evidence, whereas Charlie, a math professor at a California university, functions in a world of mathematical probability and equations. Now, despite their disparate approaches to life, Don and Charlie are able to combine their areas of expertise and solve some killer cases.
- Starring:
- Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, (more)
- 2003
Co-created by series star Daniel Stern, the ABC sitcom Regular Joe cast Stern as Joe Binder, the recently widowed owner of a hardware store. Joe lived with his well-meaning but overbearing father, Baxter (Judd Hirsch), his high-schooler son, Grant (John Francis Daley), and his college-coed daughter, Joanie (Kelly Karbacz) -- who also happened to be a single mother, with a cute baby daughter named Zoe. When not at home, Joe worked overtime at his store, assisted by Grant and high-strung clerk Sitvar (Brian George). Evidently, this property underwent a great many alterations before it was unveiled to the public, notably the changing of Stern's character name from Joe Herman to Joe Binder. Regular Joe premiered March 28, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The true story of prominent mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. is the subject of this biographical drama from director Ron Howard. Russell Crowe stars as the brilliant but arrogant and conceited professor Nash. The prof seems guaranteed a rosy future in the early '50s after he marries beautiful student Alicia (Jennifer Connelly) and makes a remarkable advancement in the foundations of "game theory," which carries him to the brink of international acclaim. Soon after, John is visited by Agent William Parcher (Ed Harris), from the CIA, who wants to recruit him for code-breaking activities. But evidence suggests that Nash's perceptions of reality are cloudy at best; he is struggling to maintain his tenuous hold on sanity, and Alicia suspects a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Battling decades of illness with the loyal Alicia by his side, Nash is ultimately able to gain some control over his mental state, and eventually goes on to triumphantly win the Nobel Prize. Based loosely on the book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar, A Beautiful Mind (2001) co-stars Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Christopher Plummer, and Judd Hirsch. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, (more)
- 1999
In this period drama laced with music and romance, Keith Carradine plays Dan "Magic Legs" Scott, a tap dancer who has enjoyed great success on the vaudeville circuit and the Broadway stage. However, Scott's tremendous ego, coupled with his compulsive skirt-chasing and bottomless thirst for alcohol, cripple his career, and by the late 1930s, he's convinced that his career as a hoofer is over. However, Scott's mother was originally from Estonia, and his manager Axelrod (Judd Hirsch) discovers that Scott is considered a hero in his mother's homeland. Axelrod arranges a tour of Estonia, where Scott is a tremendous success. Scott also finds romance overseas when he meets Deborah (Mia Kirschner), the daughter of a prosperous Jewish businessman; Deborah asks for private dancing lessons, and Scott, more than happy to oblige, soon begins instructing her in the ways of love, much to the chagrin of Deborah's fiancé, Max (Bronson Pinchot). But Scott is ignorant of Hitler's rise to power in Europe, and his new career in Estonia comes to a halt when he offends a Nazi official. The country is soon occupied by Russian forces, and Deborah, now carrying Scott's child, escapes to the United States. However, when Scott's passport is destroyed, he's unable to prove his identity or American citizenship; he's sent to a labor camp in Siberia, and while he's able to escape to Moscow, by the late 1950s he's still looking for a way to get back to America. This film debut of noted Russian stage director Sasha Buravsky also features Brian Dennehy, Kim Hunter, and Mercedes Ruehl. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Carradine, Mia Kirshner, (more)
Jon Favreau, George C. Scott, and Judd Hirsch star in this biography (produced for the Showtime premium cable network) about the life and career of Rocky Marciano, who rose from a childhood of poverty through the often corrupt ranks of professional boxing to become the only undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Favreau, Penelope Ann Miller, (more)
Comedian Andy Kaufman gave performances that were bizarre and difficult to categorize, in which he might do or say almost anything: show cartoons, impersonate Elvis Presley, play conga drums while singing children's songs, read aloud from The Great Gatsby, or take the audience out for milk and cookies. Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and directed by Milos Forman (the team behind The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)), this biopic takes an in-depth look at Kaufman's life and art, with Jim Carrey as Kaufman, who could (and would) be any number of different people onstage: the quiet and childlike man, the little foreign guy, the overbearing showbiz "professional," the violently obnoxious wrestler, or the world's worst lounge singer. As Kaufman rose from comedy clubs to guest appearances on Saturday Night Live and a spot on the TV sitcom Taxi, his performances became more complex and dangerous -- so much so that when word got out in 1984 that he was suffering from lung cancer, many fans and associates thought it was just another bizarre stunt; the disease took his life later that year. Man on the Moon features Danny De Vito as Kaufman's manager George Shapiro, Courtney Love as his girlfriend Lynne Margulies, Paul Giamatti as his friend Bob Zmuda, and David Letterman, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, and Christopher Lloyd as themselves. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, (more)
- 1997
In this thought-provoking courtroom drama, the husband of a woman who was killed during a carjacking learns that justice can be hard to find when media hype and political agendas are added to the mix. The youths are captured and a trial date set. The quartet of carjackers are represented by Public Defender Sam Lind (Judd Hirsch). The Manhattan District Attorney Jim Sullivan (F. Murray Abraham) promises to prosecute them, but he must break this promise when community-activist Reverend Ed Walton shows up to turn the case into a racial issue, something which only increases community tension. The media gets involved and matters get worse. Fed-up with the rigamarole, the husband risks his life and freedom to get his own kind of justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Davison, F. Murray Abraham, (more)
- 1996
The 1964 World's Fair took place in New York City. America was in political turmoil over civil rights issues, but the world exhibition went on as scheduled. It featured art, including Michelangelo's Pieta; thrilling rides, informative exhibits, and food from countries all over the world in the pavilions; and demonstrations of scientific advancements from electricity to nuclear fission. Judd Hirsch hosts this look at the World's Fair, featuring archival film clips, photographs, and the personal recollections of fairgoers. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
A group of intrepid humans attempts to save the Earth from vicious extraterrestrials in this extremely popular science-fiction adventure. Borrowing liberally from War of the Worlds, Aliens, and every sci-fi invasion film inbetween, director Roland Emmerich and producer and co-writer Dean Devlin present a visually slick, fast-paced adventure filled with expensive special effects and large-scale action sequences. The story begins with the approach of a series of massive spaceships, which many on Earth greet with open arms, looking forward to the first contact with alien life. Unfortunately, these extraterrestrials have not come in peace, and they unleash powerful weapons that destroy most of the world's major cities. Thrown into chaos, the survivors struggle to band together and put up a last-ditch resistance in order to save the human race. As this is a Hollywood film, this effort is led by a group of scrappy Americans, including a computer genius who had foreseen the alien's evil intent (Jeff Goldblum), a hot-shot jet pilot (Will Smith), and the President of the United States (Bill Pullman). While some critics objected to the film's lack of originality and lapses in logic, the combination of grand visual spectacle and crowd-pleasing storytelling proved irresistible to audiences, resulting in an international smash hit. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Will Smith, (more)
- 1994
A chilling exploration of the violation of doctor/patient trust, this made-for-TV drama is based on actual events. Singer Barbara Noel (Judith Light) is a mess. Tired of her constant depression and the effect it has had upon her husband and family, she goes to see the renowned psychiatrist Dr. Jules Masserman (Judd Hirsch). Using a combination of drugs, hypno-therapy and traditional techniques, he swears he will be able to help her. Time passes, and Barbara seems to be getting worse. In addition, she has begun drinking heavily. Strange bruises periodically appear on her body. She seems inordinately attached to Masserman, and her marriage suffers. When her life completely falls apart, Barbara wakes up and realizes that her trusted doctor has been violating her during the sessions in which she was drugged into unconsciousness. She tries all the traditional venues, but finds that her screwed up self is no match for a highly respected member of the medical community. Her luck changes dramatically, however, when she finds out that other women have also suffered from Masserman's treatment. Unfortunately, it will take some doing to convince any of them to testify against him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judith Light, Judd Hirsch, (more)
- 1990
The acting of its stars saves She Said No from the "lurid dreck" category. Judd Hirsch is a successful but utterly amoral attorney who rapes Veronica Hamel. She sues, but he uses his legal expertise to walk free. Then Hirsch turns around and sues Hamel for slander (or for libel, depending on whether you believe the ads or the synopsis)--to the tune of ten million dollars! The lizardlike lawyer comes acropper when he forgets the unwritten rule of jurisprudence and acts as his own attorney. Lee Grant plays the DA on the case, who was denied the opportunity to retry Hirsch and is smarting for a chance to show the creep up. She Said No is better written than it deserves to be by Michael O'Hara. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Originally shown on television in two parts, the second of which takes place after WWII. Surviving escapee Major John Dodge (Christopher Reeve) is sent back to Germany by Winston Churchill to capture the Gestapo officer who ordered the machine-gunning of 50 of the captured escapees, in direct defiance of the Geneva convention. Donald Pleasance, one of the "good guys" in the original, plays the Nazi villain in the new version. Filmed in Yugoslavia, Great Escape II: The Untold Story was originally telecast November 6 and 7, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this family drama from director Sidney Lumet, Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti play Arthur and Annie Pope, a pair of '60s radicals who have eluded the FBI for 16 years after bombing a napalm laboratory as a Vietnam War protest. This lifestyle involves continually moving their base of operations and establishing new identities, which is especially hard on their children, 18-year-old Danny (River Phoenix) and 10-year-old Harry (Jonas Abry), who can never amass a group of friends or an academic record. This last problem comes to the fore when they arrive in a New Jersey town where the high school music teacher (Ed Crowley) takes an interest in Danny's piano playing, encouraging him to apply early admission to Juilliard. Danny yearns to follow this dream, but knows that separating from his parents would be a permanent break -- the aging hippies rarely even see their own parents, and can never inform anyone where they've moved. Arthur can't stand the idea of breaking up the family unit, which has provided the support that's allowed him to tolerate life on the move, but Annie sees her own sacrificed dreams in her son's prodigious musical talents, and begins pressuring Arthur to grant the boy his independence. Complicating factors, Danny has fallen in love with the daughter of his music teacher (Martha Plimpton), but can't allow himself to get too close to her, because he may have to leave again at any moment. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, (more)
- 1987
- Add Lights: The Miracle of Chanukah to QueueAdd Lights: The Miracle of Chanukah to top of Queue
This animated film introduces children to the story of Hanukkah and the many traditions surrounding this important holiday. In one way, this film is the story of a people struggling to preserve their identity in the face of a cruel world. In another, this film addresses the larger issue of the right to be different. Leonard Nimoy and Judd Hirsch are two of the voices children will hear. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- 1986
In 1978, Isaac B. Singer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was a gifted writer who had over 40 volumes of short stories, novels, plays and other writings published. Singer once said he viewed himself as a "Yiddish writer." He had left Europe to escape Hitler and arrived in America with almost nothing. Singer wrote for one Yiddish newspaper for more than 40 years, publishing one or two stories or chapters each week in it. His writings include "Enemies, A Love Story" and "Shadows on the Hudson." The latter book involves people anxiously searching for meaning in this world or the next. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
- 1985
First Steps was inspired by a widely-seen, enthusiastically received 1982 piece on 60 Minutes. Amy Steel plays Nan Davis, a young woman totally paralyzed in an auto accident. Judd Hirsch costars as Dr. Jerold Petrovsky, a bioengineer who attaches computerized electrodes to Nan to enable her to reclaim her muscle power. After many torturous months, this state-of-art physical therapy works magnificently, and Nan is able to take ten steps on her own at her college graduation. While the technique was still rather controversial at the time First Steps was telecast, there was no denying that it had worked in the case of Nan Davis, who eventually became the subject of two 60 Minutes follow-ups and reams of upbeat magazine articles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Hirsch, Amy Steel, (more)
- 1985
This chiller was made for younger viewers and chronicles Dracula's fight to keep Halloween alive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
