Biography
Edward Kirk Herrmann (July 21, 1943 – December 31, 2014) in Washington, D.C., was an American television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D. Roosevelt on television, to younger generations for his role as Richard Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, as a ubiquitous narrator for historical programs on the History Channel, and as the spokesperson for Dodge automobiles in the 1990s.
Known For
Complete Filmography
Coach of the Year
2016
as Bill Ford
A swim team tries to win a state championship - without a pool to practice in.
The Town that Dreaded Sundown
2014
as Reverend Cartwright
A masked maniac terrorizes the same small community where a murderer known as the Phantom Killer struck decades earlier.
The Wolf of Wall Street
2013
as Stratton Oakmont Commercial (voice)
A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infi...
Are You Here
2013
as Dr. Vincent
When Steve Dallas, a womanizing local weatherman, hears that his off-the-grid best friend Ben Baker has lost his estranged father, the two return to B...
Heaven's Door
2012
as Nate Christensen
12-year-old Riley Ann Taylor recently lost her grandfather, who died right in front of her while teaching her how to play soccer. She soon finds a por...
Price Check
2012
as Jack Bennington
A middle aged, middle class, former music industry executive with a stay-at-home wife and son toils away at a supermarket chain. When a new high energ...
Christmas Oranges
2012
as Mr. Crampton
In a town not so far away and a time not so long ago, baby Rose was left on the porch of Greenwoods Orphanage, where Mrs. Hartley and the children und...
Treasure Buddies
2012
as Philip Wellington
In a race against a devious cat, the Buddies and their new friends, Cammy and Babi, must avoid booby traps, solve puzzles and explore a mysterious tom...
The Christmas Pageant
2011
as Garrett Clark
Vera Parks, an overly intense and demanding Broadway director, gets fired from yet another job, leaving her no choice but to take a gig directing a sm...
A Christmas Wish
2011
as Les McCallum
MARTHA EVANS has been abandoned by her ne'er-do-well husband, who took all their cash and left her homeless and virtually destitute with her two daugh...
Redemption: For Robbing the Dead
2011
as Governor Dawson
For Robbing the Dead is a story of compassion - compassion toward those who may seem the least deserving of Christian love. It follows the story of He...
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
2011
as Jeremiah Larson
A kid from the Midwest moves out to Hollywood in order to follow in his parents footsteps -- and become a porn star.
Son of Morning
2011
as Thomas
As a solar catastrophe threatens the world, Phillip Katz (Joseph Cross), a stressed-out copywriter, is mistaken for the next messiah by an ambitious r...
Ring Christmas Bells
2009
as Self
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir presents Ring Christmas Bells, the next musical masterpiece in a series of highly acclaimed and commercially successful ho...
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
2009
as John Goodenough
A presumed-dead man's current wife and former wives squabble over his funeral arrangements.
The Skeptic
2009
as Shepard
After the mysterious death of his Aunt, a confirmed skeptic lawyer, Bryan Becket, dismisses reports that her house is haunted and moves in. Immediatel...
Hatching Pete
2009
as The Principal
Pete is very inconspicuous at school, unlike his extrovert mate Cleatis who's happy to don a chicken suit and be the school mascot, but unfortunately,...
Morristown: Where America Survived
2009
as Narrator
A thirty-minute High Definition documentary which revisits that winter of 1779-80 when Washington’s troops arrived at the densely-wooded area just sou...
Andrew Jackson
2007
as Narrator
Through interviews, visits to historical locations and vivid reenactments, this History Channel production details the life of Andrew Jackson. It illu...
Columbus The Lost Voyage
2007
as Narrator
Columbus' 4th voyage has been a total failure: he has not found the westward passage, he has no gold to show, he has lost men and ships and his effort...
Titanic's Achilles Heel
2007
as Narrator
An expedition looks into whether Titanic's hull had a construction design flaw that caused her to break apart. Featuring advanced CGI technology, arch...
Sherman's March
2007
as Narrator
This documentary chronicles General William Tecumseh Sherman's fabled "March to the Sea" through Georgia and the Carolinas, utilizing state of the art...
Banned from the Bible II
2007
as Narrator
Banned from the Bible II continues from the original documentary Banned from the Bible. The documentary introduces several books that were excluded fr...
I Think I Love My Wife
2007
as Mr. Landis
Richard Cooper is a married man and father of two who is just plain bored with married life. Not getting any sex from his wife, he resorts to ogling r...
Factory Girl
2006
as James Townsend
In the mid-1960s, wealthy debutant Edie Sedgwick meets artist Andy Warhol. She joins Warhol's famous Factory and becomes his muse. Although she seems ...
Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower
2006
as Self - Narrator (voice)
So much more than simply the story of the Thanksgiving meal, the epic saga of the Pilgrims is one of the fundamental narratives of our nation. This am...
Witness to 'Reds'
2006
as Self
Cast and crew of "Reds" revisit their memories and stories while making the film.
Wedding Daze
2006
as Lyle
After losing the woman of his dreams, Anderson is convinced he'll never fall in love again. But at the urging of his best friend, he spontaneously pro...
Relative Strangers
2006
as Doug Clayton
An uptight professional meets his lower-class biological parents for the first time.
Decoding the Past: Secrets of the Koran
2006
as Narrator
The Koran is one of the most important works ever written. For almost one billion people worldwide, it is the Holy Scripture, the word of God and his ...
Titanic's Final Moments: Missing Pieces
2006
as Narrator (voice)
On a cold night in April 1912, over 1,500 people aboard the RMS Titanic lost their lives to the merciless waters of the North Atlantic. More than nine...
Ape to Man
2005
as Narrator
Scientists from the mid-nineteenth century have searched for the fossil remains of the "missing link" in evolution - the half-man, half-ape that would...
Bible Battles
2005
as Narrator (voice)
In one of the most hostile lands on the planet, an ancient people called the Israelites forged an army and carved out an empire. Their ancient militar...
The Templar Code: Crusade of Secrecy
2005
as Narrator
An overview of the rise and fall of the Knights Templar. A medieval military/religious order with allegiance to no country but only the Pope.
FDR: A Presidency Revealed
2005
as Narrator
For twelve years he stood as America's 32nd President, a man who overcame the ravages of polio to pull America through the Great Depression and WWII. ...
The French Revolution
2005
as Narrator
On July 14, 1789, a mob of angry Parisians stormed the Bastille and seized the King's military stores. A decade of idealism, war, murder, and carnage ...
The Aviator
2004
as Joseph Breen
A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer ...
Bereft
2004
as Lloyd
A young Vermont widow is haunted by the memory of her dead husband, while trying to date again.
First Invasion: The War of 1812
2004
as Narrator
First Invasion: The War of 1812, a History Channel documentary that first aired in 2004, portrays a young United States of America "on the brink of an...
Isaac's Storm
2004
as Narrator
The story of meteorology Isaac Cline and the 1900 hurricane that destroyed Galveston, Texas, killing 6,000 people. Based on the book by Erik Larson
Welcome to Mooseport
2004
as Avery Hightower Debate Moderator (uncredited)
A US president who has retired after two terms in office returns to his hometown of Mooseport, Maine and decides to run for Mayor against another loca...
Intolerable Cruelty
2003
as Rex Rexroth
A revenge-seeking gold digger marries a womanizing Beverly Hills lawyer with the intention of making a killing in the divorce.
Teddy Roosevelt: An American Lion
2003
as Narrator
This thorough documentary covers the life of President Theodore Roosevelt, from his birth until his death.
The Louisiana Purchase
2003
as Narrator
The History Channel looks at the background of the Louisiana Purchase and how Thomas Jefferson's emissaries managed to double the size of the United S...
Russia, Land of the Tsars
2003
as Narrator
The history of the Russian Tsars.
Stalin: Man of Steel
2003
as Narrator (voice)
Emmy Awards nominee for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Research: Multi-faceted portrait of the man who succeeded Lenin as the head o...
The Samurai
2003
as self (voice)
They were the knights of medieval Japan, an elite warrior class that held the reins of power and the fascination of the people for more than 700 years...
The Emperor's Club
2002
as Headmaster Woodbridge
William Hundert is a passionate and principled Classics professor who finds his tightly-controlled world shaken and inexorably altered when a new stud...
Dinosaur Secrets Revealed
2002
as Narrator (voice)
Dinosaurs roamed and ruled earth for more than 150-million years, then suddenly vanished leaving only fossils to fascinate and befuddle us. In a featu...
The World Trade Center -Rise and Fall of an American Icon
2002
as Narrator
"The World Trade Center: Rise and Fall of an American Icon" discusses the planning, construction, collapse, recovery, and cleanup of the buildings in ...
It Ain't As Easy As It Looks... (...a.k.a. the Making of 'The Cat's Meow')
2002
as Self
A documentary behind the scenes of Peter Bogdanovich's 'The Cat's Meow' (2001).
Antarctica: A Frozen History
2002
as Narrator
Antarctica: A Frozen History takes a look at the history and stories of the human explorations in the Antarctic. Although quite slow paced and relati...
In Search of Christmas
2001
as Narrator
Digging into faith is always a delicate and difficult proposition, but In search of Christmas is a fascinating survey balancing belief, tradition and ...
The Cat's Meow
2001
as W. R. Hearst
Semi-true story of the Hollywood murder that occurred at a star-studded gathering aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924.
Down
2001
as Milligan
After the elevators at a New York City skyscraper begin inexplicably malfunctioning, putting its passengers at risk, mechanic Mark Newman and reporter...
James Dean
2001
as Raymond Massey
The man behind the legend and a knowing look at the 1950's Hollywood are revealed in this dynamic bioepic of the meteoric star whose troubled life ech...
The Face: Jesus in Art
2001
as Narrator (voice)
This documentary traces the dramatically different ways in which Jesus has been represented in art throughout history and around the world. Narrated b...
Double Take
2001
as Charles Allsworth
A man on the run takes another man's passport, only to find himself stuck with the identity of a street hustler.
Vendetta
1999
as D.A. Luzenberg
Based on a true story, Vendetta tells the shocking and tragic story of a group of Sicilian immigrants working on the New Orleans docks in the 1890's. ...
Norman Rockwell: Painting America
1999
as Narrator
A documentary about American artist Norman Rockwell, featuring his biography accompanied with opinions by the artist's son, movie director Steven Spie...
Niagara: A History of the Falls
1999
as Narrator
The history of Niagara Falls and the people that made it famous.
Niagara: A History of the Falls
1999
Presenter
The history of Niagara Falls and the people that made it famous.
Walking Across Egypt
1999
as Reverend Vernon
An elderly widow befriends an orphaned juvenile delinquent.
Saint Maybe
1998
as Doug Bedloe
A lonely teen troubled by a past family tragedy is suspicious of his sister-in-law, believing she is being unfaithful. His confrontation with his brot...
Better Living
1998
as Jack
A comedy about families, the elements that bind them together, and about hope in the face of hardship.
Frank Lloyd Wright
1998
as Narrator (voice)
Frank Lloyd Wright tells the story of the greatest of all American architects. Wright was an authentic American genius, a man who believed he was dest...
Critical Care
1997
as Robert Payne
Werner Ernst is a young hospital resident who becomes embroiled in a legal battle between two half-sisters who are fighting over the care of their com...
What Love Sees
1996
as Morton Treadway
Jean Treadway, a beautiful young girl in her twenties, comes from a world of wealth and privilege. Gordon Holly is a handsome but humble rancher, the ...
A Season in Purgatory
1996
as Dr. Shugrue
True story about a kid from rich family with political ties who covers up a suspicious death of a young woman. This comes back to haunt him later.
Soul of the Game
1996
as Branch Rickey
In 1945, the world of baseball is divided between the Majors and the Negro Leagues - but the time has come for change. One team will be the first to s...
Nixon
1995
as Nelson Rockefeller
A look at President Richard M. Nixon—a man carrying the fate of the world on his shoulders while battling the self-destructive demands from within—spa...
The Face on the Milk Carton
1995
as Frank Jessmon
Based on the book by Caroline B. Cooney, a girl happens to look down at a milk carton one day and she sees herself on the back! Could her parents real...
Here Come the Munsters
1995
as Herman Munster
The Munsters come to America to search for Herman's brother-in-law Norman Hyde, only to find out that he has turned himself into Brent Jekyll, who is ...
Ri¢hie Ri¢h
1994
as Richard Rich
Billionaire heir Richie Rich has it all, including Reggie Jackson as a batting coach and Claudia Schiffer as a personal trainer -- but no playmates. W...
Don't Drink the Water
1994
as Mr. Kilroy
Somewhere behind the early 1960s cold-war iron curtain, the Hollander family cause an international spying incident when Walter photographs a sunset i...
Foreign Student
1994
as Zachary 'Zach' Gilmore
A French football playing exchange student falls in love.
A Foreign Field
1993
as Ralph
Nostalgic comic drama in which Cyril and Amos, two veterans of the Normandy landings, return to France to visit the grave of their wartime buddy. They...
My Boyfriend's Back
1993
as Mr. Dingle
Missy McCloud is the most beautiful girl in school and Johnny Dingle has been in love with her for years. One night, Johnny is killed trying to win he...
Born Yesterday
1993
as Ed Deverey
A rich millionaire hires a sophisticated journalist to bring his somewhat dim-witted girlfriend up to the level of his peers. He fears that the showgi...
Hero
1992
as Mr. Broadman - Man Committing Suicide
Bernie Laplante is having a rough time. He's divorced, his ex-wife hates him and has custody of their son, the cops are setting a trap for him, then t...
Fire in the Dark
1991
as Robert
A 75-year old widow with battles herself as she struggles with being a burden to those she loves. Though determined not to rely on her children, she i...
Sweet Poison
1991
as Henry
A convict on the run from the law kidnaps a couple who are on their way to a funeral. He finds that he got more than he bargained for when he realizes...
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self
A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.
So Proudly We Hail
1990
as James Wagner
A white supremacist exploits the works of a college anthropologist and a teen who joins his group.
Big Business
1988
as Graham Sherbourne
In the 1940s in the small town of Jupiter Hollow, two sets of identical twins are born in the same hospital on the same night. One set to a poor local...
Overboard
1987
as Grant Stayton III
Heiress Joanna Stayton hires carpenter Dean Proffitt to build a closet on her yacht—and refuses to pay him for the project when it's done. But after J...
The Lost Boys
1987
as Max
When an unsuspecting town newcomer is drawn to local blood fiends, the Frog brothers and other unlikely heroes gear up to rescue him.
Murrow
1986
as Fred Friendly
Follow legendary news reporter/commentator from his radio broadcasts from the rooftops of London during the Blitz to his TV documentary series "See It...
Compromising Positions
1985
as Bob Singer
An ex-newspaper woman who is now a suburban housewife can't resist getting involved in an investigation of the murder of a philandering dentist who ha...
The Man with One Red Shoe
1985
as Brown
A man is mistaken as a spy by the CIA when he arrives at the airport with one red shoe.
The Purple Rose of Cairo
1985
as Henry
Cecilia is a waitress in New Jersey, living a dreary life during the Great Depression. Her only escape from her mundane reality is the movie theatre. ...
Mrs. Soffel
1984
as Warden Peter Soffel
Kate Soffel is married to a prison warden in Pittsburgh, and is the mother of their four children. Ed Biddle is a convicted murderer awaiting executio...
Memorial Day
1983
as Ned Larwin
An attorney finds himself at the center of a surprise reunion with the veterans of his platoon from Vietnam.The reunion stirs up painful memories and ...
Annie
1982
as FDR
An orphan in a facility run by the mean Miss Hannigan, Annie believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver "Daddy"...
Death Valley
1982
as Paul Stanton
A divorced mother, her young son and her new boyfriend set out on a road trip through Death Valley and run afoul of a local serial killer.
A Little Sex
1982
as Tommy
Michael and Katherine have enjoyed a long relationship together even before they tie the knot. But Michael does not hide the fact he's a womanizer and...
The Gift of Life
1982
as Dr. Quinn
A young woman is faced with local disapproval and strain on her marriage when she agrees to serve as a surrogate mother.
The Electric Grandmother
1982
as Father
To a family whose children are traumatized by the death of their mother, help comes in a most bizarre way. They receive three pieces, that when joined...
Reds
1981
as Max Eastman
An account of the revolutionary years of the legendary American journalist John Reed, who shared his adventurous professional life with his radical co...
The Private History of a Campaign That Failed
1981
as The Stranger
Mark Twain tale of cowardly Confederate soldiers.
Harry's War
1981
as Harry Johnson
After his aunt dies of a heart attack while fighting the IRS, Harry Johnson decides to take up the cause.
O Youth and Beauty!
1979
as Kip Lawton
Cash Bentley and his wife Louise lead an average upper-middle-class life in suburbia, with a nice home and two fine children. But Cash grows increasin...
Freedom Road
1979
as Stephen Holmes
Ex-slave and former Union soldier Gideon Jackson represents other ex-slaves at the constitutional convention, and is soon elected to the U.S. Senate d...
The Sorrows of Gin
1979
as Kip Lawton
An affluent suburban couple's empty and gin-fueled lives are observed through the eyes of their neglected, eight-year old daughter.
Portrait of a Stripper
1979
as Frank Andrews
A young widow, supporting herself and her pre-teen son by performing as a nightclub dancer, finds the place turned into a strip joint and learns that ...
The North Avenue Irregulars
1979
as Michael Hill
When crooks set up operations in a traditional town, a minister and a group of church ladies are willing to do anything, no matter how wacky, to get t...
Take Down
1979
as Ed Branish
An unqualified teacher finds himself saddled with coaching duties after a small group of high school seniors form a wrestling team in a last ditch eff...
Brass Target
1978
as Col. Walter Gilchrist
General George S. Patton died in a car accident in 1945. But was his death actually a murder. Is he targeted by Nazis angered by Germany's defeat? Or...
The Betsy
1978
as Dan Weyman
Ruthless patriarch Loren hires racecar driver Angelo to build a more efficient vehicle against the wishes of his grandson. But things get even messier...
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
1978
as Lou Gehrig
One of the most moving stories in the annals of sports is presented in this true drama documenting the love affair of baseball immortal Lou Gehrig and...
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years
1977
as Franklin D. Roosevelt
The story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during their 12-year stay at the White House.
Valley Forge
1975
George Washington struggles to hold his army together at a critical point during the Revolutionary War.
The Great Waldo Pepper
1975
as Ezra Stiles
A biplane pilot who had missed flying in WWI takes up barnstorming and later a movie career in his quest for the glory he had missed.
The Great Gatsby
1974
as Klipspringer
Nick Carraway, a young Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, t...
The Day of the Dolphin
1973
as Mike
Dr. Jake Terrell, who has been training a pair of dolphins for many years, has had a breakthrough. He has taught his dolphins to speak and understand ...
The Paper Chase
1973
as Thomas Craig Anderson
A first-year law student struggles with balancing his coursework and his relationship with the daughter of a stern professor.
Lady Liberty
1971
as Policeman (uncredited)
An Italian woman faces challenges at JFK Airport when Customs confiscates the mortadella sausage she brought as a gift for her fiancé, leading to a hu...