David Sage

David Sage
Born
United States
OccupationActor
Years active1980–2002

David Sage is an American character actor known for his various roles primarily in television in the 1980s and 1990s.

Career

Film

Sage began his career in the Italian film Cannibal Holocaust (1980).[1] He was in Galaxies Are Colliding (1992)[2] and The Birdcage.[3][4][5]

Television

Among the many shows in the 1980s, Sage was in were The Quest, The Greatest American Hero, Cagney & Lacey, Falcon Crest, Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and Murder, She Wrote. During the 1990s, he was in Seinfeld, Star Trek: The Next Generation,[6] Monsters, Picket Fences, and The Young and the Restless. Sage was in nine made-for-TV movies: Love, Mary (1985),[7] Shakedown on the Sunset Strip (1988), Rock Hudson (1990),[8][9][10] Shattered Dreams (1990),[11][12][13] Just Life (1990), A Private Matter[14][15] (1992), Bonanza: The Return (1993),[16] Babylon 5: The Gathering (1993),[17] and Where Are My Children? (1994).[18] He was cast in one miniseries: Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North (1989).[19][20][21]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director(s) Notes
1980 Cannibal Holocaust Alan's Father[a] Ruggero Deodato Italian cannibal film
1992 Galaxies Are Colliding Reverend John Ryman Comedy film
1996 The Birdcage Senator Eli Jackson Mike Nichols Comedy film
Based on the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, itself an adaptation of the 1973 play[22]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Quest Guest Episode: "Last One There Is a Rotten Heir"
1983 Bay City Blues Friedman Episodes:
  • "Beautiful Peoples"
  • "Zircons Are Forever"
The Greatest American Hero Offocial Episode: "It's Only Rock and Roll"
1984 Hardcastle and McCormick Dwayne Morton Episode: "The George Street Motors"
1985 St. Elsewhere Surgeon Episode: "Red, White, Black, and Blue"
Cagney & Lacey Joseph Singleton Episode: "Con Games"
Me and Mom Guest Episode: "A Killing in the Market"
Love, Mary Dr. Miller Made-For-TV movie directed by Robert Day[7]
Hunter Guest Episode: "Rich Girl"
1985–87 Falcon Crest
  • Minister
  • Judge
Episodes:
  • "Confessions"
  • "Missed Connections"
1985–88 Highway to Heaven
  • Mr. Dolan
  • Coleman Charmin
3 episodes
1986 The Twilight Zone Professor Episode: "Profile in Silver / Button, Button"
Newhart President of a Country Episode: "Pre-Nups"
Hill Street Blues Councilman Episode: "The Best Defense"
1986–92 L.A. Law
  • Judge Aaron Hofheinz
  • Dr. Andrew Garreth
Episodes:
  • "Gibbon Take"
  • "Second Time Around"
1987 Superior Court Peter Holbrooke Episode: "Teenage Abuse"
1988 Shakedown on the Sunset Strip Mayor Fletcher Bowron Made-For-TV movie directed by Walter Grauman
Dallas Senator Walter Episode: "The Lady Singeth"
Murder, She Wrote Stavros Episode: "Wearing of the Green"
1989 Studio 5-B Dr. Restow Episode: "The Aftermath"
Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North Jenner[a] Miniseries directed by Mike Robe
Christine Cromwell Fred Mascarpone Episode: "Easy Come, Easy Go"
Anything But Love Guest Episode: "Breast of Friends"
1990 Rock Hudson Harold Rhoden Made-For-TV movie directed by John Nicolella
Based on My Husband, Rock Hudson by Phyllis Gates[23][24][25]
Who's the Boss? Don Lester Episode: "Dear Landlord"
Shattered Dreams Father Oberleiss[a] Made-For-TV movie directed by Robert Iscove
Just Life N/a Made-For-TV movie directed by Dan Lerner
Monsters Lawyer Episode: "Cellmates"
1991 Gabriel's Fire Judge Wittenbauer Episode: "A Prayer for Goldsteins"
She-Wolf of London Horrace Menzies Episode: "Habeas Corpses"
Quantum Leap Judge Episode: "Future Boy – October 6, 1957"
1992 Roseanne Priest Episode: "Bingo"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Tamin Episode: "Violations"
A Private Matter Doctor #3 Made-For-TV movie directed by Joan Micklin Silver
Seinfeld Dr. Dembrow Episode: "The Wallet"
1993 Picket Fences Judge Banks Episode: "Duty Free Rome"
Bonanza: The Return Miller Swanson Made-For-TV movie directed by Jerry Jameson
Babylon 5: The Gathering Business Man #2 Made-For-TV movie directed by Richard Compton
1994 Where Are My Children? Federal Judge Made-For-TV movie directed by George Kaczender
Part of The ABC Sunday Night Movie
1994–95 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
  • John Cosgrove
  • Dr. Alan Golden
Episodes:
  • "All Shook up"
  • "Target: Jimmy Olsen"
1995 Babylon 5 Centauri Merchant Episode: "Acts of Sacrifice"
Diagnosis Murder Clayburgh the Jeweler Episode: "All American Murder"
1995–96 Campus Cops Captain Hingle 9 episodes
1997 The Young and the Restless Reverend Episode: "1.6034"
1998 JAG Judge Lonigan Episode: "The Martin Baker Fan Club"
Any Day Now Guest Episode: "Quit Bein' Suck a Scaredy Cat"
1999 The West Wing John Van Dyke Episode: "Pilot"
2000 Get Real Priest Episode: "Absolution"
2002 The Practice Judge Robert M. Breech Episode: "Judge Knot"

Notes

References

  1. ^ "The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever". Entertainment Weekly. Vol. 17, no. 882. People Inc. June 16, 2006. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  2. ^ Hajari, Nisid (April 26, 1996). "Video Review: 'Galaxies are Colliding'". Entertainment Weekly. Vol. 31, no. 324. People Inc. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  3. ^ Ebert, Roger (March 8, 1996). "The Birdcage". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved January 31, 2026 – via Chicago Sun-Times.
  4. ^ Hinson, Hal (March 8, 1996). "'The Birdcage': A Wingding of a Show". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  5. ^ Thomson, Desson (March 8, 1996). "These 'Cage' Birds Sing". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  6. ^ Handlen, Zack (March 24, 2011). "Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Hero Worship"/"Violations"". The A. V. Club. Paste Media Group. Archived from the original on November 8, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  7. ^ a b Roberts, 2009 & p123.
  8. ^ O'Connor, John J. (August 1, 1990). "Review/Television; The Life, Death and Secrets of Rock Hudson". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. eISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  9. ^ Rick, Kogan (January 7, 1990). "Shooting A Fallen Star". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. p. 10. ISSN 1085-6706. OCLC 7960243. Retrieved January 31, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Shale, Tom (January 8, 1990). "Icon Fights Time and AIDS". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. p. 9A. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved January 31, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Brennan, Patricia (May 13, 1990). "HER 'SHATTERED DREAMS'". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  12. ^ Shepard, Richard F. (May 12, 1990). "Review/Television; Drama of Wife Beating, Without Sensationalism". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. eISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  13. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Shattered Dreams". People. Vol. 33, no. 19. People Inc. May 14, 1990. ISSN 0093-7673. OCLC 794712888. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  14. ^ Kogan, Rick (19 June 1992). "The Finkbine Case". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. ISSN 1085-6706. OCLC 7960243. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  15. ^ Horowitz, Lisa D. (June 19, 1992). "A Private Matter". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  16. ^ Lowry, Brian (November 24, 1993). "Bonanza: The Return". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  17. ^ Kaiser, Rowan (June 1, 2012). "Babylon 5: The Gathering". The A. V. Club. Paste Media Group. Archived from the original on November 9, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  18. ^ McCarthy, John P. (September 16, 1994). "The ABC Sunday Night Movie Where Are My Children?". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  19. ^ Michaelson, Judith (January 31, 1989). "The Other Oliver North Show : As Trial Opens, TV Drama Is at Halfway Point". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  20. ^ Dowd, Maureen (March 19, 1989). "TELEVISION; Sensitive Mission: Retelling Oliver North's Story". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. eISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  21. ^ O'Connor, John J. (April 28, 1989). "TV Weekend; Is Oliver North a Hero or a Scoundrel?". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. eISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  22. ^ Sasaguay, Chris (March 23, 2024). "This French Film Was the Inspiration For One of Robin Williams' Best Movies". Collider. Valnet. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  23. ^ Gates, Phyllis (1987). My Husband, Rock Hudson (Hardcover). New York City: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385240710.
  24. ^ Tropiano 2002, p. 149.
  25. ^ McLellan, Dennis (August 9, 1987). "Phyllis Gates, 80; Former Talent Agency Secretary Was Briefly Married to Rock Hudson in '50s". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved January 31, 2026.

Sources