John Sayles: movies and TV shows
John Sayles has 154 credits in the archive: 138 films and 16 TV series, from 1978 to 2026. Highest rated: Shannon's Deal (7.7/10).
Career timeline
1978 – 2026 · busiest year: 1980 (9 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | The Gray House | TV | 4.3 | 75 | |
| 2026 | The Gray House | TV | 4.3 | 75 | |
| 2024 | John Sayles and Gregory Nava | Themself | Film | — | 73 |
| 2023 | Poker Face | Chief Hal | TV | 7.5 | 72 |
| 2021 | Corona Film Club | Self | Film | 5.0 | 70 |
| 2021 | Texas Red | Governor Johnson (voice) | Film | 2.7 | 70 |
| 2021 | Algren | Self | Film | 6.0 | 70 |
| 2020 | Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time | Self | TV | 7.2 | 69 |
| 2020 | Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi | Self | Film | 6.4 | 69 |
| 2019 | The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot | Film | 5.4 | 68 | |
| 2019 | Sonora: The Devil’s Highway | Film | 6.2 | 68 | |
| 2019 | Them That Work | Self | Film | — | 68 |
| 2019 | Them That Work | Film | — | 68 | |
| 2018 | The Alienist | TV | 7.5 | 67 | |
| 2018 | The Alienist | TV | 7.5 | 67 | |
| 2016 | The Umbrella | Pastor Jim | Film | — | 65 |
| 2016 | Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny | Film | 6.8 | 65 | |
| 2016 | Elsie Hooper | Film | — | 65 | |
| 2016 | Dr. Del | Film | — | 65 | |
| 2016 | Dr. Del | Film | — | 65 | |
| 2015 | Talents | Film | — | 64 | |
| 2015 | The Third Man: A Filmmaker's Influence | Self | Film | — | 64 |
| 2014 | That Guy Dick Miller | Self | Film | 7.0 | 63 |
| 2013 | Go for Sisters | Film | 6.0 | 62 | |
| 2013 | Go for Sisters | Film | 6.0 | 62 | |
| 2013 | Go for Sisters | Film | 6.0 | 62 | |
| 2012 | The Normals | Dr. Marx | Film | 6.0 | 61 |
| 2012 | Casting By | Self | Film | 6.9 | 61 |
| 2011 | The Story of Film: An Odyssey | Self | TV | 7.7 | 60 |
| 2011 | Amigo | Film | 4.9 | 60 | |
| 2011 | Amigo | Film | 4.9 | 60 | |
| 2011 | Amigo | Film | 4.9 | 60 | |
| 2011 | Corman's World | Self - Filmmaker | Film | 7.0 | 60 |
| 2010 | Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood | Self | TV | 5.4 | 59 |
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | Michael Goldman | Film | 6.1 | 58 |
| 2009 | Great Directors | Self | Film | 6.1 | 58 |
| 2009 | The Toe Tactic | Cramden | Film | 4.0 | 58 |
| 2008 | The Spiderwick Chronicles | Film | 6.7 | 57 | |
| 2008 | Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press | Self | Film | 4.4 | 57 |
| 2007 | Honeydripper | Zeke | Film | 5.9 | 56 |
| 2007 | Honeydripper | Film | 5.9 | 56 | |
| 2007 | Honeydripper | Film | 5.9 | 56 | |
| 2007 | Honeydripper | Film | 5.9 | 56 | |
| 2007 | My Mexican Shivah | Film | 6.6 | 56 | |
| 2007 | Alligator Author | Self | Film | — | 56 |
| 2006 | Edge of Outside | Self | Film | 5.8 | 55 |
| 2006 | Howard Zinn: Voices of a People's History of the United States | Self | Film | — | 55 |
| 2004 | Tell Them Who You Are | Self | Film | 6.1 | 53 |
| 2004 | Silver City | Film | 6.1 | 53 | |
| 2004 | Silver City | Film | 6.1 | 53 | |
| 2004 | Silver City | Film | 6.1 | 53 | |
| 2003 | Casa de los Babys | Film | 5.5 | 52 | |
| 2003 | Casa de los Babys | Film | 5.5 | 52 | |
| 2003 | Casa de los Babys | Film | 5.5 | 52 | |
| 2003 | Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’ | Film | 7.0 | 52 | |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Man who almost got hit by a golf ball (uncredited) | Film | 6.4 | 51 |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Film | 6.4 | 51 | |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Film | 6.4 | 51 | |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Film | 6.4 | 51 | |
| 2001 | Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000 | Film | 6.2 | 50 | |
| 2000 | Girlfight | Science Teacher | Film | 6.6 | 49 |
| 2000 | Girlfight | Film | 6.6 | 49 | |
| 2000 | A Constant Forge | Self | Film | 6.8 | 49 |
| 2000 | When It Was a Game 3 | Self (voice) | Film | 9.5 | 49 |
| 1999 | Limbo | Film | 6.6 | 48 | |
| 1999 | Limbo | Film | 6.6 | 48 | |
| 1999 | Limbo | Film | 6.6 | 48 | |
| 1999 | Little Saints | Film | 5.0 | 48 | |
| 1998 | Independent Focus | Self | TV | 8.3 | 47 |
| 1998 | Men with Guns | Film | 6.3 | 47 | |
| 1998 | Men with Guns | Film | 6.3 | 47 | |
| 1998 | Men with Guns | Film | 6.3 | 47 | |
| 1997 | Scene by Scene | Self | TV | 6.0 | 46 |
| 1997 | Mimic | Film | 6.1 | 46 | |
| 1997 | Gridlock'd | Cop #1 | Film | 6.6 | 46 |
| 1997 | Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western | Self | Film | 7.0 | 46 |
| 1996 | Lone Star | Film | 7.0 | 45 | |
| 1996 | Lone Star | Film | 7.0 | 45 | |
| 1996 | Lone Star | Film | 7.0 | 45 | |
| 1995 | Piranha | Film | 4.7 | 44 | |
| 1994 | Baseball | Self | TV | 7.5 | 43 |
| 1994 | The Secret of Roan Inish | Film | 6.7 | 43 | |
| 1994 | The Secret of Roan Inish | Film | 6.7 | 43 | |
| 1994 | The Secret of Roan Inish | Film | 6.7 | 43 | |
| 1994 | Men of War | Film | 5.2 | 43 | |
| 1994 | My Life's in Turnaround | Marginal producer | Film | 4.8 | 43 |
| 1993 | Matinee | Bob | Film | 6.7 | 42 |
| 1992 | Malcolm X | FBI Agent | Film | 7.6 | 41 |
| 1992 | Passion Fish | Soap Opera Doctor (uncredited) | Film | 7.0 | 41 |
| 1992 | Passion Fish | Film | 7.0 | 41 | |
| 1992 | Passion Fish | Film | 7.0 | 41 | |
| 1992 | Passion Fish | Film | 7.0 | 41 | |
| 1992 | Straight Talk | Guy Girardi | Film | 6.0 | 41 |
| 1991 | City of Hope | Carl | Film | 6.6 | 40 |
| 1991 | City of Hope | Film | 6.6 | 40 | |
| 1991 | City of Hope | Film | 6.6 | 40 | |
| 1991 | City of Hope | Film | 6.6 | 40 | |
| 1990 | Shannon's Deal | Ronnie Nash | TV | 7.7 | 39 |
| 1990 | Shannon's Deal | TV | 7.7 | 39 | |
| 1990 | Shannon's Deal | TV | 7.7 | 39 | |
| 1990 | Little Vegas | Mike | Film | 5.0 | 39 |
| 1989 | Untamagiru | US High Commissioner | Film | 4.6 | 38 |
| 1989 | Breaking In | Film | 5.7 | 38 | |
| 1989 | Shannon's Deal | Film | 9.0 | 38 | |
| 1989 | La fine della notte | Wayne | Film | 7.0 | 38 |
| 1989 | Mountain View | Film | — | 38 | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Ring Lardner | Film | 6.8 | 37 |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Film | 6.8 | 37 | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Film | 6.8 | 37 | |
| 1987 | Square One Television | Roy 'Lefty' Cobbs | TV | 5.6 | 36 |
| 1987 | Matewan | Hardshell Preacher | Film | 7.4 | 36 |
| 1987 | Matewan | Film | 7.4 | 36 | |
| 1987 | Matewan | Film | 7.4 | 36 | |
| 1987 | Wild Thing | Film | 5.7 | 36 | |
| 1987 | Wild Thing | Film | 5.7 | 36 | |
| 1986 | Something Wild | Motorcycle Cop | Film | 6.6 | 35 |
| 1986 | The Clan of the Cave Bear | Film | 5.3 | 35 | |
| 1986 | The ChuckleHounds | TV | 7.0 | 35 | |
| 1986 | Unnatural Causes | Lloyd | Film | 7.4 | 35 |
| 1986 | Unnatural Causes | Film | 7.4 | 35 | |
| 1986 | Unnatural Causes | Film | 7.4 | 35 | |
| 1985 | Hard Choices | Don | Film | 3.8 | 34 |
| 1984 | The Brother from Another Planet | Man in Black | Film | 6.7 | 33 |
| 1984 | The Brother from Another Planet | Film | 6.7 | 33 | |
| 1984 | The Brother from Another Planet | Film | 6.7 | 33 | |
| 1984 | The Brother from Another Planet | Film | 6.7 | 33 | |
| 1983 | Baby It's You | Film | 6.0 | 32 | |
| 1983 | Baby It's You | Film | 6.0 | 32 | |
| 1983 | Lianna | Jerry | Film | 6.4 | 32 |
| 1983 | Lianna | Film | 6.4 | 32 | |
| 1983 | Lianna | Film | 6.4 | 32 | |
| 1983 | Lianna | Film | 6.4 | 32 | |
| 1983 | Enormous Changes at the Last Minute | Film | 4.6 | 32 | |
| 1982 | The Challenge | Film | 5.9 | 31 | |
| 1981 | The Howling | Morgue Attendant (uncredited) | Film | 6.6 | 30 |
| 1981 | The Howling | Film | 6.6 | 30 | |
| 1980 | Battle Beyond the Stars | Film | 5.4 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Battle Beyond the Stars | Film | 5.4 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Alligator | Film | 6.1 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Alligator | Film | 6.1 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Return of the Secaucus Seven | Howie | Film | 6.5 | 29 |
| 1980 | Return of the Secaucus Seven | Film | 6.5 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Return of the Secaucus Seven | Film | 6.5 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Return of the Secaucus Seven | Film | 6.5 | 29 | |
| 1980 | A Perfect Match | Film | 7.0 | 29 | |
| 1979 | The Lady in Red | Film | 5.6 | 28 | |
| 1978 | Piranha | Army Sentry (uncredited) | Film | 6.0 | 27 |
| 1978 | Piranha | Film | 6.0 | 27 | |
| 1978 | Piranha | Film | 6.0 | 27 | |
| Django Lives! | Film | — | — | ||
| Grendel | Film | — | — | ||
| I Passed This Way | Film | — | — | ||
| I Passed This Way | Film | — | — | ||
| An Ode to Mary Jo | Film | — | — |