David Sage obit

David Rohan Sage

July 13, 1940 – March 12, 2026

 

He was not on the list.

David Sage (1940 – 2026) is best known as a face from television and film. Born in Syracuse, New York, he attended the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago before going on to perform in theater companies around the country.

In 1987 he moved to Los Angeles where he found roles in such shows as “Seinfeld”, “The West Wing” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. David took special pride in being part of the Ensemble Award from Screen Actors Guild for his work in the Mike Nichols film “The Bird Cage”, the certificate having a special place on the wall.

A stroke in 2002 ended his acting career but reruns of the many shows in which he appeared continue to generate fan mail. David Sage is survived by his wife Judy, his sister Patti Morse and three nieces, Karin and Amy Morse and Sarah Bechtel. plus next generation Meghan, Emily and Rohan Bechtel.

 

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

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[24][25][26]

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"