Few actors have as extensive a filmography asSteven Weber, and his best movies and TV shows reveal an astounding level of variety that stands as a testament to theWingsandChicago Medstar’s versatility. Born in 1961 with a career that started in 1984, Steven Weber has starred in dozens of movies and TV shows across the decades. He got his earliest experience as a child actor in TV commercials, but his big break came in the 1984 romantic comedyFlamingo Kid.
From this early appearance, Steven Weber went on to star in a variety of movies and TV shows throughout the 1980s, including the acclaimed Vietnam War movieHamburger Hill.However, it was landing a leading role in the1990-1997 sitcomWingsthat truly kick-started Steven Weber’s career, and decades later the actor is still enjoying an incredibly successful and active career. Picking out the best Steven Weber movies and TV shows is no easy task, as he’s appeared in so many, but his 10 most memorable and noteworthy roles are those that highlight why he’s never struggled to find work.
10Indebted (2020)
Steven Weber Plays Stew Klein
2020’sIndebtedmay not be the most widely known or successful Steven Weber TV show, but it does deserve a mention when considering the highlights of his filmography over his decades-long career. The NBC sitcom only lasted for one season, but it was the most recent occasion that Weber starred as part of the main cast of a sitcom. Weber played Stew Klein, a retired TV pitchman who finds himself having to turn to his son and daughter-in-law when he runs into financial troubles.
The premise ofIndebtedwas certainly intriguing, and Steven Weber gave a great performance as Stew.The show focuses on Dave (Adam Pally) and Rebecca (Abby Elliot) Klein, whose adult children have finally moved out. Before they can enjoy peace in their home, however, Dave’s parents Stew and Debbie (Fran Drescher) show up on the doorstep in such financial difficulty that they need to move into the Klein household. Should Steven Weber land another role as part of a sitcom’s main cast, thenIndebtedwill likely fade into obscurity among his many roles, though until this happens, it remains noteworthy.
9All Dogs Go To Heaven: The Series (1996-1998)
Steven Weber Voices Charlie B. Barkin
All Dogs Go To Heavenis one of thebest animated movies from the 1980sthat wasn’t made by Disney, and Steven Weber led the cast of the TV series spin-off as the German Shepherd Charlie B. Barkin. The show followed on fromAll Dogs Go To Heaven 2,by the end of which both Charlie and his best friend, Itchy, had died and (as the title suggests) gone to heaven. However, the series sees them return to Earth to serve as guardian angels.
Each episode ofAll Dogs Go To Heaven: The Seriesfollowed a similar format. Charlie and Itchy would be given a task by Annabelle (an Angel who takes the form of a whippet), and they’d then try their best to help one of the people or dogs in San Francisco that needed them most.Like the two movies,All Dogs Go To Heaven: The Serieswas surprisingly heartfelt for entertainment aimed at younger viewers, and across its three seasons had more than its share of emotional moments.
Hamburger Hill
Cast
Hamburger Hill is an action war-drama film based on the true events surrounding the Battle of Hamburger Hill and was directed by John Irvin. The movie centers on a group of men in the Bravo Company who battle to claim the infamously named hill while trying to keep themselves and each other safe in one of the bloodiest battles in American history.
There have been manygreat movies about the Vietnam War, and one of the best Steven Weber movies is 1987’sHamburger Hill,which is set during the famous 1969 assault of the same name from the ill-fated conflict. Steven Weber plays Sergeant First Class Worcester, one of the most experienced soldiers in the 3rd Battalion of the 187th Infantry.
Worcester’s platoon is drawn in to assault Hill 937, and the carnage that followed went down in history as the Battle of Hamburger Hill. Steven Weber gave an astounding performance as Sergeant First Class Worcester, and the role would go on to define the early years of his career.Hamburger Hillsits at 100% onRotten Tomatoes, receiving notable praise for the character-focused approach of director John Irvin.It’s an incredibly grounded Vietnam war movie, and Weber’s performance still stands out against many of his more recent appearances.
NCIS: New Orleans
The third series in the NCIS franchise, NCIS: New Orleans is a crime drama television series that aired for seven seasons from 2014-2021 on CBS. The police procedural show follows the work of a New Orleans-based team of NCIS Special Agents led by Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne “King” Cassius Pride, played by Scott Bakula. The cast also includes CCH Pounder, Rob Kerkovich, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Lucas Black, and Vanessa Ferlito, among others.
TheNCISfranchiseis one of the most successful procedural cop shows of the last few decades, and Steven Weber had regular appearances in the popular spinoffNCIS: New Orleansacross seasons 1-4 between 2014 and 2017. Weber played Douglas Hamilton, an antagonistic politician and somewhat of a rival to Special Agent Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula).HisNCIS: New Orleanscharacter was an incredibly endearing antagonist who viewers loved to loathe, and he made for a great recurring presence to add overarching continuity to the case-of-the-week procedural format of the show.
Steven Weber’s Douglas Hamilton eventually became the Mayor of New Orleans, and his towards the end of his character arc he found himself incarcerated. In terms of the actors wider filmography, playing Douglas Hamilton proved just how well he could play slimy corrupt villains, and he remains one of the betterNCISrecurring antagonists who wasn’t a serial killer or predominantly a career criminal.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of a fictional sketch-comedy television show. Premiering in 2006, the series presents the challenges faced by its cast and crew as they navigate the intricacies of production and network politics.
While it only lasted for a single season,Aaron Sorkin’sStudio 60 on the Sunset Stripamassed a huge fanbase thanks to the combination of the creator’s penchant for snappy dialogue and a cast that included the likes of Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry. Steven Weber also made a notable regular appearance as Jack Rudolph, the chairman of the National Broadcasting System (known in the show as NBS). The show focused on the behind-the-scenes creation of a fictional comedy series (from which the show draws its title) similar toSNL.
While not an outright antagonist like hisNCIS: New Orleanscharacter Douglas Hamilton, Steven Weber still managed to play a role that was endearing because he was so satisfying to dislike with his performance as Jack Rudolph inStudio 60.However, despite the animosity his mere presence caused among the other characters, Rudolph also showed himself to have their back, defending the team behind the fictionStudio 60on multiple occasions whenever the parent company of network NBS tries to interfere with the production.
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man is an animated action series that follows a young Peter Parker as the wall-crawling superhero at the early stages of his career. After a chance encounter with Director of Shield Nick Fury, Peter is given the opportunity to train to become an incredible hero - and to do so; he’ll have to train with a group of fellow teenagers vying for the same goal.
Steven Weber is primarily known for his live-action roles, though his talents also extend to voice-acting. One of the best Steven Weber TV shows is also one that seems detached from movies likeHamburger Hilland shows likeNCIS: New Orleans. Ultimate Spider-Manran from 2012 to 2017, and Steven Weber voiced multiple characters in the show. The characters voiced by Weber included many classicSpider-Manvillains including Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin, Venom, and Trapster.
Ultimate Spider-Manmay be one of the lesser-known Steven Weber TV shows due to how different it is from the rest of his filmography. This doesn’t make it any less noteworthy, however. The Disney XD show served as an introduction tothe world ofSpider-Manfor many young viewers in the early 2010s, and it’s partially thanks to Weber’s performance as many of Spider-Man’s most iconic foes that it’s still cited as one of the best animated takes on the character to date.
iZombie
After being turned into a zombie, medical resident Liv must periodically feast on human brains to keep the appearance of being human and takes a job at a morgue to sate her hunger. When she discovers that eating a corpse’s brain gives her temporary access to their skills, traits, and memories, Liv decides to use her talent to help solve murders.
iZombieis one of the most unique TV shows to feature the undead, as it humanized the flesh-eating horror monsters and focused on a world where the brain-hungry corpses retain their personalities. Steven Weber was a recurring cast member who appeared in 11 episodes between 2015 and 2016, and his character, Vaughn Du Clark, served as a key antagonist iniZombieseasons 1 and 2. In a show about zombies, the origins of the zombies is always an important plot point. This is why Vaughn Du Clark was so important toiZombie —Steven Weber played the character responsible for creating the virus.
However, Steven Weber’s character iniZombiewasn’t a government scientist or evil mastermind. He was the corrupt director of an energy drinks company, named Max Rager, and his pursuit of profits at the expense of product testing resulted in zombies walking among the living.Despite the premise of the show, Steven Weber stands out for his comedic talents iniZombie, and it remains one of his best performances to date.
The Shining
The Shining, released in 1997, is a miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, detailing the winter stay of a family at the isolated Overlook Hotel. Jack Torrance becomes the caretaker, but his increasing isolation and supernatural forces within the hotel lead to haunting consequences for his family.
While Stanley Kubrick’s1980 movieThe Shiningmay be the most well-known adaptation of Stephen King’s hit novel, it’s not the only time the harrowing tale has been brought to the screen.The Shiningalso became a three-part miniseries in 1997, and Steven Weber led the cast as Jack Torrance. While Weber’s performance may not be as iconic as that of Jack Nicholson’s in the same role, it was still incredibly strong in its own right.This is evidenced by the fact that the actor picked up a Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television, which also cementsThe Shiningas one of the best Steven Weber TV shows.
The 1997The Shiningminiseries also won two Primetime Emmy Awards (for Outstanding Makeup and Outside Sound Editing, respectively), and it would likely be discussed much more were it not overshadowed by Kubrick’s film. The show was also an undisputed hit when it aired, with critics noting both Weber’s performance and the well-timed pacing of the narrative.
Wings
Wings is a sitcom that aired from 1990 to 1997, centered around two brothers, Joe and Brian Hackett, who run a small airline in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The show examines their personal and professional lives, including their interactions with quirky airport staff and passengers. Starring Tim Daly and Steven Weber, the series offers a comedic look at the challenges and triumphs of operating a small business in a close-knit community.
Frasiermay be known in partfor being a spin-off ofCheers,but many viewers may not know that a third show takes place in the same universe.Wingsis a sitcom that ran from 1990 to 1997, and manyCheerscharacters made cameos on the show. Set entirely in a small Massachusetts airport,Wingsfocused on various pilots, crew members, and airport staff. Steven Weber was a main cast member throughout all 172 episodes ofWings,playing pilot Brian Hackett.
For many viewers, playing Brian inWingsis the most recognizable of all of Steven Weber’s roles.Alongside fellow cast-members Tim Daly, Crystal Bernard, andMonkstar Tony Shalhoub,Wingswas a truly unique sitcom. Its airport setting may have seemed experimental at first, but it worked. ViewingWingsin the 2020s also feels incredibly fresh, especially since it was one of the last that didn’t follow the genre-dominating format of a group of friends in a big city thatFRIENDSstarted.
Chicago Med
Chicago Med is a medical drama series that explores the high-stakes environment of a bustling Chicago hospital. Set against the backdrop of chaotic emergency room scenarios, the series follows a team of dedicated doctors and nurses as they confront challenging cases inspired by real-world issues, while navigating complex relationships.
The best Steven Weber TV show, both in terms of his performance and the quality of the show overall, is the Dick Wolf proceduralChicago Med, which is part oftheOne Chicagofranchise. Weber has been a cast-member since 2021, starting as a recurring character, then being part of the main cast from season 7 onward.Steven Weber plays Dr. Dean Archer inChicago Med,and the role is quickly becoming his most well-known, even overtaking Brian inWings.
Dr. Dean Archer is the head of the Emergency Department at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, and it’s a role that allows Weber to flex his versatility as an actor. He plays a no-nonsense former Navy officer who still struggles with PTSD — yet, despite his own mental health difficulties, Dr. Archer has little-to-no patience for psychiatry, or patients in the ER for psychological illness instead of purely physical symptoms. Once again,Steven Webershines as a borderline-antagonistic yet complex character, and starring inChicago Medillustrates just how much of an often-underappreciated talent the actor truly is.
