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David Lee Smith

David Lee Smith

Actor · Born September 8, 1963 (63) · Birmingham, Alabama, USA

David Lee Smith (born September 8, 1963) is an American actor, known for his role as John Oldman, the protagonist of the 2007 science fiction film, The Man from Earth and its 2017 sequel, The Man from Earth: Holocene; he co-starred with John Billingsley and Tony Todd. He has also appeared in other movies, including Fight Club, and dozens of television episodes, some as a recurring character such as IAB Sergeant Rick Stetler in CSI: Miami.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 8, 1963 (63)
From
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 36% in 30 days

What are David Lee Smith's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
30%
Survival
19%
Morality
17%
Self
15%
Society
12%
Ideas
4%
Power
2%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 5 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 5
Ally
1 of 5
Mentor
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
5
Tense
4
Melancholic
5
Contemplative
4
Bittersweet
3
Other
4

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Lee Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Lee Smith's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

35 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page.

  • I'm Beginning to See the Light(2025)

    as Larry

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Lawmen: Bass Reeves(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as General Van Dorn

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Landfill(2021)

    as Robert Everie

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Mank(2020)

    as Sinclair Supporter

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • A Walk with Grace(2019)

    as Nate

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Unregistered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Judah

  • Between Worlds(2018)

    as Kirby

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Man from Earth: Holocene(2017)

    as John Oldman

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Hawaii Five-0(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Wade Henderson

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Janie Jones(2010)

    as Officer Dickerson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Mending Fences(2009)

    as Walt Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Dollhouse(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Clay Corman

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Man from Earth(2007)

    as John Oldman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Zodiac(2007)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Mysterious Skin(2004)

    as Alfred

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Gone But Not Forgotten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Rick Tannenbaum

  • The Handler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 34 episodes · as Rick Stetler

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood(2002)

    as Younger Shep Walker

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Walk to Remember(2002)

    as Dr. Carter

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Division (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cody Lewis

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Fight Club(1999)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Jack & Jill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Preston

  • Providence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 3 episodes · as Paul Rutigliata

  • V.I.P. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Cole Calloway

  • Dharma & Greg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Sid (uncredited)

  • Just Shoot Me!(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Steve McPherson

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Suddenly Susan(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Dirk

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Pacific Blue(1996)

    Show 3 episodes · as Timothy Stone

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Savannah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • JAG(1995)

    Show 2 episodes · as Karma Rice

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Naked Truth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 5 episodes · as Mark

  • Star Trek: Voyager(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Zahir

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • XXX's & OOO's(1994)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 35 titles from 1994 to 2024; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

Between Worlds (2018)

$146K worldwide

Highest rated

The Man from Earth (2007)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

19942024

Peak 2006 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting35 of 35: 35 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rd

By decade

1990s13 · acting2000s12 · acting2010s6 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 22% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do David Lee Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 15; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 33rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

A Walk with Grace (2019)

92nd percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Fight Club (1999)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 54/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Lee Smith's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 23 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 21 · mildMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does David Lee Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Lee Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Schenkman shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers