12 Angry Men Cast & Character Guide

By design, the cast and characters of 12 Angry Men were the heart and soul of the movie, and the intense courthouse drama was a star-studded affair. Released in 1957 to almost universal critical acclaim, Sidney Lumet’s masterpiece captured the spirit of injustice in the United States at the time, and focused it into a courtroom setting. Ranked as the second-best courtroom drama of all time by the American Film Institute, 12 Angry Men deftly played out in one room and utilized the art of cinema to make each scintillating moment unforgettable.

The 12 main characters each represented a section of society, and each had their motivations, which pulled the riveting story in different directions. The cast was stuffed with established stars and up-and-comers, and the roles played on the strengths of the individual actors to perfection. Often regarded as one of the best directorial debuts ever, Sidney Lumet’s vision was as succinct and poignant as the movie’s 90-minute running time. Although several remakes attempted to recapture the magic of the original film, no cast could live up to the ensemble of the 1957 version.

Actor	Character
Martin Balsam	Juror #1
John Fiedler	Juror #2
Lee J. Cobb	Juror #3
E.G. Marshall	Juror #4
Jack Klugman	Juror #5
Edward Binns	Juror #6
Jack Warden	Juror #7
Henry Fonda	Juror #8 (Davis)
Joseph Sweeney	Juror #9 (McCardle)
Ed Begley	Juror #10
George Voskovec	Juror #11
Robert Webber	Juror #12

Martin Balsam As Juror #1

Birth Date: November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996 (76)

Actor: By 1957, Martin Balsam had already had a slew of credits in television and even an uncredited role in 1954’s On the Waterfront. Although he continued to work in TV after his role in 12 Angry Men, he landed larger roles in films like 1960’s slasher film Psycho, and 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which made him a star. Balsam continued to act up to his passing in the 1990s, and his legacy was cemented with an Oscar for his role in 1966’s A Thousand Clowns.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Embodying Juror #1’s cool and calm demeanor, Martin Balsam stepped into the role of the jury’s foreman, a part that fits his prolific filmography. He is a high school football coach who shows patience, even as the room descends into chaos on occasion. He is also not someone who can be pushed around, and while he clearly doesn’t want to babysit grown men, he knows that he needs to at least referee the disagreements.

John Fiedler As Juror #2

Birth Date: February 3, 1925 – June 25, 2005 (80)

Actor: John Fiedler made a career playing sheepish and meek men like Juror #2, and, in a way, he was typecast in the part. The funnyman had his first credited film role in 12 Angry Men, but it was the first of many on both the big and small screen. Although he appeared in classic films like 1969’s True Grit, Fiedler would find his true place in history when he lent his signature voice to the role of Piglet in dozens of Disney properties from the 1960s until his eventual passing in the year 2005.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: John Fiedler played Juror No. 2 as a meek and soft-spoken bank teller. He is often flustered and easily bullied by other jurors, but by the end of 12 Angry Men, he is able to stand up for himself and do the right thing. However, ti takes a little while for this to happen, as he seems confused that the prosecutors have to prove guilt, where he says he thought the defendant had to prove he was not guilty. However, he was the one who brought up the problem with the stab wound that turned other jurors.

Lee J. Cobb As Juror #3

Birth Date: December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976 (64)

Actor: Though he almost had his career ruined by the Hollywood blacklist in the 1950s, Lee J. Cobb had previously established himself as a constant presence in over 30 film roles. Cobb had scored an Oscar nomination for 1954’s On the Waterfront, and starred in classics like 1962’s How the West Was Won following 12 Angry Men. By the time he died in 1976, Cobb had scored prestigious nominations from the Emmy, Oscars, and Golden Globes.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: The large and domineering Lee J. Cobb embodied the bigoted villainy of 12 Angry Men, and his role as Juror #3 allowed the seasoned veteran to truly steal the show. He wasn’t a real “villain,” but he was the antagonistic force on the jury who was racist and believed the accused was guilty simply based on the fact he was a Latino. He was the main person who was lashing out at Juror No. 8, the one man who was forcing the room to explore the evidence in the case.

E.G. Marshall As Juror #4

Birth Date: June 18, 1914 – August 24, 1998 (84)

Actor: Actor E.G. Marshall had mostly played bit parts in movies throughout the ’40s and ’50s, and his role in 12 Angry Men would be one of his most recognizable. He would continue to work in TV and movies for decades, and landed a memorable role in the horror anthology film Creepshow in 1982, as well as a comedic part in the Christmas classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in 1989. E.G. Marshall continued his prolific output all the way up to his passing in 1998.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Stoic behind his circular glasses, Juror #4 was the analytical mind that was only interested in facts and not feelings. He opens the deliberation sure that the man is guilty and he believes he should only look at evidence and not question things. However, as the debate goes on, he is one person who is willing to be swayed because he has an eidetic memory and remembers everything that happens in the trial, able to repeat it all in detail.

Jack Klugman As Juror #5

Birth Date: April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012 (90)

• Active Since: 1950–2012

Actor: Jack Klugman was also the youngest cast member, and 12 Angry Men was his third film role. Klugman would continue to make movies, but it was on TV that he found his greatest success. It was his role as Oscar that helped make The Odd Couple better than the movie it was based on, and he played the part in all 114 episodes of the classic series. By the time of his passing in 2012, Klugman had scored several Emmy and Golden Globe wins.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Representing the very same kids that were being demonized by other jurors, Juror #5 was the youngest member of the panel and the most spirited. He grew up poor and is angered when people believe that those like him are thieves or murderers. This makes him sympathetic to the accused and also allows him to be swayed when the other jurors start poking holes in the prosecution’s case. He was also the key juror to show how the knife evidence was flimsy and possibly wrong.

Edward Binns As Juror #6

Birth Date: September 12, 1916 – December 4, 1990 (74)

• Active Since: 1948–1988

Actor: Edward Binns handled the difficult role with aplomb, and it was one of his first major film roles. Binns worked largely in TV throughout his career, but he did score roles in films like 1959’s North By Northwest, and in one of the best biopics of all time, Patton, in 1970. Binns would make sporadic TV and movie appearances throughout the 1980s, and he would eventually pass away in 1990.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Juror #6 was the hardest character to pin down, but the principled man did stand up whenever others were being treated unfairly, and he had a special soft spot for his elders. This is the juror who had the least lines of anyone in the cast, and he was mostly quiet and listening to the other jurors throughout the entire deliberation. His only big moment was when he told Juror No. 3 to show respect to the older Juror No. 9, or he would lay him out.

Jack Warden As Juror #7

Birth Date: September 18, 1920 – July 19, 2006 (85)

Actor: Jack Warden, a humorous actor, was relatively new to the business when he scored his part in 12 Angry Men, and he would follow it up with several decade’s worth of memorable parts in movies like Shampoo in 1975 and All the President’s Men in 1976. Warden would score an Oscar nomination for his part in the former and win an Emmy for his performance in the TV movie Brian’s Song. Warden acted up until the year 2000, and he died in 2006.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Jack Warden played a lot of affable regular Joe characters, but his turn as the wise-cracking and disinterested Juror #7 was a perfect spin on his type. He also wanted to just go home to watch the ball game and didn’t think it was important to stay longer than necessary to determine a verdict. This made him a hard sell since he didn’t care one way or the other about whether justice was done.

Henry Fonda As Davis, Juror #8

Birth Date:

Actor: By far the most accomplished actor in the film’s cast, Fonda had already nabbed an Oscar nomination for 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, and he would continue to make hits after 12 Angry Men. Fonda would work almost exclusively in film, and was rewarded with his first competitive Oscar for his performance in 1981’s On Golden Pond. That would be Fonda’s final film role, and he passed away the following year.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Often regarded as one of Henry Fonda’s best movies, 12 Angry Men cast the veteran actor as the moral compass in the form of the inquisitive and fair Juror #8. He is the man who forces everyone to look at evidence and talk about the case before rushing to a guilty verdict. He refuses to back down throughout the deliberations and often stands up to the bullying Juror No. 3 and the uncaring Juror No. 7.

Joseph Sweeney As McCardle, Juror #9

Birth Date: July 26, 1884 – November 25, 1963 (79)

• Active Since: 1918–1963

Actor: Joseph Sweeney reveled in breaking stereotypes. Sweeney’s filmography was relatively short, and 12 Angry Men was his final film role. He would play a recurring part in the series Car 54, Where Are You? in 1963, but would pass away the same year. He also had several appearances on Studio One on television and was in small roles in several movies.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Besides being one of the best courtroom dramas of all time, 12 Angry Men was also a thoughtful character study that was embodied by the sweet and elderly Juror #9. Despite preconceived notions about his cognitive abilities, Juror #9 was able to suss out details that the other jurors missed. He was also the first person to change his vote, and he said that he owed it to Juror #8 to respect his opinion and look deeper into the evidence.

Ed Begley As Juror #10

Birth Date: March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970 (1969)

Actor: Ed Begley was an accomplished actor before 12 Angry Men, but it was his turn in the Tennessee Williams play adaptation Sweet Bird of Youth in 1962 that scored him an Oscar win. Begley continued to make sporadic film and TV appearances in the ensuing decade and even earned Emmy’s consideration for his role in the TV movie Inherit the Wind. Begley’s son, Ed Begley Jr., would also become an accomplished actor, and the elder Begley passed away in 1970.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Going along with Juror #3 in his xenophobic and hateful ramblings, Ed Begley brought Juror #10 to life with all the vitriol that the script called for. He is an even bigger racist than Juror #3 and actually commented that maybe a father deserves it when his kid kills him because of how he raised him. With him constantly talking about “them” and the danger “they” possess, it is clear what he is talking about. When he goes to sit in the corner by himself, it was a perfect moment.

George Voskovec As Juror #11

Birth Date: June 19, 1905 – July 1, 1981 (76)

Actor: George Voskovec had made a name for himself making films in his native Austria-Hungary, but political pressures pushed him to the U.S. and his 12 Angry Men role. His work was largely scant after the 1960s, but he did appear in a small role in the underrated time travel film, Somewhere in Time from 1980. The 1982 western Barbarosa would be the actor’s final film role, and he passed away later that year.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: Juror #11 represented the American dream. The European immigrant demonstrated tremendous respect for supposed American values while debating with the other jurors. It seems interesting that he, as an immigrant, seemed to appreciate the democratic system better than anyone else on the jury, and he also shows more kindness than almost anyone else on the jury, only losing his temper when he realizes Juror No. 7 is only voting in a way to end this soon enough to see the baseball game.

Robert Webber As Juror #12

Birth Date: October 14, 1924 – May 19, 1989 (64)

Actor: Actor Robert Webber had just the right look for the vapid juror and his other roles reflected his straight-laced American persona. Besides 12 Angry Men, Webber also appeared in the 1965 hit The Sandpiper and the war classic The Dirty Dozen from 1967. He also acted frequently in TV and landed a recurring role as Alexander Hayes in the 1980s series Moonlighting. Webber’s impressive list of TV and movie credits continued right up to his death in 1989.

Notable Movies & TV Show Roles:

Character: The ad-executive Juror #12, was affable enough, but his distracted nature represented just how little the average citizen cared about justice. He is an interesting person, as he works for an ad agency in his real life, and here, he seems interested in throwing out ideas that he comes up with in his head rather than looking at the evidence. At the end of 12 Angry Men, he isn’t interested in discovering the truth and just wants to throw out ideas and go along with others’ good ideas.

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

12 Angry Men

10/10

Release Date

April 10, 1957

Runtime

96 minutes

Director

Sidney Lumet

• 
•