--- title: See Photos of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson description: Photos of actor and politician Fred Thompson's life include a role on 'Law & Order,' a presidential run and more. canonical: https://time.com/4087574/see-the-life-of-politician-and-actor-fred-thompson-in-photos/ author: TIME Photo article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-01T23:52:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:01:08.653Z article:section: Politics og:title: The Life of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson in Pictures og:description: Photos show a role on 'Law & Order,' a presidential run and more. og:url: https://time.com/4087574/see-the-life-of-politician-and-actor-fred-thompson-in-photos/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdf3f871cf02fe3cc/698869ebbc6cfcd8c33da164/fred-thompson-life-in-photos-04.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2100 og:image:height: 1181 og:image:alt: Life of Actor Poltician Fred Thompson og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Life of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson in Pictures twitter:description: Photos show a role on 'Law & Order,' a presidential run and more. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdf3f871cf02fe3cc/698869ebbc6cfcd8c33da164/fred-thompson-life-in-photos-04.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # See the Life of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson in Photos > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Nov 1, 2015 11:52 PM UTC  Fred Thompson portrays D.A. Arthur Branch on an episode of the television show 'Law & Order" that aired May 18, 2007. Fred Thompson portrays D.A. Arthur Branch on an episode of the television show 'Law & Order" that aired May 18, 2007. Eric Liebowitz—NBC/Getty Images by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Nov 1, 2015 11:52 PM UTC  Sen. Fred Thompson, serving as Chief Minority Counsel of the Senate Watergate Committee, speaks with reporters in Hartford, on Oct. 23, 1973. Bob Child—AP  Fred Thompson represents Marie Ragghianti, chairwoman of Tennessee's Board of Pardons and Paroles, in a case against Gov. Ray Blanton, whom she accused of firing her for refusing to go along with a cash-for-clemency scheme in Nashville, Tenn. in October 1977. Billy Easley—AP  Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), left, reenacts taking the Senate oath administered by Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd on Dec. 9, 1994, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill. Former Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker holds the Bible during the ceremony. John Duricka—AP  Fred Thompson portrays D.A. Arthur Branch on an episode of the television show 'Law & Order" that aired May 18, 2007. Eric Liebowitz—NBC/Getty Images  Fred Thompson is interviewed by host Jay Leno on June 12, 2007. Dave Bjerke—NBC/Getty Images  Republican presidential hopefuls Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), left, and U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN), take the stage to participate in a debate on Jan. 5, 2008 in Manchester, N.H. Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images  Republican presidential candidate, Fred Thompson is joined on stage by his wife, Jeri, holding 4-year-old daughter Hayden, before speaking to supporters on Caucus Day in Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 3, 2008. Brian Baer— The Sacramento Bee/MCT/Getty Images  Actor and politician Fred Thompson attends the opening night party for "A Time To Kill" on Broadway on Oct. 20, 2013 in New York. 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