See Photos of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson

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

1 of 8
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

2 of 8
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

3 of 8
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

4 of 8
Fred Thompson is interviewed by host Jay Leno on June 12, 2007.

Dave Bjerke—NBC/Getty Images

5 of 8
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

6 of 8
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

7 of 8
Actor and politician Fred Thompson attends the opening night party for "A Time To Kill" on Broadway on Oct. 20, 2013 in New York.

Andy Kropa—Invision/AP

8 of 8

By TIME Photo

November 1, 2015 6:52 PM EST

See the Life of Politician and Actor Fred Thompson in Photos