Twelve Angry Men characters

Appears from the start

The jury foreman, responsible for keeping the discussion orderly and putting motions to a vote. He is a high-school football coach who approaches the task procedurally, though the stronger personalities in the room frequently challenge his control.

Appears from the start

A quiet bank clerk who initially votes guilty with the majority. Unaccustomed to asserting himself, he listens closely and begins finding the confidence to ask questions when the evidence no longer seems as simple as it first appeared.

Appears from the start

A forceful businessman and the most emotionally committed advocate of a guilty verdict. His anger toward the accused is entangled with a painful estrangement from his own son, though he presents his position as simple respect for discipline and parental authority.

Appears from the start

A composed stockbroker who prides himself on logic and control. He supports conviction because the prosecution's case initially appears consistent, and he expects any reasonable doubt to be grounded in precise challenges rather than sympathy.

Appears from the start

A hospital worker who grew up in a poor urban neighborhood like the one in which the accused lives. He is sensitive to the other jurors' contempt for that background and possesses practical knowledge that makes him wary of confident assumptions about street life.

Appears from the start

A house painter who speaks slowly and takes the jury's responsibility seriously. He initially joins the guilty vote but values fairness, objects when an older juror is bullied, and is willing to reconsider evidence rather than defend a position for pride.

Appears from the start

A salesman chiefly concerned with reaching an evening baseball game. His jokes and impatience make clear that he wants a quick verdict, and his arguments often follow whichever position seems most likely to end the deliberation.

Appears from the start

An architect and the only juror to vote not guilty on the first ballot. He does not claim to know that the accused is innocent; he insists that a boy facing death deserves a careful discussion and tests the case by questioning facts the others have accepted without examination.

Appears from the start

An observant elderly man who understands loneliness and the desire to be noticed. He is the first member of the majority to support Juror 8's call for continued discussion, not because he is convinced of innocence but because he respects the courage required to stand alone.

Appears from the start

A garage owner whose certainty about the defendant rests heavily on hostility toward people from poor neighborhoods. He treats prejudice as common sense and reacts aggressively when other jurors distinguish the evidence in this case from his general assumptions.

Appears from the start

A European-born watchmaker who speaks carefully and shows deep respect for the American jury system. He begins with the majority but treats reasonable doubt as a civic obligation, listening closely to language, timing, and the conduct of the discussion itself.

Appears from the start

An advertising executive who expresses himself in slogans and superficial analogies. He initially votes guilty and changes emphasis easily, revealing how readily a grave decision can become another exercise in presentation rather than judgment.