- James Cromwell
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For Doris Duke's first husband, see James H. R. Cromwell.
James Cromwell 
James Cromwell in 2010Born James Oliver Cromwell
January 27, 1940
Los Angeles, California, U.S.Other names Jamie Cromwell Occupation Actor Years active 1974–Present Spouse Anne Ulvestad (1976-1986)
Julie Cobb (1986-2006)James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe (1995), for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact (1996), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Green Mile (1999), The Sum of All Fears (2002), and in the television series Six Feet Under (2003–2005). He has been nominated for an Oscar, three Emmy Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during his career.
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Early years
Cromwell was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Manhattan, New York. He is the son of actress Kay Johnson and actor, director and producer John Cromwell, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era.[1][2] He was educated at The Hill School, Middlebury College and Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). Like his parents, he was drawn to the theater, performing in everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays.
Career
Cromwell's first television performance was in a 1974 episode of The Rockford Files playing Terry.[3] A few weeks later,[4] he began a recurring role as Stretch Cunningham on All in the Family. In 1975, he took his first lead role on television as Bill Lewis in the short-lived Hot l Baltimore, and a year later he made his film debut in Neil Simon's classic detective spoof Murder by Death.
In 1980, Cromwell guest-starred in the two-part pivotal episode "Laura Ingalls Wilder" of the long-running television series Little House on the Prairie. He played Harve Miller, one of Almanzo Wilder's (Dean Butler) old friends. He comes to visit Almanzo, who lives with his shy sister, Walnut Grove's school teacher Eliza Jane. Eliza Jane and Harve spend time together over the next few weeks, and she falls in love, for the first time, with Harve. However, Eliza, misunderstands some comments Harve has made, and he stuns her, at Nellie's restaurant, by announcing he wishes to marry another woman in a different town. Harve is totally unaware that she had feelings of love towards him. She takes Almanzo's wagon to the town of Sleepy Eye to seek him out before he marries someone else. She finally gathers the courage to tell him that she loves him. Instead, he tells Eliza that it is too late, he is already married. Eliza lies to everyone, and claims she is marrying Harve and moving away. This allows seventeen-year-old Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert) to take over her job as school teacher, giving Laura and Almanzo desperately needed income, and allowing Laura to move into their home to marry Almanzo at last.
While Cromwell continued with regular television work throughout the 1980s, he made real inroads in film business for his supporting roles in the films Tank and Revenge of the Nerds. His starring roles in the 1990s critically acclaimed films Babe (1995), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Green Mile, and Snow Falling on Cedars (both 1999) were breakout roles for him, and made him more bankable in Hollywood[citation needed]. He also played Dr. Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot Broken Bow (the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "In a Mirror, Darkly" later reused some of the First Contact footage).[5] He has appeared on other Star Trek television series The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, though not as Cochrane (his appearances on these shows predated his role in First Contact), he guest starred in episodes including "The Hunted", "Birthright" (Part I and II) and "Starship Down".
Cromwell also had additional success on television throughout his career. His role as newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst in the television film RKO 281 earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie. The following year, he received his second Emmy Award nomination for playing Bishop Lionel Stewart on the NBC medical drama series ER. In 2004, he guest-starred as former President D. Wire Newman in the The West Wing episode "The Stormy Present". From 2003 to 2005, Cromwell played George Sibley in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under, which earned him his third Emmy Award nomination in 2003. Along with the rest of his castmates, he was also nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2005 and 2006. The following year, Cromwell played Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in The Queen (2006), that earned Helen Mirren an Academy Award for Best Actress. He also guest starred as Phillip Bauer, father of lead character Jack, in the sixth season of the Fox thriller drama series 24.
In October 2007, Cromwell played the lead role of James Tyrone Sr. in the Druid Theatre Company's production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, at the Gaiety in Dublin as part of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival's 50th Anniversary.[6] That same year he received the King Vidor Memorial Award from the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival for his artistic achievements in film. More recently, Cromwell played George Herbert Walker Bush in Oliver Stone's W. (2008), that chronicles the rise to power of his son up until the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In an interview, Cromwell revealed that Stone had originally offered the role to Warren Beatty and Harrison Ford.[7]
Personal life
He has long been an advocate of progressive causes.[citation needed] In the late 1960s, he was a member of "The Committee to Defend The Panthers", a group organized to defend 13 members of the Black Panther Party who had been imprisoned in New York on charges of conspiracy. All thirteen were eventually released. In a 2004 interview with CNN.com, Cromwell praised the Panthers.[8] He became a vegetarian in 1974 after seeing a stockyard in Texas and experiencing the "smell, terror and anxiety."[9] He became an ethical vegan while playing the character of Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe in 1995. He frequently speaks out on issues regarding animal cruelty for PETA, largely the treatment of pigs.[10] In the book Money Men, author Jeffrey Birnbaum describes how John McCain went out of his way to meet Cromwell as he advocated on Capital Hill for funding of Native American arts education.[11] He served as the narrator of the short film Farm to Fridge, a documentary produced by Mercy for Animals.[12] In an October 2008 interview, he strongly attacked the Republican Party and the George W. Bush administration, saying their foreign policy would "either destroy us or the entire planet."[7]
Cromwell is known for his tall stature; at 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), he is the tallest actor nominated for an Academy Award. His son John is also tall, standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) [13]
He was married to Anne Ulvestad from 1976 to 1986. They had three children. He married his second wife, Julie Cobb, on 29 May 1986; that marriage ended in divorce in 2005.[14]
Filmography
Films
Year Title Role Notes 1976 Murder by Death Marcel 1978 The Cheap Detective Schnell 1981 Nobody's Perfekt Dr. Carson 1983 The Man with Two Brains Realtor 1984 The House of God Officer Quick 1984 Tank Deputy Euclid Baker 1984 Revenge of the Nerds Mr. Skolnick Credited as "Jamie Cromwell" 1984 Oh, God! You Devil Priest 1985 Explorers Mr. Müller 1986 A Fine Mess Detective Blist 1987 Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise Mr. Skolnick 1988 The Rescue Admiral Rothman 1989 The Runnin' Kind Unknown 1989 Pink Cadillac Motel Desk Clerk 1992 The Babe Brother Mathias 1993 Romeo Is Bleeding Cage 1995 Babe Farmer Arthur Hoggett Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor1995 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Hanok 1996 Eraser William Donohue 1996 The People vs. Larry Flynt Charles Keating 1996 Star Trek: First Contact Dr. Zefram Cochrane 1997 Owd Bob Adam MacAdam 1997 L.A. Confidential Captain Dudley Smith Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 1997 The Education of Little Tree Granpa 1998 Species II Senator Judson Ross 1998 Deep Impact Alan Rittenhouse 1998 Babe: Pig in the City Farmer Arthur Hoggett 1999 The General's Daughter Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor - Suspense 1999 The Bachelor Priest 1999 The Green Mile Warden Hal Moores Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 1999 RKO 281 William Randolph Hearst 1999 Snow Falling on Cedars Judge Fielding 2000 Space Cowboys Bob Gerson 2002 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron The Colonel Western Heritage Award for Theatrical Motion Picture 2002 The Sum of All Fears President J. Robert Fowler 2002 The Nazi Franz 2003 Blackball Ray Speight 2003 The Snow Walker Walter Shepherd Nominated — DVD Exclusive Award for Best Supporting Actor (in a DVD Premiere Movie) (2006) 2004 I, Robot Dr. Alfred Lanning 2005 The Longest Yard Warden Hazen Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Bad Guy 2006 The Queen Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 2007 Dante's Inferno Virgil 2007 Becoming Jane Reverend Austen 2007 Spider-Man 3 Captain George Stacy 2008 Tortured Jack 2008 W. George H. W. Bush 2009 A Lonely Place for Dying Howard Simons 2009 Surrogates Dr. Lionel Canter 2010 Secretariat Ogden Phipps 2011 The Artist Clifton 2012 Flying into Love Lyndon B. Johnson in production Television
Year Title Role Notes 1974 The Rockford Files Terry Episode 1.3: "The Countess" 1974 All in the Family Stretch Cunningham Appeared in three episodes 1974, 1978 Maude Alfie
Dr. FarringtonEpisode 3.9: "Last Tango in Tuckahoe"
Episode 6.13: "The Obscene Phone Call"1975 Hot l Baltimore Bill Lewis Main cast member 1975 Barbary Coast Roy Episode 1.4: "The Ballad of Redwing Jail" 1976 Stranded Jerry Holmes Television film 1976 Insight Norman Episode "Jesus B.C." 1976 The Nancy Walker Show Glen 1976 Once an Eagle J. L. Cleghorne Miniseries 1977 Police Story Lutz Episode 4.20: "Ice Time" 1977 The Girl in the Empty Grave Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr. Television film 1977 M*A*S*H Captain Leo Bardonaro Episode 6.3: "Last Laugh" 1977 Three's Company Detective Lannigan Episode 2.9: "Chrissy's Night Out" 1977 Deadly Game Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr. Television film 1977, 1979, 1981 Barney Miller Sgt. Wilkinson
Neil Spencer
Jason Parrish
Dr. Edmund DanworthEpisode 3.20: "Group Home"
Episode 6.6: "Strip Joint"
Episode 7.22: "Liquidation"
Episode 8.5: "Stress Analyzer"1978 Alice Detective Ralph Hilton Episode 3.9: "Who Ordered the Hot Turkey?" 1979 Eight Is Enough Coach Pollard Episode 3.23: "The Better Part of Valour" 1979 Diff'rent Strokes Father O'Brien Episode 2.7: "Arnold's Hero" 1979, 1980 The White Shadow Mr. Hamilton
Art CommingsEpisode 1.13: "Mainstream"
Episode 2.22: "The Death of Me Yet?"1980 Flo Leon Episodes 1.1: "Homecoming" and 1.4: "Take My Sister, Please" 1980 Little House on the Prairie Harve Miller Episodes 7.1: "Laura Ingalls Wilder: Part 1" and 7.2: "Laura Ingalls Wilder: Part 2" 1980 A Christmas Without Snow Reverend Lohman Television film 1981 Barefoot in the Park Harry Pepper Television film 1982 The Rainmaker Noah Curry Television film 1982 Nurse Paul Moore Episode 2.9: "A Place to Die" 1982 The Wall Francisek Television film 1982 Born to the Wind Fish Belly 1982 Father Murphy Farley Webster Episodes 2.5: "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 1" and 2.6: "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 2" 1984 Buffalo Bill Unknown Episode 2.2: "Jerry Lewis Week" 1984 Gimme a Break! Russell Cosgrove Episode 3.22: "Class of '84" 1984 Spraggue Lieutenant Hurley Television film 1984 Earthlings Simon Games Television film 1984–85 Dallas Gerald Kane Appeared in three episodes 1985 Night Court Alan Episode 2.14: "Nuts About Harry" 1985 Family Ties John Hancock Episode 3.15: "Philadelphia Story" 1985 Riptide Joey Dietz Episode 2.17: "Girls Night Out" 1985 Hardcastle and McCormick Jake Fellows Episode 2.20: "Undercover McCormick" 1985 Knight Rider Curtis Episode 3.18: "Ten Wheel Trouble" 1985 Wildside Fake Buffalo Bill Episode 1.5: "Buffalo Who?" 1985 Hill Street Blues Lowenhandler Episode 5.23: "Grin and Bear It" 1985 Hunter Seymour Robbins Episode 1.19: "Sniper" 1985 The Twilight Zone Obediah Payne Episode 1.6: "Examination Day/A Message from Charity" 1985–86 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Gregory Episodes 3.4: "Tail of the Dancing Weasel" and 3.18: "Wrong Number" 1986 Amazing Stories Francis Episode 1.15: "One for the Road" 1986 Magnum, P.I. French Policeman Episode 6.21: "Photo Play"; uncredited 1986 The Last Precinct Chief Bludhorn 1986 Dream West Major General David Hunter Miniseries 1987 Easy Street Quentin Standard Episode 1.13: "Frames and Dames" 1987 Alison's Demise Humboldt Hobson Television film 1988 China Beach Ambassador at Large Roland Weymouth Pilot 1988 Mr. Belvedere Roy Gallagher Episode 5.1: "Fat Cats" 1988 Mama's Boy Unknown 1989 Christine Cromwell Arthur Episode 1.1: "Things That Go Bump in the Night" 1990 Life Goes On Bill Henderson Episode 1.13: "Thacher and Henderson" 1990 Miracle Landing B.J. Cocker Television film 1990 Matlock Judge Raymond Price Episode 5.2: "Nowhere to Turn" 1990, 1993 Star Trek: The Next Generation Prime Minister Nayrok
Jaglom ShrekEpisode 3.11: "The Hunted"
Episodes 6.16: "Birthright: Part 1" and 6.17: "Birthright: Part 2"1991 The Young Riders Jacob Episode 2.14: "The Peacemakers" 1991 Jake and the Fatman Havilland Episode 4.19: "It Never Entered My Mind" 1991 In a Child's Name Unknown Television film 1992 Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation Mr. Skolnick Television film; credited as "Jamie Cromwell" 1994 Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love Mr. Skolnick Television film; credited as "Jamie Cromwell" 1994 The Shaggy Dog Charlie 'the Robber' Mulvihill Television film 1994 Home Improvement Fred Episode 4.9: "My Dinner with Wilson" 1995 Renegade Jeremy Sullivan Episode 3.15: "Stalker's Moon" 1995 Picket Fences The Bishop Episode 3.20: "Saint Zach" 1995 Indictment: The McMartin Trial Judge Pounders Television film 1995 Hawkeye Unknown Episode 1.17: "The Visit" 1995 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Hanok Episode 4.7: "Starship Down" 1995–96 Partners Mr. Saxonhouse Episodes 1.11: "Do We Have to Write You a Check?" and 1.18: "Can We Keep Her, Dad?" 1996 Strange Luck Minister Episode 1.13: "Healing Hands" 1996 The Client Officer Joe Denton Episode 1.17: "The High Ground" 1999 A Slight Case of Murder John Edgerson Television film 1999 RKO 281 William Randolph Hearst Television film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie2000 Fail Safe Gordon Knapp Television play 2001 ER Bishop Stewart Appeared in four episodes
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series2001 Star Trek: Enterprise Dr. Zefram Cochrane Episode 1.1: "Broken Bow: Part 1"
Cromwell also appeared in archive footage in Episode 4.18: "In a Mirror, Darkly"2001 Citizen Baines Senator Elliot Baines Appeared in all seven episodes 2002 A Death in the Family Joel Lynch Television film 2002 The Magnificent Ambersons Major Amberson Television film 2002 RFK President Lyndon B. Johnson 2003 Angels in America Henry Miniseries; chapters 1 and 4 2003–05 Six Feet Under George Sibley Appeared in 27 episodes
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2005–06)2004 The West Wing President D. Wire Newman Episode 5.10: "The Stormy Present" 2004 'Salem's Lot Father Donald Callahan Miniseries 2005 Pope John Paul II Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha 2006 Avenger Paul Devereaux Television film 2007 24 Phillip Bauer Appeared in eight episodes 2007 Masters of Science Fiction Randolph Ludwin Episode 1.6: "Watchbird" 2008 Hit Factor Orson Fierce Also producer 2008 My Own Worst Enemy Alistar Trumble Appeared in six episodes 2009 Strikeout Director Television film 2009 Impact Lloyd Miniseries 2009 The Last Days of Lehman Brothers Hank Paulson Docu-drama Theatre
References
- ^ John Cromwell - Films as director:, Other films:
- ^ "Geneaology Data: John Oliver (James) Cromwell", Ancestry.com
- ^ "The Rockford Files" The Countess (1974)
- ^ All in the Family (a Titles & Air Dates Guide)
- ^ TrekToday - StarTrek.com Offers Commentary on 'In a Mirror, Darkly'
- ^ Gaiety Theatre Dublin, Ireland - Irish Theatre
- ^ a b "W: James Cromwell vs. George Bush Snr.". SuicideGirls. 2008-10-15. http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/W%3A+James+Cromwell+vs.+George+Bush+Snr.+/. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
- ^ "Black Panther, drunk priest, kind farmer". CNN.com. 2004-06-18. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/18/james.cromwell/index.html. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
- ^ AR-News James Cromwell interview in The Age (Melbourne) focuses on animal rights
- ^ PETA TV: Select Your Media Preferences: James Cromwell's PETA Ad
- ^ The Money Men By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, Crown Books 2000, page 181
- ^ Farm to Fridge
- ^ Ellis, Cynthia, "Tribeca Film Festival Interview: John and James Cromwell: A .45 at 50th", The Huffington Post, May 4, 2010
- ^ "James Cromwell files for divorce", Associated Press, January 14, 2005
Further reading
External links
- James Cromwell at the Internet Movie Database
- James Cromwell at AllRovi
- James Cromwell at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
Categories:- 1940 births
- Living people
- Actors from Los Angeles, California
- Actors from New York City
- American people of English descent
- American film actors
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- American vegans
- People from Manhattan
- Carnegie Mellon University alumni
- The Hill School alumni
- Middlebury College alumni
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