Anthony James (actor) facts for kids

Anthony James (born James Anthony; July 22, 1942 – May 26, 2020) was an American actor. He was known for playing "bad guys" or villains in many movies and TV shows. He often appeared in Westerns, which are stories about cowboys and the American Old West.

Early Life

Anthony James was born James Anthony in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This was on July 22, 1942. He was the only child of immigrants from Greece. His parents were George Anthony and Marika Palla. Later, when he started acting, he changed his name. He switched his first name and last name around to become Anthony James.

Acting Career

Anthony James made many guest appearances on popular TV shows. He was often seen in the Western series Gunsmoke. In this show, he played different characters, including Elbert Moses. He also appeared in other well-known shows. These included Hawaii Five-O, Bonanza, Charlie's Angels, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

He also acted in several big movies. His first important movie role was in 1967. He played Ralph, a diner worker, in In the Heat of the Night. This movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1968. This was a huge honor for his first major film!

Anthony James continued to appear in many films. He was in High Plains Drifter (1973), playing one of the bad guys. He also played an evil chauffeur in the horror movie Burnt Offerings (1976). Other movies he appeared in include Blue Thunder (1983) and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991).

He even appeared in a music video! He was in Poison's 1988 music video for their song "Fallen Angel."

Anthony James stopped acting in the early 1990s. His very last movie role was in Clint Eastwood's 1992 film Unforgiven. This movie also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It's pretty cool that his first and last major movie roles were both in films that won the top award!

After he retired from acting, Anthony James focused on painting. He even published a book of his art and poetry in 1994, called Language of the Heart. In 2014, he wrote his autobiography, Acting My Face. An autobiography is a book about your own life.

Later Life and Death

Anthony James passed away from cancer on May 26, 2020. He was 77 years old. He died in Cambridge, Massachusetts.