Clifton James facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton James
Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper in Live and Let Die (1973)
Born	George Clifton James (1920-05-29)May 29, 1920 Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Died	April 15, 2017(2017-04-15) (aged 96) Gladstone, Oregon, U.S.
Years active	1954–2006
Spouse(s)	Donna Lea Beach (1948–1950) Laurie Harper (1951–2015)
Children	6
Military career
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1945

George Clifton James (May 29, 1920 – April 15, 2017) was an American actor. He was famous for playing funny characters. Many people remember him as Sheriff J.W. Pepper. This character appeared in two James Bond movies. These films were Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). He also played a prison guard in Cool Hand Luke (1967). Other roles included a sheriff in Silver Streak (1976). He also played a rich businessman in The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977).

Clifton James's Early Life and Military Service

Clifton James was born in Spokane, Washington. His mother, Grace, was a teacher. His father, Harry, worked as a journalist. He grew up in Gladstone, Oregon, in Clackamas County.

James was a brave soldier in World War II. He served in the United States Army. He was an infantry platoon sergeant. His unit was the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. He spent 42 months in the South Pacific. This was from January 1942 to August 1945. He received several awards for his service. These included the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. He also received two Purple Hearts. These awards show his courage and sacrifice.

Clifton James's Acting Career Highlights

Clifton James became very well known. He often played funny characters. His most famous role was Sheriff J.W. Pepper. This was a Louisiana sheriff in the James Bond films. He appeared in Live and Let Die (1973). He also returned for The Man With The Golden Gun (1974).

Playing Similar Characters in Films

James played similar sheriff characters in other movies. These included Silver Streak (1976). He also appeared in Superman II (1980). Earlier in his career, he played serious roles. In The Reivers (1969), he was a tough, dishonest sheriff. He acted alongside Steve McQueen in that film. Before that, he played a strict prison guard. This was in the movie Cool Hand Luke (1967). In Juggernaut (1974), he played a passenger. His character was one of the first to realize the ship was in danger.

Other Notable Film Roles

James played a district attorney in The Untouchables (1987). This film was about prosecuting Al Capone. He also played a Navy officer in The Last Detail (1973). In that movie, he acted with Jack Nicholson. He also played Charles Comiskey, a baseball team owner. This was in Eight Men Out (1988). The film told the true story of the 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal.

Playing Southern Characters on Screen

Even though he was from the Northwest, James often played Southerners. He lived in New York for much of his life. He was a member of the Actors Studio. But directors often cast him as characters from the Southern United States. This included his roles in the James Bond movies. He also played a powerful lawyer named Striker Bellman. This was on the TV soap opera Texas (1981–1982).

Television Appearances

Clifton James appeared in many TV shows. In 1966, he was on the Western show Gunsmoke. He played a poker player named Tenner Jackson. In 1980, he was on The Dukes of Hazzard. He played Sheriff Lester Crabb for one episode. He also appeared in 13 episodes of Lewis & Clark (1981–1982). Other TV shows included City of Angels (1976). He was also in the miniseries Captains and the Kings (1976).

He appeared in two episodes of The A-Team. In 1983, he played a prison warden named Beale. Later that year, he was Sheriff Jake Dawson. In 1996, he played Red Kilgreen on All My Children. He was also in the pilot episode of Hart to Hart (1979). He played a highway cop in that show.

Later Film Work

James played a rich ranch owner in Rancho Deluxe (1975). He also played a source who helped a reporter in The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990). He worked with writer-director John Sayles several times. These films included Eight Men Out (1988). He also appeared in Lone Star (1996) and Sunshine State (2002).

His last film role was in Raising Flagg (2006). He was supposed to be in a movie called Old Soldiers. This film was about a World War II veteran. But production on that movie stopped in 2016.

Clifton James's Personal Life

Clifton James was married twice. His first marriage was to Donna Lea Beach (1948–1950). They had one child together. He then married Laurie Harper in 1951. They stayed married until her death in 2015. They had five children together. He lived in Gladstone, Oregon. Clifton James passed away on April 15, 2017. He was 96 years old. He died from problems related to diabetes.

Selected filmography

See also

In Spanish: Clifton James para niños