Clifton James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clifton James
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![]() Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper in Live and Let Die (1973)
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Born |
George Clifton James
May 29, 1920 Spokane, Washington, U.S.
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Died | April 15, 2017 Gladstone, Oregon, U.S.
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(aged 96)
Years active | 1954–2006 |
Spouse(s) | Donna Lea Beach (1948–1950) Laurie Harper (1951–2015) |
Children | 6 |
Military career | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ |
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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).
Contents
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
- The Strange One (1957) as Colonel Ramsey
- The Last Mile (1959) as Harris
- Something Wild (1961) as Detective Bogart
- Experiment in Terror (1962) as Capt. Moreno
- David and Lisa (1962) as John
- Black Like Me (1964) as Eli Carr
- Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964) as Tuttle
- The Chase (1966) as Lem Brewster
- The Happening (1967) as O'Reilly
- The Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967) as Philippe
- Cool Hand Luke (1967) as Carr
- Will Penny (1967) as Catron
- The Reivers (1969) as Butch Lovemaiden
- ...tick...tick...tick... (1970) as D.J. Rankin
- WUSA (1970) as Speed - Sailor in Bar
- The Biscuit Eater (1972) as Mr. Eben
- The New Centurions (1972) as Whitey
- Kid Blue (1973) as Mr. Hendricks
- Live and Let Die (1973) as Sheriff J.W. Pepper
- The Werewolf of Washington (1973) as Attorney General
- The Iceman Cometh (1973) as Pat McGloin
- The Last Detail (1973) as M.A.A.
- The Laughing Policeman (1973) as Officer Jim Maloney SFPD Bomb Squad
- Bank Shot (1974) as Streiger
- Buster and Billie (1974) as Jake
- Juggernaut (1974) as Corrigan
- The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) as Sheriff J.W. Pepper
- Rancho Deluxe (1975) as John Brown
- Friendly Persuasion (1975) as Sam Jordan
- The Deadly Tower (1975) as Captain Fred Ambrose
- From Hong Kong with Love (1975) as Bill
- Silver Streak (1976) as Sheriff Chauncey
- The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977) as Sy Orlansky
- Caboblanco (1980) as Lorrimer
- Superman II (1980) as Sheriff
- The Dukes of Hazzard (1980) as Sheriff Lester Crabb
- Talk to Me (1984) as State Trooper
- Kidco (1984) as Orville Peterjohn
- Stiffs (1985) as Uncle Leo
- Where Are the Children? (1986) as Chief Coffin
- The Untouchables (1987) as District Attorney (uncredited)
- Whoops Apocalypse (1988) as Maxton S. Pluck
- Eight Men Out (1988) as Charles 'Commie' Comiskey
- Walter & Carlo i Amerika (1989) as Tex
- She-Devil (1989) as Bob's Father (uncredited)
- The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) as Albert Fox
- Lone Star (1996) as Hollis Pogue
- Interstate 84 (2000) as Buddy
- Sunshine State (2002) as Buster Bidwell
- Raising Flagg (2006) as Ed McIvor
See also
In Spanish: Clifton James para niños