James Noble (actor) facts for kids

James Wilkes Noble (born March 5, 1922 – died March 28, 2016) was an American actor. He was best known for playing a kind and sometimes silly character named Governor Eugene X. Gatling. This was in the TV show Benson, which was a popular sitcom from 1979 to 1986.

About James Noble

James Noble was born in Dallas, Texas. His parents were Lois Frances and Ralph Byrne Noble. He studied acting and engineering at Southern Methodist University. But he left school to join the United States Navy during World War II.

His Acting Journey

After the war, James Noble learned more about acting from a famous teacher named Lee Strasberg. He started performing in plays on Broadway theatre. Later, he began acting on television in soap operas. Some of these shows included The Brighter Day and As the World Turns. He also played Dr. Bill Winters in The Doctors.

James Noble also appeared in many movies. He played Reverend John Witherspoon in the film 1776 (1972). He often played doctors in films like 10 (1979). He was also Kaufman, the president's chief of staff, in Being There (1979). You might also remember him as Father O'Flanagan in the funny movie Airplane II: The Sequel (1982).

In the 1970s, he was even the spokesperson for Pepto-Bismol in TV commercials. He also played the father of Larry Appleton in the 1980s TV show Perfect Strangers. In 2005, he helped start a company called Open the Gate Pictures. They made a short film called Glacier Bay, which won several awards. James Noble also played Archie Comics character Hiram Lodge in the movie Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again (1990).

His Family Life

James Noble was married to an actress named Carolyn Coates. They were married from 1956 until she passed away in 2005. They had one daughter together. Before moving to California in 1980, James and his family lived in Leonia, New Jersey.

His Final Years

James Noble passed away on March 28, 2016. He was 94 years old. His family shared that he had a stroke the week before he died.