# Jim Byrnes (actor)

James Thomas Kevin Byrnes OBC CM (born September 22, 1948) is an American actor and blues musician.

## Life and career

Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 22, 1948. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a municipal accountant. In 1968, during the Vietnam War, Byrnes was drafted and served in the 196th Infantry Brigade for a year. He has lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, since the mid-1970s. On February 26, 1972, he was struck by a passing car while he attempted to help move a stalled truck on the Island Highway North of Parksville, which injured his legs and forced them both to be amputated.
In 1987, Byrnes started appearing on Wiseguy as Daniel Burroughs, better known as Lifeguard. It was his first major role and lasted until 1990. Later, he starred in the fantasy television series Highlander: The Series as Joe Dawson, a member of a secret society known as the "Watchers." He reprised his role as Dawson in Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source, installments of the Highlander film series, as well as providing voices for the anime Highlander: The Search for Vengeance. He starred in his own short-lived TV show, called The Jim Byrnes Show. He played a recruiting sergeant for the Union Army in an episode of Copper called "The Children of the Battlefield."
His other television roles include Higher Ground and cartoon voices in Beast Wars: Transformers, Beast Machines: Transformers, Shadow Raiders, Stargate Infinity, Dinosaur Train as Percy Paramacellodus, Nick Fury in X-Men: Evolution, and Duke Dermail in Gundam Wing. He appeared in the Taken mini series, which broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel and an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Harsh Mistress". He has also appeared on the Syfy series Sanctuary, appearing as the father of Helen Magnus, played by Amanda Tapping and as Shineoa San in an episode of Andromeda as well as the voice of Virgil Vox in nine additional episodes.
As a musician, Byrnes has won the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year three times, for That River in 1996 and House of Refuge on Black Hen Music in 2007, and for Everywhere West in 2011. Byrnes was also honoured at the 2006 Maple Blues Awards, as Male Vocalist of the Year. The Canadian Folk Music Awards recognized him as the Contemporary Singer of the Year in 2006 and 2009.
In 2018, Byrnes performed with the Sojourners at a concert organized by the North Island Concert Society.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Out of the Blue | Party Singer | |
| 1989 | The First Season | Band Leader | |
| 1992 | Harmony Cats | Frank Hay | |
| 1992 | Invader | Engineer Powell (scenes deleted) | |
| 1994 | Whale Music | Dewey Moore | |
| 1995 | Suspicious Agenda | Lt. Rayburn | |
| 1995 | Dream Man | Jim Garrity 'The Loot' | (Video) |
| 1996 | Starlight | Rod MacArthur | |
| 1997 | Masterminds | Larry Millard (uncredited) | |
| 1997 | Drive, She Said | Dr. Glen Green | |
| 2000 | Monster Mash | The Prosecutor | video |
| 2000 | Highlander: Endgame | Joe Dawson | |
| 2003 | My Boss's Daughter | George | |
| 2005 | Edison | Local Merchant | |
| 2005 | Fetching Cody | Harvey | |
| 2008 | Heart of a Dragon | Ivan | |
| 2011 | She's a Soul Man | Joe Cameron | |
| 2014 | Hastings Street | Bartender | |
| 2015 | Wanderlust | Graham | |
| 2018 | 24 Piedmont Drive | Bernard Donnelly | |
| 2019 | Ada | Murray | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Hands of a Stranger | Band Leader (uncredited) | Television film |
| 1987 | Danger Bay | Tony Walter | Episode: "Deep Trouble" |
| 1988 | The Red Spider | Jack Fine | Television film |
| 1990 | In the Best Interest of the Child | Kurt | Television film |
| 1990 | A Klondike Christmas | Wolfie (voice) | Television film |
| 1987–1990 | Wiseguy | Daniel Benjamin 'Lifeguard' Burroughs | 74 episodes |
| 1991 | Omen IV: The Awakening | Noah | Television film |
| 1991 | Christmas on Division Street | Benedetti | Television film |
| 1992 | Dirty Work | Stan | Television film |
| 1993 | The Hat Squad | Carl Drake | Episode: "Dead Man Walking" |
| 1993 | Street Justice | The Doctor | Episode: "The Wall" |
| 1994 | The Legend of the Hawaiian Slammers | Additional voices | |
| 1991–1994 | Neon Rider | Kevin | 12 episodes |
| 1995 | Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story | Vet | Television film |
| 1995 | Sliders | TV Announcer (uncredited) | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1995 | The Commish | Brett Shrager | Episode: "The Kid" |
| 1996 | Wiseguy | Lifeguard | Television film |
| 1996 | Bloodhounds II | Lt. Jim McMahon | Television film |
| 1996 | For Hope | Date #1 (uncredited) | Television film |
| 1997 | Two | Col. Maxwell Foley | Episode: "The Reckoning" |
| 1997 | Lost Treasure of Dos Santos | Doc Humphries | Television film |
| 1997 | Final Descent | Duke Houston | Television film |
| 1993–1998 | Highlander: The Series | Joe Dawson | 97 episodes |
| 1998 | Murder Call | Guy Hanson | Episode: "More Than Meets the Eye" |
| 1998 | The Jim Byrnes Show | Jim Byrnes | |
| 1999 | Highlander: The Raven | Joe Dawson | Episode: "A Matter of Time" |
| 1998–1999 | The Net | Mr. Olivier | 9 episodes |
| 1999 | Cold Squad | Dick Hofstedder | 4 episodes |
| 2000 | Higher Ground | Frank Markasian | 5 episodes |
| 2000 | Mysterious Ways | Ramp | Episodes: "Spirit Junction" |
| 2000 | Becoming Dick | Bartender | Television film |
| 2000 | First Wave | Tyler Greer | Episode: "Shadowland" |
| 2000 | Level 9 | General Theodore Nemec | Episode: "Eat Flaming Death" |
| 1998–2001 | The Outer Limits | Merlin, Gary Latimer | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Due East | Father Berkely | Television film |
| 2002 | The Dead Zone | Vic Goodman | Episode: "Unreasonable Doubt" |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | Dion | Episode: "Harsh Mistress" |
| 2002 | Just Cause | | Episode: "Fading Star" |
| 2002 | Taken | Busker | Episode: "Acid Tests" |
| 2002 | Snow Queen | Polar Bear (voice) | Television film |
| 2003 | Jake 2.0 | James Skerritt | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Stargate SG-1 | Documentary Narrator | Episode: "Heroes: Part 2" |
| 2004–2005 | Andromeda | Virgil Vox, Shineoa San | 13 episodes |
| 2005 | Supernatural | Professor | Episode: "Bugs" |
| 2005–2006 | Da Vinci's City Hall | Councillor Eddie Banks | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | Highlander: The Search for Vengeance | Doc, Rudy | Video |
| 2007 | Highlander: The Source | Joe Dawson | Television film |
| 2007 | Don't Cry Now | Steve | Television film |
| 2007 | Sanctuary | Gregory Magnus | Miniseries |
| 2010 | V | Matthew | Episode: "John May" |
| 2011 | Goodnight for Justice | Governor | Television film |
| 2011 | Hellcats | Giles | 2 episodes |
| 2008–2011 | Sanctuary | Gregory Magnus | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | Deck the Halls | Morgan the radio DJ | Television film |
| 2013 | Copper | Sgt. Major Atticus Reid | Episode: "The Children of the Battlefield" |
| 2013 | King & Maxwell | Roy Smalls | Episode: "Job Security" |
| 2014 | Paper Angels | Bill Price | Television film |
| 2014 | Strange Empire | Cart | Episode: "The Oath" |
| 2015 | The Romeo Section | Reverend Ortelli | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | The Legend of Davy Crockett | John Patton | Television film |
| 2018 | Travelers | James Edward Bailey | Episode: "Trevor" |
| 2021 | Sister Swap: Christmas in the City | Luke Swift | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2022 | Billy the Kid | Matthews | 1 episode |

### Animation

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | G.I. Joe: Operation Dragonfire | Alley Viper, Crimson Guard - Fake Lama, Night-Viper | 5 episodes |
| 1989 | Dragon Warrior | Wizard Moore (voice) | |
| 1989–1990 | Camp Candy | Additional voices | 16 episodes |
| 1990–1991 | G.I. Joe | Additional voices | 19 episodes |
| 1992–1993 | Conan the Adventurer | Epimetrius | 5 episodes |
| 1993 | Mega Man: Upon a Star | Dr. Light | |
| 1993–1994 | Madeline | Additional voices | |
| 1992–1994 | King Arthur and the Knights of Justice | Merlin | 26 episodes |
| 1994 | Conan and the Young Warriors | Epimetrius the Sage | 13 episodes |
| 1995 | The New Adventures of Madeline | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1994–1996 | Mega Man | Doctor Light, Sigma, Pharaoh Man, Air Man, Quick Man, Top Man, Gravity Man | 27 episodes |
| 1996 | G.I. Joe Extreme | Nelson | Episode: "Winner Take All" |
| 1996 | Vortech: Undercover Conversion Squad | Additional voices | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Adventures of Mowgli | Father Wolf (voice) | English dub |
| 1996 | Stone Protectors | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1994–1996 | Hurricanes | Additional voices | 7 episodes |
| 1997 | Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz | Dekim Barton | |
| 1998 | Mummies Alive! The Legend Begins | Additional voices | |
| 1998 | The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Pop (voice) | Video |
| 1998 | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie | Elf Crowd Member #2 | |
| 1997–1999 | Beast Wars: Transformers | Inferno | |
| 1997–1999 | Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths & Legends | Additional voices | 40 episodes |
| 1998–1999 | Shadow Raiders | Grand Vizier | 8 episodes |
| 1998–1999 | RoboCop: Alpha Commando | Mr. Brink | 40 episodes |
| 1998 | Fat Dog Mendoza | Brian Wallace / Dan Fantastic | |
| 1999–2000 | Beast Machines: Transformers | Thrust | |
| 1999–2001 | NASCAR Racers | Additional voices | 26 episodes |
| 2000–2001 | D'Myna Leagues | Rip Hickory, Dodger | 13 episodes |
| 2001 | Spider-Man Unlimited | Fire Drake | Episode: "Cry Vulture" |
| 2001–2002 | Ultimate Book of Spells | Additional voices | 26 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | Alienators: Evolution Continues | Additional voices | 17 episodes |
| 2002 | Inspector Gadget's Last Case | Chief Quimby | |
| 2002 | Dennis the Menace: Cruise Control | Kraigor | |
| 2002 | Madeline: My Fair Madeline | Mayor of Paris | Television film |
| 2002–2003 | X-Men: Evolution | Nick Fury | 7 episodes |
| 2005 | Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever | Chief Quimby | |
| 2007 | Madeline in Tahiti | Scarfaced Man | |
| 2009 | Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5 | Jack Wheeler | Episode: "Legacy" |
| 2010 | Dinosaur Train | Percy Paramacellodus | Episode: "Elmer Visits the Desert" |
| 2012 | War of the Worlds: Goliath | Theodore Roosevelt | |
| 2013 | Slugterra | Viggo Dare | Episode: "Back to Blakk" |
| 2016 | My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic | Gladmane | Episode: "Viva Las Pegasus" |
| 2018 | Take Two | Josiah Carberry | Episode: "Stillwater" |

## Discography
### Solo

* Burning (1981) Polydor (vinyl)
* I Turned My Nights into Days (1987) Stony Plain Records (vinyl)
* That River (1995) Stony Plain
* Love Is a Gamble (2001) One Coyote Music
* Fresh Horses (2004) Black Hen Music
* House of Refuge (2006) Black Hen Music
* My Walking Stick (2009) Black Hen Music
* Everywhere West (2011) Black Hen Music
* I Hear the Wind in the Wires (2012) Black Hen Music
* St. Louis Times (2014) Black Hen Music
* Long Hot Summer Days (2017) Black Hen Music

### Compilation Inclusions

* Vancouver Seeds 2 (1981)
* Saturday Night Blues: 20 Years (2006) CBC