James Cromwell

James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe (1995), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award of Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact (1996), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Green Mile (1999), The Sum of All Fears (2002), The Artist (2011) and in the television series Six Feet Under (2003–2005). He has been nominated for an Oscar, three Emmy Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during his career.
==Early years==
Cromwell was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Manhattan, New York. He is the son of actress Kay Johnson and actor, director, and producer John Cromwell, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Of English descent,"Geneaology Data: John Oliver (James) Cromwell", Ancestry.com he was educated at The Hill School, Middlebury College and Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). Like his parents, he was drawn to the theater, performing in everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays.
==Career==
Cromwell's first television performance was in a 1974 episode of The Rockford Files playing Terry."The Rockford Files" The Countess (1974) A few weeks later, he began a recurring role as Stretch Cunningham on All in the Family. In 1975, he took his first lead role on television as Bill Lewis in the short-lived Hot l Baltimore, and a year later he made his film debut in Neil Simon's classic detective spoof Murder by Death.
In 1980, Cromwell guest-starred in the two-part pivotal episode "Laura Ingalls Wilder" of the long-running television series Little House on the Prairie. He played Harve Miller, one of Almanzo Wilder's (Dean Butler) old friends.
While Cromwell continued with regular television work throughout the 1980s, he made real inroads in film business for his supporting roles in the films Tank and Revenge of the Nerds. His starring roles in the 1990s critically acclaimed films Babe (1995), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Green Mile, and Snow Falling on Cedars (both 1999) were breakout roles for him, and made him more bankable in Hollywood. He also played Dr. Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot Broken Bow (the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "In a Mirror, Darkly" later reused some of the First Contact footage). He has appeared on other Star Trek television series The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, though not as Cochrane (his appearances on these shows predated his role in First Contact), he guest starred in episodes including "The Hunted", "Birthright" (Part I and II) and "Starship Down".
Cromwell also had additional success on television throughout his career. His role as newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst in the television film RKO 281 earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie. The following year, he received his second Emmy Award nomination for playing Bishop Lionel Stewart on the NBC medical drama series ER. In 2004, he guest-starred as former President D. Wire Newman in the The West Wing episode "The Stormy Present". From 2003 to 2005, Cromwell played George Sibley in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under, which earned him his third Emmy Award nomination in 2003. Along with the rest of his castmates, he was also nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2005 and 2006. The following year, Cromwell played Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in The Queen (2006), that earned Helen Mirren an Academy Award for Best Actress. He also guest starred as Phillip Bauer, father of lead character Jack, in the sixth season of the Fox thriller drama series 24.
In October 2007, Cromwell played the lead role of James Tyrone Sr. in the Druid Theatre Company's production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, at the Gaiety in Dublin as part of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival's 50th Anniversary.Gaiety Theatre Dublin, Ireland – Irish Theatre That same year he received the King Vidor Memorial Award from the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival for his artistic achievements in film. More recently, Cromwell played George Herbert Walker Bush in Oliver Stone's W. (2008), that chronicles the rise to power of his son up until the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In an interview, Cromwell revealed that Stone had originally offered the role to Warren Beatty and Harrison Ford.
==Personal life==
He has long been an advocate of progressive causes. In the late 1960s, he was a member of "The Committee to Defend The Panthers", a group organized to defend 13 members of the Black Panther Party who had been imprisoned in New York on charges of conspiracy. All thirteen were eventually released. In a 2004 interview with CNN.com, Cromwell praised the Panthers. He became a vegetarian in 1974 after seeing a stockyard in Texas and experiencing the "smell, terror and anxiety." He became an ethical vegan while playing the character of Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe in 1995. He frequently speaks out on issues regarding animal cruelty for PETA, largely the treatment of pigs. In the book Money Men, author Jeffrey Birnbaum describes how John McCain went out of his way to meet Cromwell as he advocated on Capitol Hill for funding of Native American arts education.The Money Men By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, Crown Books 2000, page 181 He served as the narrator of the short film Farm to Fridge, a documentary produced by Mercy for Animals. In an October 2008 interview, he strongly attacked the Republican Party and the George W. Bush administration, saying their foreign policy would "either destroy us or the entire planet."
Cromwell is known for his tall stature; at , he is the tallest actor nominated for an Academy Award. His son John is also tall, standing at Ellis, Cynthia, "Tribeca Film Festival Interview: John and James Cromwell: A .45 at 50th", The Huffington Post, May 4, 2010
He was married to Anne Ulvestad from 1976 to 1986. They had three children. He married his second wife, Julie Cobb, on May 29, 1986; that marriage ended in divorce in 2005."James Cromwell files for divorce", Associated Press, January 14, 2005
Cromwell endorsed the reelection campaign of Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio in 2012. 
He attended the 2012 Academy Awards with Anna Stuart.
==Filmography==
===Films===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1976	Murder by Death 	Marcel 	
1978	 	Schnell 	
1981	Nobody's Perfekt 	Dr. Carson 	
1983	 	Realtor 	
1984	 	Officer Quick 	
1984	Tank 	Deputy Euclid Baker 	
1984	Revenge of the Nerds 	Mr. Skolnick 	Credited as "Jamie Cromwell"
1984	Oh, God! You Devil 	Priest 	
1985	Explorers 	Mr. Müller 	
1986	 	Detective Blist 	
1987	Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise	Mr. Skolnick 	
1988	 	Admiral Rothman 	
1989	 	Unknown 	
1989	Pink Cadillac 	Motel Desk Clerk 	
1992	 	Brother Mathias 	
1993	Romeo Is Bleeding 	Cage 	
1995	Babe 	Farmer Arthur Hoggett 	Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
1996	Eraser 	William Donohue 	
1996	 	Charles Keating 	
1996	Star Trek: First Contact 	Dr. Zefram Cochrane 	
1997	Owd Bob 	Adam MacAdam 	
1997	L.A. Confidential 	Captain Dudley Smith 	Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1997	 	Granpa 	
1998	Species II 	Senator Judson Ross 	
1998	Deep Impact 	Alan Rittenhouse 	
1998	Babe: Pig in the City 	Farmer Arthur Hoggett 	
1999	 	Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell 	Nominated – Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Suspense
1999	 	Priest 	
1999	 	Warden Hal Moores 	Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1999	RKO 281 	William Randolph Hearst 	
1999	Snow Falling on Cedars 	Judge Fielding 	
2000	Space Cowboys 	Bob Gerson 	
2002	Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron 	The Colonel 	Western Heritage Award (Bronze Wrangler) for Theatrical Motion Picture
2002	 	President J. Robert Fowler 	
2002	 	Franz 	
2003	Blackball 	Ray Speight 	
2003	 	Walter Shepherd 	Nominated – DVD Exclusive Award for Best Supporting Actor (in a DVD Premiere Movie) (2006)
2004	I, Robot 	Dr. Alfred Lanning 	
2005	 	Warden Hazen 	Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Bad Guy
2006	 	Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh	
2007	Dante's Inferno 	Virgil 	
2007	Becoming Jane 	Reverend Austen 	
2007	Spider-Man 3 	Captain George Stacy 	
2008	Tortured 	Jack 	
2008	W. 	George H. W. Bush 	
2009	 	Howard Simons 	
2009	Surrogates 	Dr. Lionel Canter 	
2010	Secretariat 	Ogden Phipps 	
2011	 	Clifton 	Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2011	Memorial Day 	Bud Vogel 	
2012	Flying into Love 	Lyndon B. Johnson 	in production
===Television===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1974 	 	Terry 	Episode 1.3: "The Countess"
1974 	All in the Family 	Stretch Cunningham 	Appeared in three episodes
1974, 1978 	Maude 	AlfieDr. Farrington 	Episode 3.9: "Last Tango in Tuckahoe"Episode 6.13: "The Obscene Phone Call"
1975 	Hot l Baltimore 	Bill Lewis 	Main cast member
1975 	Barbary Coast 	Roy 	Episode 1.4: "The Ballad of Redwing Jail"
1976 	Stranded 	Jerry Holmes 	Television film
1976 	Insight 	Norman 	Episode "Jesus B.C."
1976 	 	Glen 	
1976 	Once an Eagle 	J. L. Cleghorne 	Miniseries
1977 	Police Story 	Lutz 	Episode 4.20: "Ice Time"
1977 	 	Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr. 	Television film
1977 	M*A*S*H 	Captain Leo Bardonaro 	Episode 6.3: "Last Laugh"
1977 	Three's Company 	Detective Lannigan 	Episode 2.9: "Chrissy's Night Out"
1977 	Deadly Game 	Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr. 	Television film
1977, 1979, 1981	Barney Miller 	Sgt. WilkinsonNeil SpencerJason ParrishDr. Edmund Danworth	Episode 3.20: "Group Home"Episode 6.6: "Strip Joint"Episode 7.22: "Liquidation"Episode 8.5: "Stress Analyzer"
1978 	Alice 	Detective Ralph Hilton 	Episode 3.9: "Who Ordered the Hot Turkey?"
1979 	Eight Is Enough 	Coach Pollard 	Episode 3.23: "The Better Part of Valour"
1979 	Diff'rent Strokes 	Father O'Brien 	Episode 2.7: "Arnold's Hero"
1979, 1980 	 	Mr. HamiltonArt Commings 	Episode 1.13: "Mainstream"Episode 2.22: "The Death of Me Yet?"
1980 	Flo 	Leon 	Episodes 1.1: "Homecoming" and 1.4: "Take My Sister, Please"
1980 	Little House on the Prairie 	Harve Miller 	Episodes 7.1: "Laura Ingalls Wilder: Part 1" and 7.2: "Laura Ingalls Wilder: Part 2"
1980 	 	Reverend Lohman 	Television film
1981 	Barefoot in the Park 	Harry Pepper 	Television film
1982 	 	Noah Curry 	Television film
1982 	Nurse 	Paul Moore 	Episode 2.9: "A Place to Die"
1982 	 	Francisek 	Television film
1982 	Born to the Wind 	Fish Belly 	
1982 	Father Murphy 	Farley Webster 	Episodes 2.5: "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 1" and 2.6: "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 2"
1984 	Buffalo Bill 	Unknown 	Episode 2.2: "Jerry Lewis Week"
1984 	Gimme a Break! 	Russell Cosgrove 	Episode 3.22: "Class of '84"
1984 	Spraggue 	Lieutenant Hurley 	Television film
1984 	Earthlings 	Simon Games 	Television film
1984–85 	Dallas 	Gerald Kane 	Appeared in three episodes
1985 	Night Court 	Alan 	Episode 2.14: "Nuts About Harry"
1985 	Family Ties 	John Hancock 	Episode 3.15: "Philadelphia Story"
1985 	Riptide 	Joey Dietz 	Episode 2.17: "Girls Night Out"
1985 	Hardcastle and McCormick 	Jake Fellows 	Episode 2.20: "Undercover McCormick"
1985 	Knight Rider 	Curtis 	Episode 3.18: "Ten Wheel Trouble"
1985 	Wildside 	Fake Buffalo Bill 	Episode 1.5: "Buffalo Who?"
1985 	Hill Street Blues 	Lowenhandler 	Episode 5.23: "Grin and Bear It"
1985 	Hunter 	Seymour Robbins 	Episode 1.19: "Sniper"
1985 	 	Obediah Payne 	Episode 1.6: "Examination Day/A Message from Charity"
1985–86 	Scarecrow and Mrs. King 	Gregory 	Episodes 3.4: "Tail of the Dancing Weasel" and 3.18: "Wrong Number"
1986 	Amazing Stories 	Francis 	Episode 1.15: "One for the Road"
1986 	Magnum, P.I. 	French Policeman 	Episode 6.21: "Photo Play"; uncredited
1986 	 	Chief Bludhorn 	
1986 	Dream West 	Major General David Hunter 	Miniseries
1987 	Easy Street 	Quentin Standard 	Episode 1.13: "Frames and Dames"
1987 	Alison's Demise 	Humboldt Hobson 	Television film
1988 	China Beach 	Ambassador at Large Roland Weymouth 	Pilot
1988 	Mr. Belvedere 	Roy Gallagher 	Episode 5.1: "Fat Cats"
1988 	Mama's Boy 	Unknown 	
1989 	Christine Cromwell 	Arthur 	Episode 1.1: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"
1990 	Life Goes On 	Bill Henderson 	Episode 1.13: "Thacher and Henderson"
1990 	Miracle Landing 	B.J. Cocker 	Television film
1990 	Matlock 	Judge Raymond Price 	Episode 5.2: "Nowhere to Turn"
1990, 1993 	Star Trek: The Next Generation 	Prime Minister NayrokJaglom Shrek 	Episode 3.11: "The Hunted"Episodes 6.16: "Birthright: Part 1" and 6.17: "Birthright: Part 2"
1991 	 	Jacob 	Episode 2.14: "The Peacemakers"
1991 	Jake and the Fatman 	Havilland 	Episode 4.19: "It Never Entered My Mind"
1991 	In a Child's Name 	Unknown 	Television film
1992 	Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation	Mr. Skolnick 	Television film; credited as "Jamie Cromwell"
1994 	Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love 	Mr. Skolnick 	Television film; credited as "Jamie Cromwell"
1994 	 	Charlie 'the Robber' Mulvihill 	Television film
1994 	Home Improvement 	Fred 	Episode 4.9: "My Dinner with Wilson"
1995 	Renegade 	Jeremy Sullivan 	Episode 3.15: "Stalker's Moon"
1995 	Picket Fences 	The Bishop 	Episode 3.20: "Saint Zach"
1995 	Indictment: The McMartin Trial 	Judge Pounders 	Television film
1995 	Hawkeye 	Unknown 	Episode 1.17: "The Visit"
1995 	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 	Hanok 	Episode 4.7: "Starship Down"
1995–96 	Partners 	Mr. Saxonhouse 	Episodes 1.11: "Do We Have to Write You a Check?" and 1.18: "Can We Keep Her, Dad?"
1996 	Strange Luck 	Minister 	Episode 1.13: "Healing Hands"
1996 	 	Officer Joe Denton 	Episode 1.17: "The High Ground"
1999 	 	John Edgerson 	Television film
1999 	RKO 281 	William Randolph Hearst 	Television filmNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie
2000 	Fail Safe 	Gordon Knapp 	Television play
2001 	ER 	Bishop Stewart 	Appeared in four episodesNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series
2001 	Star Trek: Enterprise 	Dr. Zefram Cochrane 	Episode 1.1: "Broken Bow: Part 1"Cromwell also appeared in archive footage in Episode 4.18: "In a Mirror, Darkly"
2001 	Citizen Baines 	Senator Elliot Baines 	Appeared in all seven episodes
2002 	 	Joel Lynch 	Television film
2002 	 	Major Amberson 	Television film
2002 	RFK 	President Lyndon B. Johnson 	
2003 	Angels in America 	Henry 	Miniseries; chapters 1 and 4
2003–05 	Six Feet Under 	George Sibley 	Appeared in 27 episodesNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama SeriesNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2005–06)
2004 	 	President D. Wire Newman 	Episode 5.10: "The Stormy Present"
2004 	'Salem's Lot 	Father Donald Callahan 	Miniseries
2005 	Pope John Paul II 	Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha 	
2006 	Avenger 	Paul Devereaux 	Television film
2007 	24 	Phillip Bauer 	Appeared in eight episodes
2007 	Masters of Science Fiction 	Randolph Ludwin 	Episode 1.6: "Watchbird"
2008 	Hit Factor 	Orson Fierce 	Also producer
2008 	My Own Worst Enemy 	Alistar Trumble 	Appeared in six episodes
2009 	Strikeout 	Director 	Television film
2009 	Impact 	Lloyd 	Miniseries
2009 	 	Hank Paulson 	Docu-drama
2010 	Sotto il Cielo di Roma(Under the Roman Sky) 	Pope Pius XII 	Two Episodes
2012 	American Horror Story 	Dr. Arden 	
===Theatre===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2007	Long Day's Journey into Night	James Tyrone, Sr.	Druid Theatre
2012	Waiting for Godot 	Pozzo 	Center Theatre Group
==References==
== Further reading ==
* "Cover Biography for August 2005: James Cromwell", Current Biography, August 2005
==External links==
* 
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ar:جيمس كرومويل
cs:James Cromwell
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es:James Cromwell
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Category:1940 births
Category:Living people
Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California
Category:Actors from New York City
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American film actors
Category:American stage actors
Category:American television actors
Category:American vegans
Category:People from Manhattan
Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni
Category:The Hill School alumni
Category:Middlebury College alumni
Category:1940 births
Category:Living people
Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California
Category:Actors from New York City
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American film actors
Category:American stage actors
Category:American television actors
Category:American vegans
Category:People from Manhattan
Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni
Category:The Hill School alumni
Category:Middlebury College alumni
Category:1940 births
Category:Living people
Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California
Category:Actors from New York City
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American film actors
Category:American stage actors
Category:American television actors
Category:American vegans
Category:People from Manhattan
Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni
Category:The Hill School alumni
Category:Middlebury College alumni