Brion Howard James (February 20, 1945 – August 7, 1999) was an American character actor. Known for playing the character of Leon Kowalski in the movie Blade Runner, James portrayed a variety of colorful roles in well-known films such as 48 Hrs., Another 48 Hrs., Tango & Cash, Red Heat, The Player and The Fifth Element. James' commanding screen presence and formidable physique at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall usually resulted in his casting as a heavy, appearing more frequently in lower budget horror and action films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. James appeared in more than 100 films before he died of a heart attack aged 54.
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| 1 | [on studying acting with Stella Adler] I consider her probably the best acting teacher in the world. She gives you a technique that combines with your talent, and they grow together and eventually become the same thing. I never tire of the work. There's always a further place to go with it. |
| 2 | I consider myself a classical character actor, like Lon Chaney, Wallace Beery, Charles Laughton. I always like to play bad guys. I'm real good at psychotic behavior. |
| 3 | [about Southern Comfort (1981)] It was the hardest movie I ever made as far as being physical. It was cold and freezing in that swamp. [Keith Carradine] and the other ones, they wore wet suits under the clothes, I never wore one. I was miserable, but it worked for the movie. I played a local Cajun trapper. It's the only accent I ever had to learn. I'm a parrot. I can pick up an accent and just do it. That one I had to study, and a real Cajun taught me how to do it. So, I did this Cajun patois, bastardized French. It was very different, it was like a southern black French. |
| 4 | My dad built a movie theater in Beaumont, California, and by the time I was two years old I was at the movies every night. I lived in books and movies. That's where I wanted to be, in that fantasy world. I started acting in school at a very early age, putting on talent shows, acting in high school plays, that kind of thing. I guess some people are just destined to do this. |
| 5 | [on his part in Another 48 Hrs. (1990) being heavily cut down] Total Recall (1990) came out a week before "Another 48 Hrs" that summer, it made 25 million. The studio panicked. My stuff was in there until one week before the film opened. They cut 25 minutes out of that movie, a week before it opened. It went from around 140 to down to around 95 minutes. They said cut all the behavior, action, comedy, done. I lost every major scene I had. That's the last time I ever cared about a movie because I went to the press screening and it was like getting kicked in the stomach, seeing what's not there. I'm the third lead and I looked like a dress extra. All the stuff that they had in the set-up, stuff in the trailer, all those scenes were gone. |
| 6 | [on what he remembers about making Crime Wave (1985)] Three months in Detroit, which was where we were. Murder City. I was really sick, I was doing a lot of drugs, but I told Sam Raimi, "Put me on, but don't say cut, let me go". He did and I went and basically I had the show. At that point, which came after Blade Runner (1982), they put me on a blacklist, because I wouldn't be in the union, and when I came up for that, they said, "You can't do the movie". They said, "We've got to have Brion James". They said, "No, he's not working for us." Finally they said, "Look, he's the only guy we want". They said, "Fine, you can have him, but we're not paying our part". So they paid their part, I worked like ten weeks for $2500. You know they say don't make waves, so I learned my lesson. |
| 7 | [about Red Heat (1988)] I told Walter Hill, "I'll do a walk-on for you, or a starring role, I don't care". He made me a film actor. He said, "Fine, now you're a film actor" in Southern Comfort (1981), and it was one of the best roles I ever had. I told Walter, "I'll do anything you want, just tell me". In "Red Heat" I had one good scene. I played this guy like a white Negro, "Snitch". So I processed the hair, wore those shoes, I made him like a real street guy. Walter Hill, he loves it. |
| 8 | [in August 1999, when asked to what he attributes his success] Hard work. You gotta study, man. It's like any profession. I did eight years in theater. I studied two years in school in New York with Stella Adler, the best teacher in the world. I studied under Nina Foch, I did theater, I learned my craft. You got to learn how to build a character, there's a way to do it. Everything I ever did was different. I did 125 films, and over 100 television shows, and you've never seen the same character twice. I think now, in my 50s, with [Robert Duvall], [Albert Finney] and [Gene Hackman], those guys are getting up there in their 60s, it's my time. And I'm making sure that I push myself into their slot. So, my best work's coming. |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Desperado: The Outlaw Wars | 1989 | TV Movie | Roy Grimes |
| Circles in a Forest | 1989 | | Mr. Patterson |
| Mutator | 1989 | | David Allen |
| The Horror Show | 1989 | | Max Jenke |
| On My Honor | 1988 | Short | Commander |
| Miami Vice | 1988 | TV Series | Edward Reese |
| Red Scorpion | 1988 | | Sgt. Krasnov |
| Webster | 1988 | TV Series | |
| Death Street USA | 1988 | | The Albino |
| Red Heat | 1988 | | Streak |
| The Wrong Guys | 1988 | | Glen Grunski |
| D.O.A. | 1988 | | Detective Ulmer |
| Dead Man Walking | 1988 | | Decker |
| Sledge Hammer! | 1986-1988 | TV Series | Don Merrill / Felix Ridel |
| Cherry 2000 | 1987 | | Stacy |
| Steel Dawn | 1987 | | Tark |
| The Hitchhiker | 1987 | TV Series | Lionel |
| Love Among Thieves | 1987 | TV Movie | Andre |
| Matlock | 1987 | TV Series | Mr. Grock |
| Sidekicks | 1986 | TV Series | Marshall |
| Armed and Dangerous | 1986 | | Anthony Lazarus |
| Annihilator | 1986 | TV Movie | Alien Leader |
| Dynasty | 1986 | TV Series | Hawkins |
| Enemy Mine | 1985 | | Stubbs |
| Amazing Stories | 1985 | TV Series | Willie Joe |
| The A-Team | 1983-1985 | TV Series | David Plout / Ryder |
| The Fall Guy | 1985 | TV Series | |
| Silverado | 1985 | | Hobart (uncredited) |
| Flesh+Blood | 1985 | | Karsthans |
| Crimewave | 1985 | | Arthur Coddish |
| The Dukes of Hazzard | 1982-1984 | TV Series | Captain Slater / Jenkins |
| A Breed Apart | 1984 | | Peyton |
| Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues | 1983 | TV Movie | Reece |
| The Renegades | 1983 | TV Series | Cochran |
| Cagney & Lacey | 1983 | TV Series | Dave |
| Lone Star | 1983 | TV Movie | Breyer |
| 48 Hrs. | 1982 | | Kehoe |
| Hear No Evil | 1982 | TV Movie | Billy Boy Burns |
| Quincy M.E. | 1982 | TV Series | Henry Muller |
| American Playhouse | 1982 | TV Series | Captain Rogers |
| Blade Runner | 1982 | | Leon Kowalski |
| Little House on the Prairie | 1982 | TV Series | Amos |
| The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | 1982 | | Captain Rogers |
| CHiPs | 1979-1981 | TV Series | Ackerman / Monk |
| Benson | 1981 | TV Series | Axe-Man |
| Killing at Hell's Gate | 1981 | TV Movie | Turkey |
| Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. | 1981 | | Defalice |
| Southern Comfort | 1981 | | Trapper |
| The Postman Always Rings Twice | 1981 | | Crapshooter |
| The Jazz Singer | 1980 | | Man in Bar |
| When the Whistle Blows | 1980 | TV Series | Al Davis |
| Trouble in High Timber Country | 1980 | TV Movie | Eddie Rhodes |
| Wholly Moses! | 1980 | | Guard at Banquet |
| The Jeffersons | 1980 | TV Series | Dirty Dog |
| Galactica 1980 | 1980 | TV Series | Willy |
| B.J. and the Bear | 1979 | TV Series | Bomber / Patrol Officer |
| Big Shamus, Little Shamus | 1979 | TV Series | Denker |
| Mork & Mindy | 1978 | TV Series | George |
| The Incredible Hulk | 1978 | TV Series | Al |
| KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park | 1978 | TV Movie | Guard |
| Flying High | 1978 | TV Series | Clyde Boyer |
| Corvette Summer | 1978 | | Wayne's Car Wash Henchman |
| Goober & the Truckers' Paradise | 1978 | TV Movie | T-Bone |
| Chico and the Man | 1978 | TV Series | Hog |
| Blue Sunshine | 1977 | | Tony |
| The Rockford Files | 1977 | TV Series | Clamshell |
| Roots | 1977 | TV Mini-Series | Slaver |
| Nickelodeon | 1976 | | Bailiff |
| Bound for Glory | 1976 | | Pick-Up Truck Driver at Border |
| Treasure of Matecumbe | 1976 | | Roustabout |
| Harry and Walter Go to New York | 1976 | | Hayseed |
| The Kansas City Massacre | 1975 | TV Movie | Homer Van Meter |
| Hard Times | 1975 | uncredited | |
| Gunsmoke | 1975 | TV Series | Joe Barnes |
| The Waltons | 1974 | TV Series | Henry Ferris Jr. |
| Get Christie Love! | 1974 | TV Series | Hopper |
| Phoenix Point | 2005 | | Spider Rico |
| The Thief & the Stripper | 2000 | | Shoe |
| Farewell, My Love | 2000 | | Renault |
| The King Is Alive | 2000 | | Ashley |
| The Operator | 2000 | | Vernon Woods |
| Dirt Merchant | 1999 | | Detective Harry Ball |
| The Hunter's Moon | 1999 | Video | Sheriff Foulkes |
| Superman | 1999 | Video Game | Parasite (voice) |
| Spawn | 1997-1999 | TV Series | Additional Voices |
| Diplomatic Siege | 1999 | | Gen. Stubbs |
| Foolish | 1999 | | Ruben Reyes, Talent Scout (uncredited) |
| Arthur's Quest | 1999 | TV Movie | Trent |
| Malevolence | 1999 | | Warden Walker |
| The Magnificent Seven | 1998-1999 | TV Series | Stuart James |
| A Place Called Truth | 1998 | | Hank |
| Black Sea 213 | 1998 | | Captain Killick |
| Joseph's Gift | 1998 | | Frank Childress |
| Men in Black: The Series | 1998 | TV Series | |
| Kai Rabe gegen die Vatikankiller | 1998 | | Mönch |
| Brown's Requiem | 1998 | | Cathcart |
| Vengeance Unlimited | 1998 | TV Series | Franklin Dekker |
| Deadly Ransom | 1998 | | Bobby Rico |
| Men in White | 1998 | TV Movie | General |
| Heist | 1998 | | Caz |
| Border to Border | 1998 | | Card Shark |
| In God's Hands | 1998 | | Captain |
| The Sentinel | 1998 | TV Series | Warren Chapel |
| Jekyll Island | 1998 | | Lawton Goodyear |
| Millennium | 1998 | TV Series | Sheriff Bowman |
| Bombshell | 1997 | | Donald |
| Blade Runner | 1997 | Video Game | Leon (voice) |
| The Underground | 1997 | | Captain Hilton |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | 1997 | TV Series | Rafer Cobb |
| Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills | 1997 | | Salvador Dali / Sam |
| Superman | 1996-1997 | TV Series | The Parasite Rudy Jones Parasite |
| The Setting Son | 1997 | | Junior |
| Snide and Prejudice | 1997 | | Hermann Goering |
| The Fifth Element | 1997 | | General Munro |
| Back in Business | 1997 | | Emery Ryker |
| The Killing Jar | 1997 | | Dr. Vincent Garret |
| Billy Lone Bear | 1996 | | Walsh |
| Assault on Dome 4 | 1996 | TV Movie | Chairman |
| Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | 1996 | TV Series | Big Orderly / Chimera |
| American Strays | 1996 | | Oris |
| Precious Find | 1996 | | Sam Horton |
| The Lazarus Man | 1996 | TV Series | |
| Evil Obsession | 1996 | | Stavinski |
| Marco Polo: Haperek Ha'aharon | 1996 | | |
| Indecent Behavior III | 1995 | | Mr. Cowed (uncredited) |
| The Marshal | 1995 | TV Series | Chief Marshal Ollie Mathers |
| Cyberjack | 1995 | | Nassim |
| Dominion | 1995 | | Lynwood |
| Steel Frontier | 1995 | Video | General J.W. Quantrell |
| The Nature of the Beast | 1995 | | Sheriff Gordon |
| Sketch Artist II: Hands That See | 1995 | TV Movie | Larry Walker |
| Spitfire | 1995 | | Tough guy (uncredited) |
| Hong Kong 97 | 1994 | | Simon Alexander |
| The Soft Kill | 1994 | | Ben McCarthy |
| Radioland Murders | 1994 | | Bernie King |
| Highlander | 1994 | TV Series | Armand Thorne |
| The Companion | 1994 | TV Movie | Ron Cocheran |
| Art Deco Detective | 1994 | | Jim Wexler |
| Savage Land | 1994 | | Cyrus |
| M.A.N.T.I.S. | 1994 | TV Series | Solomon Box |
| F.T.W. | 1994 | | Sheriff Rudy Morgan |
| Scanner Cop | 1994 | Video | Dr. Hampton |
| Knight Rider 2010 | 1994 | TV Movie | Jared |
| Future Shock | 1994 | | Jack Porter |
| Silk Stalkings | 1994 | TV Series | Rupert Tarlow |
| Cabin Boy | 1994 | | Big Teddy |
| The Dark | 1993 | | Paul Buckner |
| Precious Victims | 1993 | TV Movie | Agent Jimmy Bivens |
| Showdown | 1993/I | | Vice Principal Kowalski |
| Striking Distance | 1993 | | Det. Eddie Eiler |
| Johnny Bago | 1993 | TV Series | Tommy 'The Trunk' Testarone |
| Brain Smasher... A Love Story | 1993 | Video | Brown |
| Renegade | 1993 | TV Series | Eli Starke |
| Time Runner | 1993 | | Neila |
| Rio Diablo | 1993 | TV Movie | Jake Walker |
| Batman: The Animated Series | 1992-1993 | TV Series | Additional Voices / Irving |
| Frogtown II | 1992 | | Prof. Tanzer |
| Nemesis | 1992 | | Maritz |
| Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story | 1992 | TV Movie | Bruce Munster |
| Wishman | 1992 | | Staten Jack Rose |
| The Player | 1992 | | Joel Levison |
| Black Magic | 1992 | TV Movie | Tom McKay |
| Tales from the Crypt | 1991 | TV Series | Steve Dixon |
| Ultimate Desires | 1991 | | Wolfgang Friedman |
| Mom | 1991 | | Nestor Duvalier |
| Hunter | 1988-1991 | TV Series | Thomas Duffy / Lt. Jeff Wadsworth |
| Another 48 Hrs. | 1990 | | Ben Kehoe |
| Street Asylum | 1990 | | Reverend Mony |
| Enid Is Sleeping | 1990 | | Trucker |
| The Young Riders | 1990 | TV Series | Jonas Simpkins |
| Tango & Cash | 1989 | | Requin |
$100,000
