Anthony James (born James Anthony; July 22, 1942 – May 26, 2020) was an American character actor who specialized in playing villains in films and television, many of them Westerns.[2]
Early life
Anthony James was born James Anthony in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on July 22, 1942, as the only child of Greek immigrants George Anthony (1893–1951) and Marika Palla (1913–2008). He later reversed the order of his given name and surname for his acting career.[1]
James also appeared in a number of major feature films. His first major role was as Ralph, the diner counterman in 1967's In the Heat of the Night.
His subsequent film appearances included P.J. (1968) and ...tick...tick...tick... (1970). He played one of the lynch mobsters in High Plains Drifter (1973), he had his first costar role as the stalker murderer obsessed with “The Teacher” starring Golden Globe Nominee, Angel Tompkins, and Jay North. He also appeared as the evil chauffeur in the horror film Burnt Offerings (1976).[3] He had roles in Blue Thunder (1983), Nightmares (1983), and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991).
James also appeared in Poison's 1988 music video for their song "Fallen Angel."[1]: 139 He retired from acting in the early 1990s, with his last film role in Clint Eastwood's 1992 Unforgiven,[2] the Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture of 1992. It is notable that Anthony James's first and last major film appearances were each in Academy Award-winning films for Best Picture.[4][5]
After retirement to Arlington, Massachusetts, he concentrated on painting.[6] In 1994, he published a book of art and poetry, Language of the Heart. His autobiography, Acting My Face, was published in 2014.[2]
Death
James died from cancer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 26, 2020, at the age of 77.[7][8]
Unforgiven (1992) — Skinny Dubois (final film role)
References
^ abcJames, Anthony (2014). Acting My Face. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN9781617039850. The union already had an actor named James Anthony and would not let me use Jimmy or Jim Anthony, so rather than change my name... I just reversed it to Anthony James.