James Whitmore
- Acting
- October 1, 1921 · White Plains, New York, USA
- February 6, 2009
Biography
James Allen Whitmore Jr. (October 1, 1921 – February 6, 2009) was an American film, theatre, and television actor. During his career, Whitmore won three of the four EGOT honors; - a Tony, a Grammy, and an Emmy. Whitmore also won a Golden Globe and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Following World War II, Whitmore appeared on Broadway in the role of the sergeant in Command Decision. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave Whitmore a contract, but his role in the film adaptation was played by Van Johnson. His first major picture for MGM was Battleground, in a role that was turned down by Spencer Tracy, to whom Whitmore bore a noted physical resemblance. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role, and won the Golden Globe Award as Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role. Other major films included Angels in the Outfield, The Asphalt Jungle, The Next Voice You Hear, Above and Beyond, Kiss Me, Kate, Them!, Oklahoma!, Black Like Me, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Give 'em Hell, Harry!, a one-man show for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of former U.S. President Harry S Truman. In the film Tora! Tora! Tora!, he played Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. Whitmore appeared during the 1950s on many television anthology series. He was cast as Father Emil Kapaun in the 1955 episode "The Good Thief" in the ABC religion anthology series Crossroads. Other roles followed on Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theater, Lux Video Theatre, Kraft Theatre, Studio One in Hollywood, Schlitz Playhouse, Matinee Theatre, and the Ford Television Theatre. In 1958, he carried the lead in "The Gabe Carswell Story" of NBC's Wagon Train, with Ward Bond. Whitmore has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6611 Hollywood Boulevard. The ceremony was held on February 8, 1960.
Known for
Filmography
- Arthur Miller: Writer · Self
- Meet Mr. Miracle-Gro: The Horace Hagedorn Story
- A Minute with Stan Hooper · Dr. Goldman
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: Too Darn Hot · Self
- Mister Sterling · William Sterling Sr.
- A Ring of Endless Light · Grandfather
- The Majestic · Stan Keller
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation · Milton
- Here's to Life! · Gus Corley
- Swing Vote · Daniel Morissey
- The Practice · Raymond Oz
- The Relic · Dr. Albert Frock
- Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick · Self
- The Shawshank Redemption · Brooks Hatlen
- Roots of Roe · Pope Pius XI (Voice)
- Old Explorers · Leinen Roth
- Sky High · Gus Johnson
- Glory! Glory! · Lester Babbitt
- Favorite Son · The President
- Nuts · Judge Stanley Murdoch
- All My Sons · Joe Keller
- George Burns Comedy Week · Ebenezer Scrooge
- The Ray Bradbury Theater · Craig Bennett Stiles
- The Adventures of Mark Twain · Mark Twain (Voice)
- Love Those Trains · Narrator
- Celebrity · Clifford Casey
- The Klan: A Legacy of Hate in America · Narrator
- Hail Columbia! · Narrator
- American Playhouse · Joe Keller
- Code Red
- Mark, I Love You · Dwight Hamilton
- The First Deadly Sin · Dr. Sanford Ferguson
- Rage! · Borski
- The Golden Honeymoon · Charley Tate
- The Horror Show · (archive footage)
- The White Shadow · Jake Reeves
- The Word · George Wheeler
- Bully: An Adventure with Teddy Roosevelt · Teddy Roosevelt
- The Serpent's Egg · Priester
- The Flying Misfits · Capt. James 'Jim' Gutterman
- Give 'em Hell, Harry! · Harry S. Truman
- I Will Fight No More Forever · General Oliver O. Howard
- The Canterville Ghost · Hyram B. Otis
- The Balloon Vendor · Antonio
- Dinah! · Self
- Where the Red Fern Grows · Grandpa
- Man Belongs to the Earth · Narrator
- High Crime · Commissioner Aldo Scavino
- The Harrad Experiment · Philip Tenhausen
- Temperatures Rising · Vincent Campanelli
- Chato's Land · Joshua Everette
- If Tomorrow Comes · Frank Phillips
- The Challenge · Overman
- Tora! Tora! Tora! · Admiral William F. Halsey
- Then Came Bronson · Wilson Ford
- Guns of the Magnificent Seven · Levi
- My Friend Tony · Prof. John Woodruff
- The Split · Herb Sutro
- The Name of the Game · Harry Roarke
- Madigan · Chief Inspector Charles Kane
- Planet of the Apes · President of the Assembly
- Nobody's Perfect · Capt. Mike Riley
- Waterhole #3 · Capt. Shipley
- Cowboy in Africa
- The Danny Thomas Hour · Professor John Woodruff
- Judd, for the Defense
- Custer
- Chuka · Lou Trent
- The Invaders · Harry Swain
- T.H.E. Cat
- Shane · Harry Himber
- Tarzan
- The Monroes
- The Tenderfoot · Captain Ewell
- The Loner · Doc Fritchman
- The Big Valley · Handy, Joshua Hawks
- Run for Your Life · Chief Jim Holland
- National Geographic Specials · Narrator (Voice)
- For the People
- The Tenderfoot · Captain Ewell