James Hampton (actor)
James Wade Hampton (born July 9, 1936) is an American actor, television director, and screenwriter.
James Hampton | |
|---|---|
 Hampton in 1968. | |
| Born | James Wade Hampton July 9, 1936 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA |
| Other names | Jimmy Hampton Jim Hampton |
| Occupation | Actor, director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Deese (2002–present) |
Biography
Early life
Hampton was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and raised in Dallas, Texas, where his father operated a cleaning business. He majored in theatre arts at the University of North Texas in Denton. While attending UNT, he was a member of the Gamma Lambda chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. After a series of failed jobs including bodyguard, bartender, and photojournalist, he was inducted into the United States Army.[1] He was stationed in Germany and performed with the USO, for which he won awards.
Following his service, he performed in summer stock in Texas and then moved to New York City, where he was given his first film role - the Academy Award-nominated short subject The Cliffdwellers. Hampton's next role came as the lead character in a May 1963 Gunsmoke episode entitled "Jeb", featuring his friend and series regular Burt Reynolds.
Career
Hampton is known for his roles in CBS's The Doris Day Show (as Leroy, the handyman); ABC's F Troop (as Hannibal Dobbs the incompetent bugler); Robert Aldrich's The Longest Yard (1974); Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan (1975); Teen Wolf (1985); the Teen Wolf television series (1986 to 1989); Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988); and Sling Blade (1996). Hampton guest starred as Jim Rockford's cousin Aaron Ironwood in a 1975 episode of NBC's The Rockford Files. He received a HALO Award for Hawmps!, and a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Most Promising Newcomer" for the part of "Caretaker" in The Longest Yard. He was also the spokesman for the American Egg Board.
In 1964, Hampton was cast as publisher William Randolph Hearst in the episode "The Paper Dynasty" of the syndicated western television series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. In the story line, Hearst struggles to turn a profit despite increased circulation of The San Francisco Examiner. James Lanphier (1920-1969) plays Ambrose Bierce; Robert O. Cornthwaite was cast as Sam Chamberlain.[2]
In 1980, he starred alongside Gary Collins in the low-budget movie Hangar 18. Filmed primarily in Big Spring, Texas, the two played NASA astronauts trying to expose a UFO coverup.
In 2012, Hampton appeared in an advertisement on MeTV touting some of the shows in which he had guest starred, including Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and The Rockford Files.
Personal life
Hampton married his wife actress Mary Deese in 2002. They reside in Texas.[3]
Selected filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | Soldier Blue | Private Menzies | |
| 1972 | Justin Morgan Had a Horse | Aaron | |
| 1973 | The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing | Jimmy | Uncredited |
| 1974 | The Longest Yard | Caretaker | |
| 1975 | W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings | Junior | |
| Mackintosh and T.J. | Cotton | ||
| Hustle | Bus Driver | ||
| 1976 | Hawmps! | Howard Clemmons | |
| 1978 | The Cat from Outer Space | Captain Anderson | |
| 1979 | The China Syndrome | Bill Gibson | |
| 1980 | Hangar 18 | Lew Price | Alternative tile: Invasion Force |
| 1981 | Condorman | Harry Oslo | |
| 1985 | Teen Wolf | Harold Howard | |
| 1987 | Teen Wolf Too | Uncle Harold Howard | |
| 1988 | Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach | Mayor of Miami | |
| 1990 | Pump Up the Volume | Arthur Watts | |
| 1991 | The Giant of Thunder Mountain | Jesse | |
| 1996 | Sling Blade | Jerry Woolridge | |
| 2000 | Danny and Max | Sheriff | |
| Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel | Pediatrician | ||
| 2008 | Fire from Below | Griffith | |
| 2011 | Jacob | Mayor Jack Flynn | |
| The Last Ride | Judge Matheny | ||
| 2014 | Flutter | Leon | |
| Big Stone Gap | Reverend Manning | ||
| 2015 | Divine Access | Mr. Bernstein | |
| 2016 | The Association | Gene Seward | Direct-to-video |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963–1965 | Gunsmoke | Jeb Willis / Eliab Haggen | 3 episodes, credited as Jim Hampton |
| 1964 | Death Valley Days | William Randolph Hearst | 1 episode |
| 1965 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. | Branch Eversole | 1 episode, credited as Jim Hampton |
| Rawhide | Charlie Peck, The Blackmailer | Episode: "Mrs. Harmon" | |
| 1965–1967 | F Troop | Private Hannibal Shirley Dobbs | 65 episodes |
| 1967 | Cimarron Strip | Sam | 1 episode |
| 1968–1969 | The Doris Day Show | Leroy B. Simpson | 14 episodes |
| 1970 | Bracken's World | J.F. Nash | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Aaron | 2 episodes |
| The F.B.I. | Claybourne | 1 episode | |
| 1973 | Hawkins | Earl Coleman | 1 episode |
| 1974 | The Manhunter | Lon Tyrell | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan | Harry Dudley | Television movie |
| Mannix | Billy Lee | 1 episode | |
| The Rockford Files | Aaron Ironwood | 1 episode | |
| 1977 | The Red Hand Gang | Tosca (Kidnapper) | 5 episodes |
| The Amazing Howard Hughes | Wilbur Peterson | Television movie | |
| 1978 | Mary | Skit Characters | 3 episodes |
| 1979 | Centennial | Defense Attorney Prescott | Miniseries |
| 1980 | B.A.D. Cats | Link | Unknown episodes |
| The Dukes of Hazzard | Sheriff Buster Moon | Episode: "Return of the Ridge Raiders" | |
| 1981 | Stand By Your Man | Billy Sherrill | Television movie |
| 1981–1982 | Maggie | Len Weston | 8 episodes |
| 1982 | World War III | Richard Hickman | Miniseries |
| 1983 | The Greatest American Hero | Sheriff | 1 episode |
| Boone | Mr. Slater | Episode: "The Graduation" | |
| Tales of the Gold Monkey | Alan Shoemate | Episode: "Cooked Goose" | |
| 1984 | The Burning Bed | Police Witness | Television movie |
| Matt Houston | Mr. Stevens | 2 episodes | |
| 1984–1985 | Who's the Boss? | Herb / Officer | 2 episodes |
| 1984–1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Veterinarian / Jerry Blevins | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Otherworld | Fred Roach | 1 episode |
| Simon & Simon | Odell Mitchell | 1 episode | |
| 1986–1989 | Punky Brewster | Alvin / Jimmy John | 2 episodes |
| 1986–1987 | Teen Wolf | Harold Howard (Voice) | 21 episodes |
| 1987 | Houston Knights | Scully | 3 episodes |
| 1988 | Superboy | Coach | Episode: The Fixer |
| 1989 | Mama's Family | Keith Wheeler | Episode: "The Mama of Invention" |
| Days of Our Lives | Saul Taylor | 49 episodes | |
| 1989–1990 | Full House | Mr. Malatesta | 3 episodes |
| 1990 | Perfect Strangers | Mac McIntyre | Episode: "Nightmare Vacation" |
| Newhart | Father Ken | 1 episode | |
| Get a Life | Fletcher | 1 episode | |
| 1991 | The Hogan Family | Raymond | 1 episode |
| 1992–1993 | Evening Shade | Director, 7 episodes | |
| 1993 | Hearts Afire | Director, 1 episode | |
| 1994 | Melrose Place | Harry Alan | Episode: "It's a Bad World After All" |
| 1995 | Hope and Gloria | Bob | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Fired Up | Ben Franklin | 1 episode |
| 1997–1998 | Grace Under Fire | Director, 4 episodes | |
| Smart Guy | Director, 3 episodes | ||
| Sister, Sister | Director, 5 episodes | ||
| 1998–1999 | Linc's | Director, 3 episodes | |
| 2000 | Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane | Director, 3 episodes | |
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Golden Globe Award | Nominated | Most Promising Newcomer - Male | The Longest Yard |
References
- Biography for James Hampton on IMDb
- "The Paper Dynasty on Death Valley Days". Internet Movie Data Base. March 1, 1964. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
- Ten-Tronck's Celebrity Directory pg 99
External links
- James Hampton on IMDb
- James Hampton at the TCM Movie Database
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