Peter Francis James
Encyclopedia
Peter Francis James is an American actor and voice-over artist, distinguished by his strong baritone.
, Illinois
to David James and Mary Galloway James. He has five siblings.
He is best known for playing Raymond Parks, husband of Rosa Parks
, in the 2002 TV movie The Rosa Parks Story
; for a recurring role as Judge Kevin Beck on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
; and for playing Jahfree Neema
in the HBO television series Oz
. Some of his most recent works include The Messenger
, as Dr. Grosso, The Rebound
, playing a doctor, and The Pack (starring Lucie Arnaz
), as Marc Forrest.
His acting career began in 1979, when he appeared in a version of Shakespear
's Coriolanus
, starring Denzel Washington
, Earle Hyman
, and Morgan Freeman
.
Peter has appeared in TV shows such as Gossip Girl
, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
(as Mr. Richmond), Law & Order
(as Judge John Laramie), Double Platinum
, and Third Watch
.
He was in a 1982 TV movie version of Long Day's Journey Into Night
(starring Earle Hyman
). In 1990 he was in a TV movie version of Hamlet
, directed by Kevin Kline
. He played Thurgood Marshall
in 1993 movie "The American Experience" Simple Justice, and he played Isaac Coles in the 1998 television miniseries The Wedding
(starring Halle Berry
and Lynn Whitfield
).
In 2003, he took on the role of Clayton Boudreau on the daytime drama Guiding Light
, a role he played until early 2004. In 2006, he returned for a single episode. In 2009, James returned to Guiding Light on a recurring basis.
He played the voice of Dr. J.S. Steinman in the videogame BioShock
, a game by Ken Levine. He has played in many minor role in films, such as appearing in movies like Joe Gould's Secret
and Montana
.
He was the reader for the Recorded Books edition of Richard Wright's
Native Son
.
He was a featured player in Regina Taylor
's play Drowning Crow, at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
Peter teaches drama at Yale University
.
Life and career
He was born September 16, 1956, in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to David James and Mary Galloway James. He has five siblings.
He is best known for playing Raymond Parks, husband of Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
, in the 2002 TV movie The Rosa Parks Story
The Rosa Parks Story
The Rosa Parks Story is a 2002 American television movie written by Paris Qualles and directed by Julie Dash. Angela Basset portrays Rosa Parks. It was broadcast by CBS on February 24, 2002.-Plot:...
; for a recurring role as Judge Kevin Beck on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
; and for playing Jahfree Neema
Jahfree Neema
Jahfree Neema is a character at HBO drama Oz played by Peter Francis James.-Character Overview:Prisoner 03N679, Convicted Jan. 10, 2003 - Kidnapping, Assault. Sentence - Seven years, eligible for parole in three....
in the HBO television series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
. Some of his most recent works include The Messenger
The Messenger (2009 film)
The Messenger is a 2009 war drama film starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Jena Malone, and Samantha Morton. It is the directorial debut of Oren Moverman, who also wrote the screenplay with Alessandro Camon....
, as Dr. Grosso, The Rebound
The Rebound
The Rebound is a 2009 romantic comedy film directed by Bart Freundlich, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha. The film was released in theaters in several countries in late 2009...
, playing a doctor, and The Pack (starring Lucie Arnaz
Lucie Arnaz
Lucie Désirée Arnaz is an American actress, singer, dancer and producer. She is the daughter of actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and is the sister of actor Desi Arnaz, Jr..- Early life :...
), as Marc Forrest.
His acting career began in 1979, when he appeared in a version of Shakespear
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Coriolanus
Coriolanus (play)
Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
, starring Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman is an American stage, television, and film actor. Hyman is known for his recurring role on The Cosby Show as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable.-Career:...
, and Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
.
Peter has appeared in TV shows such as Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite...
, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
(as Mr. Richmond), Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
(as Judge John Laramie), Double Platinum
Double Platinum
Double Platinum is a 1999 musical telefilm starring Diana Ross and Brandy.-Plot:The story begins with a scene featuring star singer Olivia King leaving her daughter Kayla, who was an infant at the time. It is revealed that Kayla was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but in her later years, she would move...
, and Third Watch
Third Watch
Third Watch is an American television drama series which first aired on NBC from 1999 to 2005 for a total of 132 episodes, broadcast in 6 seasons of 22 episodes each....
.
He was in a 1982 TV movie version of Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night is a 1956 drama in four acts written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. The play is widely considered to be his masterwork...
(starring Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman is an American stage, television, and film actor. Hyman is known for his recurring role on The Cosby Show as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable.-Career:...
). In 1990 he was in a TV movie version of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, directed by Kevin Kline
Kevin Kline
Kevin Delaney Kline is an American theatre, voice, film actor and comedian. He has won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards, and has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards and an Emmy Award.- Early life :...
. He played Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
in 1993 movie "The American Experience" Simple Justice, and he played Isaac Coles in the 1998 television miniseries The Wedding
The Wedding (TV miniseries)
The Wedding is a 1998 television miniseries directed by Charles Burnett. Based on a novel by Dorothy West, it stars Halle Berry, Eric Thal, and Lynn Whitfield, and was produced by Harpo Productions...
(starring Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
and Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield is an American actress.Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the...
).
In 2003, he took on the role of Clayton Boudreau on the daytime drama Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
, a role he played until early 2004. In 2006, he returned for a single episode. In 2009, James returned to Guiding Light on a recurring basis.
He played the voice of Dr. J.S. Steinman in the videogame BioShock
Bioshock
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...
, a game by Ken Levine. He has played in many minor role in films, such as appearing in movies like Joe Gould's Secret
Joe Gould's Secret (film)
Joe Gould's Secret is a 2000 American drama film directed by Stanley Tucci. The screenplay by Howard A. Rodman is based on the magazine article Professor Sea Gull and the book Joe Gould's Secret by Joseph Mitchell.-Plot:...
and Montana
Montana (film)
Montana is an American crime film released in 1998, directed by Jennifer Leitzes, written by Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber, and produced by Sean Cooley, Zane W. Levitt, and Mark Yellen....
.
He was the reader for the Recorded Books edition of Richard Wright's
Richard Wright (author)
Richard Nathaniel Wright was an African-American author of sometimes controversial novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially those involving the plight of African-Americans during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries...
Native Son
Native Son
Native Son is a novel by American author Richard Wright. The novel tells the story of 20-year-old Bigger Thomas, an African American living in utter poverty. Bigger lived in Chicago's South Side ghetto in the 1930s...
.
He was a featured player in Regina Taylor
Regina Taylor
Regina Taylor is an American actress and playwright. She has won several awards throughout her career, including a Golden Globe Award and NAACP Image Award.-Biography:...
's play Drowning Crow, at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
Peter teaches drama at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.