James Harrell (actor)

{{Short description|American actor (1918–2000)}} {{more citations needed|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = James N. Harrell | image = | caption = | birth_name = James Nelson Harrell | birth_date = {{birth date|1918|9|3}} | birth_place = Waco, Texas | death_date = {{death date and age|2000|2|1|1918|9|3}} | death_place = San Marcos, Texas | years_active = | occupation = Actor }}

'''James Nelson Harrell''' (September 3, 1918 – February 1, 2000), also known as '''James N. Harrell''', was an American actor.

==Early years== He was born in Waco, Texas, to Margaret Teny and Jefferson Whitfield Harrell, Chair of the Baylor University Mathematics Department, graduated from Waco High School and Baylor University. He held a master's degree in Drama from Trinity University. He studied acting at the original Baylor Theater with Paul Baker in the 1930s and in 1940 was invited to join Michael Chekhov's Acting Studio in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

== Career == He toured the East Coast with that company and was playing Twelfth Night when the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, and most plays closed. Harrell served in the United States Army for four years in a tank company, in Headquarters Eighth Service Command, in Special Services, and in Occupied Japan. James Harrell, also known as "little Jimmy Harrell from Waco, Texas", appeared in over 75 film productions; feature films and television. He taught acting at the Dallas Theater Center and had leading roles in numerous productions, including 'Anse Bundren' in Journey to Jefferson, which toured Paris, Belgium and Germany.

He also taught stage and film acting at Southwest Texas State University<ref>{{cite news |title=SWT's James Harrell practices his teachings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-james-harrell/151439537/ |access-date=July 15, 2024 |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=September 11, 1977 |page=7|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref> for 24 years, retiring in 1994 as an associate professor. He had roles in such films as ''JFK'', ''Varsity Blues'', ''Michael'', ''Hope Floats'', ''Leap of Faith'', ''Paper Moon'', ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'', ''Flesh and Bone'', ''The Dollmaker,'' and ''Noon Wine''. He worked often with Sam Shepard, Barry Corbin, Tommy Lee Jones, Jeff Bridges, Gary Busey, Roberts Blossom, Wilford Brimley, James Gammon and Harlan Jordan. He died in 2000 from a heart attack.

==Partial filmography== * 1970 ''A Bullet for Pretty Boy'' as Mr. Sam Floyd * 1972 ''Encounter with the Unknown'' as Brother Taylor * 1973 ''Paper Moon'' as The Minister * 1974 ''The Sugarland Express'' as Mark Fenno * 1974 ''Don't Hang Up'' as Dr. Crawther * 1975 ''The Great Waldo Pepper'' as Farmer * 1975 ''Race with the Devil'' as Gun Shop Owner * 1975 ''Mackintosh and T.J.'' as Doolen * 1976 ''A Small Town in Texas'' as Old Codger * 1977 ''Outlaw Blues'' as Cop Chauffeur * 1977 ''Rolling Thunder'' as Grandpa * 1978 ''The Whole Shootin' Match'' as Rhonda Lynn's Father * 1980 ''Urban Cowboy'' as Minister At Gravesite * 1980 ''Resurrection'' as "Doc" Lurkin * 1981 ''Raggedy Man'' as Ticket Taker * 1984 ''Country'' as Jim, Bank Officer * 1984 ''The Dollmaker'' as Old John Ballew * 1986 ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'' as Cut-Rite Manager * 1987 ''Nadine'' as Deacon * 1989 ''Riverbend'' as McBride * 1989 ''Lost Angels'' as Shelby * 1990 ''The Hot Spot'' as Elderly Man * 1990 ''Texasville'' as Odessa Oil Man * 1991 ''JFK'' as Sam Holland * 1992 ''Leap of Faith'' as Ramsey * 1993 ''Flesh and Bone'' as Woody * 1996 ''Carried Away'' as Pastor * 1996 ''A Family Thing'' as Earl Pilcher Sr. * 1996 ''Michael'' as Old Geezer #1 * 1998 ''Hope Floats'' as Harry Calvert * 1999 ''Varsity Blues'' as Murray * 1999 ''A Slipping-Down Life'' as Doctor (final film role)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0364099}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrell, James Nelson}} Category:1918 births Category:2000 deaths Category:Male actors from Texas Category:Trinity University alumni Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Waco High School alumni