- Born
- Died
- Birth nameBrion Howard James
- Height1.90 m
- Brion James was born February 20, 1945, in Redlands, California, to Ida Mae (Buckelew) and Jimmy James. The family soon moved to Beaumont, California (between Los Angeles and Palm Springs), where his parents built and operated a movie theater, where stars such as Gene Autry would occasionally stop by. After graduating from Beaumont High School in 1962, Brion attended San Diego State University, majoring in theater arts. Upon graduation he moved to New York to study acting while working a variety of jobs to support himself in the early years. He also did a stint in the National Guard. He and fellow actor Tim Thomerson served in the army together and later made several films together. A veteran of over 100 television and 120+ movie roles, James is best remembered for roles such as the replicant Leon in Blade Runner (1982), Gen. Munro in Le Cinquième Élément (1997), Big Teddy in Cabin Boy (1994), Max Jenke in House III (1989) (his personal favorite) as well as countless other parts in films like Sans retour (1981), The Player (1992), Tango & Cash (1989), 48 Heures (1982), 48 heures de plus (1990), Enemy (1985) and Silverado (1985). Brion is survived by two brothers, Craig James of Scottsdale, Arizona, Chester James of Beaumont, California and their families.- IMDb mini biography by: Cindy Owens <spambrando@yahoo.com>
- SpouseMaxine James(? - 1996) (divorced)
- ParentsJimmy JamesIda Mae James
- RelativesCraig William James(Sibling)Chester Leroy James Jr.(Sibling)
- Played secondary characters, often villains and heavies, with a menacing streak
- Tall frame, muscular build
- Changing his appearance for each individual role
- Good friends with co-star Rutger Hauer. They made four movies together.
- Acted in five films for director Walter Hill.
- He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea.
- Appeared in five films directed by Philippe Mora, including playing Hermann Goering in Snide and Prejudice.
- Acted in four films for director Albert Pyun.
- [in August 1999, when asked to what he attributes his success] Hard work. You gotta study, man. It's like any profession. I did eight years in theater. I studied two years in school in New York with Stella Adler, the best teacher in the world. I studied under Nina Foch, I did theater, I learned my craft. You got to learn how to build a character, there's a way to do it. Everything I ever did was different. I did 125 films, and over 100 television shows, and you've never seen the same character twice. I think now, in my 50s, with [Robert Duvall], [Albert Finney] and [Gene Hackman], those guys are getting up there in their 60s, it's my time. And I'm making sure that I push myself into their slot. So, my best work's coming.
- [about Double détente (1988)] I told Walter Hill, "I'll do a walk-on for you, or a starring role, I don't care". He made me a film actor. He said, "Fine, now you're a film actor" in Sans retour (1981), and it was one of the best roles I ever had. I told Walter, "I'll do anything you want, just tell me". In "Red Heat" I had one good scene. I played this guy like a white Negro, "Snitch". So I processed the hair, wore those shoes, I made him like a real street guy. Walter Hill, he loves it.
- [on his part in 48 heures de plus (1990) being heavily cut down] Total Recall (1990) came out a week before "Another 48 Hrs" that summer, it made 25 million. The studio panicked. My stuff was in there until one week before the film opened. They cut 25 minutes out of that movie, a week before it opened. It went from around 140 to down to around 95 minutes. They said cut all the behavior, action, comedy, done. I lost every major scene I had. That's the last time I ever cared about a movie because I went to the press screening and it was like getting kicked in the stomach, seeing what's not there. I'm the third lead and I looked like a dress extra. All the stuff that they had in the set-up, stuff in the trailer, all those scenes were gone.
- My dad built a movie theater in Beaumont, California, and by the time I was two years old I was at the movies every night. I lived in books and movies. That's where I wanted to be, in that fantasy world. I started acting in school at a very early age, putting on talent shows, acting in high school plays, that kind of thing. I guess some people are just destined to do this.
- [about Sans retour (1981)] It was the hardest movie I ever made as far as being physical. It was cold and freezing in that swamp. [Keith Carradine] and the other ones, they wore wet suits under the clothes, I never wore one. I was miserable, but it worked for the movie. I played a local Cajun trapper. It's the only accent I ever had to learn. I'm a parrot. I can pick up an accent and just do it. That one I had to study, and a real Cajun taught me how to do it. So, I did this Cajun patois, bastardized French. It was very different, it was like a southern black French.
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