Hawthorne James
Hawthorne James is an American actor and director, known for his role as Big Red Davis in the 1991 film The Five Heartbeats.
He is also known for his role as Sam, the injured bus driver, in Speed and for films and television series such as Seven, NYPD Blue and guest-starring on Frasier as Bill in the season one episode "Miracle on Third or Fourth Street".
He was born James Hawthorne in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Robert Hawthorne and A. M. Alene. He earned a bachelor's degree in Theater from the University of Notre Dame, a master's degree from the University of Michigan, and taught Theater at Illinois State University.
James was responsible for his appearance in the funeral scene of Jimmy Potter in The Five Heartbeats, which he based on a scene Shakespeare's ''Richard III'.Selected filmography
- Disco Godfather - Stinger Ray
- Penitentiary II - 1st Referee
- The Color Purple - Jook Joint Patron
- Patty Hearst - Tall Muslim
- I'm Gonna Git You Sucka - One Eyed Sam
- Ricky 1 - The Champ
- Othello - Iago
- The Doors - Chuck Vincent
- The Five Heartbeats - Big Red
- Prophet Nat - Runaway Slave
- Frasier - Bill
- Caroline at Midnight - Stan Donovan
- Speed - Sam
- Seven - George the Night Guard at the Library
- Heaven's Prisoners - Victor Romero
- Campfire Tales - Cole
- Amistad - Creole Cook
- NYPD Blue - Calvin Chester
- The Art of a Bullet - Walter Simmons
- Auggie Rose - MacDougall
- ER - Hawthorne
- Boss'n Up - Orange Juice
- Hood of Horror - Liore
- Stargate SG-1 - Gavos
- The System Within - Hays
- A Christmas Wedding - Arthur
- Lucky Girl - Reverend Thompson
- The Night Stalker - Harrison Johnson
- Blues for Life - Plank Road Slim
