James Denton


James Thomas Denton Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for playing Mike Delfino on ABC's comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives and Dr. Sam Radford on Hallmark Channel's comedy-drama series Good Witch.

Early life

Denton was born January 20, 1963, in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up in nearby Goodlettsville, the second of three children. His father, J.T. Denton, was a dentist who had served in the military. His mother, Mary Jean Woolslair Denton, died from breast cancer in 2002. Denton was raised Southern Baptist and became a Minister of Music at Westmoreland United Methodist Church in Westmoreland, Tennessee.
Denton graduated from Goodlettsville High School, and attended the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He majored in Television/Journalism, and earned a degree in Advertising. Before becoming an actor, he sold advertising for two radio stations. He began acting at the age of 23, at a community theater in Nashville. He eventually moved to California to become a full-time actor. Early in his career, he was sometimes credited as Jamie Denton.

Career

While living in Chicago, Denton's first role was as "Stanley" in "A Streetcar Named Desire", and his last role was as the terrorist "Bebert" in the French farce, "Lapin Lapin". In the years that came between the two roles, Denton was a company member at The Griffin Theater and at Strawdog Theater Ensemble. He added a steady string of roles and accolades to his quickly growing list of achievements, including one of the leads in the world premiere of "Flesh and Blood", performing in and composing the music for "the Night Hank Williams Died", and his portrayal of Kentucky preacher "C.C. Showers" in "The Diviners" - which gained him a nomination for a Best Actor "Joseph Jefferson Award".
After moving to Los Angeles, Denton continued to perform on stage, usually during hiatus from whichever TV series to which he was attached at the time. Several plays and independent movies in which Denton has appeared, have been written by his friend, Mike Petty. For example, "", in which Denton played the role of "Steven" during the summer of 1999 and ", in which he played the role of "Danny", during the summer of 2001.|alt=|leftDenton has appeared in several films, including: That Old Feeling, Face/Off, and Primary Colors. He has appeared in various television shows, including: Sliders, Dark Skies, Two Guys and a Girl, Ally McBeal, The West Wing, and JAG, and has had recurring roles in The Pretender, Philly, The Drew Carey Show and Reba. In 2003, he portrayed the lead role of Special Agent John Kilmer in the short-lived crime thriller series Threat Matrix.
In 2004, Denton began portraying Mike Delfino on ABC's comedy-drama television series Desperate Housewives. The show was well-received by viewers and critics and it won multiple Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. From the 2004–05 through the 2008–09 television seasons, its first five seasons were rated amongst the top ten most-watched series. In 2007, it was reported to be the most popular show in its demographic worldwide, with an audience of approximately 120 million and was also reported as the third most watched television series in a study of ratings in twenty countries.
Since first appearing in Desperate Housewives, Denton continued to appear in numerous films, including: Assumption, Beautiful Dreamer, Undead or Alive, Custody, Tortured and All-Star Superman. Denton also appeared in Dale Watson's music video for "Justice for All" and Phil Vassar's music video for "Bobbi with an I".
Denton portrays Dr. Sam Radford, a starring role on Hallmark Channel's fantasy comedy-drama television series Good Witch. The series follows a mother-daughter duo's magical journey as they welcome Dr. Sam Radford and his son to town. The New York Times called the series "a gentle, sentimental prime-time fable set in an idealized Middle American small city, is the show you find your parents or grandparents watching when you come home for a visit." In 2019, the show was one of the network’s most popular original series, and the Good Witch closed season five in first place among Household rating on Sundays. The success of the series lifted the Hallmark Channel to be the highest-rated and most-watched cable network on the weekends.
In 2016, he had a recurring role as Peter Hudson on Lifetime's comedy-drama series Devious Maids. In 2018, he made a guest appearance as Navy Captain Deckard on CBS' television series , in the episode "Checkmate, Part 2".
performing in November 2018,

Other ventures

Denton plays guitar in the charity cover band Band from TV along with Hugh Laurie, Teri Hatcher, Greg Grunberg among others. They donate the proceeds of their performances and recordings to the charities of their choice. Band from TV has raised almost two million dollars for various causes supported by the band.
He has appeared on the cover of several magazines, including TV Guide, Tango, Orange Coast, Calabasas and Spectrum United, and pictorials for Entertainment Weekly, People, US Weekly and Life & Style. Denton has appeared in television commercials for Buick and Ford Warriors in Pink. Denton modeled for Daniel Hechter's 2012 Spring/Summer advertising campaign.

Personal life

Denton dated country music singer Deana Carter in high school. He was married to Jenna Lyn Ward from 1997 to 2000. On December 16, 2002, Denton married Erin O'Brien, a personal trainer at Life Time Fitness. They have a son Sheppard and a daughter Malin. The couple previously lived in Glendale, California. After Desperate Housewives ended, the family moved to Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Denton is part-owner of independent minor league baseball team the Orange County Flyers, who won the GBL Championship in 2008. The Orange County Flyers play at California State University, Fullerton in Fullerton, California.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Thieves QuartetRay Higgs
1994Basic FootballThe QuarterbackShort film
1995Hunter's MoonNick
1996SlidersJack BullockEpisode: "The Good, the Bad and the Wealthy"
1996MoloneyRocky TaleseEpisode: "Friendly Fire"
1996Dark SkiesRobert WinterEpisode: "Hostile Convergence"
1996-2003JAGLieutenant Commander Bruce Carmichael / Geoffrey RoizmanEpisodes: "Hemlock", "Fortunate Son"
1997That Old FeelingKeith Marks
1997Face/OffBuzz
1997-2000The PretenderMr. Lyle36 episodes
1998Primary ColorsMitch
2000Locked Up Down Shorty'sDanny
2000Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza PlaceDr. Howard ZaunaveldEpisode: "The Monitor Story"
2000Ally McBealJimmy BenderEpisode: "Do You Wanna Dance?"
2000The West WingTom JordanEpisode: "The Midterms"
2001The Pretender 2001Mr. LyleTV movie
2001'Mr. LyleTV movie
2001-2002PhillyJudge Augustus Ripley13 episodes
2002The Drew Carey ShowEpisodes: "The Man in the Iron Chair", "Drew Tries Hot Salsa"
2003-2004Threat MatrixSpecial Agent John Kilmer16 episodes
2004Jumbo GirlJackShort film
2004-2012Desperate HousewivesMike Delfino180 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Nominated –Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Teen Choice award for Best TV actor
2005-2006RebaDr. MorganEpisodes: "Date of Mirth", "The Trouble with Dr. Hunky"
2006AssumptionJohnShort film
ShockerFest Science Fiction Genre Award for Best Actor Fantasy / Science Fiction
2006Beautiful DreamerDr. Kessler
2007Ascension DayBrother John
2007'Elmer Winslow
2007Masters of Science FictionBarney CurranEpisode: "The Discarded"
2007CustodyJohn Sullivan
2008American IdolBand from TVEpisode: "Idol Gives Back"
2008TorturedAgent Murphy
2010Group SexLukeUncredited
2011All-Star SupermanSuperman / Clark KentVoice
2012Hot in ClevelandKerouac CowboyEpisode: "Storage Wars"
2012Karaoke ManSlim
2013Grace UnpluggedJohnny Trey
2014Stranded in ParadiseCarter
2014Hunger in AmericaNarratorDocumentary film
2015–presentGood WitchDr. Sam Radfordmain role 54 episodes
2016Devious MaidsPeter HudsonRecurring role
2016For Love & HonorTom BrennanTV Movie
2018Navy Captain DeckardEpisode: "Checkmate, Part 2"
2018Wake.Joe Frederickson