John James (actor)

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American actor and producer (born 1956)

title: "John James (actor)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-male-soap-opera-actors", "new-york-(state)-republicans", "living-people", "1956-births"] description: "American actor and producer (born 1956)" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_James_(actor)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American actor and producer (born 1956) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
nameJohn James
imageJohn James "Dynasty" (1981 ABC press photo).jpg
captionJames,
birth_nameJohn James Anderson
birth_date
birth_placeMinneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
years_active1977–present
occupationActor, producer
spouse
children2; including Laura
::

|name = John James |image = John James "Dynasty" (1981 ABC press photo).jpg |image_size = |caption = James, |birth_name = John James Anderson |birth_date = |birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |years_active = 1977–present |occupation = Actor, producer |spouse = |children = 2; including Laura

John James Anderson (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor and producer widely known to television audiences for his roles as Jeff Colby in both the prime-time soap opera Dynasty and its spin-off series The Colbys throughout the 1980s.

Career

James is a veteran of daytime soaps, first appearing in Search for Tomorrow in the late 1970s. In 1981, he won the role of Jeff Colby in Dynasty, appearing in the very first episode, "Oil", and remaining on the soap opera until the final episode, Catch 22 in 1989. James played the same role in The Colbys between 1985 and 1987, and one last time in the 1991 TV movie, Dynasty: The Reunion.

James was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in Dynasty in 1985 and appeared at the 1986 ceremony. The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film went to Edward James Olmos.

James returned to the genre playing Rick Decker on As the World Turns in 2003–2004. In May 2006, he was cast in the role of Dr. Jeff Martin (the first husband of Erica Kane played by series star Susan Lucci) on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children. He began appearing the following month. On July 15, 2008, James returned to As the World Turns, reprising the role of demented Dr. Rick Decker.

In film, James starred in Icebreaker (2000) with Sean Astin, Bruce Campbell, and Stacy Keach; in The Cursed aka Peril (2001) with Morgan Fairchild and Michael Pare; in Lightning: Fire from the Sky (2001) with Jesse Eisenberg, Stacy Keach and John Schneider and in Chronology (2015) with William Baldwin and Danny Trejo, all of which were directed by David Giancola.

He produced and starred in Illegal Aliens (2007). In 2012, James starred in the Giancola documentary, Addicted to Fame (2012), about the making of their film Illegal Aliens. In 2016, James produced and starred in another Giancola film — the sci-fi action adventure, Axcellerator which reunited him with The Colbys co-star Maxwell Caulfield while James' daughter Laura played one of the roles.

James has appeared on stage intermittently, from musicals for the producer John Kenley to a 1996 national tour of Dial 'M' for Murder with Roddy McDowall, to playing Captain Keller in Judson Theatre Company's The Miracle Worker in 2018.

Personal life

James was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as one of the three children of radio broadcaster Herb Oscar Anderson (1928—2017) and his first wife. His brother, Herb Oscar Anderson II, is an actor.

In 1989, James married Denise Ellen Coward (born 1955 in Australia), a model and 2nd Runner-up for Miss World 1978. They have two children. In 2012, James' daughter, Laura, won America's Next Top Model, Cycle 19. His son Phillip is serving in the United States Air Force.

In 2014, James considered running as a Republican for New York's 21st congressional district.

Filmography

::data[format=table]

YearTitleRoleNotes
2025The Legend of Van DornMayor HainesHistorical drama; Cannes 2025 screening
2022My Son HunterJoe Biden
2020* The ObamaGate Movie *James ComeyOnline release
AxcelleratorSy
2018Christmas CampBen
2016ChronologyTomaka The Lost Day
2012Addicted to FameHimselfDocumentary; Biography
2003–2004, 2008As the World TurnsRick Decker14 episodes
2007Illegal AliensBig TonyProducer
2006–2007All My ChildrenJeff Martin32 episodes
2001Lightning: Fire from the SkyPorter RandallTV movie
2001The CursedScottaka Peril
2000IcebreakerWill Langley
2000Pacific BlueS.N.A.F.U.1 Episode
1998Love Boat: The Next WaveRay Kennedy1 Episode
1998Touched by an AngelSam Carver1 Episode
1992Partners 'n LoveCarey MaysTV movie
1991Dynasty: The ReunionJeff ColbyTV movie
1991Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless ReporterBrett HustonTV movie
1987Haunted by Her PastEric BeckettTV movie
1985–1987The ColbysJeff Colby49 episodes
1984He's Not Your SonTed BarnesTV movie
1984Finder of Lost LovesFather Michael Bretton1 Episode
1982The Love BoatDi Nardi / Enzo Carducci4 episodes
1982Fantasy IslandCorky Daniels1 Episode
1981–1989DynastyJeff Colby168 episodes; Golden Globe Award nomination
1977Search for TomorrowTom 'Junior' Bergman4 episodes
::

Self

Awards

::data[format=table]

YearAwardWorkResult
1983Bravo Otto Award for Favourite TV star: MaleDynasty
1984Bravo Otto Award for Favourite TV star: Male
1985Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1986Soap Opera Digest Award for Favourite Super Couple on a Primetime SpecialThe Colbys
1988Soap Opera Digest Award for Favourite Super Couple on a Primetime Special
::

Discography

  • This Time b/w Fooling Around (with Heidi Bruhl; 1984)
  • Painted Dreams b/w Sleeping In Your Arms Again (1985) (GER # 60, 5 weeks)

References

References

  1. (January 12, 2016). "Dynasty's 35th anniversary". Biography.com.
  2. (October 19, 2019). "''The Colbys''". [[Soap Opera Digest]].
  3. "Golden Globes Best Supporting TV Actor: 1986". goldenglobes.com.
  4. (April 22, 2003). "John James Joins As the World Turns".
  5. (June 18, 2008). "John James Returns to As The World Turns".
  6. (September 14, 2015). "Chronology moves to Poland".
  7. (November 29, 2012). "Anna Nicole Smith Addicted to Fame".
  8. (November 2, 2016). "Noted actors to fill roles in local movie". Rutland Reader.
  9. (22 January 1996). "Dial 'm' for Murder".
  10. (20 February 2018). "JOHN JAMES headlines THE MIRACLE WORKER!".
  11. (February 1, 2017). "Herb Oscar Anderson, Crooning D.J. for WABC-AM, Dies at 88". New York Times.
  12. (June 27, 2005). "Herb Oscar Anderson Profile". Music Radio 77.
  13. (November 17, 1978). "Argentinan picked Miss World". Lodi News-Sentinel.
  14. (November 1, 1999). "Green Acres". People Magazine.
  15. (May 30, 2012). "Another upstate Laura for 'ANTM'". [[Times Union (Albany).
  16. "John James Linkedin profile".
  17. (Dec 29, 2013). "Field getting crowded in 21st District". [[The Post-Star]].
  18. "Miss USA 1982- Celebrity Judges". You Tube.
  19. "Bravo Otto Award 1983". Bravo Archive.
  20. "Bravo Otto Award 1984". Bravo Archive.
  21. "Awards and Nominations: Golden Globes". goldenglobes.com.
  22. "John James & Heidi Bruhl – This Time". Discogs.com.
  23. "John James – Painted Dreams". Discogs.com.
  24. "Painted Dreams Chart Position". hitparade.ch.

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american-male-soap-opera-actorsnew-york-(state)-republicansliving-people1956-births