Biographie
Jack James Bio and Work History *In the beginning there was theatre... Jack James has been working in the entertainment field since he was old enough to hold a job. The son of 2 college theatre professors who, when they knew Jack would want to go into the "family biz", decided to make sure that he would always be able to support himself. To that end they made sure he was educated and experienced in all facets of theatre. Because of that Jack has worked professionally in every single aspect of theatre. He is an award winning actor as well as designer. He is skilled in all aspects of technical theatre including set building, wardrobe, props, lighting and even front of house positions including PR, promotional photography and box office. Recently he was even a scenic Artist on the Galaxy's Edge park at Disneyland
He studied Acting/Directing with his parents at SUNY Ulster and upon completion there he studied at SUNY New Paltz. He is also a graduate of Second City in Chicago, was improv mentored by the great Avery Schreiber and completed a year long Equity apprenticeship at the famed Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter FL. Following his apprenticeship, he returned to NY and walked the line between tech and acting. As a TD, Master Carpenter, Designer, some of the theaters he has worked at include The Fisher Ctr at Bard College, Chicago Opera Theatre, and Dallas Theatre Center as well as countless smaller theaters from NY to FL.
As an actor during this time, he appeared in many regional theaters, national tours, and even Off B'way. in the early 90s he starred in the one man show"Thats All" A musical tribute to his idol, Bobby Darin. He started this show in the "Borscht Belt" and soon it grew to clubs in NYC and several theaters as a special event. After doing Thats All for several years and lured by the promise of a steady paycheck, he entered the world of academia. First, returning to his alma mater, SUNY Ulster, for 5 years and then Palm Beach State College for 8 years, teaching both technical theatre and acting/improv as well as directing departmental shows.
And then came film... When Jack went to work at Palm Beach State, the department head, David Hyland, had a vision that all of his students would learn from working professionals, not just academics. To this end he made it possible, and actually encouraged all of the teachers to pursue outside gigs. For him this meant both onstage and off...and film! At this time, Jack acquired a Miami agent and started auditioning for film and tv. The result? In just a few years Jack starred in over 20 national, local and international commercials. In just his last year in FL he garnered 2 leading roles in feature films that appear on Amazon Prime. Hollywood! Having fallen in love with the art of the film, and following severe budget cuts to the theatre department at Palm Beach State, Jack decided to make the move to Hollywood. As an actor he quickly started working and within a year had several principal roles on syndicated TV shows and several national commercials. But this wasn't enough. His parents had instilled in him a desire to understand all aspects of a chosen media. To this end, he started seeking employment behind the camera. First as a P.A. and from there into art direction and production design. He has even catered! Not enough to whet his appetite he started writing and some of the scripts he has written and co-written have been quite successful in national and international screenwriting competitions. Along with his partner, Kansas Starr, he is now the co-owner of a brand new production company. Vintage Purple Pictures. He hopes to one day move that company back east and open a sound stage film studio in upstate NY, providing production facilities to films and TV shows large and small, and when the studio is empty...produce and film his own works.
