Gregory James, actor and former professional athlete, was born in Los Angeles' tough inner-city, the son of an oilman. He fell in love with Shakespeare and poetry as a child and seemed destined for a life in the arts, however, his precocious athletic ability soon took center stage. He was raised to be a pro baseball player by his dad, and although the major league spotlight beckoned, Gregory was taken by the game of football. His high school drama teacher often lobbied for him to play the lead in several of the school plays, but Gregory was told he had no time for such things by his coaches and family. So it was that he won a dream scholarship at UCLA to play sports. Gregory played both Bruin baseball and varsity football. His UCLA Bruin teams amazingly won three Rose Bowl championships, an NCAA record. While at the university he double-majored in Psychology and Kinesiology and thought about becoming a doctor. Upon graduating, he was scooped up by the pros. His first job out of college was playing tight end that year for the San Diego Chargers. An injury on the field the next season with the NY Jets ended his pro career. At this crossroads in his life, Gregory was discovered by UCLA professor, Tom Orth at the age of 24 and dove into acting head first. After taking classes at his alma mater in the drama department and a stint in Europe studying theater, Gregory began making his way in Hollywood. Show less «