James was born in Ireland, raised in UK, immigrated to Australia 1970, and joined Crawford Productions in TV series Homicide, Division 4, Cop Shop and Matlock Police, before the age of twenty. He attended (NIDA) National Institute Dramatic Art, and offered the lead in Mad Max (Road Warrior) after winning scholarship to (RADA) Royal Academy Dramatic...
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James was born in Ireland, raised in UK, immigrated to Australia 1970, and joined Crawford Productions in TV series Homicide, Division 4, Cop Shop and Matlock Police, before the age of twenty. He attended (NIDA) National Institute Dramatic Art, and offered the lead in Mad Max (Road Warrior) after winning scholarship to (RADA) Royal Academy Dramatic Art.James adapted/produced Oscar Wilde's De Profundis, and made London debut in The Golden Cradle in honor of the Abby Theatre 1978, with Broadway and Tony nominated actress/director Siobhan McKenna. He joined Ronald Pickup & National Theatre cast in Anglia TV play Memories; BBC's play Even Solomon, and series Penmarric. He won critical acclaim as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, with Regional Premieres of West End Best Plays: Privates on Parade, Bedroom Farce and Ten Times Table He starred in Australian prime-time series The Restless Years, and as artistic director formed the Falcon Theatre Company 1983 to act, direct and produce This Property is Condemned, Snow Angel and Zoo Story. Other roles included films Supersleuth & Fantasy Man, with the title part in King Lear. James wrote, directed and produced his first independent feature, but unable to complete the movie, took it to the US in 1985.Donald P. Bellisario creator of JAG, NCIS, Quantum Leap, contracted James for the lead Joshua Leopard in his new prime-time series Ultimate Adventure Company to replace Magnum, P.I. While under exclusive contract at Universal Studios for two years, he attended UCLA Extension Writers' Program, and screenwriting workshops with John Truby and Robert Mckee. He guest starred on Scarecrow and Mrs. King; Father Dowling Mysteries; and Young Riders. After cancellation of the Ultimate Adventure Company, he tested for the lead James Bond in London, and starred opposite Joan Collins as Sean Rowan in Dynasty.James represented Santa Barbara on Oprah Winfrey Show and was voted one of daytimes most popular actors. In true soap opera fashion, he was accused of assault with charges reduced to a misdemeanor and community service. He rejoined Acapulco HEAT series in the re-occurring role of Strake with Catherine Oxenberg. Producer Bernard L. Kowalski (Beretta, Air wolf, Knight Rider & Columbo) previously optioned James' screenplay Ill-Fated, and in 1995 former head of Paramount Studios Robert Evens met him for the lead in The Saint and picked up the option for Ill-Fated, with Jack Nicolson expression interest.He returned to Australia in 1995 to re-write the script, but his father was ill and James would care for him until his death in 2000. He became a member of the Australian Writers' Guild (1997), and in 2005 formed Caesars Sword Productions. 2008 Dion & Randall Productions engaged James to write the stage spectacular Gypsy Moon which premiered at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill in Seoul, South Korea.The show became a box-office hit with an audience of 408,000 attending 497 performances from 2008/2010. A documentary It'll be Right on the Night, written and directed by James and co-produced by Caesars Sword Productions & Dion and Randall Productions, concerns the challenges confronting Gypsy Moon from concept in Melbourne, to Opening Night in Seoul. 2010 James re-wrote Will-o'-the-Wisp, re-titled Poacher, which was a semi-finalist in festivals, including Shriekfest Festival LA. 2011/2012 Will-o'-the-Wisp is in development with Mitchell German at Reelwriting.com. May 2012 the screenplay entered the Inktip Pitch Summit in LA and is under consideration with production companies.James' script Ill-Fated was purchased by Reel Movie Productions, Melbourne, and the script Precognition optioned. Scripts Dead Man's Bluff, Tarot Man, The Incarnate, and stage play Creative Differences are in development. He tested for the lead role of Hunter in the US series pilot Awakening, and the lead role of Michael Grace in the ABC prime-time series Grace.
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