James Keane | |
|---|---|
 James Keane in The Optimist | |
| Born | September 26, 1952 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Education | American Academy of Dramatic Arts (BA) |
| Occupation(s) | Film and television actor |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Known for | The Paper Chase |
James Keane (born September 26, [1] 1952) is an American film and television actor. He is known for playing the role of Willis Thomas Bell in the American drama television series The Paper Chase . [2]
Keane was born in Buffalo, New York. [3] He graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. [4]
Keane began his career in 1975, appearing in the film Three Days of the Condor playing a store clerk. Between acting jobs, he was an elevator operator at the Sherry-Netherland hotel in New York, where he met film director, Francis Ford Coppola. [4] Keane thought that he might get a role in The Godfather Part II until he realized that shooting was to be in Sicily. [4]
In 1978 Keane joined the cast of the new CBS drama television series The Paper Chase as the law student Willis Thomas Bell. [4] He also appeared in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now , and was hired to overdub some of Marlon Brando’s lines in the television miniseries of The Godfather . [4] Keane appeared in the 1982 film 48 Hrs. as Detective Van Zant, and the 1990 film Dick Tracy as Dick Tracy's second-in-command Pat Patton. [3]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Three Days of the Condor | Store Clerk | |
| 1977 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Radio Telescope Team | |
| 1978 | Zero to Sixty | Girlie Bar Bartender | |
| 1978 | Uncle Joe Shannon | Jeels | |
| 1979 | Love and Bullets | Doctor | |
| 1979 | Apocalypse Now | Kilgore's Gunner | |
| 1979 | The Rose | Dealer | |
| 1980 | Brubaker | Pinky | |
| 1982 | Cannery Row | Eddie | |
| 1982 | 48 Hrs. | Vanzant | |
| 1983 | 10 to Midnight | Jerry | |
| 1984 | Buckaroo Banzai | Duck Hunter Bubba | |
| 1986 | Let's Get Harry | Al King | |
| 1989 | New York Stories | Jimmy | |
| 1990 | Dick Tracy | Pat Patton | |
| 1991 | Talent for the Game | Ray Coffey | |
| 1991 | The Last Boy Scout | Garage Patrolman | |
| 1993 | Falling Down | Detective Keene | |
| 1993 | Coneheads | Harv | |
| 1995 | Murder in the First | Alcatraz Guard | |
| 1995 | One Night Stand | Single Jim at Bar | |
| 1995 | Angus | Coach | |
| 1996 | Phenomenon | Pete the Cop | |
| 1997 | Journey Beneath the Sea | Rick | |
| 1997 | The Fanatics | Veteran Cop | |
| 1998 | Bulworth | American Politics Director | |
| 1998 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn 2 | Sam Burke | |
| 1998 | Pleasantville | Police Chief Dan | |
| 1999 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn 3: The Ultimate Battle | Sam Burke | |
| 2001 | Bill's Gun Shop | Delbert | |
| 2002 | Don't Let Go | Wes | |
| 2002 | Hey Arnold!: The Movie | Marty Green / Riot Cop | |
| 2002 | Assassination Tango | Whitey | |
| 2003 | The Low Budget Time Machine | Professor Staplejoy | |
| 2003 | Seabiscuit | Car Customer | |
| 2005 | Silent Partner | Senator Banner | |
| 2008 | The Grift | Lost Traveler | |
| 2009 | For Sale by Owner | Loman | |
| 2009 | Crazy Heart | Manager | |
| 2011 | Water for Elephants | Chaplain | |
| 2014 | Miss Meadows | Father Peter | |
| 2016 | Rules Don't Apply | Tom | |
| 2024 | Megalopolis | Laughing Man |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Intimate Strangers | Rusty Fenton | Television film |
| 1977 | Sunshine Christmas | Hugh Bob | |
| 1978 | Night Cries | Charlie | |
| 1978–1986 | The Paper Chase | Willis Bell | 58 episodes |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations | Night Dispatcher | Episode: "Part III" |
| 1979 | Ike | Corporal | Episode: "Part I" |
| 1979 | M*A*S*H | Cpl. Shaw | Episode: "Mr. and Mrs. Who?" |
| 1980 | Great Performances | Mr. Ealer | Episode: "Life on the Mississippi" |
| 1981 | Hart to Hart | Carl | Episode: "Harts Under Glass" |
| 1982 | The Ambush Murders | Lambert | Television film |
| 1982 | Pray TV | Fats | |
| 1982 | In Security | Rudy DeMayo | |
| 1982 | St. Elsewhere | Lawyer | Episode: "Legionnaires: Part 1" |
| 1983 | The Optimist | The Father | Episode: "Kid's Stuff" |
| 1986 | Hill Street Blues | Officer James Sanders | Episode: "I Come on My Knees: |
| 1987 | What's Happening Now!! | Jake | Episode: "Opening Day" |
| 1987, 1989 | The Tracey Ullman Show | Scott Supinger / Alan | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | Throb | Mark | Episode: "Only the Lonely" |
| 1989 | Mancuso, F.B.I. | Morrie | Episode: "Little Saigon" |
| 1990, 1991 | Designing Women | Wildman #1 / Loud Tourist | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Get a Life | Uncle Milt | Episode: "Chris vs. Donald" |
| 1992 | Evening Shade | Charlie | Episode: "The Perfect Birthday Party, Sort Of" |
| 1992, 1994 | Love & War | Husband / Man at Bar | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Jack's Place | Milt | Episode: "Faithful Henry" |
| 1993, 1996 | Murphy Brown | Burrito Buddy | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Diagnosis: Murder | Man | Episode: "Lily" |
| 1994 | Days of Our Lives | Flower Store Clerk | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Weird Science | Policeman | Episode: "Lucky Suit" |
| 1995 | Letter to My Killer | Ray | Television film |
| 1995 | Runway One | 2nd Man | |
| 1995 | ER | Workman | Episode: "Welcome Back Carter!" |
| 1995 | Here Come the Munsters | Maitre d' | Television film |
| 1996–2000 | Hey Arnold! | Various voices | 14 episodes |
| 1997 | Spicy City | Lem / Flaxson | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Don King: Only in America | Reporter #3 | Television film |
| 1997–1999 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn | Sam Burke / Tony Twist | 17 episodes |
| 1998 | Timecop | Sheriff | Episode: "Alternate World" |
| 2000 | M.Y.O.B. | Principal Turk | Episode: "Bad Seed" |
| 2000–2004 | 7th Heaven | Pete | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | The West Wing | Registrar of Voters | Episode: "Hartsfield's Landing" |
| 2002 | NYPD Blue | Noel Thomas | Episode: "Guns & Hoses" |
| 2002 | The Practice | Michael Hallbrenner | Episode: "Of Thee I Sing" |
| 2003 | Becker | Mr. Loman | Episode: "Spontaneous Combustion" |
| 2005 | Annie's Point | Doug Gordon | Television film |
| 2005 | Everybody Hates Chris | Boss | Episode: "Everybody Hates Sausage" |
| 2005 | Close to Home | Fred Martins | Episode: "Baseball Murder" |
| 2006 | Hidden Places | Mr. Jennings | Television film |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | Joe Gordon | Episode: "Son of the Defender" |
| 2007 | Mad Men | Night Manager | Episode: "The Wheel" |
| 2007 | Without a Trace | Dick Garver | Episode: "Run" |
| 2008 | October Road | Sully | 5 episodes |
| 2008 | A Gunfighter's Pledge | Preacher | Television film |
| 2010 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | George Anderson | Episode: "Neverland" |
| 2011 | The Protector | Eddie | Episode: "Affairs" |
| 2011 | Love's Christmas Journey | Mr. Peters | Television film |
| 2012 | Harry's Law | Joshua | Episode: "Class War" |
| 2013 | Raising Hope | Doctor Walters | Episode: "Hi-Def" |
| 2013, 2014 | Betrayal | Lou Mrozek | 2 episodes |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
