J. T. Walsh

James Thomas Patrick Walsh (September 28, 1943 – February 27, 1998) was an American character actor. He starred in many films of the 1980s and 1990s, which include Tin Men, Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), A Few Good Men (1992), Hoffa (1992), Nixon (1995), Sling Blade (1996), Breakdown (1997) and Pleasantville (1998).

Early life Walsh was born in San Francisco, California. He had three siblings: Christopher, Patricia, and Mary.

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 1967, Walsh worked briefly as a VISTA volunteer in Newport, Rhode Island organizing tenants for the United Tenant Organizations of Rhode Island (UTO) before resigning to pursue his acting career. Prior to becoming an actor, he also worked as a barman, an encyclopedia salesman, a junior high school teacher, a gymnasium equipment salesman, and a reporter. In 1974, he was discovered by a theater director and began working in off-Broadway shows, where he began using the initials "J. T." to avoid confusion with another stage actor named James Walsh.

Career On stage, Walsh received critical acclaim for his performance as John Williamson in the 1984 U.S. premiere of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross in Chicago and subsequently on Broadway.

Personal life and death

Walsh died of a heart attack in the hospital in La Mesa, California, on February 27, 1998, at the age of 54, after feeling ill and collapsing at the Optimum Health Institute in Lemon Grove. According to author Marc Seifer, for whom Walsh had narrated a documentary a few weeks earlier, Walsh had experienced chest pains and had an EKG test done that resulted in a misdiagnosis.

Jack Nicholson, who acted with Walsh in A Few Good Men and Hoffa, dedicated his Best Actor Oscar for As Good as It Gets to him.

In his tribute to Walsh in Time Out New York, Andrew Johnston wrote:

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1983 Eddie Macon's Run Man in Bar Film debut 1984 Principal Stoddard 1985 Right to Kill? Major Eckworth TV movie Hard Choices Deputy Anderson 1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Ed Smythe Power Jerome Cade 1987 Tin Men Wing House of Games The Businessman / Cop Good Morning, Vietnam Sergeant Major Phillip Dickerson 1988 Things Change Hotel Manager Tequila Sunrise DEA Agent Hal Maguire 1989 Allen Habel Wired Bob Woodward Dad Dr. Santana 1990 Why Me? Chief Inspector Francis Mahoney Crazy People Mr. Charles F Drucker Cole Narrow Margin Michael Tarlow Misery Chief Sherman Douglas Uncredited Colonel Jackson Quinn 1991 Iron Maze Jack Ruhle Backdraft Alderman Marty Swayzak Defenseless Steven Seldes True Identity Agent Houston 1992 Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson Hoffa Frank Fitzsimmons Grover Dean Short 1993 Sniper Colonel Chester Van Damme Loaded Weapon 1 Desk Clerk Red Rock West Kevin McCord / Sheriff Wayne Brown Needful Things Danforth "Buster" Keeton III Morning Glory Sheriff Reese Goodloe One Little Indian Marshall Robinson Short 1994 Frank Griffith Blue Chips "Happy" Kuykendahl FBI Agent Jason McThune Silent Fall Sheriff Mitch Rivers Miracle on 34th Street Ed Collins 1995 Outbreak White House Chief of Staff Uncredited Mike Sr. Harry Tucker Black Day Blue Night Lieutenant John Quinn Charlie's Ghost Story Darryl Nixon John Ehrlichman 1996 Executive Decision Senator Jason Mavros Ted Hannon Sacred Cargo Father Stanislav Sling Blade Charles Bushman 1997 Breakdown Warren "Red" Barr 1998 Inspector Terence Niebaum Posthumous release Pleasantville Bob "Big Bob" 1999 Hidden Agenda Jonathan Zanuck

Television Year Title RoleNotes 1983 Blood Feud Photographer Television film 1984 The Edge of Night Ken Bloom #2 9 Episodes 1985 All My Children Jay Garland 1 Episode The Equalizer Sam Griffith Episode: "The Lock Box" 1987 Spenser: For Hire Andrew Lawford Episode: "Murder and Acquisitions" The Ellen Burstyn Show Dan Hodges Episode: "Writer, Wronger" The Equalizer Andrew Banks Episode: "Shadow Play" 1988 Windmills of the Gods Colonel Bill McKinney TV Miniseries 1989 L.A. Law Pete Bostik Episode: "Consumed Innocent" 1990 Roseanne Lieutenant Howard Episode: "An Officer and a Gentleman" 1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Inspector Leo Kemeny TV movie 1993 The American Clock Judge Bradley TV film based on the play by Arthur Miller 1994 Birdland Potter Episode: "Grand Delusion" Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Colonel Charles Fane Episode: "Operation Blackout" Starstruck Greer TV movie 1995 The X Files Warden Brodeur Episode: "The List" 1996 Crime of the Century Norman Schwarzkopf Sr. TV movie Gang in Blue Lieutenant William Eyler 1996–1997 Dark Skies Frank Bach 19 Episodes 1997 Hope Ray Percy Goldie Hawn's directorial debut C-16: FBI Jules Rozack Episode: "Radio FBI"