James Cromwell

"I had never seen the show before, and I took it because my agent said it was important to do, that it would be a good thing. They paid me a lot of money to do it. And then I’ve taken my son captive and I’m torturing him, then I was going to take my grandson captive and threaten him. So I went to the producers and I said, “Look, are there any redeeming qualities to this character?” They looked at me as though I was nuts, I was asking something bizarre."

— James Cromwell on the controversial nature of 24

James Cromwell (born January 27, 1940; age 84) played Phillip Bauer, the father of Jack Bauer, during Season 6 of 24.

Biography and career

James Cromwell was born in Los Angeles to actress Kay Johnson and noted film director John Cromwell. He has English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. James attended school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. After graduating from high school, he attended Carnegie-Mellon University, studying acting. Like his parents, Cromwell was drawn to the theater, performing in everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays.

Among his film appearances, he played three American Presidents (former President D. Wire Newman in The West Wing, President Robert Fowler in The Sum of All Fears, and President George H.W. Bush in W.), as well as three separate Star Trek series, where he played the part of Dr. Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of the warp drive. He is also the only actor in the history of the Star Trek franchise to utter the actual words "Star Trek" on screen (in 1996's Star Trek: First Contact).

Cromwell also appeared in the film L.A. Confidential as a corrupt LAPD captain. Kiefer Sutherland, who plays his son, Jack Bauer in Day 6, played Jack Vincennes in the failed TV pilot spun off from that film. Cromwell also had a principal role in the film Space Cowboys, along with William Devane and Kiefer's real-life father Donald Sutherland. However, Cromwell is best known for portraying the farmer in the movie Babe, a role for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

Fellow 24 actors Colm Feore, Joel Bissonnette, Eugene Lazarev and Antonio David Lyons appeared with Cromwell in the 2002 film The Sum of All Fears.

Cromwell is a vegan and protests for the cause regularly.

24 credits

• "Day 6: 11:00am-12:00pm"
• "Day 6: 12:00pm-1:00pm"
• "Day 6: 2:00pm-3:00pm"
• "Day 6: 3:00pm-4:00pm"
• "Day 6: 2:00am-3:00am"
• "Day 6: 3:00am-4:00am"
• "Day 6: 4:00am-5:00am"
• "Day 6: 5:00am-6:00am"

Selected filmography

• Soldiers of Fortune (2012)
• Cowgirls n' Angels (2012)
• Hide Away (2011)
• The Artist (2011)
• Memorial Day (2011)
• Secretariat (2010)
• Surrogates (2009)
• A Lonely Place for Dying (2008)
• W. (2008)
• Spider-Man 3 (2007)
• The Queen (2006)
• The Longest Yard (2005)
• I, Robot (2004)
• The Sum of All Fears (2002)
• Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (voice) (2002)
• Space Cowboys (2000)
• The Green Mile (1999)
• RKO 281 (1999)
• Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
• The General's Daughter (1999)
• Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
• Deep Impact (1998)
• Species 2 (1998)
• L.A. Confidential (1997)
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
• The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
• Eraser (1996)
• Babe (1995)
• Romeo is Bleeding (1993)
• The Babe (1992)
• Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Television appearances

• Boardwalk Empire (2012)
• American Horror Story: Asylum (2012)
• My Own Worst Enemy (2008)
• 24 (2007)
• Six Feet Under (2003-2005)
• The West Wing (2004)
• Angels in America (2003)
• Enterprise (2001)
• Citizen Baines (2001)
• ER (2001)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993)
• Life Goes On (1990)
• China Beach (1988)
• Dallas (1984)
• Little House on the Prairie (1980)
• Three's Company (1977)
• M*A*S*H* (1977)
• All in the Family (1974)
• The Rockford Files (1974)

External links

• James Cromwell at the Internet Movie Database