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Actor · Director

1948-10-24 · New York City, New York, USA · Male

40 series in the catalog

James Allen Whitmore Jr. (born October 24, 1948), is an American actor and television director. He is best known for his roles as Captain Jim Gutterman on the television program Baa Baa Black Sheep, Freddie Beamer in The Rockford Files (1977–1979), and Sgt Bernie Terwilliger in Hunter (1984–1986), and since the 1980s as a prolific television director. He is the son of actor James Whitmore.

Life and career

Born in Manhattan, New York, Whitmore Jr. is the son of Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actor James Whitmore and Nancy Mygatt. James Whitmore Jr. began his acting career relatively late. He has had recurring guest-starring roles on the TV series The Rockford Files and Hunter. He also appeared in two episodes of Magnum, P.I. and an episode of Battlestar Galactica before directing many episodes of series by Donald P. Bellisario, the creator of Magnum and a writer on Galactica.

Whitmore occasionally acts in the episodes he directs, such as two episodes of Quantum Leap ("8 1/2 Months" and "Trilogy, Pt. 1"). In that series, as well as several others, he played different characters in each appearance, rather than recurring roles.

In addition to directing episodes of shows for Bellisario (Quantum Leap, Tequila and Bonetti, JAG, NCIS, and NCIS: Los Angeles), Whitmore directed episodes of more than one series for Joss Whedon. Whitmore directed the final episodes of two different series (Dawson's Creek and the aforementioned Quantum Leap). After Leap, Whitmore again directed Scott Bakula in episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, NCIS: New Orleans (including the Dean Stockwell reunion episode), and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. He also directed David Boreanaz in both Angel and Bones. The Pretender reunited Whitmore with many of the same writing staff as Quantum Leap.

Actor

Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976–1977, TV Series) as Capt. James 'Jim' Gutterman

The Rockford Files (1977–1979, TV Series) as Freddie Beamer

Lou Grant (1977–1980, TV Series) as Nick Boyer / Officer Trask

The Boys in Company C (1978) as Lt. Archer

The Gypsy Warriors (1978) as Captain Sheldon Alhern

Battlestar Galactica (1978, TV Series) as Robber

The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978, TV Series) as Dr. Timothy Faulkner

A Force of One (1979) as Moskowitz

The Long Riders (1980) as Mr. Rixley

Magnum, P.I. (1981–1982, TV Series) as Sebastian Nuzo / Billy Joe Bob Little

The Greatest American Hero (1981–1983, TV Series) as Norman Fackler / Byron Bigsby / Gordon McCready

Simon & Simon (1981–1986, TV Series) as Campaign manager Al Goddard / Bill Freeman / Paul Scully

Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder (1982) as Major Flaherty

Purple Hearts (1984) as Bwana

Airwolf (1984, TV Series) as Sam Houston / Maj. Sam Roper

Highway to Heaven (1984, TV Series) as Richard Gaines

Hardcastle and McCormick (1984–1985, TV Series) as Travis Baker / Kenneth Boyer

Hunter (1984–1986, TV Series) as Sgt. Bernie Terwilliger

The Twilight Zone (1985–1987, (TV Series) as Ira Richman (segment "The Girl I Married") / Sheriff Dennis Wells (segment "Nightcrawlers")

Quantum Leap (1991–1993, TV Series) as Police Captain / Sheriff Clayton Fuller / Bob Crockett

Stringer (1992) as Gunman