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Award-winning actor James Woods was born in Vernal, UT, but grew up in Rhode Island, and spent most of the early years of his life in New England. Though he majored in Political Science at MIT, he was drawn to drama, appearing in plays at MIT and at Harvard, and with the Theatre Company of Boston, and the Provincetown Playhouse in Rhode Island. He earned an Obie for his role in the off-Broadway production, Saved, and premiered on Broadway in Borstal Boy, in 1970.
A year later, Woods made his first television appearance in the TV movie, All the Way Home. He made several television and film appearances after that, but his breakout performance was in the TV mini-series, Holocaust, in 1978. In 1979, Woods played a viscious cop-killer in the film, The Onion Field, and, with his craggy looks and penetrating gaze, he was often cast in the role of sociopath or villian.
In 1986, Woods won an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of an American journalist in South America in Oliver Stone's Salvador. He began to play more sympathetic roles and won an Emmy in 1989 for his portrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson in My Name is Bill W. He has appeared in dozens of films and television shows, and is known for his solid and often scene-stealing performances. In 1998, Woods received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
His legal drama, Shark, ran on CBS for two seasons.
Last updated: January 14, 2009.
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