AncientFaces Your browser does not support JavaScript!
Please enable JavaScript to view the entire contents of this page.

James Thomas Walsh 1943 - 1998

James Thomas Walsh was born on September 28, 1943 in San Francisco, California United States, and died at age 54 years old on February 27, 1998 in Lemon Grove, San Diego County.

James Thomas Walsh

J. T. Walsh was his movie star name.

September 28, 1943

San Francisco, California, United States

February 27, 1998

Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California, United States

Male

Looking for another James Walsh?

James Thomas Walsh James Walsh (1943 - 1998)

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

This page exists for YOU
and everyone who remembers James .

Share what you know,
even ask what you wish you knew.

Invite others to do the same,
but don't worry if you can't...

Someone, somewhere will find this page,
and we'll notify you when they do.

James Thomas Walsh's History: 1943 - 1998

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.

- Discover how AncientFaces works.

Introduction

James Thomas Patrick Walsh was an American character actor. He appeared in many films, notably Narrow Margin, Tin Men, Good Morning, Vietnam, A Few Good Men, Hoffa, Nixon, Sling Blade, Breakdown and Pleasantville. Born: September 28, 1943, San Francisco, CA Died: February 27, 1998, Lemon Grove, CA Height: 6′ 1″ Spouse: Susan West (m. 1972–1982) Children: John West Siblings: Christopher Walsh, Patricia Walsh, Mary Walsh
09/28

1943

Birthday

September 28, 1943

Birthdate

San Francisco, California United States

Birthplace

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Ethnicity & Family History

Irish American.
Early Life & Education

J. T. attended a Jesuit boarding school in Ireland. After returning from studying at Clongowes Wood College in Ireland, he attended the University of Rhode Island where he starred in many college theater productions. He was also President of the local chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an anti-Vietnam War radical student movement of the 1960s.
Religious Beliefs

Catholic.
Military Service

In 1974, he was discovered working in off-Broadway shows, and offered a chance to go to Hollywood. He intended to use his own initials as his stage name, but during a casting call, his name was mistyped as J.T. and he decided to stay with that instead of J.P. His first movie role came in 1983, with his minor role of the man in the bar scene in "Eddy Macon's Run." After that, he was offered feature film roles, often playing the bad guy. He often played white-collar bad guys in such films as "Power" (1986), "Hannah and her Sisters" (1986), "The Big Picture" (1989), "The Gifters" (1990), "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987). He played Union leader Frank Fitzsimmons in "Hoffa" (1992), and a Marine officer who discovers he has a conscience in "A Few Good Men" (1992), and in an uncredited role as White House Chief of Staff in "Outbreak" (1995). Before his death, he had hoped to play more complicated and substantial character roles, rather than the cowards and bullies that he had been typecast in. In his last year, he played in three movies, "Hidden Agenda" (1998), "The Negotiator" (1998), and "Pleasantville" (1998), but it was his last movie for which he is most often remembered. Jack Nicholson dedicated his Best Actor Oscar Award in March 1998 for "As Good As It Gets" (1997) to Walsh. Walsh had died of a heart attack in La Mesa, California, on February 27, 1998.
Professional Career

Actor J.T. Walsh, who played Jack Nicholson’s suicidal lieutenant colonel in “A Few Good Men” and more recently starred as the villain in “Breakdown,” died Feb. 27 in La Mesa, Calif. He was 54. Walsh died of a heart attack at Grossmont Hospital after falling ill at a San Diego-area resort hotel, said his publicist, Cynthia Snyder. “He was just on holiday,” she said. “The paramedics came and weren’t able to revive him and took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.” Walsh, who was born in San Francisco, did not become a full-time actor until he was 31. He had worked as an encyclopedia salesman, junior high school teacher, social worker and reporter. As a child, Walsh was a student at a Jesuit boarding school in Ireland. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Walsh became known for portraying ethically challenged men, such as Lt. Col. Matthew Markinson in 1992’s “A Few Good Men” and Sgt. Major Dickerson in 1987’s “Good Morning, Vietnam.” Walsh, who lived in Los Angeles with his son, TV production assistant John West, most recently appeared in “Breakdown,” playing bad guy Red Barr opposite Kurt Russell. In 1996, he portrayed mental patient Charles Bushman in Billy Bob Thornton’s acclaimed “Sling Blade.” Walsh recently completed work on New Line’s “Pleasantville” with Jeff Daniels and Joan Allen, and New Regency’s “The Negotiator” with Samuel L. Jackson. Walsh, who had been active in community theater, was discovered by a director in 1974 and began working in Off Broadway shows. He met playwright David Mamet in 1976 and won a role in the first performance of “American Buffalo.” His big break came when he was cast in another Mamet play, “Glengarry Glen Ross,” on Broadway in 1984. The role brought him to the attention of Hollywood casting agents, and he moved to Los Angeles four years later. Walsh, who was an avid reader and spoke fluent German, is survived by his son, brother Christopher Walsh and sisters Patricia and Mary Walsh. Services were scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Old North Church at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
Personal Life & Family

J.T. Walsh Famous memorial ORIGINAL NAME James Thomas Walsh BIRTH 28 Sep 1943 San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA DEATH 27 Feb 1998 (aged 54) La Mesa, San Diego County, California, USA BURIAL Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend, Specifically: Ashes Given to Family MEMORIAL ID 4707 · View Source MEMORIAL PHOTOS 1 FLOWERS 624 Actor. He is best remembered for his role as Sergeant Major Dickerson in "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987) and for his role as Big Bob in "Pleasantville" (1998). Born James Patrick Walsh in San Francisco, California, he attended a Jesuit boarding school in Ireland. After returning from studying at Clongowes Wood College in Ireland, he attended the University of Rhode Island where he starred in many college theater productions. He was also President of the local chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an anti-Vietnam War radical student movement of the 1960s. Upon graduation, he worked at a series of odd jobs, including social worker, encyclopedia salesman, junior high school teacher, reporter, and bartender. In 1974, he was discovered working in off-Broadway shows. See more Walsh memorials in: Find a Grave Explore more J.T. Walsh in Newspapers J.T. Walsh in Military Records View more records for J.T. Walsh at Ancestry.com Discover more with a simple DNA test More about the Walsh family name Sponsored by Ancestry How famous was J.T. Walsh? Current rating: 189 votes Click to vote: 5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Stars Maintained by: Find a Grave Added: 14 Mar 1999 Find a Grave Memorial ID: 4707 Source citation
02/27

1998

Death

February 27, 1998

Death date

Heart Attack

Cause of death

Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California United States
Death location

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Obituary

J.T. Walsh; Actor Excelled in Malevolent Roles FEB. 28, 1998 12 AM PT TIMES STAFF WRITER J.T. Walsh, a former encyclopedia salesman whose stone face, penetrating gaze and flat voice made him one of America’s most menacing character actors, died Friday of a heart attack while vacationing near San Diego. He was 54. Walsh, who lived in Encino with his son, fell ill while staying at a resort hotel, said his publicist, Cynthia Snyder. He was taken to Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, where he was pronounced dead. Once described by a critic as “the canniest and most invisible actor of the last decade,” Walsh excelled at making the malevolent appear prosaic. His cool, calculating style of escalating insanity landed him roles as a con artist, a college-basketball fixer, a white supremacist cop, a porn magnate, a small-town sheriff who tries to have his wife killed--and as Watergate conspirator John Ehrlichman. In the 1987 film “Good Morning, Vietnam,” Walsh was the intolerant, humorless Sgt. Major Dickerson to military disc jockey Robin Williams. He was Cole Langley, a hustler, in the 1990 movie “The Grifters.” And in his latest movie, “Breakdown,” he played seemingly harmless truck driver Red Barr, who engineers the kidnapping of Kurt Russell’s wife. Other film credits included “Hoffa” (1992), “Tin Men” (1987), “Tequila Sunrise” (1988) and “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986). One career highlight was his small but telling portrayal of an insane patient in “Sling Blade” (1996). Rather than playing an ordinary person with hidden evil quirks, he gracefully portrayed an obviously crazy person as somewhat banal. A veteran of 41 films--he recently completed work on “Pleasantville” and “The Negotiator"--Walsh was a relative late-comer to stage and screen. Born in San Francisco and educated at a Jesuit school in Ireland, Walsh graduated from the University of Rhode Island. He was an encyclopedia salesman, social worker, journalist and teacher before turning to acting at age 30. Discovered off-Broadway, he appeared in seven stage productions. His big break came in 1984, when he was cast as Williamson, the cowardly office manager, in “Glengarry Glen Ross” by David Mamet. The role, for which Walsh won a Drama Desk Award, caught the eye of Hollywood casting agents. Four years later, he came to Los Angeles and a busy career in what’s-his-name character roles. “I never resented being called a character actor in New York, but with the caste system they have in Hollywood, you feel the little sting of it,” Walsh once told a reporter. “There is a distinction made between the person who is getting $20 million and everyone else. You’re the one directors know they don’t have to worry about, so they can turn their attention to more pressing problems, like finding the star a bigger trailer.” Walsh is survived by his son, John West; a brother, Christopher Walsh; and sisters Patricia and Mary Walsh. Services are scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Old North Church at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Hollywood Hills. Plans for a memorial service were pending.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

Join 2 others
who remember James

Select options below to share special moments.

Nationality & Locations Baptism Gravesite & Burial Add Memory Add Photo Ask others to share How this works

Share what you remember.
Ask what you wish to know.
Connect to discover more.
Advertisement
Did you know?

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below