CINEFILER

James Cromwell

Born
January 27, 1940
James Oliver Cromwell (born 27 January 1940) is an American film and television actor, probably best known for his role as Dr. Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact. He has been nominated for an Oscar, three Emmy Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during his career. Cromwell was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Manhattan, New York. He was adopted by actress Kay Johnson and actor, director and producer John Cromwell, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. He was educated at The Hill School, Middlebury College and Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), where he studied engineering. Like both his parents, he was drawn to the theater, doing everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays. He has long been an advocate of leftist causes. In an October 2008 interview, he strongly attacked the Republican Party and the George W. Bush administration, saying their controversial foreign policy would "either destroy us or the entire planet." He became a vegetarian in 1974 after seeing a stockyard in Texas and experiencing the "smell, terror and anxiety." He became an ethical vegan while playing the character of Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe in 1995. He frequently speaks out on issues regarding animal cruelty for PETA, largely the treatment of pigs. Cromwell was married to Anne Ulvestad from 1976 to 1986. They had three children. He married his second wife, Julie Cobb, on 29 May 1986.
Known For
Surrogates
(2009)
Dr. Lionel Canter
Big Hero 6
(2014)
Professor Robert Callaghan (voice)
The Green Mile
(1999)
Warden Hal Moores
Spider-Man 3
(2007)
Captain Stacey
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
(2018)
Sir Benjamin Lockwood
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
(2002)
The Colonel (voice)
I, Robot
(2004)
Dr. Alfred Lanning
Star Trek: First Contact
(1996)
Dr. Zefram Cochrane
The Artist
(2011)
Clifton
The Longest Yard
(2005)
Warden Hazen
Merry Little Batman
(2023)
Alfred Pennyworth (voice)
Species II
(1998)
Senator Ross
Deep Impact
(1998)
Alan Rittenhouse
L.A. Confidential
(1997)
Dudley Smith
Babe
(1995)
Farmer Hoggett
Eraser
(1996)
William Donohue
Full Filmography
Acting
Daddy Long Legs
(1955)
Extra (uncredited)
Murder by Death
(1976)
Marcel Cassette
The Girl in the Empty Grave
(1977)
Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr.
Deadly Game
(1977)
Deputy Malcom Rossiter Jr.
The Cheap Detective
(1978)
Schnell
Peeping Times
(1978)
Bernard Mantee
A Christmas Without Snow
(1980)
Reverend Lohman
Nobody's Perfekt
(1981)
Dr. Carson
The Wall
(1982)
Francisek
Barefoot In the Park
(1982)
Harry Pepper
The Rainmaker
(1982)
Noah Curry
The Man with Two Brains
(1983)
Realtor
Revenge of the Nerds
(1984)
Mr. Skolnick
The House of God
(1984)
Officer Quick
Spraggue
(1984)
Lt. George Hurley
Oh, God! You Devil
(1984)
Priest
Tank
(1984)
Deputy Euclid
Explorers
(1985)
Mr. Müller
The Last Precinct
(1986)
Chief Bludhorn
A Fine Mess
(1986)
Detective Blist
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
(1987)
Mr. Skolnick
The Rescue
(1988)
Adm. Rothman
The Runnin' Kind
(1989)
Uncle Phil
Pink Cadillac
(1989)
Miracle Landing
(1990)
B.J Cocker
The Babe
(1992)
Brother Mathias
Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation
(1992)
Mr. Skolnick
Romeo Is Bleeding
(1993)
Cage
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds In Love
(1994)
Mr. Skolnick
The Shaggy Dog
(1994)
Charlie Mulvihill
Babe
(1995)
Farmer Hoggett
Indictment: The McMartin Trial
(1995)
Judge Pounders
Eraser
(1996)
William Donohue
The People vs. Larry Flynt
(1996)
Charles Keating
Star Trek: First Contact
(1996)
Dr. Zefram Cochrane
L.A. Confidential
(1997)
Dudley Smith
The Education of Little Tree
(1997)
Nonno
Deep Impact
(1998)
Alan Rittenhouse
Species II
(1998)
Senator Ross
Babe: Pig in the City
(1998)
Farmer Arthur Hoggett
Owd Bob
(1998)
Adam MacAdam
A Slight Case of Murder
(1999)
John Edgarson
Snow Falling on Cedars
(1999)
Judge Fielding
The General's Daughter
(1999)
General Joseph Campbell
The Bachelor
(1999)
Priest
The Green Mile
(1999)
Warden Hal Moores
Walking the Mile: The Making of The Green Mile
(2000)
Self / Warden Hal Moores
Space Cowboys
(2000)
Bob Gerson
Fail Safe
(2000)
Gordon Knapp
RKO 281
(2000)
William Randolph Hearst
Raptor
(2001)
Benny
RFK
(2002)
President Lyndon Baines Johnson
A Death in the Family
(2002)
Joel Lynch
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
(2002)
The Colonel (voice)
The Sum of All Fears
(2002)
President Fowler
The Magnificent Ambersons
(2002)
Major Amberson
Project Viper
(2002)
MP 1
The Snow Walker
(2003)
Walter "Shep" Shepherd
Blackball
(2003)
Ray Speight
A Carol Christmas
(2003)
Ghost of Christmas Future (uncredited)
The John Garfield Story
(2003)
Self
Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde
(2004)
Self
I, Robot
(2004)
Dr. Alfred Lanning
Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
(2005)
Narrator
The Longest Yard
(2005)
Warden Hazen
The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird
(2006)
Self
King Leopold's Ghost
(2006)
Avenger
(2006)
Paul Devereaux
The Queen
(2006)
Philip of Edinburgh
Looking For Else
(2007)
Self
Dante's Inferno
(2007)
Virgil (voice)
Becoming Jane
(2007)
Mr. Austen
Spider-Man 3
(2007)
Captain Stacey
Whatever You Desire: Making 'L.A. Confidential'
(2008)
Self
Tortured
(2008)
Jack
W.
(2008)
George H.W. Bush
Starz Inside - Unforgettably Evil
(2009)
Self
The Last Days of Lehman Brothers
(2009)
Hank Paulson
Beyond All Boundaries
(2009)
Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift / Fleet Admiral William Halsey
Surrogates
(2009)
Dr. Lionel Canter
A Lonely Place for Dying
(2009)
Howard Simons
Pope Pius XII
(2010)
Pope Pius XII
Secretariat
(2010)
Ogden Phipps
Hide Away
(2011)
The Ancient Mariner
Memorial Day
(2011)
Bud Vogel
The Artist
(2011)
Clifton
Admissions
(2011)
The Clerk
Farm to Fridge
(2011)
Narrator
Soldiers of Fortune
(2012)
Haussman
Still Mine
(2012)
Craig Morrison
Cowgirls n' Angels
(2012)
Terence Parker
The Artist: The Making of an American Romance
(2012)
Self
Hollywood as Character: The Locations of The Artist
(2012)
Himself
A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington
(2012)
Self - Interviewee
La Classe américaine
(2012)
Self
The Trials of Cate McCall
(2013)
Justice Sumpter
Big Hero 6
(2014)
Professor Robert Callaghan (voice)
In Between Songs
(2014)
Narrator
Walking the Mile
(2014)
Self
50 Years of Star Trek
(2016)
Self
The Promise
(2016)
Henry Morgenthau Sr.
The Perfect Crime: Leopold & Loeb
(2016)
Narrator
Marshall
(2017)
The Judge
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
(2018)
Sir Benjamin Lockwood
The Immortal
(2019)
Grandfather
Countdown to Year Zero
(2019)
That Guy... Who Was In That Thing 3: Trek Stars
(2019)
Self
The Laundromat
(2019)
Joseph David Martin
Emperor
(2020)
John Brown
Never Too Late
(2020)
Jack Bronson
Prancer: A Christmas Tale
(2022)
Bud
Merry Little Batman
(2023)
Alfred Pennyworth (voice)
Production
Data provided by TMDB