Brion Howard James (February 20, 1945 – August 7, 1999) was an American character actor. Known for playing the character of Leon Kowalski in the movie Blade Runner, James portrayed a variety of colorful roles in well-known American films such as 48 Hrs., Another 48 Hours, Tango & Cash, Silverado, Red Heat, The Player and The Fifth Element. James' commanding screen presence and formidable physique at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall usually resulted in his casting as a heavy, appearing more frequently in lower budget horror and action films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. James appeared in more than 100 films before he died of a heart attack aged 54.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Brion James, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
The Fifth Element
(1997)
General Munro
Blade Runner
(1982)
Leon Kowalski
Enemy Mine
(1985)
Stubbs
Red Heat
(1988)
Streak
Tango & Cash
(1989)
Requin
The Player
(1992)
Joel Levison
Silverado
(1985)
Hobart
Flesh + Blood
(1985)
Karsthans
48 Hrs.
(1982)
Ben Kehoe
Striking Distance
(1993)
Det. Eddie Eiler
Another 48 Hrs.
(1990)
Ben Kehoe
Southern Comfort
(1981)
Trapper
Armed and Dangerous
(1986)
Anthony Lazarus
Steel Dawn
(1987)
Tark
Cherry 2000
(1987)
Stacy
The Postman Always Rings Twice
(1981)
Crapshooter
Full Filmography
Acting
Hard Times
(1975)
Man (uncredited)
The Kansas City Massacre
(1975)
Homer Van Meter
Nickelodeon
(1976)
Bailiff
Bound for Glory
(1976)
Pick Up Truck Driver at the Border
The Invasion of Johnson County
(1976)
Ben Jones
Treasure of Matecumbe
(1976)
Roustabout
Harry and Walter Go to New York
(1976)
Hayseed
Blue Sunshine
(1978)
Tony
Corvette Summer
(1978)
Wayne's Car Wash Henchman
Flying High
(1978)
Clyde Boyer
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
(1979)
Guard
Wholly Moses
(1980)
Guard at Banquet
Trouble in High Timber Country
(1980)
Eddie Rhodes
The Jazz Singer
(1980)
Man in Bar
Killing at Hell's Gate
(1981)
Turkey Jones
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
(1981)
Defalice
The Postman Always Rings Twice
(1981)
Crapshooter
Conquest of the Earth
(1981)
Willy
Southern Comfort
(1981)
Trapper
Blade Runner
(1982)
Leon Kowalski
48 Hrs.
(1982)
Ben Kehoe
Hear No Evil
(1982)
Billy Boy Burns
The Gambler: The Adventure Continues
(1983)
Reece
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
(1983)
Captain Rogers
A Breed Apart
(1984)
Peyton
Flesh + Blood
(1985)
Karsthans
Silverado
(1985)
Hobart
Enemy Mine
(1985)
Stubbs
Crimewave
(1985)
Arthur Coddish
Amazing Stories
(1986)
Willie Joe
Annihilator
(1986)
Alien Leader
Armed and Dangerous
(1986)
Anthony Lazarus
Steel Dawn
(1987)
Tark
Love Among Thieves
(1987)
Andre
Cherry 2000
(1987)
Stacy
Red Scorpion
(1988)
Krasnov
The Wrong Guys
(1988)
Glen Grunski
D.O.A.
(1988)
Detective Ulmer
Nightmare at Noon
(1988)
The Albino
Red Heat
(1988)
Streak
Dead Man Walking
(1988)
Decker
The Horror Show
(1989)
Max Jenke
Mutator
(1989)
David Allen
Tango & Cash
(1989)
Requin
Desperado: The Outlaw Wars
(1989)
Roy Grimes
Circles in a Forest
(1989)
Mr. Patterson
Street Asylum
(1990)
Reverend Mony
Another 48 Hrs.
(1990)
Ben Kehoe
Enid Is Sleeping
(1990)
Trucker
Mom
(1990)
Nestor Duvalier
Ultimate Desires
(1991)
Wolfgang Friedman
Wishman
(1992)
Staten Jack Rose
Nemesis
(1992)
Maritz
The Player
(1992)
Joel Levison
Black Magic
(1992)
Tom McKay
Frogtown II
(1992)
Prof. Tanzer
Showdown
(1993)
Vice Principal Kowalski
Time Runner
(1993)
Neila
Precious Victims
(1993)
Agent Jimmy Bivens
Striking Distance
(1993)
Det. Eddie Eiler
Brain Smasher... A Love Story
(1993)
Brown
The Dark
(1993)
Paul Buckner
Rio Diablo
(1993)
Jake Walker
Scanner Cop
(1994)
Dr. Hampton
Future Shock
(1994)
Jack Porter
Savage Land
(1994)
Cyrus
The Companion
(1994)
Ron Cocheran
Hong Kong 97
(1994)
Simon Alexander
F.T.W.
(1994)
Sheriff Rudy Morgan
Knight Rider 2010
(1994)
Jared
The Soft Kill
(1994)
Ben McCarthy
Cabin Boy
(1994)
Big Teddy
Radioland Murders
(1994)
Bernie King
Art Deco Detective
(1994)
Jim Wexler
Dominion
(1995)
Lynwood
Steel Frontier
(1995)
General J.W. Quantrell
Spitfire
(1995)
Tough Guy (uncredited)
Indecent Behavior III
(1995)
Mr. Cowed
Cyberjack
(1995)
Nassim
Nature of the Beast
(1995)
Sheriff Gordon
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See
(1995)
Larry Walker
Evil Obsession
(1996)
Stavinski
Precious Find
(1996)
Sam Horton
American Strays
(1996)
Oris
Assault on Dome 4
(1996)
Chairman
Billy Lone Bear
(1996)
Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills
(1997)
Salvador Dali / Sam
Back in Business
(1997)
Emery Ryker
The Underground
(1997)
Captain Hilton
The Fifth Element
(1997)
General Munro
The Killing Jar
(1997)
Snide and Prejudice
(1997)
Hermann Goering
Bombshell
(1997)
Donald
Deadly Ransom
(1998)
Bobby Rico
Brown's Requiem
(1998)
Cathcart
In God's Hands
(1998)
Capitaine
Kai Rabe gegen die Vatikankiller
(1998)
Monk
Black Sea 213
(1998)
Captain Killick
A Place Called Truth
(1998)
Hank
Men in White
(1998)
Air Force
Jekyll Island
(1998)
Lawton Goodyear
Dirt Merchant
(1999)
Detective Harry Ball
Joseph's Gift
(1999)
Frank Childress
Malevolence
(1999)
Warden Walker
Arthurs Quest
(1999)
Trent
The Hunter's Moon
(1999)
Sheriff Foulkes
Diplomatic Siege
(1999)
Stubbs
Heist
(1999)
Caz
Farewell, My Love
(2000)
Renault
The Operator
(2000)
Vernon Woods
The King Is Alive
(2000)
Ashley
The Thief & the Stripper
(2002)
Shoe
Phoenix Point
(2005)
Spider Rico
Swimming with Dolphins
(2005)
Production