James Bacon
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Bacon was an American author and journalist who also worked as an actor in film and television. He wrote historical accounts of his years observing Hollywood and a biography of Jackie Gleason
.
. He attended the University of Notre Dame
from 1933–1936, dropping out during his senior year in order to help his parents, who had recently lost their home in a flood. He earned his degree in journalism in 1943 from Syracuse University
and then served in the Navy. After leaving the Associated Press in 1966, he wrote briefly for the Hollywood Reporter and then for 17 years for The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
. He had published a weekly column in Beverly Hills [213] magazine since 1996.
Although a columnist by trade, Bacon appeared in numerous films, generally in walk-on cameos, often as reporters or newsmen.He appeared in all five films in the 'Planet of the Apes' series, becoming the only actor to do so. He portrayed an ape in each of the films with the exception of Escape from the Planet of the Apes
, in which he played a human, General Faulkner. This was the only film of the 'Ape' series in which he was credited.
Bacon penned three books in the 1970s and 1980s. His first book, Hollywood is a Four Letter Town, was published in 1977; its sequel, Made in Hollywood
, in 1978.
Bacon wrote a biography on Jackie Gleason
, which was published in 1985, entitled How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story. In 1999, Bacon was the subject of an E! True Hollywood Story
episode. Bacon received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
on April 6, 2007.
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
.
Life and career
Bacon was born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He attended the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
from 1933–1936, dropping out during his senior year in order to help his parents, who had recently lost their home in a flood. He earned his degree in journalism in 1943 from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and then served in the Navy. After leaving the Associated Press in 1966, he wrote briefly for the Hollywood Reporter and then for 17 years for The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
The Los Angeles Herald Examiner was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published Monday through Friday in the afternoon, and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. The afternoon Herald-Express and the morning Examiner, both of which had been publishing in...
. He had published a weekly column in Beverly Hills [213] magazine since 1996.
Although a columnist by trade, Bacon appeared in numerous films, generally in walk-on cameos, often as reporters or newsmen.He appeared in all five films in the 'Planet of the Apes' series, becoming the only actor to do so. He portrayed an ape in each of the films with the exception of Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes, directed by Don Taylor, is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Ricardo Montalbán. It is the third of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, the second being Beneath the...
, in which he played a human, General Faulkner. This was the only film of the 'Ape' series in which he was credited.
Bacon penned three books in the 1970s and 1980s. His first book, Hollywood is a Four Letter Town, was published in 1977; its sequel, Made in Hollywood
Made in Hollywood
Made in Hollywood is a talk show hosted by Kylie Erica Mar and Julie L. Harkness airing in syndication since September 30, 2005. The series is currently in its seventh season. The series is filmed in two studios in Los Angeles, California and New York City...
, in 1978.
Bacon wrote a biography on Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
, which was published in 1985, entitled How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story. In 1999, Bacon was the subject of an E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
episode. Bacon received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
on April 6, 2007.
Selected filmography
- The LongshotThe Longshot-Cast:*Tim Conway as Dooley*Jack Weston as Elton*Harvey Korman as Lou*Ted Wass as Stump*Eddie Deezen as Parking Attendant*Brad Trumbull as Track Cop...
(1986) .... Track Usher - Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon QueenCharlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon QueenCharlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen is a 1981 film directed by Clive Donner. It stars Peter Ustinov and Lee Grant.-Plot:Retired detective Charlie Chan is asked for his help by the San Francisco police to solve a new series of murders...
(1981) .... Reporter at Clinic - Underground AcesUnderground AcesUnderground Aces is a 1981 film directed by Robert Butler. It stars Dirk Benedict and Melanie Griffith.-Cast:*Dirk Benedict as Pete Huffman*Melanie Griffith as Lucy*Rick Podell as Joe*Randy Brooks as Ollie*T. K. Carter as Dee Jay...
(1981) .... Businessman #2 - The Man with Bogart's FaceThe Man with Bogart's FaceThe Man with Bogart's Face is a 1980 comedy film, released by 20th Century Fox and based on a novel of the same name. Andrew J...
(1980) .... Reporter - MeteorMeteor (film)Meteor is a 1979 science fiction Technicolor disaster film in which scientists detect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth and struggle with international, cold war politics in their efforts to prevent disaster. The movie starred Sean Connery and Natalie Wood.It was directed by Ronald Neame...
(1979) .... News Reporter - South by SouthwestSouth by SouthwestSouth by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
(1978) TV episode .... Reporter - Good Guys Wear BlackGood Guys Wear BlackGood Guys Wear Black is a 1978 action film starring Chuck Norris. This was the third film to feature Norris as the star.- Brief Plot :Chuck Norris plays John T. Booker, a former Vietnam Green Beret and a member of a group known as the Black Tigers. He is drawn into a web when members of the group...
(1978) .... Senator - Capricorn OneCapricorn OneCapricorn One is a 1977 science fiction thriller movie about a Mars landing hoax. It was written and directed by Peter Hyams and produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. It stars James Brolin, Sam Waterston and O. J...
(1978) .... Reporter #4 - Mean Dog BluesMean Dog BluesMean Dog Blues is a 1978 drama film directed by Mel Stuart. It stars Gregg Henry and Kay Lenz.-Cast:*Gregg Henry as Paul Ramsey*Kay Lenz as Linda Ramsey*Scatman Crothers as Mudcat*Tina Louise as Donna Lacey*Felton Perry as Jake Turner...
(1978) .... Court Clerk - SextetteSextetteSextette is a 1978 Crown International Pictures comedy/musical motion picture that starred Mae West. Other actors in the cast included Timothy Dalton, Dom DeLuise, Tony Curtis, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, George Hamilton, Alice Cooper and Walter Pidgeon....
(1978) .... Reporter - The Amazing Howard HughesThe Amazing Howard HughesThe Amazing Howard Hughes is a 1977 television movie about American aviation pioneer and filmmaker Howard Hughes, based on the book by Hughes' business partner Noah Dietrich. The film starred Tommy Lee Jones, Ed Flanders, and Tovah Feldshuh....
(1977) .... Himself (as Jim Bacon) - Tunnel Vision (1976) .... Gene Scallion
- Planet EarthPlanet Earth (TV pilot)Planet Earth was a science fiction television movie that was created by Gene Roddenberry, written by Roddenberry and Juanita Bartlett . It first aired on April 23, 1974 on the ABC network, and starred John Saxon as Dylan Hunt. It was presented as a pilot for what was hoped to be a new weekly...
(1974) (TV) .... Partha - The OutfitThe Outfit (1973 film)The Outfit is a 1973 film directed by John Flynn. It stars Robert Duvall, Karen Black, Joe Don Baker and Robert Ryan. The film is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Richard Stark and features a character modeled on Parker, who was introduced in The Hunter.- Plot :Released from prison In...
(1973) .... Bookie - Battle for the Planet of the ApesBattle for the Planet of the ApesBattle for the Planet of the Apes is a 1973 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and last entry in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P...
(1973) (uncredited) .... Ape- ... aka Colonization of the Planet of the Apes
- Night GalleryNight GalleryNight Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
.... Reporter (1 episode, 1972)- ... aka Rod Serling's Night Gallery (USA)
- Conquest of the Planet of the ApesConquest of the Planet of the ApesConquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of...
(1972) (uncredited) .... Ape - Adam-12Adam-12Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
.... Newsman ... (2 episodes, 1971) - The Seven MinutesThe Seven MinutesThe Seven Minutes is a novel by Irving Wallace on the subject of pornography and freedom of speech. It is about a fictional obscenity trial of a banned book, The Seven Minutes, purported to be the thoughts in a woman's mind during seven minutes of sexual intercourse...
(1971) (as Jim Bacon) .... Reporter - Escape from the Planet of the ApesEscape from the Planet of the ApesEscape from the Planet of the Apes, directed by Don Taylor, is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Ricardo Montalbán. It is the third of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, the second being Beneath the...
(1971) .... General Faulkner - The VirginianThe Virginian (TV series)The Virginian is an American Western television series starring James Drury and Doug McClure, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1971 for a total of 249 episodes. Filmed in color, The Virginian became television's first 90-minute western series...
... 2nd Reporter (1970 episode: "With Love, Bullets and Valentines") - Beneath the Planet of the ApesBeneath the Planet of the ApesBeneath the Planet of the Apes is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs...
(1970) (uncredited) .... Ape - SkullduggerySkullduggery (film)Skullduggery is a 1970 science fiction film starring Burt Reynolds, Susan Clark and Edward Fox.The screenplay is based on the French novel Les Animaux dénaturés by Jean Bruller.-Plot:...
(1970) .... Commentator - The Big ValleyThe Big ValleyThe Big Valley is an American television Western which ran on ABC from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969, which starred Barbara Stanwyck, as a California widowed mother. It was created by A.I. Bezzerides and Louis F. Edelman...
.... Hotel Clerk (1 episode, 1969) - Planet of the ApesPlanet of the Apes (1968 film)Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
(1968) (uncredited) .... Ape- ... aka Monkey Planet
- Way... Way Out (1966) (uncredited) .... Reporter
- Underworld U.S.A.Underworld U.S.A.Underworld U.S.A. is a 1961 neo-noir film produced, written and directed by Samuel Fuller. It tells the story of a fourteen-year-old boy who goes to enormous lengths to get revenge against the mobsters who beat his father to death...
(1961) (uncredited) .... Newspaperman - Cry for HappyCry for HappyCry for Happy is a 1961 colour movie directed by George Marshall.-Plot:A Navy photographer and his three-man team occupy a Tokyo geisha house during the Korean War. Though off-limits,...
(1961) (uncredited) .... Press Correspondent - PepePepe (film)Pepe is a 1960 film starring Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno in the title role, directed by George Sidney. A multitude of cameo appearances attempted to replicate the success of Mario Moreno's American debut, notably Around the World in Eighty Days, produced by Mike Todd in 1956.The film failed to...
(1960) (uncredited) .... Bartender - The Roaring 20's .... Jim (1 episode, 1960)
- Pay or DiePay or DiePay or Die is a 1960 film starring Ernest Borgnine, Zohra Lampert, Howard Caine, Alan Austin, and Robert F. Simon. It is a dramatization of the career of crusading New York City police officer Joseph Petrosino, a pioneer in the fight against organized crime in America...
(1960) (uncredited) .... Subway Guard - The RebelThe Rebel (TV series)The Rebel is an American Western television series that ran originally on the ABC network from 1959 to 1961. The program was produced by Goodson-Todman Productions, marking one of their few non-game show ventures...
.... Dude (1 episode, 1960) - Black Tuesday (1954) (uncredited) .... Reporter at Electrocution