James Naughton (born December 6, 1945) is an American actor and director. On television he is best known as astronaut Pete Burke in the 1974 single-season television series Planet of the Apes. He has won two Tony Awards : for Best Actor in a Musical in 1990 for City of Angels, and again in 1997, he won a second Tony Award originating the role of lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running revival of the musical Chicago.
Early life
Naughton was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Rosemary (née Walsh) and Joseph Naughton, both of whom were teachers.[1] He is the elder brother of actor David Naughton. His family is Irish-American. He graduated from Conard High School.[2] Jim began singing during his years at Conard "with the high school band and at parties."[3]
Career
Naughton graduated from Brown University and Yale School of Drama. His acting career began when he appeared in a series of Broadway dramas and musicals. He has since become an accomplished actor in both starring and supporting film and television roles.[4]
He has appeared in television commercials promoting the drugs Cialis, Nexium and Nasalcrom. Naughton has also been the official voice of Audi in the U.S. since 2007, heard in its national TV and radio spots. He is also a frequent narrator on television's Nature series.[5]
His family is Irish American.[7] He and his first wife, Pam Parsons, have two children: Keira and Greg, both actors.Pam Parsons died from pancreatic cancer in 2013.[8]
