James Patterson (actor)

James Patterson
Patterson in 1972
Born(1932-06-29)June 29, 1932
Derry, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedAugust 19, 1972(1972-08-19) (aged 40)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting placeColes Cemetery in Derry, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1957–1972
Spouse
​
(m. 1959)​
Children1

James Patterson (June 29, 1932 – August 19, 1972) was an American actor who won a Tony Award for his role in the 1968 Harold Pinter play The Birthday Party.

He appeared in Lilith (1964), and he had numerous guest appearances on television through the early 1970s, including in Silent Night, Bloody Night, a cult classic horror film .

Early life and education

Patterson was born in Derry, Pennsylvania, For a time, he was a painter and later studied acting at the Carnegie Institute of Technology with Hebert Berghof.[1] He met his future wife, actress, Rochelle Oliver on the set of the off-Broadway production of The Brothers Karamazov. He was also a cast member. In 1960, they were living together in their small apartment on the Upper East Side.[2][3]

Career

Patterson was both a stage and screen actor. For his stage work, he won both Tony and Obie awards. His career started on a Pittsburgh radio show with "Starlets on Parade" as a boy soprano.

In 1968, Patterson played the part of Dave Barca in Hawaii Five-O, episode "The Ways of Love".[4]

In 1972, Patterson was in the horror slasher film Silent Night, Bloody Night that starred Patrick O’Neal, playing Jeffrey Butler, a man trying to sell a house with a terrible history that belonged to his grandfather Wilford Butler.[5]

Death

Patterson died of cancer at age 40 in 1972 in New York City.[6] He was survived by his wife Rochelle and son John.[7]

Filmography

Films
Title Year Role Director Notes
Lilith 1964 Dr. Lavrier Robert Rossen
In the Heat of the Night 1967 Lloyd Purdy Norman Jewison
Castle Keep 1969 Elk Sydney Pollack
A Fable 1971 The Husband Al Freeman Jr.
Silent Night, Bloody Night 1972 Jeffrey Butler Theodore Gershuny (final film role)
Television shows
Title Episode Role Director Air date Notes
Deadline "The Case of the Stranger" Stagg 5 November 1959
Buick-Electra Playhouse "The Fifth Column" John Frankenheimer 29 January 1960
The Witness "Bugsy Siegel " Ralph Nelson 27 October 1960
The DuPont Show of the Month "I, Don Quixote" Anselmo Karl Genus 9 November 1959
The DuPont Show of the Month "The Lincoln Murder Case" Alex Segal 18 February 1961
Play of the Week "The Master Builder " Ragnar Brovik John Stix 21 March 1960
Play of the Week "A Cool Wind Over the Living" Lexy Joseph LeSueur 27 March 1961
Way Out "Dissolve to Black" Nighttime Harry William Corrigan 2 June 1961
Look Up and Live "The Flies" Oreste Joseph K. Chomyn 27 August 1961
Route 66 "A Bridge Across Five Days" Paul Guin Richard Donner 17 November 1961
Naked City "Strike a Statue " Carver John Newland 16 May 1962
The Defenders "The Unwanted " Barney LeMay Alex March 13 October 1962
Alcoa Premiere "The Contenders" Barnaby Evans David Lowell Rich 6 December 1962
Stoney Burke "Joby" Mark Wheeler John Erman 18 March 1963
Naked City "Stop the Parade! A Baby Is Crying! " Phil North William A. Graham 20 April 1963
The Defenders "Loophole " Don Franks Charles S. Dubin 16 November 1963
East Side/West Side "Don't Grow Old " Fred Cameron Herschel Daugherty 17 February 1964
The Defenders "Survival" Minister Tom Gries 14 March 1964
Brenner "Point of Law" Bert Herman Hoffman 14 June 1964
Slattery's People "Question: Did He Who Made the Lamb Make Thee?" Adam Marsten Richard C. Sarafian 5 March 1965
The Big Valley "The Young Marauders " Jamie Drumm Paul Wendkos 6 October 1965
The Felony Squad "The Immaculate Killer" Peter Holland Seymour Robbie 24 October 1966
Flipper "A Dolphin in Time " Scott Emson Edward Haldeman 25 February 1967
Hawaii Five-O "The Ways of Love " Dave Barca Charles Dubin 21 November 1968
Bonanza "A World Full of Cannibals" Charles Ball Gunnar Hellström 22 December 1968
Mission: Impossible "The System" Johnny Costa Robert Gist 26 January 1969
Mission: Impossible "The Double Circle" Barry Crane Victor Laszlo 7 December 1969

References

  1. ^ The New York Times, AUG. 21, 1972 - JAMES PATTERSON OF STAGE, 40, DIES
  2. ^ Daily News, Friday, May 27, 1960 - Page 588 East Side Girl Jumps From Lower to Upper By CHARLES McHARRY
  3. ^ The New York Times, AUG. 21, 1972 - JAMES PATTERSON OF STAGE, 40, DIES
  4. ^ Booking Hawaii Five-O: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 Television Detective Series, By Karen Rhodes - Page 47 The Ways of Love (#7)
  5. ^ The Verge, Oct 20, 2018 - Silent Night, Bloody Night is the perfect streaming slasher for Halloween fans, Before Michael Myers, this film was an inspiration By Noel Murray
  6. ^ Notice of death of actor James Patterson, news.google.com; accessed April 19, 2016.
  7. ^ The New York Times, AUG. 21, 1972 - JAMES PATTERSON OF STAGE, 40, DIES