James Noble
Known for: Acting
The son of a Dallas wholesale coal dealer, Noble spent much of his youth attending pool halls and movie houses. He retained his expertise with a pool cue throughout his life, while his stronger interest in acting (fueled by movies) manifested itself in local stage productions and drama studies at Southern Methodist University. Following Navy service in World War II, Noble went to New York to study at the Actors Studio, then went on to a stage revival of Pygmalion wherein he met his future wife, actress Carolyn Coates. The actor appeared on such TV soap operas as As the World Turns (1956), A World Apart (1970) and such Broadway productions as "1776" (a role he took to the movie 1776 (1972)), spending much of his spare time in psychotherapy to handle his ongoing feelings of self-doubt. In films from the mid '70s, Noble principally played small roles as authority figures and politicians (Being There (1979), The Nude Bomb (1980)), with occasional larger roles. such as Bo Derek's father in 10 (1979). In 1979, Noble was cast as the genially absent-minded "Governor Gene Gatling" on the sitcom, Benson (1979), a role in which he remained until the series' 1986 cancellation. Two years later, he resurfaced on TV in the role of a Nebraska-based recording engineer on the very short-lived sitcom, First Impressions (1988).
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Judge Nelson Kurland
1990
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Paul Carlisle
1984
Series
The Love Boat
Dr. Elliot Norton
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Martin Corell
1977
Series
Peak Practice
Mr. Naughton
1993
Series
Starsky & Hutch
Treasury Agent Kendall
1975
Series
The Bill
1984
Series
The Defenders
Ron Mayberry
1961
Series
ABC Afterschool Special
Max Smiley
1972
Series
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
Series
McCloud
1970
Series
Benson
Eugene Gatling
1979
Series
Faerie Tale Theatre
King Rupert III
1982
Series
Perfect Strangers
1986
Series
Father Dowling Mysteries
Judge Karnes
1989
Series
The Doctors
Dr. Bill Winters
1963
Film
Airplane II: The Sequel
Father O'Flanagan
1982
Film
10
Dr. Miles
1979
Film
Being There
Kaufman
1979
Film
Chances Are
Dr. Bailey
1989
Series
The Adams Chronicles
Jonathan Sewall
1976
A World Apart
1970
Series
The Andros Targets
Tierney
1977
Film
1776
Rev. John Witherspoon (NJ)
1972
Film
Fake
Mr. Rousseau
2011
Film
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
1985
Series
First Impressions
Raymond Voss
1988
Beech is Back
2001
Film
What's So Bad About Feeling Good?
Board Member
1968
Film
Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II
Ed
1978
Film
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Mr. Hyrum Lodge
1990
Film
Cinderella
King Rupert III
1985
Film
The Sporting Club
Canon Pritchard
1971
Film
Summer of My German Soldier
Pierce
1978
Film
Hart to Hart
Dr. Metz
1979
Film
Dempsey
Gavin McNab
1983
Film
A Tiger's Tale
Sinclair
1988
Film
Who?
General Deptford
1974
Film
Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam
Leonard Weeks
1987
Film
Paramedics
Chief Wilkins
1988
Film
Breaking Up
Haberle
1978
Film
The Woman Who Willed a Miracle
Dr. Edwards
1983
Film
Deadly Deception
Ed Shoat
1987
Film
When the Bough Breaks
Dr. Warren Towle
1986
Film
Baby Comes Home
Dr. Elliott Olsen
1980
Film
Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me
Father Pettis
1971
Death Play
Norman
1976
Film
Dragonfly
Dr. Lee
1976
Film
You Talkin' to Me?
Peter Archer
1987
Film
Promises in the Dark
Dr. Blankenship
1979
Film
Bang
Rooftop Dealer
1995
Film
This Is Kate Bennett...
Tom Fairmont
1982
Film
The Day My Kid Went Punk
Max Smiley
1987
Film
The Absent-Minded Professor: Trading Places
Dr. Gilmore Blount
1989
Film
They Bite
Scientist #1
1996
Film
Born Kicking
Hudson
1992