James Cromwell
Known for: Acting
James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Zefram Cochrane in “Star Trek: First Contact,” as well as his roles in “Babe,” “L.A. Confidential,” and “Spider-Man 3.” He has been nominated for an Oscar, three Emmy Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during his career. Cromwell was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Manhattan, New York. He was adopted by actress Kay Johnson and actor, director and producer John Cromwell, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. He was educated at The Hill School, Middlebury College and Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), where he studied engineering. Like both his parents, he was drawn to the theater, doing everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays. He has long been an advocate of leftist causes. In an October 2008 interview, he strongly attacked the Republican Party and the George W. Bush administration, saying their controversial foreign policy would "either destroy us or the entire planet." He became a vegetarian in 1974 after seeing a stockyard in Texas and experiencing the "smell, terror and anxiety." He became an ethical vegan while playing the character of Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe in 1995. He frequently speaks out on issues regarding animal cruelty for PETA, largely the treatment of pigs. Cromwell was married to Anne Ulvestad from 1976 to 1986. They had three children. He married his second wife, Julie Cobb, on May 29, 1986.
Filmography
Series
American Horror Story
Dr. Arthur Arden
2011
Series
24
Phillip Bauer
2001
Film
Spider-Man 3
Captain Stacy
2007
Series
The West Wing
President D. Wire Newman
1999
Series
Sugar
Jonathan Siegel
2024
Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Prime Minister Nayrok
1987
Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Jaglom Shrek
1987
Series
Dallas
Gerald Kane
1978
Series
Hunter
Seymour Robbins
1984
Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Hanok
1993
Series
ER
Bishop Stewart
1994
Series
Little House on the Prairie
Harve Miller
1974
Series
Star Trek: Enterprise
Dr. Zefram Cochran (uncredited)
2001
Series
Succession
Ewan Roy
2018
Series
Knight Rider
Curtis
1982
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Audience Member
1944
Series
M*A*S*H
1972
Series
Boardwalk Empire
Andrew W. Mellon
2010
Series
Six Feet Under
George Sibley
2001
Film
The Green Mile
Warden Hal Moores
1999
Series
Alice
1976
Film
Big Hero 6
Professor Robert Callaghan (voice)
2014
Series
Home Improvement
Fred
1991
Series
Hill Street Blues
1981
Series
Night Court
Alan
1984
Series
The Rockford Files
Terry
1974
Series
Matlock
Judge Raymond Price
1986
Series
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Miles Darman
2021
Series
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Dr. Zefram Cochrane (voice)
2020
Series
Family Ties
John Hancock
1982
Series
Barney Miller
Sgt. Wilkinson
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Neil Spencer
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Dr. Edmund Danworth
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Jason Parrish
1975
Series
The Twilight Zone
(segment "A Message From Charity")
1985
Series
Jake and the Fatman
1987
Series
All in the Family
Stretch Cunningham
1971
Series
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Reverend Buryfield
1976
Series
Three's Company
Detective Lannigan
1977
Series
Murder in a Small Town
George Wilcox
2024
Series
Amazing Stories
Francis
1985
Film
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Benjamin Lockwood
2018
Series
Halt and Catch Fire
Jacob Wheeler
2014
Series
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
Film
Deep Impact
Alan Rittenhouse
1998
Film
I, Robot
Dr. Alfred Lanning
2004
Film
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
The Colonel (voice)
2002
Series
China Beach
1988
Series
Picket Fences
The Bishop
1992
Series
Berlin Station
Gilbert Dorn
2016
Film
Star Trek: First Contact
Dr. Zefram Cochrane
1996
Series
Eight Is Enough
1977
Series
Counterpart
Yanek
2017
Film
L.A. Confidential
Dudley Smith
1997
Film
The Sum of All Fears
President Fowler
2002
Series
BAT-FAM
Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth (voice)
2025
Film
The Longest Yard
Warden Hazen
2005
Series
Police Story
1973
Film
Babe
Farmer Hoggett
1995
Series
Murder in the First
Warren Daniels
2014
Film
Rebel Ridge
Judge
2024
Series
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Self - Guest
1999
Series
The Young Pope
Cardinal Michael Spencer
2016
Series
Angels in America
Roy's Doctor
2003
Film
Eraser
William Donohue
1996
Film
Species II
Senator Ross
1998
Series
The White Shadow
Mr. Hamilton
1978
Series
The White Shadow
Art Commings
1978
Film
Space Cowboys
Bob Gerson
2000
Film
The Artist
Clifton
2011
Film
Surrogates
Dr. Lionel Canter
2009
Film
The People vs. Larry Flynt
Charles Keating
1996
Series
The Detour
J.R.
2016
Film
Babe: Pig in the City
Farmer Arthur Hoggett
1998
Film
Secretariat
Ogden Phipps
2010
Film
The Laundromat
Joseph David Martin
2019
Film
The Promise
Henry Morgenthau Sr.
2016
Film
Becoming Jane
Mr. Austen
2007
Film
Pink Cadillac
Motel Desk Clerk
1989
Series
Partners
1995
Series
Salem's Lot
Donald Callahan
2004
Film
The Bachelor
Priest
1999
Series
The Client
Officer Joe Denton
1995
Series
Barbary Coast
Roy
1975
Film
The General's Daughter
General Joseph Campbell
1999
Film
The Queen
Prince Philip
2006
Series
Once an Eagle
J.L. Cleghorne
1976
Film
Revenge of the Nerds
Mr. Skolnick
1984
Film
Murder by Death
Marcel Cassette
1976
Series
The Family
Douglas Coe
2019
Film
Marshall
The Judge
2017
Series
American Dreamer
1990
Film
Explorers
Mr. Müller
1985
Series
Impact
Lloyd
2009
Series
My Own Worst Enemy
Alistair Trumbull
2008
Film
The Trials of Cate McCall
Justice Sumpter
2013
Series
Christine Cromwell
1989
Series
Wildside
1985
Series
Flo
1980
Film
Tank
Deputy Euclid
1984
Series
All's Fair
1976
Film
Romeo Is Bleeding
Cage
1993
Film
Merry Little Batman
Alfred Pennyworth (voice)
2023
Film
The Man with Two Brains
Realtor
1983
Film
W.
George H.W. Bush
2008
Film
Snow Falling on Cedars
Judge Fielding
1999
Film
The Babe
Brother Mathias
1992
Series
Operation Buffalo
Cranky
2020
Series
Citizen Baines
Elliott Baines
2001
Film
A Fine Mess
Detective Blist
1986
Film
The Cheap Detective
Schnell
1978
Series
Easy Street
1986
Film
Owd Bob
Adam MacAdam
1998
Film
Fail Safe
Gordon Knapp
2000
Film
Blackball
Ray Speight
2003
Film
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Mr. Skolnick
1987
Film
The Snow Walker
Walter "Shep" Shepherd
2003
Film
Indictment: The McMartin Trial
Judge Pounders
1995
Series
Pope John Paul II
Cardinal Adam Sapieha
2005
Film
Cowgirls n' Angels
Terence Parker
2012
Film
Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation
Mr. Skolnick
1992
Series
The Nancy Walker Show
Glen
1976
Film
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love
Mr. Skolnick
1994
Series
Hot l Baltimore
1975
Film
Still Mine
Craig Morrison
2012
Film
Tortured
Jack
2008
Film
Starz Inside - Unforgettably Evil
Self
2009
Series
Foul Play
Bebet
1981
Series
Sotto il cielo di Roma
Pope Pius XII
2010
Film
Hide Away
The Ancient Mariner
2011
Film
The Magnificent Ambersons
Major Amberson
2002
Film
RKO 281
William Randolph Hearst
1999
Series
Diff'rent Strokes
1978
Film
Never Too Late
Jack Bronson
2020
Film
Emperor
John Brown
2020
Film
Prancer: A Christmas Tale
Bud
2022
Film
Soldiers of Fortune
Haussman
2012
Film
The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird
Self
2006
Film
King Leopold's Ghost
2006
Film
The Rescue
Adm. Rothman
1988
Film
Project Viper
MP 1
2002
Film
Beyond All Boundaries
Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift / Fleet Admiral William Halsey
2009
Film
The Education of Little Tree
Nonno
1997
Film
Oh, God! You Devil
Priest
1984
Film
Avenger
Paul Devereaux
2006
Film
Dante's Inferno
Virgil (voice)
2007
Film
Miracle Landing
B.J. Cocker
1990
Film
Memorial Day
Bud Vogel
2011
Film
Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
Narrator
2005
Film
RFK
President Lyndon Baines Johnson
2002
Film
50 Years of Star Trek
Self
2016
Film
Whatever You Desire: Making 'L.A. Confidential'
Self
2008
Film
Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde
Self
2004
Film
The Last Days of Lehman Brothers
Hank Paulson
2009
Film
A Carol Christmas
Ghost of Christmas Future (uncredited)
2003
Film
Spraggue
Lt. George Hurley
1984
Film
Walking the Mile
Self
2014
Film
China Beach: Pilot
Ambassador at Large Roland Weymouth
1988
Film
The House of God
Officer Quick
1984
Walking the Mile: The Making of The Green Mile
Self / Warden Hal Moores
2000
Film
Admissions
The Clerk
2011
Film
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
2010
Film
The Shaggy Dog
Charlie Mulvihill
1994
Film
Nobody's Perfekt
Dr. Carson
1981
Film
The Wall
Francisek
1982
Film
Deadly Game
Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr.
1977
That Guy... Who Was In That Thing 3: Trek Stars
Self
2019
Film
La Classe américaine
Self
2012
Film
Barefoot In the Park
Harry Pepper
1982
Film
The John Garfield Story
Self
2003
Film
The Rainmaker
Noah Curry
1982
Film
The Girl in the Empty Grave
Deputy Malcolm Rossiter Jr.
1977
Film
Peeping Times
Bernard Mantee
1978
Film
The Runnin' Kind
Uncle Phil
1989
Film
A Christmas Without Snow
Reverend Lohman
1980
Film
Night Vet
Dr. Abel Evergood
The Making of 'The Queen'
Self
2007
Film
The Artist: The Making of an American Romance
Self
2012
Film
A Slight Case of Murder
John Edgarson
1999
Film
A Lonely Place for Dying
Howard Simons
2009
Film
Get Lost
Frederick (Red King)
Film
Living With A Visionary
Narrator (voice)
2026
Film
A Death in the Family
Joel Lynch
2002
Film
Pope John Paul II
2005
Film
In Between Songs
Narrator
2014
Film
The Last Precinct
Chief Bludhorn
1986
Film
A Night at the Movies: Hollywood Goes to Washington
Self - Interviewee
2012
Film
The Perfect Crime: Leopold & Loeb
Self - Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
Farm to Fridge
Narrator
2011
Film
Hollywood as Character: The Locations of The Artist
Himself
2012
Film
Countdown to Year Zero
2019
Film
The Immortal
Grandfather
2019
Film
Looking For Else
Self
2007
Film
Star Trek: Enterprise - In a Mirror, Darkly
Zefram Cochrane (archive footage)
2014