James Brolin
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- July 18, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, USA
- Active Years
- 1944–2025 (82 Years)
- Total Credits
- 178 credits in database
Biography
James Brolin, born Craig Kenneth Bruderlin on July 18, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, is an American actor, producer and director. Over a career spanning several decades he has earned two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 27, 1998. He is noted for television roles including Steven Kiley on Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969–1976), Peter McDermott on Hotel (1983–1988), John Short on Life in Pieces (2015–2019) and as the narrator of Sweet Tooth. Film appearances include Sgt. Jerome K. Weber in Skyjacked (1972), John Blane in Westworld (1973), General Ralph Landry in Traffic (2000), Jack Barnes in Catch Me If You Can (2002) and Emperor Zurg in Lightyear (2022). In 1966 he married Jane Cameron A.
Career overview
James Brolin, born Craig Kenneth Bruderlin on July 18, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, is an American actor whose career spans film, television and production. He first achieved widespread recognition on television as Steven Kiley in the medical drama Marcus Welby, M.D., a role he inhabited from 1969 through 1976. After that series, Brolin continued to appear in prominent TV projects, notably as Peter McDermott on the hotel‑set drama Hotel between 1983 and 1988, and later as John Short in the sitcom Life in Pieces from 2015 to 2019. More recently he has served as the narrator for the series Sweet Tooth.
In film, Brolin’s early work includes the part of Sgt. Jerome K. Weber in the 1972 thriller Skyjacked and the lead role of John Blane in the 1973 science‑fiction western Westworld. He later appeared as General Ralph Landry in the ensemble drama Traffic (2000) and as Jack Barnes in Catch Me If You Can (2002). His voice work includes portraying Emperor Zurg in the 2022 Toy Story spin‑off film Lightyear. Over his career Brolin has earned two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 27, 1998.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
178 titles- Ransom Canyon (2025) as Cap Fuller
- Amityville: An Origin Story (2023) as Self- Archive
- La Californie ! (2023) as Self - Actor
- Lightyear (2022) as Zurg (voice)
- Sweet Tooth (2021) as Narrator (voice)
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Eli Roth's History of Horror (2018) as Self
- Royal Hearts (2018) as Hank Pavlik
- Royal Hearts (2018) Director
- Royal Hearts (2018) Executive Producer
- Steve (2017) as Self
- Spielberg (2017) as Self
- Being Rose (2017) as Max
- Barbra: The Music ... The Mem'ries ... The Magic! (2017) as Self
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (2016) as Jack
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (2016) Director
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (2016) Executive Producer
- A Beautiful Day (2016) as Gene Thompson
- The Steps (2016) as Ed
- Life in Pieces (2015) as John Short
- Accidental Love (2015) as Speaker Buck McCoy
- The 33 (2015) as Jeff Hart
- Sisters (2015) as Bucky Ellis
- When Calls the Heart (2014) as Judge Jedidiah Black
- Elsa & Fred (2014) as Max
- It Came From Connemara! (2014) as Self
- Christmas with Tucker (2013) as Bo
- Blackout (2012) as Terrance Danfield
- Love, Wedding, Marriage (2011) as Bradley
- Last Will (2011) as Det. Sloan
- The Defenders (2010) as Teddy Kaczmarek
- True Grit (2010) as Frank James (uncredited)
- Burlesque (2010) as Mr. Anderson
- Angel Camouflaged (2010) as Salt
- Standing Ovation (2010) Executive Producer
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- Castle (2009) as Jackson Hunt
- Community (2009) as William Winger
- The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) as Ben Selleck
- Bitter/Sweet (2009) as Calvert Jenkins
- Last Chance Harvey (2008) as Brian
- Lost City Raiders (2008) as John "Pa" Kubiak
- Evolution of the Apes (2008) as Narrator
- The American Standards (2008) as Jack Jennings
- The American Standards (2008) Producer
- The Secret Behind Escape (2008) as Narrator
- Riots & Revolutions: Confronting the Times (2008) as Narrator
- End of an Epic: The Final Battle (2008) as Narrator
- From Alpha to Omega: Building a Sequel (2008) as Narrator
- The Hunting Party (2007) as Franklin Harris
- Bad Girl Island (2007) as Terry Bamba
- Bad Girl Island (2007) Co-Producer
- Psych (2006) as Hank Mendel
- The Alibi (2006) as Bob Hatch
- Wedding Wars (2006) as Governor Conrad Welling
- Category 7: The End of the World (2005) as Donny Hall
- Widow on the Hill (2005) as Hank Cavanaugh
- For God's Sake, Get Out! (2005) as Self
- A Guy Thing (2003) as Ken Cooper
- The Reagans (2003) as Ronald Reagan
- The Reagans (2003) as Ronald Reagan
- Celebrities Uncensored (2003) as Self
- Monk (2002) as Daniel Thorn
- Catch Me If You Can (2002) as Jack Barnes
- The Master of Disguise (2002) as Fabbrizio Disguisey
- Antwone Fisher (2002) as The Captain (uncredited)
- Good Day Live (2001) as Self
- AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Barbra Streisand (2001) as self
- Traffic (2000) as General Ralph Landry
- Children of Fortune (2000) as Dave Passenger
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Richard Finley
- The West Wing (1999) as Gov. Robert Ritchie
- To Love, Honor, & Betray (1999) as Ted Brennan
- A Marriage of Convenience (1998) as Mason Whitney
- The View (1997) as Self
- Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997) as Self - Host
- Pensacola: Wings of Gold (1997) as Lt. Col. Bill Kelly
- Pensacola: Wings of Gold (1997) Director
- Goodbye America (1997) as Ed Johnson
- We the People (1997) as Alan Lesard
- We the People (1997) Executive Producer
- My Brother's War (1997) as John Hall
- My Brother's War (1997) Director
- The Haunted Sea (1997) as Captain Ramsey
- Lewis & Clark & George (1997) as Reverend Red
- Scent of Vengeance (1997) as John Richardson
- Blood Money (1996) as Lt. Kincaid
- Cannes Man (1996) as Self
- Hijacked: Flight 285 (1996) as Ron Showman
- Tracks of a Killer (1996) as David Hawkner
- To Face Her Past (1996) as Greg Hollander
- Hart to Hart: Harts in High Season (1996) as Elliott Manning
- Extreme (1995) as Reese Wheeler
- Savate (1995) as Colonel Jones
- Der schwarze Fluch (1995) as David Levinski / Charles Marlowe
- The Expert (1995) as Warden Munsey
- Terminal Virus (1995) as McCabe
- Burke's Law (1994) as Mitchell Farrell
- Relative Fear (1994) as Det. Atwater
- Indecent Behavior II (1994) as Liam O'Donnell
- Parallel Lives (1994) as Professor Spencer Jones
- The Visual Bible: Acts (1994) as Peter
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor (1994) as Ryan Allison
- Cheatin' Hearts (1993) as Henry
- Angel Falls (1993) as Luke Larson
- Visions of Murder (1993) as Hal
- Gunsmoke: The Long Ride (1993) as John Parsley
- Gas Food Lodging (1992) as John Evans
- The Sands of Time (1992) as Col. Ramon Acoca
- Twin Sisters (1992) as Michael Mallory
- Ted & Venus (1991) as Max Waters
- And the Sea Will Tell (1991) as Mac Graham
- And the Sea Will Tell (1991) as Mac Graham
- The Earth Day Special (1990) as Doctor
- Bad Jim (1990) as B.D. Sweetman
- Nightmare on the 13th Floor (1990) as Dr. Alan Lanier
- Back Stab (1990) as Cliff Murphy
- High Score (1990) as Budetzky
- Voice of the Heart (1989) as Victor Mason
- Finish Line (1989) as Martin Shrevelow
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- Hold the Dream (1987) as Ross Nelson
- Intimate Betrayal (1987) as Michael Wakefield
- Intimate Encounters (1986) as Nick Atkins
- Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) as "P. W."
- Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues (1985) as Harry Wilde
- White Water Rebels (1983) as Mike McKay
- Cowboy (1983) as Ward McNally
- Hotel (1982) as Peter McDermott
- Hotel (1982) Director
- The Ambush Murders (1982) as Paul Marshall
- Mae West (1982) as Jim Timony
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- High Risk (1981) as Stone
- Night of the Juggler (1980) as Sean Boyd
- The Amityville Horror (1979) as George Lutz
- Steel Cowboy (1978) as Clayton Pfanner
- Capricorn One (1977) as Col. Charles Brubaker
- The Car (1977) as Wade Parent
- Gable and Lombard (1976) as Clark Gable
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self - Presenter
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self
- Trapped (1974) as Chuck Brenner
- Westworld (1973) as John Blane
- Class of '63 (1973) as Joe Hart
- Skyjacked (1972) as Jerome K. Weber
- Short Walk to Daylight (1972) as Tom Phelan
- Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law (1971) as Dr. Steven Kiley
- The Pet Set (1971) as Self
- Love, American Style (1969)
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969) as Dr. Steven Kiley
- Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities (1969) as Steven Kiley
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- The Boston Strangler (1968) as Det. Sgt. Phil Lisi
- The Cape Town Affair (1967) as Skip McCoy
- Batman (1966) as Officer Reggie Hogan
- Batman (1966) as Driver
- Batman (1966) as Kid Gulliver
- The Monroes (1966)
- Fantastic Voyage (1966) as Technician
- Our Man Flint (1966) as Technician (uncredited)
- Way... Way Out (1966) as Ted Robertson
- Planet of the Apes Test Reel (1966) as Cornelius
- Von Ryan's Express (1965) as Private Ames
- Dear Brigitte (1965) as Student at Leaf Rally
- John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965) as Notre Dame Quarterback (uncredited)
- Valentine's Day (1964)
- The Patty Duke Show (1963)
- Take Her, She's Mine (1963) as Mel (uncredited)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- Bus Stop (1961)
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Audience Member
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
- Gays on Strike: The Truth Behind "Wedding Wars" as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is James Brolin best known for?
James Brolin is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Ransom Canyon (2025), Lightyear (2022), Sweet Tooth (2021), The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019).
When and where was James Brolin born?
James Brolin was born on July 18, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
How many credits does James Brolin have?
James Brolin has accumulated over 178 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1944 to 2025.
What is James Brolin's background in cinema and television?
James Brolin, born Craig Kenneth Bruderlin on July 18, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, is an American actor, producer and director. Over a career spanning several decades he has earned two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 27, 1998. He is noted for televi...
James Brolin by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self - Presenter — aged about 34
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self — aged about 34
- Steel Cowboy (1978) as Clayton Pfanner — aged about 37
- When Calls the Heart (2014) as Judge Jedidiah Black — aged about 73
- The West Wing (1999) as Gov. Robert Ritchie — aged about 58
- Castle (2009) as Jackson Hunt — aged about 68
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