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James Read

Highest Rated: 87% Eight Men Out (1988)

Lowest Rated: 0% Love Crimes (1991)

Birthday: Jul 31, 1953

Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, USA

James Read is an American film and television actor best known for his role in the 1980s miniseries "North and South." He developed an interest in acting while studying law at the University of Oregon, and moved to New York City upon graduating from college in 1976. After appearing in several Off-Broadway productions, Read briefly moved to Denver, where he spent several years appearing in regional productions. He moved to Los Angeles in 1981, and soon landed a supporting role on the award-winning series "Cheers." The following year he was cast in a recurring role on "Remington Steele," but left after just one season. After several supporting roles in TV series like "Fantasy Island," he landed a breakout role in the epic miniseries adaptation of "North and South" in 1985. His portrayal of George Hazard, the wealthy son of a steel owner who befriends shy South Carolinian Patrick Swayze, earned critical acclaim and made the show one of the highest-rated miniseries ever. Read, who fell in love with and married co-star Wendy Kilbourne during filming, reprised his role in the 1986 sequel, "North and South II."The following year he appeared in the short-lived drama "Shell Game," and in 1988 he portrayed baseball player Claude "Lefty" Williams in "Eight Men Out" and appeared in the dramatic comedy "Beaches." Read has since been in numerous TV series and films, including "Charmed," "Star Trek: Voyager," and "Legally Blonde."

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Highest rated movies

87% 79% Eight Men Out
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42% 88% Beaches
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0% 12% Love Crimes
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Robert Kennedy and His Times
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32% The Initiation
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Lace II
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Celebration Family
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60% The Other Woman
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71% Harvest of Fire
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84% Poor Little Rich Girl
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 43% Indiscreet Zachariah Dodd (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 50% Walking Thunder Abner Murdock (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 71% Harvest of Fire Scott (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 62% Full Circle Judge Carter (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 60% The Other Woman Michael Bryan (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet When the Dark Man Calls Detective Michael Lieberman (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The President's Child Sen. James Guthrie (Character) - 1992
0% 12% Love Crimes Stanton Gray (Character) $2.0M 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Web of Deceit Paul Evanston (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Columbo: Uneasy Lies the Crown Dr. Wesley Corman (Character) - 1990
42% 88% Beaches Michael Essex (Character) $56.4M 1988
87% 79% Eight Men Out Lefty Williams (Character) $4.3M 1988
No Score Yet 84% Poor Little Rich Girl Cary Grant (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebration Family James Marston (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lace II Daryl Webster (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 32% The Initiation Peter (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Robert Kennedy and His Times Unknown (Character) - 1984

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet North and South, Book II George Hazard (Character) 1986 2024
No Score Yet 84% NCIS Alan Newhall (Guest Star) 2018
94% 81% This Is Us Duffy Collins (Guest Star) 2017
No Score Yet 82% CSI: New York Robert Monroe (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet In Plain Sight Damon Schmidt (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet 95% Cold Case Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wildfire Ken Davis (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star),
Director
2005 2007-2008
No Score Yet 90% Charmed Victor Bennett (Guest Star) 2001 2003-2004
No Score Yet 96% Becker Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
76% 80% Star Trek: Voyager Jaffen (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Push Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Diagnosis Murder Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Cape Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet 7th Heaven Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 71% Home Improvement Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
86% 88% Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet North and South George Hazard (Character) 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Over the Rainbow Unknown (Guest Star) 1993
No Score Yet 80% Columbo Dr. Wesley Corman (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Remington Steele Murphy Michaels (Character) 1982-1987
No Score Yet 75% North and South George Hazard (Character) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hotel Unknown (Guest Star) 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trapper John, M.D. Unknown (Guest Star) 1983
87% 95% Cheers H.W. Sawyer (Guest Star) 1982