James Keach (born December 7, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the younger brother of actor Stacy Keach and son of actor Stacy Keach Sr.

Early life and education

James Peckham Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of Mary Cain (nee Peckham), an actress, and Walter Stacy Keach Sr., a drama coach, actor, writer, and producer. His brother, Stacy Keach, is an actor and narrator. Keach received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1970, a M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama, and is also a classically trained Shakespearean actor.

Career

Best known as a producer and director, Keach has also acted, most famously portraying Jesse James in the 1980 film The Long Riders, a film which he co-wrote and produced. Johnny Cash was so taken by the film that he and June Carter became close friends with Keach and asked him to be involved in the development of Walk the Line, which Keach produced. Keach also appeared in numerous supporting roles in films such as National Lampoon's Vacation with Chevy Chase, The Razor's Edge opposite Bill Murray, and Wildcats with Goldie Hawn. He also played a leading role in the 1985 comedy film Moving Violations as Deputy Hank Halik.

He was the director of the 1993 TV series and 1999 film Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman which starred his wife, Jane Seymour, and other episodic television. Most recently he has directed and produced Waiting for Forever and Blind Dating. He directed a documentary, Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, about country music singer Glen Campbell and his battle with Alzheimer's disease, that was released in October 2014. He won a Grammy Award on March 14, 2021, as producer for the documentary Linda Ronstadt The Sound of My Voice.[citation needed]

In 2010, Keach received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.[citation needed]

Personal life

Keach was married to Holly Collins, sister of Judy Collins. Their marriage produced a son, Kalen Keach. Sometime after his marriage to Collins ended, he married Mimi Maynard. Their marriage lasted until 1993.

In 1993, Keach married actress Jane Seymour. The couple had twin boys, born November 30, 1995, John Stacy and Kristopher Steven, who were named after family friends Johnny Cash and Christopher Reeve, and James's brother, actor Stacy Keach. In June 2007, both Keach and Seymour became patrons of Meningitis UK. On April 12, 2013, it was announced that the couple separated. The divorce was finalized in December 2015.

In 2024, Keach married Nancy Falkin Lynn at their home in Malibu.[citation needed]

Filmography

Films

TitleYearRoleNotes
Slashed Dreams1975Levon
The Noah(voice)
Cannonball1976Wolfe Messer
Death PlaySteve
FM1978Lt. Reach
Comes a HorsemanEmil Kroegh
Hurricane1979Sgt. Strang
Smokey and the Hotwire GangJoshua
The Long Riders1980Jesse James
The Legend of the Lone Ranger1981The Lone Ranger / John Reid (voice)
Love Letters1983Oliver / Anna's lover
National Lampoon's VacationMotorcycle Cop
The Razor's Edge1984Gray Maturin
Moving Violations1985Deputy Halik
Stand AloneDetective Isgrow
Wildcats1986Frank
Evil Town1987Christopher Fuller
The Experts1989Yuri
OptionsEd Sloan
The Dance Goes On1992James Smith
The New Swiss Family Robinson1998Jack Robinson
Walk the Line2005Warden
Turning Point2017NarratorDocumentary film

Narrative films

TitleYearDirectorProducerWriterNotes
Sunburst1975NoNoYes
The Long Riders1980Executive
Armed and Dangerous1986YesStory
The Experts1989No
False Identity1990Associate
The Stars Fell on Henrietta1995No
Camouflage2001YesNo
Walk the Line2005NoYes
Blind Dating2006Yes
Waiting for Forever2010
Bereave2015NoExecutive
The Mix Up2017YesNoShort film
A Quest for RainbowsTBA
Tough as They ComeTBANoYes

Documentaries

TitleYearDirectorProducer
Disease of the Wind2002YesNo
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me2014Yes
Turning Point2017
Augie2018
David Crosby: Remember My Name2019NoExecutive
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My VoiceYes
Steam PowerTBAYes
Horn MakerTBANo

Television films

TitleYearRole
Deadly Visitor1973Virgil
Miles to Go Before I Sleep1975Man in Bar
The Hatfields and the McCoysJim McCoy
Six Characters in Search of an Author1976The Son
Kill Me If You Can1977Officer #1
The Blue HotelJohnnie
Nowhere to Run1978McEnerney
Lacy and the Mississippi QueenParker
Like Normal People1979Robert Meyers Jr.
The Great Cash Giveaway Getaway1980Bondo
Big Bend Country1981Ian McGregor
Thou Shalt Not Kill1982Jeff Tompkins
Till Death Do Us PartRobert Craig
Wishman1983Galen Reed
The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains1987Father Vincent Godfrey Burns
Good Cops, Bad Cops1990Frank Moran
Murder in High Places1991Levering
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble2000Dr. Huston
Perfectly Prudence2011Mister

Filmmaking credits

TitleYearDirectorProducerWriter
A Winner Never Quits1986NoYesNo
The Forgotten1989YesYes
Sunstroke1992NoNo
Praying Mantis1993Executive
A Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story1994
The Absolute Truth1997
A Marriage of Convenience1998
A Memory in My Heart1999No
Murder in the Mirror2000Yes
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble
Blackout2001
SubmergedNo
Mom's on Strike2002

Television series

TitleYear(s)RoleNotes
NET Playhouse1971Orville WrightEpisode: "The Wright Brothers"
Kung Fu1973Abe JonesEpisode: "The Assassin"
KojakTed StrongEpisode: "Girl in the River"
Ironside1974Walter PortmanEpisode: "The Taste of Ashes"
The RookiesStoney PutnamEpisode: "Legacy of Death"
Movin' OnRonEpisode: "The Trick Is to Stay Alive"
Cannon1974–1976Johnny Cabe / Pete Wallace2 episodes
The Manhunter1975ReichartEpisode: "Man in a Cage"
Police WomanCliff Hummel / Del FranklinEpisode: "Ice"
S.W.A.T.Arlie WarrenEpisode: "A Coven of Killers"
SwitchDean 'Skip' CroweEpisode: "The Body at the Bottom"
Starsky & Hutch1975–1977James March Wrightwood / Ed Chambers2 episodes
Joe Forrester1976UnknownEpisode: "The Boy Next Door"
The QuestBlueEpisode: "Day of Outrage"
Baa Baa Black Sheep1977Captain Ted GerslingerEpisode: "Trouble at Fort Apache"
The Tony Randall ShowBastianEpisode: "Bobby vs. Michael"
The Next Step Beyond1978Chris StablerEpisode: "The Haunted Inn"
Quincy M.E.1979Gary HarlanEpisode: "A Small Circle of Friends"
CHiPs1981Motorcycle LAPD CopEpisode: "Karate"
Magnum, P.I.1983Killer (uncredited)Episode: "...By Its Cover"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman1997Brent CurrierEpisode: "Hostage"
This One 'n That One2012Big JimUnknown episodes
Ray Donovan2017Tom4 episodes

Filmmaking credits

TitleYear(s)DirectorProducerNotes
Hull High1990YesNoEpisode #1.7
The Young Riders1990–1992YesDirector (9 episodes) / Producer (11 episodes)
Covington Cross1992No2 episodes
Jack's Place1993Episode: "The Pipes Are Calling"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman1993–1999ExecutiveDirector (26 episodes) / Producer (The Movie)
The District2003-2004No2 episodes
JAG2004Episode: "A Girl's Best Friend"
The Quitter Show2009NoExecutive2 episodes
This One 'n That One2012YesUrknown episodes

External links