Editing James Whitmore

{{Short description|American actor (1921–2009)}}
{{about||his son, the American actor and director|James Whitmore Jr.}}
{{Lede too short|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = James Whitmore
| image        = James Whitmore.jpg
| caption      = Whitmore in 1955
| birth_name   = James Allen Whitmore Jr.
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1921|10|01}}
| birth_place  = [[White Plains, New York]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|2009|2|6|1921|10|1}}
| death_place  = [[Malibu, California]], U.S.
| years_active = 1946–2007
| alma_mater   = [[Yale College]]
| occupation   = Actor
| spouse       = {{ubl|{{marriage|Nancy Mygatt|1947|1971|end=div}}|{{marriage|[[Audra Lindley]]|1972|1979|end=div}}|{{marriage|Nancy Mygatt|1979|1981|end=div}}|{{marriage|[[Noreen Nash]]<br>|2001}}}}
| children     = 4, including [[James Whitmore Jr.]]
| module       = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
  | allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
  | branch     = {{marines|United States}}
  | unit       = [[United States Marine Corps Reserve|Marine Forces Reserve]]
  | battles    = [[World War II]]
  | rank       = [[Second_lieutenant#United_States|Second Lieutenant]]
  }}
}}
'''James Allen Whitmore Jr.''' (October 1, 1921 – February 6, 2009) was an American actor. He received numerous accolades, including a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Award]], a [[Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]], a [[Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Award]], a [[Theatre World Award]], and a [[Tony Awards|Tony Award]], plus two [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominations.

== Early life ==
James Allen Whitmore Jr. was born in [[White Plains, New York]], to Florence Belle (née Crane) and James Allen Whitmore Sr., a park commission official,{{Citation needed |date=December 2023}} Whitmore attended [[Amherst High School (New York)|Amherst Central High School]] in [[Snyder, New York]], for three years,<ref>{{cite newspaper|url=http://www.amherstbee.com/news/2009-02-11/obituaries/029.html |title=Actor James Whitmore, attended Amherst High School|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075919/http://www.amherstbee.com/news/2009-02-11/obituaries/029.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |newspaper=Amherst Bee|date= February 11, 2009}}</ref> before transferring to the [[Choate Rosemary Hall|Choate School]] in [[Wallingford, Connecticut]], on a football scholarship. He went on to study at [[Yale College]], but he had to quit playing [[American Football]] after severely injuring his knees.<ref name=lat>"James Whitmore dies at 87" by Dennis McLellan. Los Angeles Times, February 7, 2009.</ref> After giving up football, he turned to the Yale Dramatic Society and began acting.<ref>Biography on James Whitmore in ''Playbill'' for ''Will Rogers' USA,'' May 1974 – online at www.playbillvault.com.</ref> While at Yale, he was a member of [[Skull and Bones]],<ref>See Wikipedia article on [[Skull and Bones]], which lists James Whitmore as a member and references this article: "Powerful Secrets" by Alexandra Robbins. ''Vanity Fair,'' July 2004, p. 116.</ref> and was among the founders of the Yale radio station (the student-run WOCD-AM, later renamed WYBC-AM).<ref>Article on James Whitmore in ''The Film Encyclopedia'' by Ephraim Katz. Harper Perennial, 1994 ed., p. 1454.</ref> Whitmore planned on becoming a lawyer and graduated with a major in government from Yale University.{{Citation needed |date=September 2024}}

==Military service==
In [[World War II]], he enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps Reserve]] in 1942 while finishing his degree, which he completed in 1944.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/01_03/blue.html#entertainment|title=Who's Been Blue|work=[[Yale Alumni Magazine]]|date=March 2001|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref> In the Marines, he trained at [[Parris Island]] and [[Quantico, Virginia]], and [[Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps)|Officers Candidate School]],  and was commissioned a [[second lieutenant]]. After further training he was assigned to the [[4th Marine Division (United States)|4th Marine Division]] on [[Saipan]] in July 1944. While at [[Tinian]], he contracted [[amoebic dysentery]] and was hospitalized. Following his hospitalization, he served guard duty at the [[Panama Canal Zone]] until his discharge in March 1946.<ref name="War service Brooklyn Eagle">{{cite news |title=Whitmore Went to War to Win Prized Antoinette Perry Award |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34994353/james_whitmore_war_service/ |access-date=August 17, 2019 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |date=April 25, 1948|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>''Playbill,'' May 1974.</ref>

== Career ==
=== Film and television ===
Whitmore appeared on Broadway in the role of the sergeant in ''[[Command Decision (play)|Command Decision]].''<ref name="ibdb">{{cite web |title=James Whitmore |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/james-whitmore-69060 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524073729/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/james-whitmore-69060 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>  His first major picture for MGM was ''[[Battleground (1949 film)|Battleground]],'' in a role that was turned down by [[Spencer Tracy]]. He was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for this role, and won the [[Golden Globe Award]] as Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role.{{Citation needed |date=September 2024}} Other major films included ''[[Angels in the Outfield (1951 film)|Angels in the Outfield]],'' ''[[The Asphalt Jungle]]'', ''[[The Next Voice You Hear...|The Next Voice You Hear]]'', ''[[Above and Beyond (1952 film)|Above and Beyond]]'', ''[[Kiss Me, Kate (film)|Kiss Me, Kate]]'', ''[[Them!]]'', ''[[Oklahoma! (film)|Oklahoma!]]'', ''[[Black Like Me]]'', ''[[Guns of the Magnificent Seven]]'', ''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'', and ''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!]]'', a one-man show for which Whitmore was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for his portrayal of former U.S. President [[Harry S Truman]].{{Citation needed |date=September 2024}} In the film ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'', he played [[William Halsey Jr.|Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey]].

Whitmore appeared during the 1950s on many television [[anthology series]]. He was cast as Father [[Emil Kapaun]] in the 1955 episode "The Good Thief" in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] religion [[anthology series]] ''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]''. Other roles followed on ''[[Fireside Theater|Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theater]]'', ''[[Lux Video Theatre]]'', ''[[Kraft Theatre]]'', ''[[Studio One in Hollywood]]'', ''[[Schlitz Playhouse]]'', ''[[Matinee Theatre]]'', and the ''[[Ford Television Theatre]].'' In 1958, he carried the lead in "The Gabe Carswell Story" of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Wagon Train]]'', with [[Ward Bond]].(S1 E18 which aired 1/14/1958).

[[File:James Whitmore Law and Mr. Jones 1962.JPG|thumb|190px|Publicity photo of [[Conlan Carter]], [[Janet De Gore]] and Whitmore from the television series ''[[The Law and Mr. Jones]]'']]
In 1963, Whitmore played Captain William Benteen in ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[On Thursday We Leave for Home]]". Whitmore also appeared in ''[[Route 66 (TV series)|Route 66]]'' on January 18, 1963, as Ralph Vincent in “A Gift for a Warrior.” He appeared twice in ''[[Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)|Twelve O'Clock High]]''. In 1965, Whitmore guest-starred as Col. Paul "Pappy" Hartley in Season 1, Episode 32 "The Hero" and as Col. Harry Connelly in 1966 Season 3, Episode 12 "The Ace". He also appeared in an episode of ''[[Combat!]]'' titled "The Cassock", as a German officer masquerading as a Catholic priest. In 1967, he guest-starred as a security guard in ''[[The Invaders]]'' episode, "Quantity: Unknown". That same year, Whitmore also appeared on an episode of ABC's ''[[Custer (TV series)|Custer]]'' starring [[Wayne Maunder]] in the title role.

In 1968, he appeared as head of the Simian Assembly in the ''[[Planet of the Apes (1968 film)|Planet of the Apes]].'' In 1969, he  played the leading character of Professor Woodruff in the TV series ''[[My Friend Tony]],'' produced by NBC. Whitmore also made several memorable appearances on the classic ABC [[Western (genre)|Western]] ''[[The Big Valley]]'' starring [[Barbara Stanwyck]], and the classic NBC Western ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' starring [[James Drury]], during the second half of the 1960s.

From 1972 to 1973, Whitmore played Dr. Vincent Campanelli in the short-lived ABC medical sitcom ''[[Temperatures Rising]]''.

Whitmore appeared as General [[Oliver O. Howard]] in the 1975 television film ''[[I Will Fight No More Forever]]'', based on the [[Nez Perce War|1877 conflict]] between the United States Army and the [[Nez Perce tribe|Nez Percé tribe]], led by [[Chief Joseph]]. In 1979, Whitmore hosted a talk show of 22 episodes called simply ''Comeback.'' One of those segments focuses on the helicopter inventor [[Igor Sikorsky]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=200596&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=651282|title=''Comeback''|publisher=tvguide.com|access-date=April 29, 2011}}</ref> In 1980 he starred as Borski, a therapist treating imprisoned sex-offenders, in the made-for-television movie ''Rage!'' directed by [[William Graham (director)|William A. Graham]].  In 1980, Whitmore appeared as Jake Reeves the terminally ill father of coach Reeves in a two episode arc of the television series ''White Shadow.'' In 1986, Whitmore voiced [[Mark Twain]] in the first [[clay animation|claymation]] feature film ''[[The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985 film)|The Adventures of Mark Twain]]''.

In 1994, Whitmore appeared in the role of prison librarian Brooks Hatlen in the critically acclaimed and [[Academy Award]]-nominated [[Frank Darabont]] film ''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'', starring [[Tim Robbins]] and [[Morgan Freeman]]; Whitmore received much praise for his poignant portrayal of Brooks, the old con and his performance won him a legion of new fans. Two years later, he co-starred in the 1997 horror/sci-fi film ''[[The Relic]].'' In 1999, he played Raymond Oz in two episodes of ''[[The Practice]],'' earning an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series|Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series]].

In 2002, Whitmore played the role of the grandfather in the Disney Channel original film ''[[A Ring of Endless Light (film)|A Ring of Endless Light]]''. Also in 2002, Whitmore played a supporting role in ''[[The Majestic (film)|The Majestic]],'' a film that starred Jim Carrey. In 2003, Whitmore appeared as [[Josh Brolin]]'s father on the short-lived NBC drama series ''[[Mister Sterling]]'', for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.

In April 2007, he made his last screen appearance in a ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation|C.S.I.]]'' episode titled "[[Ending Happy]]" as Milton, an elderly man.

=== Theatre work ===
"Whitmore often said he found acting in films and television boring because of the long waits between scenes; his passion was for the theater, and he continued to act on stage throughout his long career."<ref name=lat/> Whitmore first ventured into acting at Yale University – severe knee injuries sidelined him from football, so he turned to the Yale Dramatic Society.<ref>Except where noted, information on Whitmore's theatre history is taken from his Biography in ''Playbill'' for ''Will Rogers USA,'' May 1974 – online at www.playbillvault.com</ref> After serving in the Marines he toured the South Pacific in a USO tour, then returned to America, where he studied acting for six months at the American Theatre Wing in New York and the Actors Studio. Afterward, he was hired by a summer stock company in Peterborough, New Hampshire – The Peterborough Players. In 1947 he was selected to appear in a production of ''[[All My Sons]]'', representing the U.S. at the [[World Youth Festival]] in Prague.<ref name="All My Sons 1947">{{cite news |title=To Act American Play in Prague |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34993450/james_whitmore_in_all_my_sons/ |access-date=August 17, 2019 |work=Brooklyn Eagle |date=June 1, 1947|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

His first play on Broadway – ''Command Decision'' – in which Whitmore played the part of Tech Sergeant Harold Evans, was the smash hit of 1947, and Whitmore received a non-competitive [[Special Tony Award]] for "Best Newcomer of the Season". Whitmore continued to be active in the theatre for all of his career, performing on Broadway, at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC, and on tour. He later won the title "King of the One Man Show"<ref>"Veteran character actor James Whitmore dead at 87," ''Reuters,'' February 6, 2009.</ref> after appearing in the solo vehicles ''[[Will Rogers' USA]]'' (1970) (repeating the role for TV in 1972); as [[Harry Truman]] in ''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!]]'' (1975) (repeating the role in the film version, for which he was nominated for an [[Academy Award|Oscar]]); and as [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in ''Bully'' (1977), although the latter production did not repeat the success of the first two.

"Whitmore, who was an early student at the Actors Studio in New York in the late '40s, taught an acting workshop after moving to Hollywood. Among his students in the early '50s was young James Dean, whom Whitmore advised to go to New York. 'I owe a lot to Whitmore,' Dean told ''Seventeen'' magazine in 1955. 'One thing he said helped more than anything. He told me I didn't know the difference between acting as a soft job and acting as a difficult art.'"<ref name=lat/> Whitmore often returned to New Hampshire to the Peterborough Players, where he got his start in summer stock – in 2008 he played the stage manager in ''Our Town.''<ref name="Susan King 2013"/> Each year the Peterborough Players award the "James Whitmore Award" to an excellent intern at the theatre.<ref>See their website at www.peterboroughplayers.com</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:James Whitmore family 1954.JPG|thumb|Nancy Mygatt and Whitmore in 1954 with their sons (from left): Stephen, [[James Whitmore Jr.|James Jr.]], and Danny]] Whitmore married his first wife, Nancy Mygatt, in 1947.<ref name=jwbio>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/205552%7C78332/james-whitmore#biography|title=James Whitmore Biography|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref> The couple had three sons before their divorce in 1971. The eldest son, James III, found success as a television actor and director under the name [[James Whitmore Jr.]] The second son, Stephen, became the public spokesman for the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]].<ref name="legacy.com">See the 2009 obituary on James Whitmore by The Associated Press, posted on www.legacy.com.</ref> The youngest son, Daniel, was a [[United States Forest Service|Forest Service]] Snow Ranger and firefighter before he launched his own construction company. In 1979, Whitmore and Mygatt remarried, but they divorced again after two years.

Whitmore was married to actress [[Audra Lindley]] from 1972 until 1979. He co-starred in several stage performances with her both during and after their marriage. These included ''Elba'' (a play by Vaughn McBride about an elderly couple who escape from their nursing home); [[William Gibson (playwright)|William Gibson's]] ''Handy Dandy'' (he as a conservative judge, she as a liberal nun); and Tom Cole's ''About Time'' (in which they played characters identified simply as the Old Man and the Old Woman).<ref>Article on James Whitmore in ''Newsmakers.'' Gale Publishing, 2010, p. 596-597. Also see Berkvist, Robert (February 7, 2009). "James Whitmore, Character Actor Skilled in One-Man Shows, Dies at 87". The New York Times.</ref>

In 2001, he married actress and author [[Noreen Nash]]. Whitmore is the grandfather of ''[[Survivor: Gabon]]'' contestant [[Matty Whitmore]]. In 2010, James Whitmore Jr., and his two children (grandchildren of James Whitmore), actress-director Aliah Whitmore and artist-production designer Jacob Whitmore, formed the theatre group Whitmore Eclectic. They perform in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="Susan King 2013">"The Whitmore Family Will Never Grow out of This Stage" by Susan King. ''Los Angeles Times,'' May 7, 2013.</ref>

In his later years, Whitmore spent his summers in [[Peterborough, New Hampshire]], performing with the Peterborough Players.<ref>[http://www.peterboroughplayers.org Peterboroughplayers.org]</ref>

A [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], he supported the campaign of [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] during the [[1952 United States presidential election|1952 presidential election]].<ref>''Motion Picture and Television Magazine'', November 1952, page 33, Ideal Publishers</ref> Although he was not always politically active, in 2007, Whitmore generated some publicity with his endorsement of [[Barack Obama]] for U.S. President.<ref name="legacy.com"/> In January 2008, Whitmore appeared in television commercials for the First Freedom First campaign, which advocates preserving "the separation of church and state" and protecting religious liberty.<ref name=jwbio/>

According to the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', "An avid flower and vegetable gardener, Whitmore was also known to TV viewers as the longtime commercial pitchman for [[Miracle-Gro]] garden products."<ref name=lat/>

He had a cat called Monkey, whose playful photos are preserved in [https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/monkey-the-cat-his-hats/5AHZ8YN86zxt8w LIFE photo collection in New York].

== Death ==
Whitmore was diagnosed with [[lung cancer]] in November 2008. He died from the disease at the age of 87 on February 6, 2009, at his [[Malibu, California]] home.<ref name=lat/><ref>{{cite web|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=James Whitmore, Character Actor Skilled in One-Man Shows, Dies at 87|author=Berkvist, Robert|date=February 7, 2009|url=http://theater.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/theater/07whitmore.html}}</ref> He was cremated, his ashes was scattered at [[Pacific Ocean]].

==Filmography==
===Partial filmography===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
'''1940s'''
*''[[The Undercover Man]]'' (1949) as George Pappas
*''[[Battleground (film)|Battleground]]'' (1949) as Kinnie

'''1950s'''
* ''[[The Outriders]]'' (1950) as Clint Priest
* ''[[Please Believe Me]]'' (1950) as Vincent Maran
* ''[[The Asphalt Jungle]]'' (1950) as Gus Minissi
* ''[[The Next Voice You Hear...]]'' (1950) as Joe Smith, American
* ''[[Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone]]'' (1950) as John J. Malone
* ''[[The Red Badge of Courage (1951 film)|The Red Badge of Courage]]'' (1951) as Narrator (voice, uncredited)
* ''[[Angels in the Outfield (1951 film)|Angels in the Outfield]]'' (1951) as Angel voice (voice, uncredited)
* ''[[Across the Wide Missouri (film)|Across the Wide Missouri]]'' (1951) as Old Bill (uncredited)
* ''[[It's a Big Country]]'' (1951) as Mr. Stacey
* ''[[Shadow in the Sky]]'' (1952) as Lou Hopke
* ''[[Because You're Mine]]'' (1952) as Sergeant 'Bat' Batterson
* ''[[Above and Beyond (1952 film)|Above and Beyond]]'' (1952) as Maj. William 'Bill' M. Uanna – Security Officer, Operation Silverplate
* ''[[The Girl Who Had Everything]]'' (1953) as Charles 'Chico' Menlow
* ''[[Kiss Me Kate (film)|Kiss Me Kate]]'' (1953) as Slug
* ''[[All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953 film)|All the Brothers Were Valiant]]'' (1953) as Fetcher
* ''[[The Great Diamond Robbery]]'' (1954) as Mr. Remlick, Lawyer
* ''[[The Command (1954 film)|The Command]]'' (1954) as Sgt. Elliott
* ''[[Them!]]'' (1954) as Police Sgt. Ben Peterson
* ''[[Battle Cry (film)|Battle Cry]]'' (1955) as MSgt. Mac / Narrator
* ''[[The McConnell Story]]'' (1955) as SSgt. / Maj. / Col. Ty 'Dad' Whitman
* ''[[Oklahoma! (film)|Oklahoma!]]'' (1955) as Mr. Carnes
* ''[[The Last Frontier (1955 Film)|The Last Frontier]]'' (1955) as Gus
* ''[[The Eddy Duchin Story]]'' (1956) as Lou Sherwood
* ''[[Crime in the Streets]]'' (1956) as Ben Wagner
* ''[[The Young Don't Cry]]'' (1957) as Rudy Krist
* ''[[The Deep Six]]'' (1958) as Commander Warren Meredith
* ''[[The Restless Years (film)|The Restless Years]]'' (1958) as Ed Henderson
* ''[[Face of Fire]]'' (1959) as Monk Johnson

'''1960s'''
*''[[The Law and Mr. Jones]]'' (1960) as Abraham Lincoln Jones
*''[[Who Was That Lady?]]'' (1960) as Harry Powell
*’’Rawhide 1962 Incident of the Dog Faces as Sgt. Joe Duclos
*''[[Going My Way (TV series)|Going My Way]]'' as Dr. Corden in "Tell Me When You Get to Heaven" (1963) as Dr. Corden
*''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'', "[[On Thursday We Leave for Home]]" (TV Series) (1963) as Captain Benteen
*''[[Black Like Me (film)|Black Like Me]]'' (1964) as John Finley Horton
*''[[The Tenderfoot (1964)|The Tenderfoot]]'' (1964), ''[[Walt Disney anthology television series|Disney's The Wonderful World of Color]]'' as Captain Ewell
*''Gunsmoke'' (1965) "The Reward" as Jim Forbes
*''[[Combat!]]'' "The Cassock" (TV Series) (1965) as Hertzbrun
*''[[The Big Valley]]'' "The Death Merchant" (1966) as Handy Random
*''[[The Big Valley]]'' "Target" (1966) as Joshua "Josh" Adam Hawks
*''[[Chuka (film)|Chuka]]'' (1967) as Lou Trent
*''[[Waterhole No. 3|Waterhole #3]]'' (1967) as Capt. Shipley
*''[[The Big Valley]]'' "Night In a Small Town" (1967) as Tom Willis
*''[[The Invaders]]'' "Quantity: Unknown" (1967) as Harry Swain
*''[[Nobody's Perfect (1968 film)|Nobody's Perfect]]'' (1968) as Capt. Mike Riley
*''[[Planet of the Apes (1968 film)|Planet of the Apes]]'' (1968) as President of the Assembly
*''[[Madigan]]'' (1968) as Chief Insp. Charles Kane
*''[[The Split (film)|The Split]]'' (1968) as Herb Sutro
*''[[Bonanza]]'' (TV) Episode – "To Die in Darkness" (1968) as John Postley
*''[[The Big Valley]]'' "Shadow of a Giant" (1968) as Marshal Seth Campbell
*''[[Guns of the Magnificent Seven]]'' (1969) as Levi

'''1970s'''
*''[[The Challenge (1970 film)|The Challenge]]'' (1970) (TV) as Overman
*''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'' (1970) as Vice Admiral [[William Halsey Jr.|William F. Halsey]]
*''[[Chato's Land]]'' (1972) as Joshua Everette
*''[[The Harrad Experiment]]'' (1973) as Philip Tenhausen
*''[[High Crime]]'' (1973) as Commissioner Aldo Scavino
*''[[Where the Red Fern Grows (1974 film)|Where the Red Fern Grows]]'' (1974) (TV) as Grandpa
*''[[The Balloon Vendor]]'' (1974) as Antonio
*''[[I Will Fight No More Forever]]'' (1975) (TV) as General Oliver O. Howard
*''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!]]'' (1975) as Harry S Truman
*''[[The Serpent's Egg (film)|The Serpent's Egg]]'' (1977) as The Priest
*''[[The Word (TV miniseries)|The Word]]'' (TV) (1978) as George Wheeler

'''1980s'''
*''[[The First Deadly Sin]]'' (1980) as Dr. Sanford Ferguson
*''Rage!'' (1980) as [Dr] Borski
*''[[The White Shadow (TV series)|The White Shadow]]'' (1980) as Jake Reeves
*''[[Hail Columbia (film)|Hail Columbia!]]'' (1982) narrator
*''[[The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985 film)|The Adventures of Mark Twain]]'' (1985) as [[Mark Twain]] (voice)
*''Zoo Ship'' (1985) (voice)
*''[[All My Sons]]'' (1987) (TV) as Joe Keller
*''[[Nuts (1987 film)|Nuts]]'' (1987) as Judge Stanley Murdoch
*''[[Glory! Glory!]]'' (1989) (TV) as Lester Babbitt

'''1990s'''
*''Sky High'' (1990) as Gus Johnson
*''[[Old Explorers]]'' (1990) as Leinen Roth
*''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'' (1994) as Brooks Hatlen
*''[[The Relic]]'' (1997) as Dr. Albert Frock
*''[[Swing Vote (1999 film)|Swing Vote]]'' (1999) as Daniel Morissey
*''[[The Practice]]'' (1999) as Frank Oz

'''2000s'''
*''Here's to Life!'' (2000) as Gus Corley
*''[[The Majestic (film)|The Majestic]]'' (2001) as Stan Keller
*''[[A Ring of Endless Light (film)|A Ring of Endless Light]]'' (2002) as Grandfather
*''[[Fun with Dick and Jane (2005 film)|Fun with Dick and Jane]]'' (2005) as Toy Store Security Guard (uncredited)
*''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'' episode "Ending Happy" (2007) (TV) as Milton (final appearance)
{{div col end}}

===Stage===
James Whitmore's theatre roles included:<ref>Except where noted, information on the following plays that James Whitmore played in can be found at www.playbillvault.com</ref>
* ''[[Command Decision (play)|Command Decision]]'' – as Tech Sergeant Harold Evans – Fulton Theatre, New York, NY – (October 1, 1947 – September 18, 1948).
::<span style="font-size:85%">Whitmore received a 1948 Tony Award for this role. The category was "Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/history/pastwinners/index.html|title=Search Past Tony Award Winners|work=[[Tony Awards]]|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref></span>
* ''Winesburg, Ohio'' – as Tom Willard – National Theatre, New York, NY – (Feb 5 – 15, 1958).
* ''Inquest'' – as Emanuel Bloch – Music Box Theatre, New York, NY – (Apr 23 – May 16, 1970).
*  ''Will Rogers' USA'' – Solo Performance as Will Rogers – Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY – (May 6–11, 1974).
*  ''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!|Give 'Em Hell, Harry!]]'' – Solo Performance as Harry Truman – Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC – (April 15 – May 4, 1975).
::<span style="font-size:85%">After the world premiere at the Ford's Theatre, the play went on to a six-city tour, during which it was videotaped for film at the Moore Theater, Seattle, Washington.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fordstheatre.org/home/about-fords/production-history/1968-1977|title=Past Productions|access-date=September 2, 2014|archive-date=September 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903104622/http://www.fordstheatre.org/home/about-fords/production-history/1968-1977|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>See Wikipedia article on ''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!|Give 'Em Hell, Harry!]]''</ref>{{circular reference|date=August 2020}}</span>
* ''Bully'' – Solo Performance as Theodore Roosevelt – 46th Street Theatre, New York, NY – (November 1, 1977 – November 6, 1977).
* ''Almost an Eagle'' – as The Colonel – Longacre Theatre, New York, NY – (December 16, 1982 – December 19, 1982).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Clay |first1=Carolyn |title=Clipping America's wings |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_1982-11-23_11_47/page/n68/mode/1up |access-date=October 4, 2024 |work=The Boston Phoenix |date=November 23, 1982}} - review of show during its pre-Broadway Boston tryout.</ref>
* ''Inherit the Wind'' – as Henry Drummond – Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC – (Sep 26 – November 5, 2000).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/whitmore-returns-to-artistic-home-fords-theatre-for-inherit-sept-26-com-90243|title=Whitmore Returns to Artistic Home, Ford's Theatre, for Inherit, Sept. 26|work=[[Playbill]]|last=Jones|first=Kenneth|date=June 27, 2000|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref>

===Radio===
* ''[[Family Theater]]'' – episode "The Visitor" (1952)<ref>{{cite news|title=Better Radio Programs for the Week|newspaper=The Decatur Daily Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2376557/the_decatur_daily_review/|agency=The Decatur Daily Review|date=May 4, 1952|page=50|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = May 8, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Year
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Award
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Category
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Work
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Result
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"|Ref.
|-
| [[22nd Academy Awards|1949]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Battleground (film)|Battleground]]''
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1950 |title=The 22nd Academy Awards (1950) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-08-18 |publisher=Oscars.org ([[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093814/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/22nd-winners.html |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[48th Academy Awards|1975]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| ''[[Give 'em Hell, Harry!]]''
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1976 |title=The 48th Academy Awards (1976) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-10-02 |work=oscars.org |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109220920/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1976 |archive-date=2014-11-09}}</ref>
|-
| 1990
| [[CableACE Award]]s
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
| ''[[Glory! Glory!]]''
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-15-ca-250-story.html HBO Leads the Way for Cable's ACE Awards]</ref>
|-
| [[21st Genie Awards|2001]]
| [[Genie Awards]]
| [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]
| ''[[Here's to Life!]]''
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/maelstrom-storms-the-genies/article18428436/ |title=Maelstrom storms the Genies |last=Lacey |first=Liam |date=13 December 2000 |access-date=11 February 2018 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[7th Golden Globe Awards|1949]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]]
| ''Battleground''
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/james-whitmore |title=James Whitmore – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[33rd Golden Globe Awards|1975]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| ''Give 'em Hell, Harry!''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[14th Annual Grammy Awards|1971]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Grammy Awards]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album|Best Spoken Word Recording]]
| ''[[Will Rogers' USA]]''
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/james-whitmore/6907 |title=James Whitmore |website=[[Grammy Awards]] |access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[18th Annual Grammy Awards|1975]]
| ''Give 'em Hell, Harry!''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2000
| Online Film & Television Association Awards
| Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
| rowspan="2"| ''[[The Practice]]''
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oftaawards.com/television-awards/4th-annual-tv-awards-1999-2000/ |title=4th Annual Television Awards (1999-2000) |website=Online Film & Television Association |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[52nd Primetime Emmy Awards|2000]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Primetime Emmy Award]]s
| rowspan="2"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series|Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series]]
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/james-whitmore |title=James Whitmore |website=Emmys.com |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[55th Primetime Emmy Awards|2003]]
| ''[[Mister Sterling]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1948
| colspan="2"| [[Theatre World Award]]s
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Command Decision (play)|Command Decision]]''
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theatreworldawards.org/past-recipients.html |title=Theatre World Award Recipients |publisher=[[Theatre World Award]] |access-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525163614/http://www.theatreworldawards.org/past-recipients.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[2nd Tony Awards|1948]]
| [[Tony Awards]]
| [[Tony Award for Best Newcomer|Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer]]
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[June Lockhart]] in ''For Love or Money''.}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tonyawards.com/winners/year/1948/category/any/show/any/ |title=1948 Tony Awards |publisher=[[Tony Awards]] |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 1964
| rowspan="2"| [[Bronze Wrangler|Western Heritage Awards]]
| Fictional Television Drama
| ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'' {{small|(Episode: "Incident of Iron Bull")}}
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/heritage-awards/338no-title/ |title=Incident of Iron Bull |website=National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 1976
| Factual Television Program
| ''[[I Will Fight No More Forever]]''
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/heritage-awards/384no-title/ |title=I Will Fight No More Forever |website=National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
|}

Whitmore has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 6611 Hollywood Boulevard. The ceremony was held on February 8, 1960.<ref>[http://www.walkoffame.com/james-whitmore "James Whitmore"]. [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]. Retrieved April 9, 2016.</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of people from California]]
* [[List of people from New York City]]
* [[List of Yale University people]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|926235}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{iobdb name|9462}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717035440/http://www.thethunderchild.com/Movies/1954/Them/WhitmoreScenes.html Actors Master Class: James Whitmore in How To Steal A Scene]
* {{YouTube|mC3InaibVjQ|Whitmore interview}}.
* Staff (undated; copyright 2009).  [http://www.legacy.com/LATimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonID=123820056 "James Whitmore{{spaced ndash}} Obituary"].  [[Associated Press]] (via the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' module at [[Legacy.com]]).  Retrieved October 14, 2012.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716135825/http://www.stevenameche.com/jameswhitmore.html Steven Ameche: Remembering James Whitmore At The Market]

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for James Whitmore
|list =
{{EmmyAward DramaGuestActor 1976-2000}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestSuppActorMotionPicture 1943-1960}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album 1970s}}
{{Special Tony Award}}
}}
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