James Olson
Highest Rated: 90% Ragtime (1981)
Lowest Rated: 11% Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
Birthday: Oct 8, 1930
Birthplace: Not Available
A graduate of Northwestern University, actor James Olson did stage work in and around Chicago before his 1956 film bow in The Sharkfighters. Angular and sandy-haired, Olson was well suited to classical stage roles. In films and on television, it was his lot to portray a long line of understanding husbands, doubting doctors, mystery killers and corporate bigwigs. James Olson garnered some of his best reviews for his performance as Joanne Woodward's autumn romance in Rachel, Rachel (1967), under the direction of Paul Newman.

Highest Rated Movies

Filmography

MOVIES

CREDIT
No Score Yet Rachel River Jack Canon — 1987
70% Commando Major Gen. Franklin Kirby — 1985
11% Amityville II: The Possession Father Adamsky — 1982
90% Ragtime Father — 1981
No Score Yet My Sister, My Love David — 1978
No Score Yet The Spell Actor — 1977
No Score Yet Someone I Touched Actor — 1975
No Score Yet Strange New World Actor — 1975
No Score Yet Manhunter Actor — 1974
83% The Missiles of October McGeorge Bundy — 1974
40% The Groundstar Conspiracy Stanton — 1972
No Score Yet Incident on a Dark Street Joe Dubbs — 1972
No Score Yet Paper Man Art Fletcher — 1971
50% Wild Rovers Joe Billings — 1971
63% The Andromeda Strain Dr. Mark Hall — 1971
No Score Yet Crescendo Georges/Jacques — 1970
No Score Yet Moon Zero Two Bill Kemp — 1969
86% Rachel, Rachel Nick Kazlik — 1968
No Score Yet The Three Sisters Baron Tuzenbach — 1965
No Score Yet The Strange One Roger Gatt — 1957
No Score Yet The Sharkfighters Ens. Harold Duncan — 1956
No Score Yet Manhunt in Space Actor — 1954

TV

CREDIT
No Score Yet Murder, She Wrote
1984-1996
Clarence La Rue
  • 1990
No Score Yet Little House on the Prairie
1974-1984
Rev. Edward Danforth
  • 1983
  • 1979
33% Battlestar Galactica
1978-1979
Thane
  • 1978
No Score Yet The Bionic Woman
1976-1978
Rod Kyler
  • 1977
No Score Yet Maude
1972-1978
Sen. Myers
  • 1975
  • 1972
No Score Yet Kung Fu
1972-1975
Damion
  • 1974
No Score Yet Marcus Welby, M.D.
1969-1976
Baxter
  • 1974
No Score Yet Columbo
1968-2003
Rifkin
  • 1972
No Score Yet Gunsmoke
1955-1975
Bede
  • 1972
No Score Yet Bonanza
1959-1973
Vance Kelly
  • 1972
  • 1969

QUOTES FROM James Olson CHARACTERS