James Olson
Highest Rated: 92% 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 |
| 92% | Ragtime | Father | — | 1981 |
| No Score Yet | My Sister, My Love | David | — | 1978 |
| No Score Yet | The Spell | Actor | — | 1977 |
| No Score Yet | Law and Order | Actor | — | 1976 |
| 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 |
| 29% | The Groundstar Conspiracy | Stanton | — | 1972 |
| No Score Yet | Incident on a Dark Street | Joe Dubbs | — | 1972 |
| No Score Yet | Paper Man | Art Fletcher | — | 1971 |
| 54% | Wild Rovers | Joe Billings | — | 1971 |
| 66% | 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 1978-1980 |
Thane |
1978 |
| No Score Yet |
The Bionic Woman 1976-1978 |
Rod Kyler |
1977 |
| No Score Yet |
The Streets of San Francisco 1972-1977 |
Graham Vic Lawson Rabb |
1976 1975 1972 |
| 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 |
Ironside 1967-1975 |
Wills |
1973 1971 |
| 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
Col. John Matrix says: This was the last time.
General Kirby says: Until a next time.
Col. John Matrix says: No chance.
Patricia Montelli says: (possessed) - Look at me. When I was making my confession, you thought about making love to me. Didn't you?
Patricia Montelli says: (possessed) Look at me. When I was making my confession, you thought about making love to me. Didn't you?
Father Adamsky says: No.
Patricia Montelli says: (possessed) - Look at me! Confess! Dirty priest. You wanted it. You wanted it!
Patricia Montelli says: (possessed) Look at me! Confess! Dirty priest. You wanted it. You wanted it!
Father Adamsky says: (answers the phone) - Hello?
Father Adamsky says: (answers the phone) Hello?
Patricia Montelli says: (who's already DEAD) - Hello?
Patricia Montelli says: (who's already DEAD) Hello?
Father Adamsky says: Who's this?
Patricia Montelli says: (who's already DEAD) - Father Adamsky? Father? I'm worried...I'm worried about Sonny...Afraid of him. I don't know why, but...I think he wants to kill us.
Patricia Montelli says: (who's already DEAD) Father Adamsky? Father? I'm worried. I'm worried about Sonny. Afraid of him. I don't know why, but, I think he wants to kill us.
Father Adamsky says: Is it your intention not to show yourself again?
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - I could.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) I could.
Father Adamsky says: When?
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - When I please.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) When I please.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed, and laughing) - I told you you'd have to leave.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed, and laughing) I told you you'd have to leave.
Father Adamsky says: You wanna destroy this boy's life?
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - I do what I want.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) I do what I want.
Father Adamsky says: You must leave this boy's body, what your follow presence occupies.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - Why should I leave? I like it here.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) Why should I leave? I like it here.
Father Adamsky says: I will cast you out.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - Oh...How?
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) Oh...How?
Father Adamsky says: With an exorcism.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - You can't do that. You're not authorized.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) You can't do that. You're not authorized.
Father Adamsky says: How do you know?
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) - We know everything.
Sonny Montelli says: (possessed) We know everything.
Father Tom says: Frank, hold on for a minute. Would you least tell me where we're going?
Father Adamsky says: Amityville.
Father Tom says: Why?
Father Adamsky says: Something horrible has happened.
Father Tom says: Frank, you had a dream. I know it must've had a powerful effect on you, but it was just a dream.
Father Adamsky says: I pray to God you're right.
Father Adamsky says: (pulls out the holly sprinkler from his bag) - Now, here's that sprinkler.
Father Adamsky says: (pulls out the holly sprinkler from his bag) Now, here's that sprinkler.
Chancellor says: From which the blood emerged.
Father Adamsky says: That is correct.
Chancellor says: Well, what do you want of me?
Father Adamsky says: Well, I may need a proof for an exorcism.
Chancellor says: An exorcism?
Father Adamsky says: After what happened in that house--
Father Adamsky says: After what happened in that house?
Chancellor says: Wait a minute...Do you believe in ghost strength? - I saw a ghost once. Or at least...what appeared to be a ghost. Although I thought I saw a ghost, there may have been another explanation; likewise in the matter at hand. We must start with you. Make sure, you're seeing what you think you are...The worst thing in this whole area...and you know this, father...is to rush into anything.
Chancellor says: Wait a minute...Do you believe in ghost strength? I saw a ghost once. Or at least, what appeared to be a ghost. Although I thought I saw a ghost, there may have been another explanation; likewise in the matter at hand. We must start with you. Make sure, you're seeing what you think you are. The worst thing in this whole area, and you know this father, is to rush into anything.
Father Adamsky says: Frankly, I don't think we have time!Frankly, I don't think we have time!
Father Adamsky says: Frankly, I don't think we have time! Frankly, I don't think we have time!
Father Adamsky says: (while blessing the house, enters Sonny's room) - Why are you hiding?
Father Adamsky says: (while blessing the house, enters Sonny's room) Why are you hiding?
Sonny Montelli says: I'm not. I just don't wanna talk to anyone. This is my room. I wanna be alone.
Father Adamsky says: Your...your mother ask me to come.
Father Adamsky says: Your, your mother ask me to come.
Sonny Montelli says: So? Bless my mother's room.
Patricia Montelli says: (in the confession booth at church) - It is a big sin.
Patricia Montelli says: (in the confession booth at church) It is a big sin.
Father Adamsky says: Don't be afraid.
Patricia Montelli says: (talking about her brother) - I...went all the way...with...my friend.
Patricia Montelli says: (talking about her brother) I...went all the way...with...my friend.
Father Adamsky says: You must...resist this temptation. One day perhaps you'll...meet someone. Marry. Raise a family. Even if you love him very much, you must resist.
Father Adamsky says: You must resist this temptation. One day perhaps you'll...meet someone. Marry. Raise a family. Even if you love him very much, you must resist.
Patricia Montelli says: We do not love each other.
Father Adamsky says: You don't love each other? Then this is...This is only a sexual matter?
Father Adamsky says: You don't love each other? Then this is, this is only a sexual matter?
Patricia Montelli says: He does it...just...to hurt-
Patricia Montelli says: He does it, just...to hurt.
Father Adamsky says: Well...to hurt who? Hurt you?
Father Adamsky says: Well, to hurt who? Hurt you?
Patricia Montelli says: ...To hurt God.
Patricia Montelli says: To hurt God.