James Allen Preston (born November 13, 1932) is a retired American actor. Preston is best known for portraying judge Colonel Randolph in the movie A Few Good Men and for his role as Ozzie Cleveland on the NBC prime-time television series Hill Street Blues. He played Conn MacCleary in the movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.
Contents
Biography
Life and career
Preston was born November 13, 1932, in Washington, D.C. In addition to his role on Hill Street Blues, Preston is also known for his roles as Leo Daltry in Dallas, Richard Matthews in Santa Barbara, court-martial judge Col. J. A. Randolph, USMC in the 1992 film A Few Good Men, and the minor but important role of a USAF major general in Air Force One (1997). He was a series regular in the short-lived CBS sitcom All's Fair which ran just one season (1976–77). In it he played an assistant to conservative newspaper columnist Richard Barrington (played by Richard Crenna). Preston also appeared on the NBC television series The A-Team as a judge (Col. Thomas Milo) presiding over a military tribunal convened to try the A-Team. He appeared in the series Good Times in the late 1975 episode, "Willona's Dilemma". He also appeared in three episodes of Martin as Gina's (Tisha Campbell-Martin) father Dr. Cliff Waters. He was also on the Season 1, Episode 11 of Law & Order, "Out of the Half-Light" as Congressman Ronald Eaton.
Personal life
Preston was married to Merilyn Alsop from 1957 until divorcing in 1972. Together, Preston and Alsop had three children before their divorce: Scott, Dominique, and James Preston.
Selected filmography
1971 Mississippi Summer
1973 The Spook Who Sat by the Door as Dawson
1976 Two-Minute Warning as Policeman #1
1976 Silver Streak as The Waiter (uncredited)
1979 Real Life as Dr. Ted Cleary
1979 Roots: The Next Generations as College President Harper
1979 Americathon as Morty
1980 High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane as Alonzo
1981 Body Heat as Detective Oscar Grace
1981 The White Lions as Aniel
1985 Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins as CURE Agent Conn "Mac" MacCleary
1990 Fire Birds as General Olcott
1990 Narrow Margin as Chief Deputy District Attorney Martin Larner
1992 Captain Ron as Magistrate
1992 A Few Good Men as Judge Colonel Julius Alexander Randolph
1997 Contact as Senator (uncredited)
1997 Air Force One as USAF Major General Samuel Greely (uncredited)
2006 Sweet Deadly Dreams as Mott
Television
1975 All in the Family as "Black Elmo" Bridgewater (Season 6, Episode 3 Archie, the Donor)
1975 Good Times as Walter Ingles (Season 3, Episode 10)
1978 Wonder Woman as Jazreel (Season 2/Episode 15)
1979 Hart to Hart as Lab Director (Season 1)
1982 Little House on the Prairie as Sam Terhune (Season 8/Episode 16)
1984 Punky Brewster as Judge William J. Murphy (Season 1/Episode 3)
1984 ‘’Gimme a Break!’’ as Preston Pomeroy (Season 4/Episode 8)
1986 Moonlighting as Dr. Nealy (Season 2/Episode 13)
1986 The A-Team as the judge - Col. Thomas Mylowe (season 5/episode 2)
1986 Magnum P.I as Police Lieutenant Sam McKee (season7/episode 1)
1988 Hunter as Rhodes (Season 5)
1990 Law & Order as Congressman Ronald Eaton (Season 1/Episode 11)
1991 Father Dowling Mysteries as Lt. Peter Johnson (Season 3/Episode 22)
1992 Jake and the Fatman as Mickey Daytona
1992 Martin – played the recurring role of Dr. Cliff Waters in three episodes: "The Parents Are Coming" in Season 1 (#7), "Thanks for Nothing" in Season 2 (#13) and also "Wedding Bell Blues" in Season 3 (#26)
Theatre
Henry IV, Part 1 – Delacorte Theater (1968)
Henry IV, Part 2 – Delacorte Theater (1968)
Freeman – American Place Theatre (1973)
