---
name: "James N. Harrell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-n-harrell"
fi1m_id: "james-n-harrell"
imdb_id: "nm0364099"
tmdb_id: 236486
wikidata_id: "Q3161295"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "3 September 1918"
died: "1 February 2000"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 83
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-02T22:10:25.474149+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# James N. Harrell

## Identity

James N. Harrell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-n-harrell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-n-harrell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0364099
- **TMDB ID:** 236486
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3161295
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harrell_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3161295, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364099/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/236486

Actor. Born 3 September 1918 in Waco, Texas, USA. Died 1 February 2000.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 3 September 1918, Waco, Texas, USA
- **Died:** 1 February 2000
- **Active:** 1973–1991
- **Also known as:** James Harrell, James Nelson Harrell
- **Average Fi1m score:** 83, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 86 (1), 1990s 80 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harrell_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3161295, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364099/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/236486

## Biography

James Nelson Harrell (also credited as James N. Harrell or James Harrell) was an American actor. Born in Waco, Texas, on 3 September 1918, he graduated from Baylor University and later earned a master's degree in drama from Trinity University. He studied acting at the original Baylor Theater under Paul Baker in the 1930s and, in 1940, joined Michael Chekhov's Acting Studio in Ridgefield, Connecticut, touring the East Coast with the company.

Harrell served in the United States Army for four years during the Second World War. After the war he taught acting at the Dallas Theater Center and later at Southwest Texas State University for 24 years, retiring in 1994 as an associate professor. He appeared in over 75 film and television productions, often in supporting roles as elderly or rural characters. His credits include *Paper Moon* (1973) as The Minister, *The Sugarland Express* (1974), *Urban Cowboy* (1980), *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2* (1986), *JFK* (1991), *Michael* (1996) and *Hope Floats* (1998). He died on 1 February 2000 in San Marcos, Texas.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *JFK* (1991), Fi1m 80, as Sam Holland — [page](https://film.one/film/jfk.md)
- *Paper Moon* (1973), Fi1m 86, as The Minister — [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *A Slipping Down Life* (1999), as Doctor
- *Varsity Blues* (1999), as Murray
- *Hope Floats* (1998), as Harry Calvert
- *Michael* (1996), as Old Geezer #1
- *A Family Thing* (1996), as Earl Pilcher Sr.
- *The Good Old Boys* (1995), as Pierson Phelps
- *Flesh and Bone* (1993), as Woody
- *Leap of Faith* (1992), as Ramsey
- *JFK* (1991), as Sam Holland — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/jfk.md)
- *Wild Texas Wind* (1991), as Lester
- *Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind* (1991), as Hoyle Barker
- *The Hot Spot* (1990), as Elderly Man (as James Harrell)
- *Texasville* (1990), as Odessa Oil Man
- *Pair of Aces* (1990), as Charlie
- *Lost Angels* (1989), as Shelby
- *Riverbend* (1989), as McBride (as Jim Harrell)
- *Nadine* (1987), as Deacon
- *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2* (1986), as Cut-Rite Manager
- *The Lone Star Kid* (1986), Actor
- *Noon Wine* (1985), as Tom Allbright
- *Country* (1984), as Bank Officer, Jim
- *The Dollmaker* (1984), as Old John Miller
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Tom Allbright
- *Raggedy Man* (1981), as Ticket Taker
- *Resurrection* (1980), as Doc Lurkin
- *Urban Cowboy* (1980), as Minister at Gravesite
- *The Whole Shootin' Match* (1979), as Rhonda Lynn's Father
- *Rolling Thunder* (1977), as Grandpa
- *Outlaw Blues* (1977), as Cop Chauffeur
- *Race with the Devil* (1975), as Gun Shop Owner
- *The Great Waldo Pepper* (1975), as Farmer
- *Don't Hang Up!* (1974), as Dr. Crawther
- *The Sugarland Express* (1974), as Mark Fenno
- *Houston, We've Got a Problem* (1974), as Newsman
- *Paper Moon* (1973), as The Minister — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)
- *Encounter with the Unknown* (1972), as Brother Taylor
- *A Bullet for Pretty Boy* (1970), as Sam Floyd

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/james-n-harrell