Biography for
James Remar More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

31 December 1953, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Birth Name

William James Remar

Height

5' 10½" (1.79 m)

Mini Biography

Rugged, intense character player with average-guy good looks and a slightly squinty stare, adept at vicious, sometimes psychopathic roles. Remar gained recognition as a punk who gets chained to a park bench by a woman cop in his second film, The Warriors (1979). That same year he garnered acclaim on Broadway as Richard Gere's lover in the concentration camp drama "Bent". Remar subsequently kept busy primarily in features, playing gangster Dutch Schultz in Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club (1984), one of the Neanderthals in The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986), and an experienced military officer who doubts the power of Shakespeare in Renaissance Man (1994). Remar has occasionally garnered roles which highlight a more vulnerable side, such as his guitarist who gets a break in the Oscar-winning short, Session Man (1991) (TV) or his artist who falls in love with a gargoyle come to life in the best segment of the horror anthology, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990). Remar is, in fact, still best known for his galvanizing performances as a homicidal maniac escaped from prison in 48 Hrs. (1982) and as a no-nonsense cop in Drugstore Cowboy (1989). Remar sent up some of his earlier roles in the half-baked spoof Fatal Instinct (1993), as a killer released from prison out to get Armand Assante.

IMDb Mini Biography By: VidMan

Trivia

Was originally cast as "Hicks" in Aliens (1986), but had to be replaced early into filming. He can be seen from the back as the marines walk along a corridor, but only because the in-camera miniature of the set had been junked, and too expensive to re-shoot.

Actor-trained at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse.

Made an impressive Broadway debut playing Richard Gere's lover in "Bent" in 1979.

Gained a minor cult following after playing "Ajax" in The Warriors (1979).

Probably best known for the recurring TV role of "Richard," the compulsively philandering jet-set boyfriend of Kim Cattrall, in "Sex and the City" (1998).

The actress who handcuffed him to that park bench in The Warriors (1979) was Mercedes Ruehl, also in her second film. One of Reuhl's friends, who was a Washington Post Reporter, wrote about seeing the film and being disappointed at her friend's harsh role.

Most of Remar's characters are vicious and cocky, if not evil; in real life, however, he is a proud father and a loving husband.

Decided to become an actor at the age of seven years old after seeing the movie Spartacus (1960).

He enjoys photography, scuba diving, golf and tennis in his spare time.

He has been known to sing on film sets between takes.

He has worked 4 times with actor Mario Van Peebles in the movies: The Cotton Club (1984), Blowback (2000), Guardian (2001) and Sharpshooter (2007) (TV).

He was given an honorary name "Standing 20" during the filming of Windwalker (1981) by the Cheyenne.

Personal Quotes

Any good actor is a character actor.

That's why I take on a variety of roles. I've played everything from a gay dancer in Cruising (1980) to Dutch Schultz in The Cotton Club (1984). James Remar is a student of life. I'm expressing myself by acting. I'm learning about myself and making a living. I hope to do much more of it, so I can contribute my share to the world.

I was really thrilled and honored and wanted to do the best job I could. But afterwards, I started getting a lot of bad guy offers and became concerned about being typecast. I did not want to be seen as that kind of guy all the time because a lot of those roles are not well written. They're there merely to drive the action and give the protagonist something to do. So it becomes incredibly repetitive and boring. (On 48 Hours)

Where Are They Now

(April 2004) Currently filming a biopic with Tom Selleck on the life of General Omar Bradley with Remar portraying the general.

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z