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IMDbPro

J.A. Preston

  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
J.A. Preston
Taylor, an unemployed, burned-out ex-special-forces commando, hopes to scrounge a couple of bucks on a simple package delivery. But he finds that the gig’s not so cut-and-dried. It’s a murder, and it leads him into a confusing maze of int
Play trailer0:37
Sweet Deadly Dreams (2006)
4 Videos
8 Photos
James Allen Preston was born in Washington, District of Columbia, USA on November 13, 1932. He attended public schools in the nation's capital and earned a track scholarship to a college in North Carolina. J. A. married Merilyn Alsop in 1957. His acting career accelerated to recurring TV series roles when he moved from New York to California in 1976. He is best known for roles as Allen Brooks in All's Fair, Ozzie Cleveland in Hill Street Blues, Leo Daltry in Dallas, and Richard Matthews in Santa Barbara. He played many magistrates in films, most notably Judge Julius Alexander Randolph in A Few Good Men. He lives in retirement in Los Angeles, California, USA.
BornNovember 13, 1932
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornNovember 13, 1932
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Known for

    Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men (1992)
    A Few Good Men
    7.7
    • Judge Julius Alexander Randolph
    • 1992
    William Hurt and Kathleen Turner in Body Heat (1981)
    Body Heat
    7.4
    • Det. Oscar Grace
    • 1981
    Fred Ward in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
    Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
    6.4
    • Conn MacCleary
    • 1985
    Albert Brooks, Charles Grodin, Frances Lee McCain, Robert Stirrat, and Lisa Urette in Real Life (1979)
    Real Life
    7.0
    • Dr. Ted Cleary
    • 1979

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • Sweet Deadly Dreams (2006)
      Sweet Deadly Dreams
      6.5
      • Mott
      • 2006
    • Old Man Music (2005)
      Old Man Music
      5.4
      Short
      • Doctor
      • 2005
    • Stacey Dash, Rachel Blanchard, Elisa Donovan, Donald Faison, and Sean Holland in Clueless (1996)
      Clueless
      5.8
      TV Series
      • Benjamin Davenport
      • 1997
    • Teri Polo, Peter Crombie, and Adrian Pasdar in House of Frankenstein (1997)
      House of Frankenstein
      5.3
      TV Mini Series
      • 1997
    • Harrison Ford in Air Force One (1997)
      Air Force One
      6.5
      • White House General (uncredited)
      • 1997
    • Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey in Contact (1997)
      Contact
      7.5
      • Senator (uncredited)
      • 1997
    • Roma Downey, John Dye, and Della Reese in Touched by an Angel (1994)
      Touched by an Angel
      6.1
      TV Series
      • Waters
      • 1997
    • Richard Burgi in The Sentinel (1996)
      The Sentinel
      6.5
      TV Series
      • Mel Wilkenson
      • 1997
    • Chicago Hope (1994)
      Chicago Hope
      6.9
      TV Series
      • Judge Rodney Helpurn
      • 1996
    • Harvest of Fire (1996)
      Harvest of Fire
      6.5
      TV Movie
      • Sheriff Garrison
      • 1996
    • Martin Lawrence, Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell, Thomas Mikal Ford, and Carl Anthony Payne II in Martin (1992)
      Martin
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Dr. Cliff Waters
      • 1992–1995
    • SeaQuest 2032 (1993)
      SeaQuest 2032
      6.7
      TV Series
      • Charles Ford
      • 1995
    • Sweet Justice (1994)
      Sweet Justice
      6.8
      TV Series
      • Col. Campbell
      • 1994
    • Hal Holbrook in A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (1994)
      A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle
      6.9
      TV Movie
      • Judge Jerome Clements
      • 1994
    • Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, Richard Mulligan, and Park Overall in Empty Nest (1988)
      Empty Nest
      6.6
      TV Series
      • Roland
      • 1994

    Videos4

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Trailer
    Trailer
    Trailer 3:18
    Trailer
    Trailer
    Trailer 3:18
    Trailer
    Blu-ray Trailer
    Trailer 1:20
    Blu-ray Trailer
    Sweet Deadly Dreams
    Trailer 0:37
    Sweet Deadly Dreams

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Height
      • 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
    • Born
      • November 13, 1932
      • Washington, District of Columbia, USA
    • Spouse
      • Merilyn Alsopp1957 - 1972 (divorced, 3 children)

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Merilyn Alsop, the wife of J. A. from 1957 to 1972, was born on October 22, 1934 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA at Freedmen's Hospital because in her hometown women of color were not allowed to bear children in hospitals in Annapolis, Maryland, USA. J. A. and Merilyn had three children: Scotti (daughter) born in 1958, Dominique (daughter) born in 1959, and James Allen, Jr. (son) born in 1961. Merilyn died of natural causes in Annapolis, Mayland, USA on April 26, 2010.

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