James Woods
A master of portraying volatile, razor-sharp intellects, his intense performances defined a certain brand of American cinematic villainy.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American actor·Birthday: April 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
James Woods emerged from the 1970s American cinema with a wiry intensity and a machine-gun delivery that made him impossible to ignore. Trained at MIT before turning to acting, he brought a cerebral ferocity to every role. His breakthrough came as the chillingly smart hustler in 'The Onion Field', but it was his Oscar-nominated turn as the ruthless journalist in 'Salvador' that cemented his reputation for playing men operating on the edge. Woods never settled into a single type, oscillating between villains like the corrupt lawyer in 'True Believer' and more complex, tragic figures like Roy Cohn in the TV film 'Citizen Cohn', for which he won an Emmy. His career is a study in controlled volatility, where even his heroes, like the dedicated detective in 'Ghosts of Mississippi', seemed to vibrate with a dangerous internal energy. While his later years have been marked by outspoken political commentary, his filmography remains a testament to an actor who could command a scene with the sheer force of his pointed intelligence.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
James was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for 'Salvador' (1986) and Best Supporting Actor for 'Ghosts of Mississippi' (1996).
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his performances in the television films 'My Name Is Bill W.' and 'Promise'.
- Delivered a defining performance as the manipulative Roy Cohn in the HBO film 'Citizen Cohn', earning a Golden Globe nomination.
- His portrayal of real-life serial killer Gregory Powell in 'The Onion Field' is considered a landmark in true-crime acting.
Did You Know?
He scored a perfect 800 on the verbal SAT and was offered a scholarship to study political science at MIT before pursuing acting.
He provided the voice for Hades, the fast-talking Lord of the Underworld, in Disney's animated film 'Hercules'.
He is a nationally ranked poker player and has competed in several World Series of Poker events.
He turned down the role of Samuel L. Jackson's character in 'Pulp Fiction'.
““I’m not a character actor. I’m a leading man who looks like a rodent.””
