James Patrick Sheridan (born July 12, 1951) is an American actor known for playing a wide range of roles in theater, film, and television. He is known for Randall Flagg in The Stand (1994), Captain James Deakins on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–2006), and Robert Queen on Arrow (2012–2019).
Career
Sheridan's acting career has encompassed theater, television, and feature film productions. Born in Pasadena, California, to a family of actors, he earned a Tony nomination in 1987 for his performance in the revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons. After several TV movie appearances, Sheridan landed a starring role as lawyer Jack Shannon on Shannon's Deal, which ran for one season in 1990. His later television roles include Dr. John Sutton on Chicago Hope (from 1995 to 1996).
An avid football player in his youth, Sheridan studied acting at UC Santa Barbara as sports injuries prevented him from taking dance classes. After a brief stint at the Old Globe in San Diego, Sheridan left California to travel the world. With stops in Hawaii and the Mediterranean, Sheridan settled for a period in Edinburgh. His experience there prompted him to head home to the U.S. and return to acting. He landed in New York and kept busy working in a number of productions by recognized playwrights as diverse as Bernard Shaw and Neil Simon.
Sheridan started his film career in the late 1980s with small roles. His first on screen appearance was in the Whoopi Goldberg vehicle Jumpin' Jack Flash. By the 1990s, he was playing family man roles in both film and television, such as in the 1991 motion picture All I Want for Christmas. He also has played villains. In 1994 he played the character of Randall Flagg in the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand. Other roles include Marty Stouffer in Wild America and the psychotic neighbor in Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story. After a long history of performing Shakespeare on the stage, Sheridan appeared in Campbell Scott's production of Hamlet in 2000 as well as the Hamlet-inspired modern noir film Let the Devil Wear Black (1999). He co-starred in the improvisational film The Simian Line in 2001. He has also given supporting performances in The Ice Storm, Cradle Will Rock, Life as a House, and numerous TV movies.
Sheridan played Capt. James Deakins in the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Late in the 2004–2005 season, Sheridan began wearing an eyepatch as he began showing the symptoms of Bell's palsy. This was written into the show; however, Deakins was written out of the series at the end of the 2005–2006 season, at Sheridan's request.Ask Ausiello column at TV Guide His character was replaced by Capt. Danny Ross, played by Eric Bogosian.
Sheridan played alongside Jane Seymour in the Hallmark Channel movie Dear Prudence as Detective Eddie Duncan. On November 6, 2008, Sheridan guest starred as an evening news anchor on the ABC dramedy Eli Stone.Scoop: Criminal Intent Alum Needs Eli Stones Help" TV Guide. November 6, 2008. Retrieved on November 7, 2008.
From 2009 to 2010, Sheridan starred in NBC's Trauma as Dr. Joseph "Joe" Saviano. In 2010, Sheridan starred in the movie Handsome Harry, a drama. He played speechwriter Mark Salter in the political film Game Change.
In fall 2011, Sheridan played Vice President William Walden in the first season of Showtime's drama/thriller Homeland; the show was renewed for a second season consisting of 12 episodes, with Sheridan returning as a regular.
In the fall of 2012, Sheridan signed on to play a recurring role on CW's Arrow, playing Robert Queen, Oliver Queen's father. He appears in seasons one, three, five, and seven, mainly through flashbacks.
Sheridan played Jim Sullivan in the 2015 film Spotlight.
Personal life Sheridan and his wife, actress Colette Kilroy, have three children. They live in Los Angeles.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 1986 Jumpin' Jack Flash N.Y. Officer 1988 Distant Thunder Moss 1988 The House on Carroll Street Porter 1990 Stanley & Iris Joe 1990 Quick Change Mugger 1991 Talent for the Game Tim Weaver 1991 All I Want for Christmas Michael O'Fallon 1992 Whispers in the Dark Doug McDowell 1992 A Stranger Among Us Nick 1994 Sherwood's Travels Robert Sherwood 1997 Wild America Marty Stouffer Sr. 1997 The Ice Storm Jim Carver 1998 Luminous Motion Dad 1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Carl Lyne 1999 Cradle Will Rock John Adair 2000 The Amati Girls Paul 2000 The Simian Line Paul 2001 Rain Sheriff Tom Gibson 2001 Life as a House Peter Kimball 2002 Desert Saints FBI Agent George Scanlon 2005 Syriana Terry 2008 Nothing but the Truth Oscar Van Doren 2009 Reunion Barnaby 2009 Handsome Harry Harry Sweeney 2012 Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God Terry (voice) Documentary 2013 The East Richard Cannon 2015 Spotlight Jim Sullivan 2016 Sully Ben Edwards 2017 Battle of the Sexes Ken Rosewall 2018 Lizzie Andrew Borden 2018 Driven Bill
Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 CBS Children's Mystery Theatre George Episode: "Mystery at Fire Island" 1984 St. Elsewhere Webb Etlee Episode: "My Arm Is True" 1986 As the World Turns Stu Ferguson Episode: "Chris Hughes Passes Away" 1986 One Police Plaza Detective Bo Davis TV movie 1987 Spenser: For Hire Nick Cavanaugh 2 episodes 1987 The Equalizer Wayne Episode: "Encounter in a Closed Room" 1989 Shannon's Deal Jack Shannon TV movie 1989 A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story Brother Ted TV movie (credited as James Sheridan) 1990–1991 Shannon's Deal Jack Shannon 11 episodes 1991 Murder in High Places Horn TV movie 1993 Picket Fences Dr. David Williams Episode: "Fetal Attraction" 1994 The Stand Randall Flagg TV Miniseries 1993 Killer Rules Marco Ponti / Mark Bridges TV movie 1994 Spring Awakening (1994 film)|Spring Awakening | Martin | TV movie |- | 1994 | My Breast | Nick De Stefano | TV movie |- | 1995–1996 | Chicago Hope | Dr. John Sutton | 18 episodes |- | 1997 | All Lies End in Murder | Danny Scialo | TV movie (credited as James Sheridan) |- | 1997 | Veronica's Closet | Bryce Anderson | Episode: "Unaired Pilot" |- | 1998 | The Echo of Thunder | Larry Ritchie | TV movie |- | 1998 | Beauty | Lee Crompton | TV movie |- | 1999 | Ricky Nelson: Original Teen Idol | Ozzie Nelson | TV movie |- | 2000 | Now and Again | Ben | 2 episodes |- | 2000 | Hamlet | Claudius | TV movie |- | 2000 | The Lost Child | Jack | TV movie |- | 2001–2006 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Captain James Deakins | 111 episodes |- | 2002 | Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story | Steve Glover | TV movie |- | 2007 | Babylon Fields | Ernie Wunch | TV movie |- | 2008 | Dear Prudence | Eddie Duncan | TV movie |- | 2009 | Eli Stone | Sam Russell | Episode: "Mortal Combat" |- | 2009–2010 | Trauma | Dr. Joseph Saviano | 20 episodes |- | 2010 | The League | Ted | Episode: "The Anniversary Party" |- | 2012 | Game Change | Mark Salter | TV movie |- | 2011–2012 | Homeland | Vice President William Walden | 17 episodes |- | 2013 | NCIS | Admiral John McGee | Episode: "Squall" |- | 2013 | Smash | Richard Francis | 5 episodes |- | 2014 | Suits | Charles Van Dyke | Episode: "Know When to Fold 'Em" |- | 2012–2019 | Arrow | Robert Queen | 7 episodes |- | 2015 | Agent X | Stanton | 10 episodes |- | 2015 | Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories | Dad | Episode: "Tornado" |- | 2016 | American Gothic | Mitchell Hawthorne | 3 episodes |- | 2018 | Ballers | | 2 episodes |- | 2020 | 68 Whiskey | General Holloway | Episode: "No Good Deed..." |- | 2021 | SEAL Team | Dave Hayes | Episode: "Close to Home" |- | 2022 | Grace and Frankie'' Jeffrey Purcell
References
External links