Mini Biography
Big, brawny and burly, with a rough face, thick, dark curly hair, a furry mustache, a deep, growly voice, and a strong, stocky build, the redoubtable James Whitworth certainly made his aggressive and intimidating presence felt in several choice down'n'dirty 70's drive-in exploitation pictures in which he often portrayed brutish, nasty and despicable bad guys. Among Whitworth's more memorable roles are a vicious biker in "The Black Angels" (1970), a mean prison guard in the pleasingly sleazy "Sweet Sugar" (1973), one of the scuzzy low-life criminal inhabitants of "Terminal Island" (1973), and a hulking telephone repairman who's severely clobbered by a trio of desperate kidnappers in the terrific "The Candy Snatchers" (1973). Whitworth gave an especially wild go-for-broke frightening performance and thus achieved his greatest enduring popularity as Papa Jupiter, the ferocious father of the deranged desert-dwelling cannibal family in Wes Craven's outstanding "The Hills Have Eyes" (1977). Whitworth was likewise fine and impressive in a rare change-of-pace good guy lead as the tough and valiant take-charge hero of the hugely enjoyable low-budget science fiction outing "Planet of Dinosaurs" (1978). Besides his film credits, Whitworth also did guest spots on such TV shows as "Mission: Impossible," "The Rockford Files," "Fantasy Island," "Emergency!," "Quincy M.E.," and "B.J. and the Bear." James Whitworth abruptly stopped acting in the early 80s and has seemingly disappeared into thin air.
Mini Biography By:
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