Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as

U.S. Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforce ...

Samuel Gerard Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bib ...

in the 1993 thriller film '' The Fugitive''. His other notable starring roles include Texas Ranger

Woodrow F. Call The ''Lonesome Dove'' series is a series of four western fiction novels written by Larry McMurtry and the five television miniseries and television series based upon them. Overview The novels and miniseries follow the exploits of several member ...

in the television miniseries ''

Lonesome Dove ''Lonesome Dove'' is a 1985 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the ''Lonesome Dove'' series, but the third installment in the series chronologically. The story revolves around the relationships b ...

'',

Agent K Agent K (usually called Kay), born Kevin Brown, is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of the ''Men in Black'' franchise (the other being Agent J). Kay is portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones in the three films, with Josh Broli ...

in the ''Men in Black'' film series, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell in ''

No Country for Old Men ''No Country for Old Men'' is a 2007 American neo-Western crime thriller film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same name. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin, th ...

'', Hank Deerfield in ''

In the Valley of Elah ''In the Valley of Elah'' is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Haggis. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon. Its title refers to the Biblical valley where the battle between David and Go ...

'', the villain Two-Face in ''

Batman Forever ''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment o ...

'', Mike Roark in the disaster film ''

Volcano A volcano is a rupture in the Crust (geology), crust of a Planet#Planetary-mass objects, planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and volcanic gas, gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Ear ...

'', terrorist William "Bill" Strannix in '' Under Siege'', Texas Ranger Roland Sharp in '' Man of the House'', rancher Pete Perkins in ''

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada ''The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada'' (also known as ''Three Burials'') is a 2005 neo-Western film directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones and written by Guillermo Arriaga.

'' (which he also directed), Colonel

Chester Phillips Karen Page Paibok Doctor Paine Doctor Paine are two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Thaddeus Paine Dr. Thaddeus Paine, created by Len Kaminski, first appeared in ''Morbius the Living Vampir ...

in '' Captain America: The First Avenger'', CIA Director Robert Dewey in ''

Jason Bourne Jason Bourne () is the title character and the protagonist in a series of novels and subsequent film adaptations. The character was created by novelist Robert Ludlum. He first appeared in the novel '' The Bourne Identity'' (1980), which was ...

'', and Warden Dwight McClusky in '' Natural Born Killers''. He most recently appeared in the science fiction film '' Ad Astra'' in 2019 and in the comedy '' The Comeback Trail'' in 2020. Jones has also portrayed historical figures such as businessman

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...

in '' The Amazing Howard Hughes'',

Radical Republican The Radical Republicans (later also known as "Stalwarts") were a faction within the Republican Party, originating from the party's founding in 1854, some 6 years before the Civil War, until the Compromise of 1877, which effectively ended Recon ...

Congressman

Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792August 11, 1868) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Republican Party during the 1860s. A fierce opponent of sla ...

in ''

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

'', executed murderer Gary Gilmore in ''

The Executioner's Song ''The Executioner's Song'' (1979) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning true crime novel by Norman Mailer that depicts the events related to the execution of Gary Gilmore for murder by the state of Utah. The title of the book may be a play on "The Lord Hi ...

'', U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur in ''

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

'', businessman Clay Shaw, the only person prosecuted in connection with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in '' JFK'', Oliver Vanetta "Doolittle" Lynn, in '' Coal Miner's Daughter'', and baseball player

Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the ...

in '' Cobb''.

Early life

Jones was born on September 15, 1946, in

San Saba, Texas San Saba is a city located in, and the county seat of, San Saba County, Texas, United States. It was settled in 1854 and named for its location on the San Saba River. Its population was 3,099 at the 2010 census. Geography San Saba is located a ...

. His mother, Lucille Marie (; 1928–2013), was a police officer, school teacher, and beauty shop owner, and his father, Clyde C. Jones (1926–1986), was a cowboy and oil field worker. The two were married and divorced twice. He has said that he is of part

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

descent. He was raised in Midland, Texas, and attended the then-named Robert E. Lee High School. Jones soon moved to Dallas and graduated from the

St. Mark's School of Texas The St. Mark's School of Texas is a nonsectarian preparatory day school for boys in grades 1–12 in Dallas, Texas, United States, accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. History St. Mark's traces its origins to the T ...

in 1965, which he attended on scholarship.

College

He attended

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

on need-based aid; his roommate was future

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

. As an upperclassman, he lived in Dunster House with roommates Gore and Bob Somerby, who later became editor of the media criticism site The Daily Howler. Jones graduated '' cum laude'' with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

degree in English in 1969; his senior thesis was on "the mechanics of Catholicism" in the works of

Flannery O'Connor Mary Flannery O'Connor (March 25, 1925August 3, 1964) was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. She wrote two novels and 31 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries. She was a Southern literature, Southe ...

. At Harvard, he was a pupil of dramatist Robert Chapman.

College football

Jones played guard at Harvard from 1965 to 1968. He was a member of Harvard's undefeated 1968 football team. He was named as a first-team All-

Ivy League The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight school ...

selection, and played in the 1968 Game. The game featured a memorable and last-minute Harvard 16-point comeback to tie Yale. He recounted his memory of "the most famous football game in Ivy League history" in the documentary '' Harvard Beats Yale 29–29''.

Career

Early acting and film (1960s–1980)

Jones moved to New York to become an actor, making his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in 1969's ''

A Patriot for Me ''A Patriot for Me'' is a 1965 play by the English playwright John Osborne, based on the true story of Alfred Redl. The controversial refusal of a performance licence by the Lord Chamberlain's Office played a role in the passage of the Theatres ...

'' in a number of supporting roles. In 1970, he landed his first film role, coincidentally playing a Harvard student in '' Love Story'' ( Erich Segal, the author of '' Love Story'', said that he based the lead character of Oliver on aspects of two undergraduate roommates he knew while on a sabbatical at Harvard, Jones and

). In early 1971, he returned to Broadway in

Abe Burrows Abe Burrows (born Abram Solman Borowitz; December 18, 1910 – May 17, 1985) was an American humorist, author, and director for radio and the stage. He won a Tony Award and was selected for two Pulitzer Prizes, only one of which was awarded. Ear ...

' ''

Four on a Garden ''Four on a Garden'' is a set of four One-act plays that were presented on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre from January 30, 1971, until March 20, 1971. The set included ''House of Dunkelmayer'', ''Betty'', ''Toreador'', and ''The Swingers''. Th ...

'' where he shared the stage with

Carol Channing Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Her characters usually had a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, ...

and Sid Caesar. Between 1971 and 1975 he portrayed Dr. Mark Toland on the ABC soap opera '' One Life to Live''. He returned to the stage for a short-lived 1974 production of '' Ulysses in Nighttown'', an adaptation of one episode from

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...

's novel '' Ulysses'', playing Stephen Dedalus opposite Zero Mostel's

Leopold Bloom Leopold Bloom is the fictional protagonist and hero of James Joyce's 1922 novel '' Ulysses''. His peregrinations and encounters in Dublin on 16 June 1904 mirror, on a more mundane and intimate scale, those of Ulysses/ Odysseus in Homer's epic ...

and directed by

Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...

. It was followed by the acclaimed TV movie '' The Amazing Howard Hughes'', where he played the lead role. In films, he played a hunted escaped convict in '' Jackson County Jail'' (1976); a Vietnam veteran in '' Rolling Thunder'' (1977); an automobile mogul, co-starring with Laurence Olivier, in the Harold Robbins drama '' The Betsy''; and a police detective opposite

Faye Dunaway Dorothy Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941) is an American actress. She is the recipient of many accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award. In 2011, the government of France mad ...

in the 1978 thriller ''

Eyes of Laura Mars ''Eyes of Laura Mars'' is a 1978 American neo noir mystery-thriller film starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones and directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay was adapted (in collaboration with David Zelag Goodman) from a spec script titled ' ...

''. In 1980, Jones earned his first Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of country singer

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...

's husband, Doolittle "Mooney" Lynn, in '' Coal Miner's Daughter''. In 1981, he played a drifter opposite Sally Field in '' Back Roads'', a comedy that received middling reviews.

Increased exposure (1983–2004)

In 1983, he received an Emmy for Best Actor for his performance as murderer Gary Gilmore in a TV adaptation of Norman Mailer's ''The Executioner's Song''. The same year, he starred in a pirate adventure, ''

Nate and Hayes ''Savage Islands'' (also known as ''Nate and Hayes'' in the United States) is a 1983 swashbuckling adventure film set in the South Pacific in the late 19th century. Directed by Ferdinand Fairfax and filmed on location in Fiji and New Zealand, it ...

'', playing pirate captain

Bully Hayes William Henry "Bully" Hayes (1827 or 1829 – 31 March 1877) was a notorious American ship's captain who engaged in blackbirding in the 1860s and 1870s.James A. Michener & A. Grove Day, ''Bully Hayes, South Sea Buccaneer'', in ''Rascals in Parad ...

. In 1989, he earned another Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Texas Ranger

in the acclaimed television mini-series ''

'', based on the best-seller by

Larry McMurtry Larry Jeff McMurtry (June 3, 1936March 25, 2021) was an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas.

. In the 1990s, Jones was featured in blockbuster films such as '' JFK'' co-starring

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...

, '' The Fugitive'' co-starring Harrison Ford, ''

'' co-starring

Val Kilmer Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with ''Top Secret!'' (1984) and ''Real Genius'' (1985), as well as the military action film ...

, ''

'' co-starring Anne Heche, and ''

Men in Black In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are purported men dressed in black suits who claim to be quasi- government agents, who harass, threaten, or sometimes even assassinate unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesse ...

'' with

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...

. His performance as Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in ''The Fugitive'' received broad acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

. When he accepted his

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

, his head was shaved for his role in the film '' Cobb,'' which he made light of in his speech: "The only thing a man can say at a time like this is 'I am not really bald'. Actually I'm lucky to be working". Among his other well-known performances during the 1990s were those of the accused conspirator Clay Shaw/Clay Bertrand in the 1991 film '' JFK'' (which earned him another Oscar nomination), as a terrorist who hijacks a U.S. Navy battleship in '' Under Siege'' and as a maximum-security prison warden who's in way over his head in '' Natural Born Killers''. He also played the role of "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg in the 1994 film ''

The Client Client(s) or The Client may refer to: * Client (business) * Client (computing), hardware or software that accesses a remote service on another computer * Customer or client, a recipient of goods or services in return for monetary or other valuabl ...

''. Jones co-starred with director Clint Eastwood as astronauts in the 2000 film ''

Space Cowboys ''Space Cowboys'' is a 2000 American adventure drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. It stars Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four older "ex-test pilots" who are sent into space to repair an old ...

'', in which both played retired pilots and friends/rivals leading a space rescue mission together.

Later years (2005–present)

In 2005, the first theatrical feature film Jones directed, ''

'', was presented at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Jones's character speaks both English and Spanish in the film. His performance won him the Best Actor Award at Cannes. His first film as a director had been '' The Good Old Boys'' in 1995, a made-for-television movie. Two strong performances in 2007 marked a resurgence in Jones's career, one as a beleaguered father investigating the disappearance of his soldier son in ''

'', the other as a Texas sheriff hunting an assassin in the Oscar-winning ''

''. For the former, he was nominated for an

. Jones has been a spokesman for Japanese brewing company Suntory since 2006. He can be seen in various Japanese TV commercials of Suntory's Coffee brand Boss as a character called "Alien Jones," an extraterrestrial who takes the form of a human being to check on the world of humans. Many of these commercials can be seen on YouTube. In 2011, Jones appeared in

public service announcements A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. In the UK, they are generally called a public information film (PIF); in Hong Kong, ...

on Japanese television, joining a number of other popular figures who sang two sentimental songs in remembrance of those lost in the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six mi ...

. In 2010, Jones appeared alongside

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...

in the recession drama '' The Company Men''. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where early reviews praised Jones's performance as "pitch-perfect." Jones had a role in the Marvel Studios film, '' Captain America: The First Avenger''. He also directed, produced and co-starred with

Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...

in an adaptation of '' The Sunset Limited''. In 2012, there was another turning point in Jones's career, starting with playing Agent K again in ''

Men in Black 3 ''Men in Black 3'' (stylized as ''MIB³'') is a 2012 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin. It is the third installment in the ''Men in Black'' film se ...

'', portraying Arnold Soames in the romantic dramedy '' Hope Springs'', and co-starring as

in Steven Spielberg's ''

''. Jones's performance in ''Lincoln'' received wide critical acclaim, and he was nominated for an Oscar for the fourth time, for Best Supporting Actor.

Personal life

Jones was married to Kate Lardner, the niece of screenwriter and journalist Ring Lardner Jr., from 1971 to 1978. He has two children from his second marriage to Kimberlea Cloughley, the daughter of Phil Hardberger, former mayor of San Antonio. On March 19, 2001, he married his third wife, Dawn Laurel. Jones resides in

Terrell Hills, Texas Terrell Hills is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States; it is located northeast of downtown San Antonio. As of the 2020 census Terrell Hills had a population of 5,045. It is part of a group of three cities—Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, a ...

, a city just outside of downtown

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, and speaks Spanish. He owns a cattle ranch in

San Saba County, Texas San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in western Central Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,730. Its county seat is San Saba. The county is named after the San Saba River, which flows throug ...

, and a ranch near

Van Horn, Texas Van Horn is a town in and the seat of Culberson County, Texas, United States. According to the 2010 census, Van Horn had a population of 2,063, down from 2,435 at the 2000 census. The 2020 census results detailed a decline in population to 1,941. ...

, which served as the set for his film ''

''. He owned an equestrian estate in Wellington, Florida, until he sold it in 2019. Jones is a polo player, and he has a house in a polo country club in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, Argentina. He is a supporter of the Polo Training Foundation. He is an avid

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...

fan; he is often seen courtside at Spurs games. At the

2000 Democratic National Convention The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore for president and Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut for vice president. Th ...

, he gave the nominating speech for his former college roommate,

, as the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Western honors

References

External links

* * * * * *
Harvard Football bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Tommy Lee 1946 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American people of Welsh descent Male actors from Texas American male film actors American football offensive linemen American polo players American male stage actors American male soap opera actors American male television actors Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners Harvard College alumni Harvard Crimson football players Living people Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Midland, Texas Male actors from San Antonio People from San Saba, Texas Robert E. Lee High School (Midland, Texas) alumni St. Mark's School (Texas) alumni Male Western (genre) film actors Film directors from Texas Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Wellington, Florida Film producers from Texas American male screenwriters Texas Democrats People from Bexar County, Texas American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent Film directors from Florida Screenwriters from Texas Screenwriters from Florida Film producers from Florida