James Bacon (May 12, 1914 – September 18, 2010) was an American author and journalist who also worked as an actor in film and television. He wrote historical accounts of his years observing Hollywood and a biography of

Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...

Life and career

Bacon was born in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. He attended the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

from 1933–1936, dropping out during his senior year in order to help his parents, who had recently lost their home in a flood. He earned his degree in journalism in 1943 from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

and then served in the Navy. After leaving the Associated Press in 1966, he wrote briefly for ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' and then for 17 years for The ''

Los Angeles Herald-Examiner The ''Los Angeles Herald Examiner'' was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published in the afternoon from Monday to Friday and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. It was formed when the afternoon ' ...

''. He had published a weekly column in ''Beverly Hills'' 13magazine since 1996. Although a columnist by trade, Bacon appeared in numerous films, generally in walk-on cameos, often as reporters or newsmen. He appeared in all five films in the 'Planet of the Apes' series, becoming the only actor to do so. He portrayed an ape in each of the films with the exception of ''

Escape from the Planet of the Apes ''Escape from the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1971 American science fiction film directed by Don Taylor and written by Paul Dehn. The film is the sequel to '' Beneath the Planet of the Apes'' (1970) and the third installment in the original ''P ...

'', in which he played a human, General Faulkner. This was the only film of the 'Ape' series in which he was credited. Bacon penned three books in the 1970s and 1980s. His first book, ''Hollywood is a Four Letter Town'', was published in 1977. Its sequel, ''Made in Hollywood'', was published in 1978. Bacon wrote a biography on

, which was published in 1985, entitled ''How Sweet It Is: The Jackie Gleason Story''. In 1999, Bacon was the subject of an ''

E! True Hollywood Story ''E! True Hollywood Story'' is an American television documentary series on E!. Overview ''E! True Hollywood Story'' originally started as a series of specials beginning on March 29, 1996, but evolved into a weekly biographical documentary ...

'' episode. Bacon received star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

on April 6, 2007.

Death

Bacon died in his sleep from

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

on September 18, 2010, aged 96.''New York Daily News'' obituary (with photo)
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Selected filmography

*'' Black Tuesday'' (1954) .... Reporter at Electrocution (uncredited) *'' The Boss'' (1956) .... Himself (uncredited) *''

Teacher's Pet A teacher's pet is a student who is viewed most favorably by their teacher in a school. They can be viewed unsympathetically by other students due to jealousy or envy in certain situations. The phenomenon is extensively acknowledged by the public ...

'' (1958) .... Himself (uncredited) *''

Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone ( ; ; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American organized crime, gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-foun ...

'' (1959) .... Reporter (uncredited) *''

The Big Circus ''The Big Circus'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Victor Mature as a circus owner struggling with financial trouble and a murderous unknown saboteur. It was produced and cowritten by Irwin Allen, later kno ...

'' (1959) .... Himself - Reporter (uncredited) *'' The Rebel'' (1960, TV Series) .... Dude *'' Pay or Die'' (1960) .... Subway Guard (uncredited) *'' College Confidential'' (1960) .... Himself - Reporter *'' The Roaring 20's'' (1960, TV Series) .... Jim *''

Pepe Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish and Portuguese name José (Joseph). It is also a surname. * People Mononyms *Pepe (footballer, born 1935), Brazilian footballer José Macia *Pepe (footballer, born 1983), Brazilian-born Portuguese footballer ...

'' (1960) .... Bartender (uncredited) *''

Cry for Happy ''Cry for Happy'' is a 1961 American CinemaScope comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Glenn Ford and Donald O'Connor. It is a service comedy set in Japan and largely filmed there. The title song is sung during the opening credits ...

'' (1961) .... Press Correspondent (uncredited) *''

Underworld U.S.A. ''Underworld U.S.A.'' (also known as ''Underworld USA'') is a 1961 American neo-noir crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylisticall ...

'' (1961) .... Newspaperman (uncredited) *''

The Big Bankroll ''King of the Roaring 20s: The Story of Arnold Rothstein'' is a 1961 American, biopic, drama, crime film directed by Joseph M. Newman, produced by Samuel Bischoff and starring David Janssen, Dianne Foster, Diana Dors and Jack Carson. The film ...

'' (1961) .... Investment Man (uncredited) *''

The Oscar The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

'' (1966) .... Reporter (uncredited) *'' Way... Way Out'' (1966) .... Reporter (uncredited) *''

Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is a science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic world in which humans and intelligent apes c ...

'' (1968) .... Ape (uncredited) *''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour epis ...

'' (1969, TV Series) .... Hotel Clerk *''

80 Steps to Jonah ''80 Steps to Jonah'' is a 1969 American drama film directed by Gerd Oswald, written by Frederick Louis Fox, and starring Wayne Newton, Jo Van Fleet, ic]"">"The Birth of C ..., Keenan Wynn">ic]"">"The Birth of C ..., Keenan Wynn, Diana ...

'' (1969) .... Hobo *'' Skullduggery'' (1970) .... Commentator *''

Beneath the Planet of the Apes ''Beneath the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post from a screenplay by Paul Dehn, based on a story by Dehn and Mort Abrahams. The film is the sequel to ''Planet of the Apes'' (1968) and the second ...

'' (1970) .... Ape (uncredited) *Men From Shiloh, the rebranded name of '' The Virginian'' (1970, TV Series) ... 2nd Reporter *''

'' (1971) .... General Faulkner *'' The Seven Minutes'' (1971) .... Reporter (as Jim Bacon) *''

Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb and produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pe ...

'' (1971, TV Series) .... Newsman *''

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes ''Conquest of the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1972 American science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by Paul Dehn. The film is the sequel to '' Escape from the Planet of the Apes'' (1971) and the fourth installment in the ori ...

'' (1972) .... Ape (uncredited) *''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, '' The Twilight Zon ...

'' (1972, TV Series) .... Reporter *''

Battle for the Planet of the Apes ''Battle for the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by John William Corrington and Joyce Hooper Corrington, based on a story by Paul Dehn. The film is the sequel to ''C ...

'' (1973) .... Gorilla Soldier (uncredited) *'' Sssssss'' (1973) .... Spectator (uncredited) *'' The Outfit'' (1973) .... Bookie *''

Planet Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all of Earth's water is ...

'' (1974, TV Movie) .... Partha * ''

How to Seduce a Woman ''How to Seduce a Woman'' is a 1974 American comedy film, directed by Charles Martin. It stars Angus Duncan, Angel Tompkins, and Alexandra Hay, and was released in late January 1974. Plot synopsis Employees of a well-off con man and lady's man ...

'' (1974) .... Himself *''

Half a House ''Half a House'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Brice Mack, produced by Lenke Romanszky and released theatrically in the U.S. by Rampart Releasing. It stars Anthony Eisley and Pat Delaney as a separated married couple who divide up liv ...

'' (1975) .... Jordan's client *''

Tunnel Vision Tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision. Causes Tunnel vision can be caused by: Eyeglass users Eyeglass users experience tunnel vision ...

'' (1976) .... Gene Scallion *'' The Last Hard Men'' (1976) .... Deputy Jetfore *'' High Velocity'' (1976) .... Monroe *'' The Legend of Frank Woods'' (1977) .... Cowboy *'' Viva Knievel!'' (1977) .... Reporter (uncredited) *''

Rollercoaster A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usually designed to produce a thrilling experience, though some r ...

'' (1977) .... Reporter (uncredited) *''

The Amazing Howard Hughes ''The Amazing Howard Hughes'' is a 1977 American made-for-television biographical film about American aviation pioneer and filmmaker Howard Hughes, based on the book ''Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes'' by Hughes' business partner Noah Dietrich. ...

'' (1977) .... Himself (as Jim Bacon) *''

Capricorn One ''Capricorn One'' is a 1977 thriller film in which a reporter discovers that a supposed Mars landing by a crewed mission to the planet has been faked via a conspiracy involving the government and—under duress—the crew themselves. It was wri ...

'' (1977) .... Reporter Number 4 *''

Mean Dog Blues ''Mean Dog Blues'' is a 1978 American drama film directed by Mel Stuart. It stars Gregg Henry and Kay Lenz. Plot After hitchhiking a car ride with a drunken politician and his seductive wife, Paul Ramsey, a singer, offers to take the rap in co ...

'' (1978) .... Court Clerk *''

Sextette ''Sextette'' is a 1978 American musical comedy film directed by Ken Hughes, and starring Mae West in her final film, alongside an ensemble cast including Timothy Dalton, Dom DeLuise, Tony Curtis, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, George Hamilton, Alice ...

'' (1978) .... Reporter *''

Good Guys Wear Black ''Good Guys Wear Black'' is a 1978 American martial arts action film starring Chuck Norris and directed by Ted Post. This was the second film to feature Norris as the star, following ''Breaker! Breaker!'' (1977). However, this is the one that No ...

'' (1978) .... Senator *''

The One Man Jury ''The One Man Jury'' (released as ''The Loner'' on UK video) is a 1978 American neo-noir film directed by Charles Martin (1910-1983) and starring Jack Palance, Christopher Mitchum, Pamela Shoop, and Cara Williams. Plot Jim Wade ( Jack Palance ...

'' (1978) .... Reporter *''

South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...

'' (1978, TV Series) .... Reporter *''Cat in the Cage'' (1978) .... Police Captain *''

Meteor A meteor, known colloquially as a shooting star, is a glowing streak of a small body (usually meteoroid) going through Earth's atmosphere, after being heated to incandescence by collisions with air molecules in the upper atmosphere, creating a ...

'' (1979) .... News Reporter *''

The Man with Bogart's Face ''The Man with Bogart's Face'' (also called ''Sam Marlowe, Private Eye'') is a 1980 American comedy film, released by 20th Century Fox and based on a novel of the same title. Andrew J. Fenady, author of the novel, produced the film and wrote the ...

'' (1980) .... Reporter *''

Underground Aces ''Underground Aces'' is a 1981 American comedy film directed by Robert Butler and starring Dirk Benedict and Melanie Griffith Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. Born in Manhattan to actress Tippi Hedren, s ...

'' (1981) .... Businessman #2 *''

Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen ''Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen'' is a 1981 comedy–mystery film directed by Clive Donner that stars Peter Ustinov, Angie Dickinson and Lee Grant. It is the last film to feature the titular character. Plot Retired detective Cha ...

'' (1981) .... Reporter at Clinic *''

The Longshot ''The Longshot'' is a 1986 American comedy film directed by Paul Bartel and starring Tim Conway. Plot Four friends enjoy betting on horses at the race track. Someone tells them that he has something he can give his horse to make it run faster, ...

'' (1986) .... Track Usher *'' Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter'' (1986) .... Vet (final film role)

References

External links

*
Notre Dame Magazine Spring 2003 Issue
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacon, James 1914 births 2010 deaths American biographers American male biographers American columnists American male film actors American memoirists American reporters and correspondents American male television actors University of Notre Dame alumni Associated Press reporters Writers from Buffalo, New York American film historians Syracuse University alumni American male journalists Journalists from New York (state) Los Angeles Herald Examiner people