James Bridges

In November 1999, the movie theater in Melnitz Hall on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles was named the James Bridges Theater in his honor. Bridges was a faculty member there early in his career.

He was a close friend and mentor to Debra Winger. He once threatened to quit Urban Cowboy (1980) because the studio did not want Winger cast in the lead.

He was a writer and actor, known for The China Syndrome (1979), Perfect (1985) and The Paper Chase (1973).

Directed 3 actors to Oscar nominations: John Houseman (Best Supporting Actor, The Paper Chase (1973)), Jack Lemmon (Best Actor, The China Syndrome (1979)), and Jane Fonda (Best Actress, The China Syndrome (1979)). Houseman won the Oscar for his performance.

Bridges attended Arkansas State Teacher's College, before moving to Los Angeles, where he started as an actor in television dramas, as well as selling ice cream part-time. He wrote several screenplays, one of which (for The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962)) won him an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He later worked as a stage manager with John Houseman's UCLA Theater Group and directed his first play in 1966. He only directed eight films, beginning in 1970. Most famous of these was The China Syndrome (1979), which he also co-wrote. As a former actor, he acquired a reputation as an 'actor's director', able to bring out more finely tuned, nuanced performances from his cast.

James Bridges was born on February 3, 1936 in Paris, Arkansas, USA as James McKeen Bridges.