Biography

Hawthorne James began life on the south side of Chicago to tremendously loving and supportive parents Robert and A.M. Alene. He attended Catholic school from kindergarten until the family moved to Michigan when he became an honor student in a public school; a bad mix.

Hawthorne's very extraordinary father was driving himself to the hospital when he passed by Holy Cross Jr. College, stopped in and talked Brother John Driscoll into accepting his son. It was there Hawthone got back on the right path and began to excel again academically. Hawthorne's father passed away two months after he began.

Hawthorne received a Bachelor's Degree in Theater from across the street at the University of Notre Dame and received his Masters degree in Theater from the University of Michigan. Hawthorne taught Theater at Illinois State University when he decided to go to Hollywood to pursue acting and found Inner City Cultural Center and Ted Lange who encouraged him to continue his studies in London, England at the London Shakespeare Academy.

Best known for his role as Big Red Davis in the 1991 film The Five Heartbeats and Sam, the bus driver, in Speed. One of the most incredible roles Hawthorne has portrayed is Victor Romero along with Badja Djola and Alec Baldwin in Heaven's Prisoners.

Once in Hollywood Mr. Hawthorne James headed straight to ICCC where he performed on stage for free, for the love of the art. His nine to five jobs began as a Mailroom Clerk at ITC to a Post-Production Driver at the brand new TriStar Pictures.

Within three months Hawthorne was an executive in the Post-Production Department. Everything that TriStar did went across his desk. It was there he learned how to make a movie under Jim Potter. He learned how to edit on No Mercy and he's uncredited for editing Rambo II.

Hawthorne directed a few MasterCard commercials when Teriq Alexander hired him to direct his first feature film The Stick Up Kids. Another film he directed close to his heart is Lisa Trotter and Hawthorne wrote and directed the film Remember Me?

First cast in a film by Cliff Roquemore, Disco Godfather and Penitentiary II. Other roles he landed include "One Eyed Sam" in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Hood of Horrors, The Doors, Cheers, Amazing Stories and Stir Crazy. Hawthorne can be seen in television series Seven, NYPD Blue, and had a guest-starring role on Frasier as Bill in the season one episode.

An advocate for youth to read and study. As he travels he goes to YTS and prisons to inspire and encourage the incarcerated. He believes I won't be free until you be free. Hawthorne stood up to the motion picture studios to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Day and won the fight. Hawthorne James is an Icon and a Legend. Hawthorne James is an Inner City Cultural Center Alumnus.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tuesday Conner