Anthony James was an American actor.

The 6-foot-6-inch tall character actor who specialized in playing disreputable, villainous types, made his big screen debut manning a diner counter as Ralph Henshaw in the Oscar-winning Best Picture, In the Heat of the Night (1967), opposite Sidney Poitier.

He would go on to appear in Vanishing Point (1971), High Plains Drifter (1973), Hearts of the West (1975), Burnt Offerings (1976), Blue Thunder (1983), The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991), and Unforgiven (1992).

James also had a recurring role in the television series Gunsmoke and guest starred in a number of programs including Hawaii Five-0, Bonanza, Mod Squad, S.W.A.T., Charlie’s Angels, Starsky and Hutch, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Married… with Children.

James died May 26, 2020, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 77.