James A. Watson, Jr. has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over four decades, with performances in San Francisco, New York, and Hollywood. After training at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, he honed his craft with notable theater companies such as the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
Throughout his career, Watson has demonstrated his versatility by directing and producing with his own theater company, appearing in 12 feature films, and guest starring in over 90 television shows, commercials, TV films, and mini-series. He has been recognized for his outstanding performances, earning a nomination for an NAACP Image Award and receiving various honors.
Watson has had the privilege of sharing the screen with celebrated talents such as Edward G. Robinson, Leslie Caron, Michael Crichton, Mary Tyler Moore, Jamie Foxx, Tom Selleck, Candice Bergen, Redd Foxx, Rob Reiner, James Coburn, Jeff Bridges, and Sidney Poitier.
In recent years, Watson has continued to delight audiences with his stage work. In 2014, he appeared in "Blue Print To Freedom: An ode To Bayard Rustin" directed by Phylicia Rashad at the La Jolla Playhouse, "Death of A Salesman" at South Coast Repertory Theater, and "Jitney" at The South Coast repertory Theater and The Pasadena Playhouse, earning superlative reviews and recognition by critic Charles McNulty as one of the ten best plays in America in 2012 and the winner of two Los Angeles Drama Circle Awards.
In 2015, Watson will be seen in the television movie "The Whitney and Bobby Story, The Whitney Houston Story" (playing her father John Houston) directed by Angela Bassett.
As a writer, Watson has collaborated with or developed projects for prominent figures in the industry, including Dick Berg, Viacom, Productions, Arsenio Hall Productions, executive producer Charles Johnson (Magnum P.I., Jag, N.C.I.S.),and others. His production company, Vision Entertainment, has a partnership with Emmy-winning executive producer Renee Valente, with whom he is developing feature films, stage, and television projects.
