James was born in a small town in Western Kentucky, where he spent his early childhood before his parents relocated to St. Louis, Missouri when he was just three years old, marking the beginning of a lifelong fascination with films and television, a passion that was shared by his parents, Jim and Lois, who instilled in him a love for the silver screen.
During the summer months, the family would often visit the local drive-in theater on Friday nights, where they would spend hours watching three movies for the low price of $1.50 per adult, with children under the age of 12 admitted for free, creating an idyllic atmosphere filled with the sweet aroma of freshly popped popcorn and the fizzy scent of soda wafting through the air, accompanied by the nostalgic soundtrack of the mono speaker.
It was during these early years that James developed a profound love for classic films, with his earliest memories including the iconic titles of Cool Hand Luke, The Graduate, and Midnight Cowboy, which left a lasting impression on him and shaped his appreciation for cinematic storytelling.
What's more, his parents never censored the movies they watched together, allowing James to experience the full range of cinematic storytelling, from drama to comedy, and everything in between, providing him with a unique and unparalleled understanding of the art form.
As James navigated the passage of time, his nocturnal excursions to the family living room became a recurring ritual, allowing him to indulge in the captivating world of cinema as presented by the "Bijou Picture Show", a local television program that showcased a treasure trove of late-night movies, featuring some of the most iconic gangster pictures and westerns in the history of the film industry. The impressive roster of stars that graced the silver screen was a veritable who's who of Hollywood legends, including the inimitable Humphrey Bogart, the debonair Cary Grant, the rugged Steve McQueen, the versatile Paul Newman, and the dashing Robert Redford. Despite his profound fascination with the art of filmmaking, James never pursued a degree in theater or the arts, instead opting to attend college in Southern Missouri, where he cultivated a diverse range of interests and skills. However, it wasn't until a close friend approached him with a request to read the stage directions of a play he had written that James discovered his true calling, a moment that marked the beginning of a journey that would ultimately lead to his success in the industry, a testament to the transformative power of passion and perseverance.
