James Wlcek, born on February 22, 1964, in New York City, New York, began his screen career in 1987 on the series Tales from the Darkside, which premiered in 1983. Throughout the late 1980s,l Wcek's career progressed, landing a role on the popular soap opera Ryan's Hope from 1987 to 1989.
In the same year, he made his mark in the film industry with his notable appearance in Steel Magnolias in 1989. As the 1990s began, Wlcek continued to work on various television soaps and series, including recurring roles on several shows.
However, his biggest breakthrough came in 1997 with a recurring role on the CBS action-crime series Walker, Texas Ranger, which premiered in 1993. His character, Trent Malloy, was a well-mannered martial arts instructor who often teamed up with his good friend Carlos Sandoval, played by Marco Sanchez, a Dallas Police officer.
This recurring screen presence later led to a spin-off series, Sons of Thunder, created by Chuck Norris, which focused on Wlcek and Sanchez's characters from the Walker series. Although the series received good ratings, CBS canceled it due to budgetary reasons.
As the 21st century arrived, Wlcek continued to work on various series, including JAG and The Division. He also appeared in several TV-movies, such as Hydra in 2009 and Love's Christmas Journey in 2011.
