Jim Youngs, a native of Old Bethpage, New York, was born as the youngest of four siblings in an exceptionally gifted family. Growing up, he was employed in various roles, including nightclub management, dance instruction, and golf professionalism, before deciding to pursue a career in acting.
On a whim, Jim accompanied his older sister Gail to a Manhattan casting call for the cult classic film "The Wanderers" (1979),where he was not only asked to audition for the iconic writer-director Philip Kaufman but ultimately landed a lead role in the film. This experience sparked his passion for acting, and he relocated to Los Angeles in the summer of 1979, where his charming personality and good looks caught the attention of casting directors.
Jim won a recurring role in the short-lived television series "Secrets of Midland Heights" (1980) and began to refine his acting skills by studying with renowned acting guru Harry Mastrogeorge. He then appeared in a string of supporting roles in films and television movies, including "Splendor in the Grass" (1981) alongside Melissa Gilbert and Cyril O'Reilly, "The Executioner's Song" (1982) with Tommy Lee Jones, the critically acclaimed musical hit "Footloose" (1984) with Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer, the Rob Lowe hockey film "Youngblood" (1986) with Patrick Swayze, and the romantic comedy "Nobody's Fool" (1986) with Rosanna Arquette and Eric Roberts.
Jim's breakthrough starring role came in 1987 when he was cast by director Rick King as an aspiring American soccer player seeking the counsel of all-time soccer great Pele in the sports film "Hotshot" (1986). Despite the film's poor box office performance, his natural athletic ability and considerable acting talent shone through, solidifying his status as more than just a pretty face. In 1990, he reunited with his "Wanderers" co-stars Ken Wahl and Tony Ganios in an episode of the hit CBS crime drama "Wiseguy" (1987). Jim has also starred in the films "You Talkin' to Me?" (1987),"Skeeter" (1993),and "Keys to Freedom" (1988),and appeared in classic television shows such as "NYPD Blue" (1993) and "Babylon 5" (1993).
