logo

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

58

Gender

Male

Birthday

1932-11-13 (93 years old)

Place of Birth

Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Also Known As

J. A. Preston

J.A. Preston

Biography

James Allen Preston Sr. (born November 13, 1932) is an American actor. Preston is best known for his role as Ozzie Cleveland on the NBC primetime television series Hill Street Blues which originally aired from 1981 until 1987. Preston was born November 13 (1932) in Washington, D.C. In addition to his role on Hill Street Blues, Preston is also known for his roles as Leo Daltry in Dallas, Richard Matthews in Santa Barbara, court-martial judge Col. J. A. Randolph, USMC in the 1992 film A Few Good Men, and the minor but important role of a USAF Major General in Air Force One (1997). He was a series regular in the short-lived CBS sitcom All's Fair which ran just one season (1976-77). In it he played an assistant to conservative newspaper columnist Richard Barrington (played by Richard Crenna). Preston also appeared on the NBC television series The A-Team as a judge (Col. Thomas Milo) presiding over a military tribunal convened to try the A-Team. He also appeared in 3 episodes of Martin as Gina’s (Tisha Campbell-Martin) father Dr. Cliff Waters.

Known For

Acting

Narrow Margin

1990

Narrow Margin

as

Martin Larner

Body Heat

1981

Body Heat

as

Oscar Grace

Fire Birds

1990

Fire Birds

as

General Olcott

Aftermath: A Test of Love

1991

Aftermath: A Test of Love

as

Det. Boland

The White Lions

1981

The White Lions

as

Aniel

Steel Justice

1992

Steel Justice

as

Jeremiah J. Jones

Desperate

1987

Desperate

as

Wiggee

Harvest of Fire

1996

Harvest of Fire

as

Sheriff Garrison

The Plutonium Incident

1980

The Plutonium Incident

as

Dr. Samuels

Silver Streak

1976

Silver Streak

as

Waiter (uncredited)

A Few Good Men

1992

A Few Good Men

as

Judge Randolph

Contact

1997

Contact

as

Senator (uncredited)

Captain Ron

1992

Captain Ron

as

Magistrate

The Gifted

1993

The Gifted

as

Jacob (Adult)

Black Cop

Black Cop

as

Narrator

Two-Minute Warning

1976

Two-Minute Warning

as

Policeman

Real Life

1979

Real Life

as

Dr. Ted Cleary

The George McKenna Story

1988

The George McKenna Story

as

Mr. McKenna

Americathon

1979

Americathon

as

Morty

Martin

Martin

as

Dr. Cliff Waters

seaQuest DSV

seaQuest DSV

as

Charles

All in the Family

All in the Family

as

Elmo 'Black Elmo' Bridgewater

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

as

Jazreel

Dallas

Dallas

as

Leo Daltry

Chicago Hope

Chicago Hope

as

Rodney Helpurn

Amazing Stories

Amazing Stories

as

Prof. Bertram Carver

Hart to Hart

Hart to Hart

as

Mr. Pruitt

Moonlighting

Moonlighting

as

Dr. Nealy

The A-Team

The A-Team

as

Judge

21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

as

Principal George Messiah

The Sentinel

The Sentinel

as

Mel Wilkenson

Hill Street Blues

Hill Street Blues

as

Ozzie Cleveland (archive footage) (uncredited)

Law & Order

Law & Order

as

Congressman Ronald Eaton

The New Odd Couple

The New Odd Couple

as

Charles Walker

James at 16

James at 16

as

Hazeltine

Hill Street Blues

Hill Street Blues

as

Ozzie Cleveland

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

as

Police Lt. 'Mule' Muldower - Internal Affairs

T. J. Hooker

T. J. Hooker

as

Dr. Ross

Quincy, M.E.

Quincy, M.E.

as

Judge Saunder MacMillan

Roots: The Next Generations

Roots: The Next Generations

as

President Harper

Production

Crew

Directing