James Sloyan obit

James Sloyan Obituary

 

He was not on the list.

James Sloyan, an actor who built a 6 decade career in theater, film, and television, died on July 22 at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA tended by his family. He was 85.

Friends and colleagues remember him always present, always curious, courageous, inventive, loyal, as well as brash, mouthy and very urban. He was one-of-a-kind.

He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 24,1941 to James Sr., a construction engineer for Gibbs & Hill Inc. and Annamae O'Brien an avid reader. The youngest in a family of 4 children he was given license to roam. He discovered the delights of the Indianapolis State Fair wrangling an appearance with Lash LaRue and his traveling Western Show.

His father's untimely death brought the family to Albany, New York where the young James established truancy in several High Schools. He graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and served 3 years in the US Army stationed in Huachuca, AZ, commended by his Captain for "revitalizing the post's dormant entertainment program." Back in NYC he found his footing as an actor and dueling choreographer with Joseph Papp's groundbreaking New York Shakespeare Festival.

He made his Broadway debut in Arthur Kopit's Indians and was a lead performer in many Off Broadway productions. A Dream Out of Time by Irv Bauer with Sam Levene, and Spiro Who

at The Gate Theater. Clive Barnes wrote "Best of all perhaps was James J. Sloyan as the student playwright, dispossessed, ironic and hung-up."

He had feature and cameo roles in films: The Sting, Xanadu, The Traveling Executioner, and The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

Jim moved to California in 1973 and co-starred in the series Westside Medical with Ernest Thompson, The Family Kovak, and Oh Madeline opposite Madeline Kahn. The NY Times review called his performance "Perfection…an accomplished actor who has spent too much of his career portraying creepy psychopaths." Yet Jim relished his creepy psychopaths.

He had leading roles in made-for-television movies, The Disappearance of Aimee with Faye Dunaway and Bette Davis, and The Billionaires Boys Club. Jim peppered Network TV with guest starring roles as lovers, lawyers, heroes and goons, notably portraying 3 divergent species in the Star Trek pantheon.

Midway through life he tapped the art of Voice Over joining the launch of Toyota's luxury brand Lexus; he remained the Voice of Lexus for 18 years. He used this time to re-explore theater with Milton Katselas and discover his Other Voice with Jack Grapes' Method Writing Class.

He is predeceased by a sister Judith Wilkes, a Clinical Coordinator at Liberty House in Glens Falls, NY, and Patrick Sloyan, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

He is survived and deeply missed by Deirdre Lenihan his partner of 6 decades and their children Daniel, a musician and Samantha, an actor.

James Joseph Sloyan was born on February 24, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana; his family moved to Europe when he was a young boy, living in Rome, Capri, Milan, Switzerland, and Ireland.

When he was 17, his family moved back to the United States and settled in upstate New York, where he managed a theater. He received a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and after two years he went to work for Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival.

In 1962, he was drafted into the United States Army; after four years he returned to the NYSF and performed in 28 plays and choreographed all the onstage fights. He also appeared in the original off-Broadway stage version of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".

For 20 years, Sloyan was the voice of Lexus. The company's first commercial, "Balance," aired in 1989 and went on to win several awards as well as homages in pop culture and media. Sloyan served as Lexus' sole voice actor until 2009. He later narrated ads for Mitsubishi. Sloyan was also a voice actor for Sprint Nextel long-distance services, and in film trailers for movies such as Jumper, The Shadow, and How to Make an American Quilt.

 

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