James Gammon (born April 20, 1940 in Newman, US) is an American actor who does character roles on stage, screen and television in both prominent and small roles. His TV debut was a small guest role in the series “Gunsmoke”. He was a cameraman in a TV station ‘Channel 9’ affiliated to ABC at the age of 19 and it was his first contribution to the entertainment industry. He is a friend of Sam Shepard and was casted in many of his plays. He passed away due to Adrenal gland and Liver cancer on July 16, 2010.