Jim Byrnes (actor)

Jim Byrnes
CM OBC
Byrnes at Japan Expo 2010
Born
James Thomas Kevin Byrnes

(1948-09-22) September 22, 1948
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
CitizenshipUnited States
Canada
EducationSaint Louis University
Boston University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • musician[1]
Years active1966–present
Musical career
GenresBlues, folk, roots
OccupationsSinger, musician
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, piano
Years active1960s-present
LabelBlack Hen Music
Websitejimbyrnes.ca

James Thomas Kevin Byrnes[1] CM OBC (born September 22, 1948) is an American-Canadian actor, voice actor, and blues musician. He is known to television audiences for his roles as FBI agent Daniel "Lifeguard" Burroughs on the crime drama series Wiseguy (1987-90, 1996), and as Joe Dawson in the Highlander franchise.

Byrnes was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film Harmony Cats (1992). For his music, Byrnes has won the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year three times.

Early life

Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 22, 1948.[1] His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a municipal accountant.[1] He began performing blues at the age of 13, and acted as a teenager in local theatre productions.[2] Prior to his acting career, he considered becoming a priest and attended seminary. He studied acting at Saint Louis University and Boston University.[3]

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, Byrnes was drafted and served in the 196th Infantry Brigade for a year.[4][5] In the early 1970s, Byrnes moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and later became a naturalized Canadian citizen.

On February 26, 1972, he was struck by a passing car while he attempted to help move a stalled truck on the Island Highway North of Parksville, which injured his legs and forced them both to be amputated.[4]

Acting career

Byrnes made his film debut as a singer in Dennis Hopper's 1980 film Out of the Blue. His first major role was as FBI agent Daniel "Lifeguard" Burroughs on the American television crime drama Wiseguy, which ran from 1987 to 1990.

Later, he starred in the fantasy television series Highlander: The Series as Joe Dawson, a member of a secret society known as the "Watchers." He reprised his role as Dawson in Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source, installments of the Highlander film series, as well as providing voices for the anime Highlander: The Search for Vengeance. He starred in his own short-lived TV show, called The Jim Byrnes Show. He played a recruiting sergeant for the Union Army in an episode of Copper called "The Children of the Battlefield."

His other television roles include Higher Ground and voice acting roles in Beast Wars: Transformers, Beast Machines: Transformers, Shadow Raiders, Stargate Infinity, Dinosaur Train as Percy Paramacellodus, Nick Fury in X-Men: Evolution, and Duke Dermail in Gundam Wing. He appeared in the Taken mini series, which broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel and an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Harsh Mistress". He has also appeared on the Syfy series Sanctuary, appearing as the father of Helen Magnus, played by Amanda Tapping and as Shineoa San in an episode of Andromeda as well as the voice of Virgil Vox in nine additional episodes.

Music career

As a musician, Byrnes has won the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year three times, for That River in 1996 and House of Refuge on Black Hen Music in 2007, and for Everywhere West in 2011.[6] Byrnes was also honoured at the 2006 Maple Blues Awards, as Male Vocalist of the Year.[7] The Canadian Folk Music Awards recognized him as the Contemporary Singer of the Year in 2006 and 2009.[8][9]

In 2018, Byrnes performed with the Sojourners at a concert organized by the North Island Concert Society.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Out of the Blue Party Singer
1989 The First Season Band Leader
1992 Harmony Cats Frank Hay
Invader Engineer Powell Deleted scenes
1994 Whale Music Dewey Moore
1995 Suspicious Agenda Lieutenant Rayburn
Dream Man Jim "The Loot" Garrity
1996 Starlight Rod MacArthur
1997 Masterminds Larry Millard Uncredited
Drive, She Said Dr. Glen Green
2000 Monster Mash The Prosecutor
Highlander: Endgame Joe Dawson
2003 My Boss's Daughter George
2005 Edison Local Merchant
Fetching Cody Harvey
2008 Heart of a Dragon Ivan
2011 She's a Soul Man Joe Cameron
2014 Hastings Street The Bartender
2015 Wanderlust Graham
2018 24 Piedmont Drive Bernard Donnelly
2019 Ada Murray

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Hands of a Stranger Band Leader Uncredited; Television film
Danger Bay Tony Walter Episode: "Deep Trouble"
1988 The Red Spider Jack Fine Television film
1990 In the Best Interest of the Child Kurt
1987–90 Wiseguy Daniel "Lifeguard" Burroughs Main cast
1991 Omen IV: The Awakening Noah Television film
Christmas on Division Street Benedetti
1992 Dirty Work Stan
1993 The Hat Squad Carl Drake Episode: "Dead Man Walking"
Street Justice The Doctor Episode: "The Wall"
1991–94 Neon Rider Kevin 12 episodes
1995 Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Vet Television film
Sliders TV Announcer (uncredited) Episode: "Pilot"
The Commish Brett Shrager Episode: "The Kid"
1996 Wiseguy Daniel "Lifeguard" Burroughs Television film
Bloodhounds II Lieutenant Jim McMahon
For Hope Date #1 (uncredited)
1997 Two Colonel Maxwell Foley Episode: "The Reckoning"
Lost Treasure of Dos Santos "Doc" Humphries Television film
Final Descent Duke Houston
1993–98 Highlander: The Series Joe Dawson Main cast
1998 Murder Call Guy Hanson Episode: "More Than Meets the Eye"
The Jim Byrnes Show Himself (host)
1999 Highlander: The Raven Joe Dawson Episode: "A Matter of Time"
1998–99 The Net Mr. Olivier 9 episodes
1998, 2001 The Outer Limits Merlin, Gary Latimer 2 episodes
1999 Cold Squad Dick Hofstedder 4 episodes
2000 Higher Ground Frank Markasian 5 episodes
Mysterious Ways Ramp Episode: "Spirit Junction"
Becoming Dick The Bartender Television film
First Wave Tyler Greer Episode: "Shadowland"
Level 9 General Theodore Nemec Episode: "Eat Flaming Death"
2002 Due East Father Berkely Television film
The Dead Zone Victor "Vic" Goodman Episode: "Unreasonable Doubt"
The Twilight Zone Dion Episode: "Harsh Mistress"
Just Cause Episode: "Fading Star"
Taken Busker Episode: "Acid Tests"
Snow Queen Polar Bear (voice) Television film[11]
2003 Jake 2.0 James Skerritt 3 episodes
2004 Stargate SG-1 The Documentary Narrator Episode: "Heroes: Part 2"
2004–05 Andromeda Virgil Vox, Shineoa San 13 episodes
2005 Supernatural Professor Episode: "Bugs"
2005–06 Da Vinci's City Hall Councillor Eddie Banks 2 episodes
2007 Highlander: The Source Joe Dawson Television film
Don't Cry Now Steve Television film
Sanctuary Gregory Magnus Miniseries
2008–11 Sanctuary Gregory Magnus 5 episodes
2010 V Matthew Episode: "John May"
2011 Goodnight for Justice The Governor Television film
Hellcats Giles 2 episodes
Deck the Halls Morgan, The Radio DJ Television film
2013 Copper Sergeant Major Atticus Reid Episode: "The Children of the Battlefield"
King & Maxwell Roy Smalls Episode: "Job Security"
2014 Paper Angels Bill Price Television film
Strange Empire Cart Episode: "The Oath"
2015 The Romeo Section Reverend Ortelli 4 episodes
2016 The Legend of Davy Crockett John Patton Television film
2018 Travelers James Edward Bailey Episode: "Trevor"
2021 Sister Swap: Christmas in the City Luke Swift Television film
2022 Billy the Kid Matthews 1 episode
2023 Murdaugh Murders: The Movie Don Hamilton Miniseries
2024 Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement Rumple Snide Television film
2025 Family Law Robert Jennings 1 episode
Murder in a Small Town Leland Bucholtz 1 episode

Animation

Year Title Voice role Notes
1989 G.I. Joe: Operation Dragonfire Alley Viper, Crimson Guard - Fake Lama, Night-Viper 5 episodes
Dragon Warrior Wizard Moore (voice)
1989–90 Camp Candy Additional Voices 16 episodes
1990 A Klondike Christmas Wolfie (voice)
1990–91 G.I. Joe Additional Voices 19 episodes
1992–93 Conan the Adventurer Epimetrius 5 episodes
1993 Mega Man: Upon a Star Dr. Light
1992–94 King Arthur and the Knights of Justice Merlin 26 episodes
1993–94 Madeline Additional Voices
1994 Conan and the Young Warriors Epimetrius The Sage 13 episodes
The Legend of the Hawaiian Slammers Additional Voices
1995 The New Adventures of Madeline Additional Voices 13 episodes
1994–96 Mega Man Dr. Light, Sigma, Pharaoh Man, Air Man, Quick Man, Top Man, Gravity Man 27 episodes
1996 G.I. Joe Extreme Nelson Episode: "Winner Take All"
Vortech: Undercover Conversion Squad Additional Voices 2 episodes
Adventures of Mowgli Father Wolf (voice) English dub[11]
Stone Protectors Additional Voices 13 episodes
1994–96 Hurricanes Additional Voices 7 episodes
1997 Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz Dekim Barton
1998 Mummies Alive! The Legend Begins Additional Voices
The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer Pop (voice) Video[11]
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie Elf Crowd Member #2 [11]
1997–99 Beast Wars: Transformers Inferno
Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths & Legends Additional Voices 40 episodes
1998–99 Shadow Raiders Grand Vizier 8 episodes
RoboCop: Alpha Commando Mr. Brink 40 episodes
1998 Fat Dog Mendoza Brian Wallace / Dan Fantastic [11]
1999–2000 Beast Machines: Transformers Thrust
1999–2001 NASCAR Racers Additional Voices 26 episodes
2000–01 D'Myna Leagues Rip Hickory, Dodger 13 episodes[11]
2001 Spider-Man Unlimited Fire Drake Episode: "Cry Vulture"
2001–02 Ultimate Book of Spells Additional Voices 26 episodes
2001–02 Alienators: Evolution Continues Additional Voices 17 episodes
2002 Inspector Gadget's Last Case Chief Quimby [11]
2002 Dennis the Menace: Cruise Control Kraigor
2002 Madeline: My Fair Madeline Mayor of Paris Television film[11]
2002–03 X-Men: Evolution Nick Fury 7 episodes
2005 Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever Chief Quimby [11]
2007 Madeline in Tahiti Scarfaced Man [11]
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance "Doc", Rudy [11]
2009 Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5 Jack Wheeler Episode: "Legacy"[11]
2010 Dinosaur Train Percy Paramacellodus Episode: "Elmer Visits the Desert"[11]
2012 War of the Worlds: Goliath Theodore Roosevelt
2013 Slugterra Viggo Dare Episode: "Back to Blakk"[11]
2016 My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Gladmane Episode: "Viva Las Pegasus"[11]
2018 Take Two Josiah Carberry Episode: "Stillwater"

Discography

Solo

  • Burning (1981) Polydor (vinyl)[12]
  • I Turned My Nights into Days (1987) Stony Plain Records (vinyl)[13]
  • That River (1995) Stony Plain[14][15]
  • Love Is a Gamble (2001) One Coyote Music[16]
  • Fresh Horses (2004) Black Hen Music[17]
  • House of Refuge (2006) Black Hen Music[18]
  • My Walking Stick (2009) Black Hen Music
  • Everywhere West (2011) Black Hen Music[19]
  • I Hear the Wind in the Wires (2012) Black Hen Music
  • St. Louis Times (2014) Black Hen Music
  • Long Hot Summer Days (2017) Black Hen Music

Compilation inclusions

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jim Byrnes Biography and Filmography; www.filmreference.com.
  2. ↑ "STLBlues Reviews :: Jim Byrnes – My Walking Stick". www.stlblues.net. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
  3. ↑ "Jim Byrnes". BC ENTERTAINMENT HALL OF FAME. 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
  4. 1 2 "The Loss of His Legs Is No Handicap for Wiseguy's Jim Byrnes". People, May 21, 1990.
  5. ↑ Vancouver Magazine. "Jim Byrnes's Last Stand", 1 July 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  6. ↑ See Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.
  7. ↑ "2006 Maple Blues Awards Winners and Nominees". Toronto Blues Society. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Results 2006". Canadian Folk Music Awards / Prix de musique folk canadienne. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  9. ↑ "Results 2009". Canadian Folk Music Awards / Prix de musique folk canadienne. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "Concert Society goes out on a high note" Archived 2019-02-03 at the Wayback Machine. North Island Gazette, Hanna Petersen. Apr. 17, 2018
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Jim Byrnes (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 14, 2025. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  12. ↑ CD re-release 1998, Stony Plain Records, coupled with I Turned My Nights Into Days.
  13. ↑ CD re-release, 1998, Stony Plain Records, coupled with Burning.
  14. ↑ 1996 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.
  15. ↑ Re-released 1997 on Band Together label, with the tracks in a different order.
  16. ↑ Limited pre-release; no general release.
  17. ↑ Contains six of the nine songs found on Love Is A Gamble; see Jim Byrnes detailed discography; www.jimbyrnes.org.
  18. ↑ 2007 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.
  19. ↑ 2010 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.
  20. ↑ A compilation album of live performances from the Saturday Night Blues radio program on CBC Radio, hosted by Holger Petersen. Byrnes' "Blood In My Eyes" (also known as "I've Got Blood In My Eyes For You" and originally recorded on Fresh Horses) is included.
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