James Eckhaus: Jim Walsh of "Beverly Hills 90210"

James Eckhaus is an American actor, most of allknown for the role of Jim Walsh - the father of Brandon and Brenda in the popular television series 90's "Beverly Hills 90210". He is also the director of 3 episodes of the show.

early years

James Cowher Eckhaus was born on February 14, 1955in Chicago. In 1972 he graduated from New-Trayer High School in Winnetka, a rich village 26 kilometers from Chicago. In the same year he entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, in 1976, James dropped out to fully concentrate on his acting career.

The beginning of a creative career

James Eckhaus came to Los Angeles in July 1988year, just during the scriptwriters' strike, for which reason he did not work for several months. And then, after about two years, he got a call and was invited to audition for a new series called "The Beverly Hills Class." James decided that he had failed the interview, since he had portrayed a rather grumpy hero. But he was called again - as it turned out, that's exactly what a character was needed for.

After the second listening between Carol Potter (already confirmed for the role of Cindy Walsh actress) and Aaron Spelling the following dialogue took place:

- I do not know. Something in this guy is. said Spelling.

"Well, Aaron, that's because he's Jewish." answered Potter.

James Eckhaus jokes that it was for this reason that he got the part.

Work in the "Beverly Hills 90210"

The atmosphere on the site was perfect and very suitable for this show. The series was filmed in warehouses in a small industrial area. Spelling repaired all the premises and turned them into a set.

James Eckhaus recalls: "It was like a student hostel, it was like going back to college, it was great, there was a very long corridor in which old small lockers stuffed with different things were randomly made up." So it looked like our dressing room, then it seemed as it should be. "

Originally it was supposed to be a family show. But the producers quickly realized that they would not earn much on the project of this format, and turned the series into a soap opera about beautiful young people. Nevertheless, looking back at the show now, Eckhaus takes pride in having taken part in it: "Something remarkable was that the teens were telling quite grown-up about their problems, which are no different from what I see now: sex, love, alcohol, drugs, all this was shown more or less in an adult way. "

The series "Beverly Hills 90210" was successful, becausethat he had a direct dialogue with the audience. The American youth did not care whether they liked critics' show or not, whether it was qualitative or low-grade. They just felt connected with this project.

The career after "Beverly Hills 90210"

After the fifth season, James Eckhaus left the series, as the term of his contract expired. Throughout the following years he led a rather active acting life.

James appeared in a number of popular televisionshow, such as "Without a trace", "Darma and Greg" and C.S.I. Did not forget about the movie. Some of the most famous films of James Eckhaus: "True Values", "Cinderella Story" and "Guess Who?". He also often starred in video films (products that appeared immediately on video, without showing on television or in cinemas). One such is the "Extreme Cinema".

Of the latest works Ekhausa can be called the role in the following paintings: "Avengers", "Masters of sex" and "Castle."

Personal life

James Eckhaus is a Jew by nationality, lives andworks in Los Angeles. More than thirty years married to Sheila Kelicher Walsh, with whom he raised two sons: James Gabriel (Gabe) and John Alexander (Zander). Gabe graduated from Deep Springs College and is now studying in Berkeley. Zander followed in the footsteps of his father, currently studying film art at New York University and playing a major role in the series "Puffed-up."