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James Van Patten

James Van Patten

Actor, also producer · Born October 7, 1956 (70) · Brooklyn, New York, USA

James Van Patten (Jimmy) is an accomplished actor, writer and producer with a lifetime involvement in the entertainment industry, encompassing film, television and theater. Born and raised in New York, James followed in the footsteps of his father, actor Dick Van Patten. As a teenager the Van Pattens moved to Hollywood where James was immediately cast as a reform school boy in the hit television series"The ODD COUPLE" launching a successful acting career. James literally grew up guest-starring on television series, mini-series and feature films. James starred in two television series of his own. He starred opposite Robert Preston in the award winning mini-series, THE CHISHOLM'S for CBS which later became a television series for NBC in which he reprised his role as Bo Chisholm. James also starred in Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment's comedy series "POISON" for Showtime working with many of the most successful stars from the "Second City" on various episodes. James also has impressive film credits with roles in over 40 motion pictures. To name a few, FREAKY FRIDAY opposite Jody Foster, ROLLER BOOGIE with Linda Blair, LIFEGUARD with Sam Elliot, CALIFORNIA DREAMING with Seymour Cassel, LIFE STINKS with Mel Brooks, ROBIN HOOD MEN IN TIGHTS, with Mel Brooks, THE FLUNKY with Farrah Fawcett, THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG RIDES AGAIN, with Don Knotts and Tim Conway, DON'T BE A MENACE IN SOUTH CENTRAL, directed by Keenan Ivory Wayans, NIGHTMARE BOULEVARD co-starring with Ron Perlman as Detective Jackson. James played the lead role in the film, YOUNG WARRIORS, released by Cannon Pictures world-wide with Richard Roundtree and Ernest Borgnine. James received rave reviews as well as this one from Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times - "Indulging a self-destructiveness of truly, epic proportions, Van Patten exudes that old live-fast die-young appeal. (Also on hand are Lynda Day George as his mother, Anne Lockhart as his distraught girlfriend and Richard Roundtree as Borgnine's partner, but Van Patten is really the whole show.)" James also appeared in the popular Horror film franchise, SAW, reprising his character of Dr. Heffner in SAW 4, SAW 6 and SAW 7 - THE FINAL CHAPTER in 3D. More recently James co-starred opposite Academy Award winning actors Nicolas Cage, Faye Dunaway and Gina Gershon in the part of Dr. Weisman in the suspense thriller INCONCEIVABLE. James's latest feature film, the award winning, 7 DAYS TO VEGAS, had its worldwide release September 20th, 2019. It was released in limited theaters and now streaming. James and his brother Vincent Van Patten co-starred and produced this dark comedy that has been critically acclaimed. "A gem of a film... Wildly entertaining!", Richard Roper, Chicago Sun Times. "An exhilarating and ultra-satisfying switcheroo", Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter. 7 DAYS TO VEGAS was an official selection of The Palm Springs International Film Festival 2019 and was the Winner of Best Comedy of the California Film Festival 2019. 7 DAYS TO VEGAS also won 4 awards at the Garden State Film Festival, New Jersey, 2021 - Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Ensemble and Best Picture. James's theater experience includes "MR. ROBERTS" at the San Antonio Fiesta Theater, "BREAKFAST WITH LES AND BES" at the Burt Reynolds's Jupiter Theater, The World Debut of "PASSENGERS" touring with the Frank Kenley Players and HARVEY at The Laguna Playhouse with Charles Durning. Later James was cast with his father Dick Van Patten and Frank Gorshin in the critically acclaimed National Tour of "THE SUNSHINE BOYS", 2001-2002 where he performed in over 100 cities in the United States playing the role of Ben Silverman. The show was a huge success and received rave reviews all over the country. Here are a few reviews James received - "James Van Patten as Gorihin's nephew, makes the most of a colorless role. Wheezing under the pressure of his uncle's exasperating complaints, he absolutely nails both the humor and the emotion" - Daily Variety - "A fine sympathetic performance by James Van Patten." -The Hollywood Reporter- "The role of the Nephew, (Ben Silverman) is played adroitly by James Van Patten" -The South Florida Sun Sentinel- "James Van Patten as (Ben Silverman ) gives a strong and appealing performance." -The Tolucan Times- "As Ben Silverman), James Van Patten is hilarious with his hyperventilating moments." -Los Angeles Times- James also wrote the book and lyrics to "THE FLUNKY THE MUSICAL" a musical comedy for the Broadway stage based off the film, "THE FLUNKY" that he produced and starred in with his brother Vincent. James collaborated on this exciting project with music icon, Debbie Gibson, who co-wrote music and lyrics. James and his brother Vincent continue to write and produce together under their production company, VAN PATTEN BROTHERS ENTERTAINMENT James is now awaiting the release of the new film, FATE, coming to theaters in 2025, where he is starring opposite Harvey Keitel, Faye Dunaway, Andrew McCarthy, Cheech Marin and Mena Suvari, who plays his wife in the film.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
October 7, 1956 (70)
From
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Up 3% in 30 days

What are James Van Patten's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
34%
Bonds
22%
Morality
22%
Survival
14%
Society
7%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 5 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 1

Easy watch: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their easy watch movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Thrilling
3
Warm
2
Joyful
2
Hopeful
1
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch James Van Patten's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Van Patten's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

41 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • 7 Days to Vegas(2019)

    Producer · as Carl

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Inconceivable(2017)

    as Dr. Weisman

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Breaker Breaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Dispatch (voice)

  • A Thousand Cuts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Mark

  • Saw 3D(2010)

    as Dr. Heffner

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Saw VI(2009)

    as Coroner

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Saw IV(2007)

    as Dr. Heffner

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Quiet Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Detective Jackson

  • Backyard Dogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Parker Nash

  • I Might Even Love You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Dexter

  • Pacific Blue(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Gordon De Ville

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood(1996)

    as Harvard Man

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Break(1995)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Killing Jar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Dick Kelly

  • Robin Hood: Men in Tights(1993)

    as Villager

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Life Stinks(1991)

    as Wheelchair Attendant

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Twisted Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Kelsey

  • An Eight Is Enough Wedding(1989)

    as Merle

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Hyper Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Raymond Scully

  • Dirty Tennis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Writer · as Self

  • American Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Mel

  • The Underachievers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Todd (as Jimmy Van Patten)

  • Eagle's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Nightforce(1987)

    as Steve Worthington

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission(1987)

    as David Webber

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Body Contest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Celebrity Judge

  • For Love and Honor(1983)

    as Nick

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Young Warriors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Kevin Carrigan

  • High Powder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Joe Brock

  • Tennessee Stallion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Billy

  • Lunch Wagon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Biff

  • Roller Boogie(1979)

    as Hoppy

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again(1979)

    as Soldier #1 on Train

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • California Dreaming(1979)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Chisholms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 13 episodes · as Bo Chisholm

  • Hot Lead and Cold Feet(1978)

    as Jake

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Freaky Friday(1976)

    as Cashier

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Lifeguard(1976)

    as Surfer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Three for the Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Steve

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Tim

  • The Book of Leah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mark Gold

Career shape

Star power in the 89th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 41 titles, 40 of them dated from 1955 to 2019; peak year 2008.

Biggest box office

Roller Boogie (1979)

$13M worldwide

Highest rated

California Dreaming (1979)

Midcredits 37th

Most popular right now

Inconceivable (2017)

Film career

19552019

Peak 2008 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting39 of 41: 38 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score38thWriting1 of 41: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleProducing2 of 41: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s8 · acting1980s14 · 13 acting · 1 crew1990s8 · 7 acting · 1 crew2000s4 · acting2010s5 · 5 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles
7691

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do James Van Patten's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 28th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

For Love and Honor (1983)

92nd percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)

Midcredits 69th · 61% liked

Reviewers score the acting 45/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 60, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does James Van Patten work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Van Patten's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Vincent Van Patten shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors