James Thomas Kevin ByrnesJim Byrnes Biography and Filmography; www.filmreference.com. (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. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a municipal accountant. He began performing blues at the age of 13, and acted as a teenager in local theatre productions. Prior to his acting career, he considered becoming a priest and attended seminary. He studied acting at Saint Louis University and Boston University.
In 1968, during the Vietnam War, Byrnes was drafted and served in the 196th Infantry Brigade for a year."The Loss of His Legs Is No Handicap for Wiseguy's Jim Byrnes". People, May 21, 1990.Vancouver Magazine. "Jim Byrnes's Last Stand", 1 July 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2019. 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.
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.See Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year. Byrnes was also honoured at the 2006 Maple Blues Awards, as Male Vocalist of the Year. The Canadian Folk Music Awards recognized him as the Contemporary Singer of the Year in 2006 and 2009.
In 2018, Byrnes performed with the Sojourners at a concert organized by the North Island Concert Society."Concert Society goes out on a high note" . North Island Gazette, Hanna Petersen. Apr. 17, 2018
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 PowellDeleted scenes 1994 Whale Music Dewey Moore 1995 Suspicious Agenda Lieutenant Rayburn Dream Man Jim "The Loot" Garrity 1996 Starlight Rod MacArthur 1997 Masterminds Larry MillardUncredited 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 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. 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 episodes2007 Highlander: The Source Joe Dawson Television film Don't Cry Now Steve Sanctuary Gregory Magnus Miniseries 2008–11 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
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 episodes1990A Klondike ChristmasWolfie (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 episodesThe Legend of the Hawaiian SlammersAdditional Voices 1995 The New Adventures of Madeline 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 Stone Protectors Additional Voices 13 episodes 1994–96 Hurricanes 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 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie Elf Crowd Member #2 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 1999–2000 Beast Machines: Transformers Thrust 1999–2001 NASCAR Racers Additional Voices 26 episodes 2000–01 D'Myna Leagues Rip Hickory, Dodger 13 episodes 2001 Spider-Man Unlimited Fire Drake Episode: "Cry Vulture" 2001–02 Ultimate Book of Spells Additional Voices 26 episodes Alienators: Evolution Continues 17 episodes 2002 Inspector Gadget's Last Case Chief Quimby Dennis the Menace: Cruise Control Kraigor Madeline: My Fair Madeline Mayor of Paris Television film 2002–03 X-Men: Evolution Nick Fury 7 episodes 2005 Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever Chief Quimby 2007 Madeline in Tahiti Scarfaced ManHighlander: The Search for Vengeance"Doc", Rudy 2009 Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5 Jack Wheeler Episode: "Legacy" 2010 Dinosaur Train Percy Paramacellodus Episode: "Elmer Visits the Desert" 2012 War of the Worlds: Goliath Theodore Roosevelt 2013 Slugterra Viggo Dare Episode: "Back to Blakk" 2016 My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Gladmane Episode: "Viva Las Pegasus" 2018 Take Two Josiah Carberry Episode: "Stillwater"
Discography Solo Burning (1981) Polydor (vinyl)CD re-release 1998, Stony Plain Records, coupled with I Turned My Nights Into Days. I Turned My Nights into Days (1987) Stony Plain Records (vinyl)CD re-release, 1998, Stony Plain Records, coupled with Burning. That River (1995) Stony Plain1996 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.Re-released 1997 on Band Together label, with the tracks in a different order. Love Is a Gamble (2001) One Coyote MusicLimited pre-release; no general release. Fresh Horses (2004) Black Hen MusicContains six of the nine songs found on Love Is A Gamble; see Jim Byrnes detailed discography; www.jimbyrnes.org. House of Refuge (2006) Black Hen Music2007 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year. My Walking Stick (2009) Black Hen Music Everywhere West (2011) Black Hen Music2010 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year. 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 Vancouver Seeds 2 (1981) Saturday Night Blues: 20 Years (2006) CBCA 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.
References
External links Official website