James Paradise
Acting · Directing
James Paradise (also credited as James R. Paradise) is an American actor and director based in Los Angeles, active since 1983. He is best known for playing Buffy's father in the 1992 horror-comedy Buffy the Vampire Slayer and for co-directing GetEven (also known as Champagne and Bullets, 1993) alongside John De Hart. He has appeared in over 30 film and television credits across his career, with a particular presence in 1980s and 1990s independent and horror films. His notable film credits include Sleepaway Camp (1983) (Felissa Rose, Johnny Slevin), Party Line (1988) (William Webb, Susan Blakemore), Defending Your Life (1991) (Meryl Streep, Danny DeVito), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) (Kristy Swanson, Don Most), Necronomicon (1993) (John Waters, John Turturro), Congo (1995) (Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh), To the Ends of Time (1996) (Wayne Thomas Yorke, Michael Madsen), and A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2012) (Bill Murray, Charlie Sheen). On television he has appeared in Friends (1994), The Practice (1997), Baywatch Nights (1996), Night Court (1989), Doogie Howser, M.D. (1990), and Married... with Children (1991).
Filmography
- 2013A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III — Brain-Doctor
- 2012Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor — Lenny (archive footage)
- Fastlane — Owner
- Jesse — Guy at Piano Bar
- Fired Up — Emcee
- The Practice — John Isikoff
- 1996To the Ends of Time — Sauris
- Baywatch Nights — Manager
- 1995Congo — Transport Worker #1
- 1993GetEven — Director
- 1993Necronomicon — Policeman
- 1992Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Buffy's Dad
- 1991Defending Your Life — Stage Manager
- 1991White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd — Vince
- 1990Jury Duty: The Comedy
- Doogie Howser, M.D. — Director
- 1989The Jigsaw Murders — Mosley's Attorney
- 1988Party Line — Victim
- Married... with Children — Slick Stick Jackson
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd — Stick Pin Tommy Lynch
- Night Court — Mr. Robbins
- 1983Sleepaway Camp — Lenny