Jim Byrnes (actor)
Encyclopedia
James Thomas Kevin "Jim" Byrnes (born September 22, 1948) is a blues
musician
, guitarist
, and actor
.
, to a homemaker mother and a municipal accountant father. He has lived in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
, since the mid-1970s. On February 26, 1972, he was struck by a passing car while he attempted to help a friend move a stalled truck, which caused him to lose both his legs above the knee. Fifteen years to the day after the accident, he started appearing on Wiseguy
as "Lifeguard" (Daniel Benjamin Burroughs). It was his first major role and lasted until 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 Joe Dawson in Highlander: Endgame
and Highlander: The Source
, later 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.
His other television roles include Higher Ground
and cartoon voices in Beast Wars: Transformers, Beast Machines: Transformers, Shadow Raiders
, Stargate Infinity
, Dinosaur Train
as Percy Paramacellodus
and as Colonel Nick Fury
in X-Men: Evolution
. He appeared in the Taken mini series, which broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel
and an episode of 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
.
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. Byrnes was also honoured at the 2006 Maple Blues Awards
, as Male Vocalist of the Year, and at the 2006 and 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards
.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Life and career
Byrnes was born in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, to a homemaker mother and a municipal accountant father. He has lived in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, since the mid-1970s. On February 26, 1972, he was struck by a passing car while he attempted to help a friend move a stalled truck, which caused him to lose both his legs above the knee. Fifteen years to the day after the accident, he started appearing on Wiseguy
Wiseguy
Wiseguy is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 16, 1987 to December 8, 1990 for a total of four seasons. Starring Ken Wahl, the series was produced by Stephen J...
as "Lifeguard" (Daniel Benjamin Burroughs). It was his first major role and lasted until 1990. Later, he starred in the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
television series Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
as Joe Dawson, a member of a secret society
Secret society
A secret society is a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla insurgencies, which hide their...
known as the "Watchers." He reprised his role as Joe Dawson in Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame is a 2000 fantasy film originally released on September 1, 2000. It is the fourth theatrical release in the Highlander film series, and it serves as both a continuation of the Highlander films and the Highlander television series...
and Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source is the fifth installment of the Highlander film series, directed by Brett Leonard, and was intended to be the first film of a planned trilogy on SciFi Channel though no further direct sequels are currently planned. Adrian Paul reprises his role as Duncan MacLeod from the...
, later installments of the Highlander film series, as well as providing voices for the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance. He starred in his own short-lived TV show, called The Jim Byrnes Show.
His other television roles include Higher Ground
Higher Ground (TV series)
Higher Ground is an American-Canadian television show shot outside Vancouver, British Columbia, that aired in 2000. It starred Joe Lando, Hayden Christensen, A.J. Cook, Kandyse McClure and Jewel Staite....
and cartoon voices in Beast Wars: Transformers, Beast Machines: Transformers, Shadow Raiders
Shadow Raiders
Shadow Raiders is an animated television series produced by Mainframe Entertainment that aired from 1998 to 1999. The show was loosely based on the Trendmasters toy line, War Planets. The original character designs were created by ReBoot designer, Brendan McCarthy...
, Stargate Infinity
Stargate Infinity
Stargate Infinity is an American animated science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise, but is not considered official Stargate canon...
, Dinosaur Train
Dinosaur Train
Dinosaur Train is an American animated series created by Craig Bartlett. The series features a curious young T. rex named Buddy who, together with his adopted Pteranodon family, takes the Dinosaur Train to meet, explore, and have adventures with all kinds of dinosaurs.It was the second show by The...
as Percy Paramacellodus
Paramacellodus
Paramacellodus was a genus of prehistoric lizard of the Late Jurrasic Morrison Formation of Western North America.Present in stratigraphic zones 4 and 5....
and as Colonel Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
in X-Men: Evolution
X-Men: Evolution
X-Men: Evolution is an American animated television series about the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. In this incarnation many of the characters are teenagers rather than adults...
. He appeared in the Taken mini series, which broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
and an episode of Twilight Zone
Twilight zone
-Television series and spinoffs:*The Twilight Zone, the anthology television series and its franchise:**The Twilight Zone , the 1959–1964 original television series***Twilight Zone: The Movie, a 1983 film based on the original series...
entitled "Harsh Mistress". He has also appeared on the Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
series Sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
, appearing as the father of Helen Magnus, played by Amanda Tapping
Amanda Tapping
Amanda Tapping is an English-born Canadian actress, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis...
.
As a musician, Byrnes has won the Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Blues Album of the Year
Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year
The Juno Award for "Blues Album of the Year" has been awarded since 1994, as recognition each year for the best blues album in Canada. The award was previously a combined blues and gospel award category.-Best Blues/Gospel Album :...
three times, for That River in 1996 and House of Refuge on Black Hen Music
Black Hen Music
Black Hen Music is an independent record label founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1995. The music label was established by record producer and musician Steve Dawson, originally of the band, Zubot and Dawson...
in 2007, and for "Everywhere West" in 2011. Byrnes was also honoured at the 2006 Maple Blues Awards
Maple Blues Awards
The Maple Blues Awards are Canada’s blues awards, "honouring the finest in Canadian blues". They are the only comprehensive national best in blues awards program. The program's goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement...
, as Male Vocalist of the Year, and at the 2006 and 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards
Canadian Folk Music Awards
The Canadian Folk Music Awards are an annual music awards ceremony, presenting awards in a variety of categories for achievements in both traditional and contemporary folk music, and other roots music genres, by Canadian musicians...
.
Solo
- Burning (1981) PolydorPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
(vinyl) - I Turned My Nights Into Days (1987) Stony Plain RecordsStony Plain RecordsStony Plain Records is a major Canadian independent record label, which specializes in roots music genres such as country, folk and blues. The label was the recipient of a 2003 Western Canadian Music Award for "Independent Record Label/Distributor of the Year"....
(vinyl) - That River (1995) Stony Plain
- Love Is A Gamble (2001) One Coyote Music
- Fresh Horses (2004) Black Hen MusicBlack Hen MusicBlack Hen Music is an independent record label founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1995. The music label was established by record producer and musician Steve Dawson, originally of the band, Zubot and Dawson...
- House of Refuge (2006) Black Hen Music
- My Walking Stick (2009) Black Hen Music
- "Everywhere West" (2011) Black Hen Music