Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of spies, ministers, doctors, husbands, and sons, usually in historical films, crime films, horror films, and several classic television series. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Mr. Purdy' in the mystery thriller film drama, "In The Heat Of The Night" (1967). The film which was directed by Norman Jewison, which was written for the screen by Stirling Silliphant, which was based on the novel by John Ball, and which also starred Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, and Warren Oates, tells the story of a black Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, police detective who is mistakenly suspected of a local murder while passing through a racially hostile Mississippi town, and after being cleared is reluctantly asked by the police chief to investigate the case. The was also the recipient of 23 awards and 15 nominations including Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards in 1968, and Best Actor - Drama for Sidney Poitier at the Golden Globes in 1968. He is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Charles Ball' in the episode entitled, "A World Full Of Cannibals," of the western television series, "Bonanza," which originally aired on December 22, 1968, and which also starred, Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and David Canary, tells the story of at an old friend's request, Ben Cartwright agrees to shelter a witness in a government case. He's a witness to several felonies and they've tried to kill him several times already. When he asks to see his wife, he puts them all in danger since she is being watched. He was born one of five children as James H. Patterson in Derry, Pennsylvania, to Clifford Albert Patterson (1900-1967), and his wife Elsie E. Latchford Patterson (1906-1997), on June 29, 1932. He was educated locally and he later pursued an acting career first appearing on the radio program, "Starlets In Parade," as a boy soprano in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He then worked for a time as a painter and then studied acting at the prestigious Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Herbert Berghof, before appearing on the stage. He appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in several stage productions of such plays, as 'A Stranger' in "The Power And The Glory" (December 10, 1958, to February 08, 1959), as 'Footman' in "The Beaux Stratagem" (February 24, 1959, to March 08, 1959), as 'Carl' in "Conversation At Midnight" (November 12, 1964, to November 14, 1964), as 'Bill Maitland' in "Inadmissible Evidence" (November 30, 1965, to April 23, 1966), as 'Stanley' in "The Birthday Party" (October 03, 1967, to January 20, 1968), and as 'Harold Axman' in "The Wrong Way Light Bulb" (March 04, 1969, to March 08, 1969). He also appeared in the off-Broadway plays, "The Zoo Story," "The Old Glory," "Epitaph For George Dillon," and an adaptation of "The Brothers Karamazov," and "Tomorrow In Pictures," in London, England. For his role as 'Stanley' in the stage production of the play, "The Birthday Party" (October 2, 1967, to January 20, 1968), which was written by Harold Pinter, he was awarded a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play. He also won an Obie Award for his role as 'Bill Lloyd' in the stage production of the play, "The Collection," which was also written by Harold Pinter. During this time he also made the transition to appearing in films and on television. He made his actual television debut playing the role of 'Alfred Stagg' in the episode entitled, "The Case Of The Stranger," of the television series drama, "Deadline," which originally aired on November 5, 1959, and which also starred Paul Stewart, Lee Richardson, Joseph Julian, Gale Garnett, and Leonardo Cimino, tells the story of a Newsman named Harry Romanoff who tries to unmask a phony hero: he believes that the man committed a double murder. Besides, playing the role of 'Mr. Purdy' in the mystery thriller film drama, "In The Heat Of The Night" (1967), his many other film credits include, "Lilith" (1964), "The Winter's Tale" (1967), "Castle Keep" (1969), and "A Fable" (1971). Besides, playing the role of 'Charles Ball' in the episode entitled, "A World Full Of Cannibals," of the western television series, "Bonanza," which originally aired on December 22, 1968, and which also starred, Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and David Canary, tells the story of at an old friend's request, Ben Cartwright agrees to shelter a witness in a government case. He's a witness to several felonies and they've tried to kill him several times already. When he asks to see his wife, he puts them all in danger since she is being watched, his many other television credits include, "The Robert Herridge Theater," "Buick-Electra Playhouse," "The Witness," "The DuPont Show Of The Month," "Play Of The Week," "Way Out," "Look Up And Live," "Route 66," "Alcoa Premiere," "The DuPont Show Of The Week," "Stoney Burke," "Naked City," "East Side/West Side," "The Defenders," "Brenner," "Slattery's People," "The Big Valley," "The Felony Squad," "Flipper," "Hawaii Five-O," and "Mission: Impossible." His last film role was playing 'Jeffrey Butler' in the cult classic mystery thriller horror film, "Silent Night, Bloody Night" (1972). The film which was directed by and written for the screen by Theodore Gershuny, which was also written for the screen by Jeffrey Konvitz and Ira Teller, and which also starred Patrick O'Neal, Mary Woronov, Candy Darling, Tally Brown, Ondine, Philip Bruns, Walter Abel, John Carradine, Walter Klavun, and Astrid Heeren, tells the story of Wilfred Butler who returns home on Christmas Eve and his house had been turned into a mental institution for the criminally insane. But the day of his return, he is set on fire and dies. The townspeople believe his death was an accident, and the institution-house is later closed down. Wilford Butler leaves the house to his grandson Jeffrey Butler. A few years later, Jeffrey Butler finally decides to sell his grandfather's house, but the townspeople including the Mayor have mixed feelings about keeping people away from the house, especially when a serial killer escapes from another institution and finds refuge there. The killer makes frightening phone calls and kills anyone coming near the house. But what does the killer have in common with what happened to Wilford Butler years before? The film was released to the general public several months after the production was complete. Due to his sudden passing, many of James Patterson's lines had to be dubbed into the film by another actor. He passed away following a battle with cancer at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, New York, on August 19, 1972, at the age of 40. Following his death, his funeral service was held in his native Derry, Pennsylvania, and a memorial service was held at the Bradenville United Methodist Church in Bradenville, Pennsylvania. Following the funeral service, he was buried in Coles Cemetery also in his native Derry, Pennsylvania. He was married to actress Rochelle Oliver Patterson from October 15, 1959, until his death on August 19, 1972. They had met while both were appearing in the stage production of the play, "The Brothers Karamazov," and they lived in a small apartment on the Upper East Side of New York City, New York, while they were both acting in 1960. The couple had one child together, a son named John Robert Patterson.