Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of doctors, lawyers, judges, clerks, bailiffs, fathers, police officers, and priests, but some were uncredited. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Earl Thompson' in the biographical adventure film drama, "The Spirit Of St. Louis." The film which was directed and written by Billy Wilder, and which also starred James Stewart, Murray Hamilton, and Patricia Smith, is the true story of the famed pilot Charles Lindbergh who struggles to finance and design an airplane that will make his New York to Paris flight the first solo transatlantic crossing in 1927. He is also best remembered for his role as 'Drew Holt' in the episode entitled, "General Parsley Smith" of the classic western television series, "Gunsmoke," which originally aired on December 10, 1955. He was born one of three children as James Brown O'Rear in Frankfort, Indiana, to Fred Lucas O'Rear (1878-1953), and his wife Edna Elizabeth O'Rear (1882-1977), on January 14, 1914. He was educated locally in public schools and at Frankfort High School in Frankfort, Indiana, where he was a member of the school's glee club and appeared in such plays as, "Song Of Man," "Caravan," "Belle Of Bagdad," "Oh, Doctor," "How He Lied To Her Husband," and was a stage manager for the play, "Sham." He then attended college where he continued with his acting career. He was also an apprentice at the Westport Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut. He eventually moved to New York City to pursue his acting career further. He became a member of the Group Theatre and the Orson Welles Mercury Theatre Company and eventually he began appearing on Broadway in New York City in many stage production roles of such plays as the 'Shoemaker' in "The Shoemakers' Holiday" (January 01, 1938, to April 22, 1938), as 'Rufe Apley' in "My Heart's In The Highlands" (April 13, 1939, to May 1939), as 'Al' in "The World We Make" (November 20, 1939, to January 27, 1940), as 'Night Telegraph Operator' in "Heavenly Express" (April 18, 1940, to May 04, 1940), as 'Homer Cox' in "Glamour Preferred" (November 15, 1940, to November 23, 1940), as 'Callaway Trench' in "Eight O'Clock Tuesday" (January 06, 1941, to January 18, 1941), as 'Alfred' in "The Happy Time" (January 24, 1950, to July 14, 1951), as 'Ronny Cavendish' in "A Loss of Roses" (November 28, 1959, to December 19, 1959), and as 'Cassius' in "Caligula" (February 16, 1960, to March 19, 1960). During his time on the stage, he put his acting career on hold and served his country during World War II from 1941 to 1945. Following his military service, he returned to the stage and he also made the transition to films. He made his actual film debut playing the role of the 'Piano Tuner' in the western film, "The Sea Of Grass" (1947), which was directed by Elia Kazan, and which also starred Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, and Robert Walker. Besides, "The Sea Of Grass" (1947), and "The Spirit Of St. Louis" (1957), his many other film credits include, "My Brother Talks To Horses" (1947), "Brute Force" (1947), "Criss Cross" (1949), "Over-Exposed" (1956), "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1956), "Bus Stop" (1956), "Teenage Rebel" (1956), "The Last Angry Man" (1959), "The Story On Page One" (1959), "Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?" (1963), "Dear Heart" (1964), "Mister Buddwing" (1966), "The Bait" (1973), "Conrack" (1974), and "Chinatown" (1974). Besides, the episode entitled, "General Parsley Smith" of the classic western television series, "Gunsmoke," which originally aired on December 10, 1955, his many other television credits include, "Studio One," "Medic," "Front Row Center," "Big Town," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Decoy," "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse," "The Chevy Mystery Show," "The Real McCoys," "Peyton Place," "I Spy," "That Girl," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Room 222," and "All In The Family." His last film role was playing 'Dr. James Luden' in the film drama, "Guilty Or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case" (1975), which was directed by Robert Michael Lewis, and which also starred George Peppard, William Windom, Walter McGinn, and Barnard Hughes. He retired from films shortly thereafter. During his acting career, he also used the name of James O'Reare. He was also a longtime member of L.A.'s Theatre West. He passed away from natural causes in Los Angeles, California, on June 20, 2000, at the age of 86. He was buried in Bunnell Cemetery in his native Frankfort, Indiana, next to his parents in an unmarked grave. He was married to Emily Woodruff O'Rear but the couple later divorced. The couple had no children.