James Howard Woods is an American actor. Known for fast-talking, intense roles on screen and stage, he has received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. He started his career in minor roles on and off-Broadway before making his Broadway debut in
The Penny Wars (1969), followed by
Borstal Boy (1970),
The Trial of the Catonsville Nine (1971) and
Moonchildren (1972). Woods' early film roles include
The Visitors (1972),
The Way We Were (1973) and
Night Moves (1975). He starred in the NBC miniseries
Holocaust (1978) opposite Meryl Streep.