As a writer, his plays have been produced and developed by the Ojai Playwrights Conference, Sundance Playwrights Lab, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Salt Lake Acting Company, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, and more. As a filmmaker, James co-produced and directed the documentary, Showing Up: A Conversation About the Audition, with his wife of 30 years, Riad Galayini. Showing Up is available for streaming at www.showingupmovie.com. His short film, Parking, appeared at over 50 festivals worldwide and won numerous awards, in addition to screening on Sundance Channel.
As an actor, he will most likely be remembered for his 4 seasons on the Emmy-winning drama, 24, as Bill Buchanan (SAG Award nomination for best ensemble cast) and Warden Murphy on Showtime’s Twin Peaks: The Return. James had recurring roles on ABC’s Private Practice, Revenge, and Hawthorne for TNT. He starred as McQueen on FOX’s cult sci-fi classic series Space: Above and Beyond and has guest-starred on Major Crimes, NCIS, Law and Order, Los Angeles, Six Feet Under, The West Wing, Frasier, Cold Case, The X-Files, and the PBS American Playhouse production of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People to name but a few in 40 years. His film credits include Relish, Doubting Thomas, Meanest Man in Texas, Jarhead, The Jazz Funeral, I Am I, Wilderness Survival for Girls, The One, and Catch Me If You Can.

On stage, Morrison served his apprenticeship at the Alaska Repertory Theatre (he grew up in Anchorage) and has appeared at the La Jolla Playhouse, the Mark Taper Forum, Princeton’s McCarter Theatre, the Salt Lake Acting Company, The Old Globe in San Diego, the Edinburgh Festival, (Fringe First Award) and London’s West End at the Donmar Warehouse. He has received the Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Award and three Drama-Logue Awards for his performances.

James lives in Ojai with his wife and son, Seamus.