Jerry Haynes was born in the vibrant city of Dallas, Texas, to Fred and Louise Schimelpfenig Haynes, and was the fourth of five siblings. After completing his high school education in 1944, Jerry attended Southern Methodist University (SMU),where he studied drama alongside notable figures such as Aaron Spelling and James Noble.
Following his time at SMU, Jerry continued his education at the prestigious American Theater Wing in New York, where he honed his craft under the guidance of renowned instructor Herbert Berghof. In 1952, Jerry returned to his hometown of Dallas and began working in television at WFAA-TV.
As the film industry began to take shape in the Dallas area in the early 1980s, Jerry made his debut in the 1981 movie "Crisis at Central High," starring alongside the esteemed Joanne Woodward as a general tasked with investigating allegations of G.I.'s peeping in the female students' dressing room.
Jerry's subsequent role was that of Pat Powers, a good old boy who sold Jock Ewing some swamp land, in the popular television series "Dallas" during the 1981-1982 season. He then appeared as Jack Driscoll, the deputy sheriff, in the critically acclaimed film "Places in the Heart" (1984),starring alongside the talented Sally Field.
Karel Reisz cast Jerry as Owen Bradley in the biographical drama "Sweet Dreams" (1985),which tells the story of the life of country music singer Patsy Cline, starring the gifted Jessica Lange. Throughout his illustrious career, Jerry has appeared in over 50 films.
