Jim Fitzpatrick's illustrious career in the Film & Television Industry spans over 44 years, with a profound start at the age of 13 when he made his stage debut in a school play, "A Thousand Clowns," at Seminole High School in Florida.
Accepting a football scholarship to Illinois State University as a theater major, Jim became involved with the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company, founded by Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. However, he chose to put aside his acting aspirations to pursue a professional football career, joining the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the CFL (Canadian Football League) in 1981, followed by short stints with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts in 1982.
Jim's football career came to an end in 1985, after spending three seasons with the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL (1983-1985). This marked a turning point, as one of the Bandits' owners, Burt Reynolds, played a crucial role in setting Jim's career in Los Angeles in motion.
During the off-seasons, Jim began auditioning for productions, landing parts in Miami Vice (1984),Cocoon (1985),and D.A.R.Y.L. (1985). This led to Jim meeting and befriending Richard & Lili Zanuck, paving the way for his transition to Los Angeles.
Since then, Jim has appeared in over 30 stage plays, seven of which he has written, produced, and directed in Los Angeles. He has also starred and guest-starred in over 70 roles in films and television shows, including U.S. Seals (2000),Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target (1998),Armageddon (1998),Star Trek: Enterprise (2001),JAG (1995),All My Children (1970),Elizabethtown (2005),Dolphin Tale (2011),and Soulmates (2023).
Beyond his acting career, Jim has written, produced, and directed a poignant romantic drama titled An American Reunion (2003),one of 33 screenplays he has written and produced. He also filmed a pilot for a TV series called Supernatural (2005),which he executive-produced and directed.
Jim, his actress wife, Jodi Knotts, and their two sons, J.J. Fitzpatrick and Jadon Cal, reside in both Los Angeles and Seminole, Florida, where he is currently developing films, having recently completed a series of three called Adventure Scouts (2010).
