James Jackson Bullock (born February 9, 1955) is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in the sitcom Too Close for Comfort.
Jim J. Bullock | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Jackson Bullock February 9, 1955[1] Casper, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Other names | Jm J. Bullock |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma Baptist University |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouse |
John Casey
(m. 1990; died 1996) |
Early life
editBullock was born in Casper, Wyoming, and raised in Odessa, Texas (although he is listed as an alumnus of Natrona County High School in Casper). He was raised in a Southern Baptist home, and as a youth planned to become an evangelical Christian minister.[1] He received a music scholarship to attend Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but left school without graduating.[2]
Career
editCredited as "Jm J. Bullock" because there was another "Jim Bullock" in the actors union,[3] Bullock became a notable entertainment figure in the 1980s when he co-starred on the sitcom Too Close for Comfort as Monroe Ficus and was a regular guest on John Davidson's updated version of the game show Hollywood Squares; Bullock occasionally substituted for Davidson as host.[4] He also appeared as a semi-regular on Battlestars and occasionally on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour and Body Language.
He later became a semi-regular on ALF (from 1989 to 1990) as Neal Tanner. Bullock was the guest host of a special episode of Super Sloppy Double Dare in 1989 in which host Marc Summers and announcer Harvey played against each other. The game ended with both Summers and Harvey playing the obstacle course and winning all eight prizes for their respective teammates. Stage assistants Robin Marrella and Dave Shikiar were the guest announcers for that episode.
After ALF went off the air in 1990, Bullock remained active with theatre, television, and film work. He briefly hosted a syndicated talk show with ex-televangelist Tammy Faye Messner. The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show debuted in 1996, but Messner exited the program a few months later following a cancer diagnosis. Bullock continued with new co-host, Ann Abernathy, and the show became The Jim J. and Ann Show until it was canceled.
Bullock was the voice of Queer Duck in the animated series of cartoons of the same name which have appeared on both the internet and the cable TV network Showtime. In 2000, Bullock was a regular panelist on the revival of I've Got a Secret. He also performed on the national tour of the Broadway production Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad, a role he took to the Broadway stage starting September 18, 2007. Some of his other noteworthy roles include the pilled-up narcoleptic Prince Valium in the 1987 Mel Brooks movie Spaceballs, and the "not-quite-out-of-the-closet" character in a dating montage at the beginning of 2001's Kissing Jessica Stein. From 2004 to 2007, he had a recurring role as Mr. Monroe, a teacher at the fictional James K. Polk Middle School on the Nickelodeon live-action sitcom Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
In July 2022, Bullock appeared as George in the Hollywood Bowl production of Kinky Boots.
Personal life
editIn 1985, while Too Close for Comfort was being retooled as The Ted Knight Show, Bullock learned that he was HIV positive. He made his diagnosis public 11 years later.[5]
In 1996, Bullock's partner of six years, John Casey, died from AIDS-related complications.[1][2] Bullock is a longtime survivor of the virus and, as of 2024[update], was still healthy due in part to antiretroviral drugs.[1][6]
On February 17, 1999, Bullock was arrested outside a bar in West Hollywood, California, for possession of crystal meth, and was sentenced to probation.[2][7]
Filmography
edit| Genre | Year | Title | Role | Episodes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV series | 1980–1987 | Too Close for Comfort | Monroe Ficus | credited as Jm J. Bullock 118 episodes | |
| Film | 1981 | Full Moon High | Eddie | credited as Jm. J. Bullock Alternative title: Moon High | |
| Film | 1987 | Spaceballs | Prince Valium | credited as Jm J. Bullock | |
| Film | 1988 | DeGarmo & Key: Rock Solid...The Rock-u-mentary! | News Reporter | ||
| TV series | 1989 | Super Sloppy Double Dare | Himself/Guest Host | ||
| TV series | 1989–1990 | ALF | Neal Tanner | "He Ain't Heavy, He's Willie's Brother" "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" "Break Up to Make Up" "Happy Together" "Love on the Rocks" |
5 episodes |
| Film | 1991 | Switch | The Psychic | ||
| TV series | 1992 | Seinfeld | Flight Attendant No. 1 | "The Airport" | |
| Music Video | 1994 | Bubba Hyde | Bubba Hyde | "Diamond Rio song" | |
| TV series | 1994–1995 | Boogies Diner | Gerald | unknown episodes | |
| Animated TV series | 1994 | Duckman | "Cellar Beware" | voice actor | |
| TV series | 1996 | Roseanne | Al | "Satan, Darling" | |
| Animated TV series | 2000-2004 | Queer Duck | Adam Seymour "Queer Duck" Duckstein | voice actor; 20 episodes | |
| TV series | 2000 | E! True Hollywood Story | Himself | "Jim J. Bullock" | documentary |
| Documentary | 2000 | The Eyes of Tammy Faye | Himself | ||
| Film | 2000 | Get Your Stuff | Tom | ||
| Film | 2001 | 10 Attitudes | Tex | ||
| Film | 2001 | Kissing Jessica Stein | Not-Yet-Out Gay Guy (Craig) | ||
| Film | 2001 | Circuit | Mark | ||
| TV series | 2001 | Intimate Portrait | Himself | "Tammy Faye" | documentary |
| TV series | 2001 | Popular | Judge | "The Brain Game" | |
| Short film | 2002 | Gaydar | Maurice's Ex | 20 minutes included in the Direct-to-video compilation film Men's Mix 1: Gay Shorts Collection | |
| TV series | 2004–2007 | Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide | Mr. Monroe | 19 episodes | |
| TV series | 2005 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Serge (Wedding Planner) | 2 episodes | |
| Animated film | 2006 | Queer Duck: The Movie | Adam Seymour "Queer Duck" Duckstein | voice actor; Direct-to-video release | |
| Film | 2008 | One, Two, Many | Derek | ||
| Animated TV series | 2008 | Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World | Jacques-Jean/Emerald Joe | "Wickeder" | voice actor |
| TV series | 2009 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Serge (Wedding Planner) | 10 episodes | |
| Short film | 2009 | Cost of Living | Bill | 15 minutes | |
| Film | 2009 | The Fish | Jim-Jay "The Star" | ||
| Documentary | 2010 | Frances: A Mother Divine | Himself | ||
| Film | 2010 | Role/Play | Bernie | ||
| Film | 2014 | Ron and Laura Take Back America | Bob Zackie | ||
| TV series | 2015 | Glee | Cert | "Loser Like Me" | 1 episode |
| TV series | 2015 | Good Job, Thanks! | John McWayne | "Hacked!" | 1 episode |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Salkin, Judith (January 23, 2011). "Jim J. Bullock plays dual role: Clown, HIV survivor". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ a b c Zachary, Bohdan (July 20, 1999). "The Comeback Kidder". The Advocate. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018.
- ^ Smith, C. Brian (September 30, 2020). "An Oral History of 'The New Hollywood Squares'". MEL. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- ^ Eakin, Marah; Teti, John; Adams, Erik (June 16, 2014). "Bonus round stars: 9 celebrities who found their greatest fame on game shows". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ Sacks, Ethan (November 23, 2015). "Before Charlie Sheen, here are other celebrities whose HIV-positive diagnoses or contracting of AIDS shocked fans". Daily News. New York. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Falcon, Mike (June 6, 2001). "Jim J. Bullock reflects on AIDS anniversary". USA Today. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
- ^ "Too Close for Comfort: 1980–1985". People. June 26, 2000. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
