James Whitmore, American actor (died 2009)

James Allen Whitmore Jr. was an American actor. He attended Yale University on a football scholarship, but quit after injuring his knees, and joined the dramatic society. After graduating with a degree in government, he served as a lieutenant in the US Marines during World War II. After the war, he appeared on Broadway followed by a number of film roles and then television. Whitmore acted on stage, in film, and on TV for over 50 years. He received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award for his role on the legal drama series The Practice, a Theatre World Award, and a Tony Award for Command Decision, plus two Academy Award nominations. He was known to later audiences for his role in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) as Brooks Hatlen, a prison librarian released after 50 years who had a hard time adjusting to life on the outside.