James McDaniel

Actor, Director, Producer

McDaniel began acting on the stage. He appeared in the original production of Six Degrees of Separation as Paul Poitier, and received the Clarence Derwent Award for his performance. McDaniel originated the role of Adam in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, being the only American in the cast. He received an Obie Award after performing in Before It Hits Home.

McDaniel guest starred as a cop on Hill Street Blues, created by Steven Bochco. Thereafter, he appeared often in productions with Bochco’s involvement, including L.A. Law and Civil Wars. He played Lt. Arthur Fancy on NYPD Blue for eight seasons, between 1993 to 2001. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 for his work on the series. He also received three consecutive NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

He portrayed the role of Sgt. Jesse Longford in crime drama Detroit 1-8-7. McDaniel appeared as an investigator in The Following and was Ezra Mills, Abbie’s father, in Sleepy Hollow. McDaniel made a guest appearance as a jazz trumpeter in NCIS: New Orleans. McDaniel appeared in Tamara Tunie’s See You in September (2010) and in the Jordana Spiro film Night Comes On (2018).
McDaniel has also appeared extensively in television films, namely Silencing Mary (1996), Unforgivable (1996), and Out of Time (2000), the latter in a rare role as the main character. He portrayed Nat King Cole in Livin’ for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000). Natalie Cole personally handpicked McDaniel to play her father.

McDaniel received an Emmy and a Peabody Award for his performance in Edge of America (2004) and an Emmy Award nomination for Public Television’s Storytime (1992). An accomplished stage actor, he won the prestigious Obie Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his portrayal of Wendall in the New York stage production of Before It Hits Home. He also received the Clarence Derwent Award for the Tony Award-winning Broadway play Six Degrees of Separation.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., McDaniel attended the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in veterinary medicine. McDaniel lives in New York City with his wife Hannelore. They have two sons.