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'''Jeffrey Duncan Jones''' (born September 28, 1946) is an American [[character actor]] best known for his roles as [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II]] in ''[[Amadeus (film)|Amadeus]]'' (1984), Edward R. Rooney in ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]'' (1986), Charles Deetz in ''[[Beetlejuice]]'' (1988), and [[A. W. Merrick]] in both ''[[Deadwood (TV series)|Deadwood]]'' (2004–2006) and ''[[Deadwood: The Movie]]'' (2019).<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jeffrey_jones/ |website=RottenTomatoes.com |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AW Merrick played by Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/cast-and-crew/aw-merrick |website=HBO.com |publisher=[[HBO]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> His career started in [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] and advanced to London and Broadway. In film and television, Jones has had many roles which capitalized on his [[deadpan]] portrayal of characters in unusual situations, often to comic effect. He was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award]] for his performance in ''Amadeus'' and a [[Screen Actors Guild Award]] as part of the ensemble cast of ''Deadwood''. <ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/jeffrey-jones |website=GoldenGlobes.com |publisher=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®: Nominations |url=https://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/press-releases/13th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards%C2%AE-nominations |website=SAGAwards.com |publisher=[[Screen Actors Guild]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
'''Jeffrey Duncan Jones''' (born September 28, 1946) is an American [[character actor]] best known for his roles as [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II]] in ''[[Amadeus (film)|Amadeus]]'' (1984), Edward R. Rooney in ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]'' (1986), Charles Deetz in ''[[Beetlejuice]]'' (1988), and [[A. W. Merrick]] in both ''[[Deadwood (TV series)|Deadwood]]'' (2004–2006) and ''[[Deadwood: The Movie]]'' (2019).<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jeffrey_jones/ |website=RottenTomatoes.com |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AW Merrick played by Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/cast-and-crew/aw-merrick |website=HBO.com |publisher=[[HBO]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> His career started in [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] and advanced to London and Broadway. In film and television, Jones has had many roles which capitalized on his [[deadpan]] portrayal of characters in unusual situations, often to comic effect. He was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award]] for his performance in ''Amadeus'' and a [[Screen Actors Guild Award]] as part of the ensemble cast of ''Deadwood''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/jeffrey-jones |website=GoldenGlobes.com |publisher=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®: Nominations |url=https://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/press-releases/13th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards%C2%AE-nominations |website=SAGAwards.com |publisher=[[Screen Actors Guild]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


==Early career==
==Early career==
After graduating from the [[Putney School]] in 1964, Jones enrolled at [[Lawrence University]] as a [[Premed|premed student]], where his performances in university productions brought him to the attention of [[Tyrone Guthrie]], who recruited him for the [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]].<ref name="Shindler">{{cite magazine |last=Shindler |first=Merrill | title = Keeping Up with the Jones | journal=Los Angeles Magazine | publisher=Los Angeles Times |volume=34 |series=The Monthly Guide—Films |pages=189–192 |date=September 1989 |issn=1522-9149 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/116374164 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> He then went to London in 1969 to study at the [[London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art]], followed by a three-year stint with the Stratford Theatre in [[Stratford, Ontario]].<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web |last=Bowman |first=Alex G. |title=Jeffrey Jones: Biography |website=IMDb.com |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000470/bio |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
After graduating from the [[Putney School]] in 1964, Jones enrolled at [[Lawrence University]] as a [[Premed|premed student]], where his performances in university productions brought him to the attention of [[Tyrone Guthrie]], who recruited him for the [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]].<ref name="Shindler">{{cite magazine |last=Shindler |first=Merrill | title = Keeping Up with the Jones | journal=Los Angeles Magazine | publisher=Los Angeles Times |volume=34 |series=The Monthly Guide—Films |pages=189–192 |date=September 1989 |issn=1522-9149 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/116374164 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> He then went to London in 1969 to study at the [[London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art]], followed by a three-year stint with the Stratford Theatre in [[Stratford, Ontario]].<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web |last=Bowman |first=Alex G. |title=Jeffrey Jones: Biography |website=IMDb.com |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000470/bio |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


His stage career included more than 125 productions, starting with the Guthrie Theater, then internationally in South America, Canada, and London,<ref name="NYT Bio"/> and ultimately in New York's [[Broadway theatre]], appearing with [[Sigourney Weaver]], [[Christopher Walken]], [[David Bowie]] and [[Meryl Streep]]. Productions included, ''[[Cloud 9 (play)|Cloud 9]]'', ''[[A Flea in Her Ear]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' and ''[[The Elephant Man (play)|The Elephant Man]]''. His transition from stage to film began in 1970.<ref name="Shindler"/>
His stage career included more than 125 productions, starting with the Guthrie Theater, then internationally in South America, Canada, and London,<ref name="NYT Bio"/> and ultimately in New York's [[Broadway theatre]], appearing with [[Sigourney Weaver]], [[Christopher Walken]], [[David Bowie]] and [[Meryl Streep]]. Productions included, ''[[Cloud 9 (play)|Cloud 9]]'', ''[[A Flea in Her Ear]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' and ''[[The Elephant Man (play)|The Elephant Man]]''. His transition from stage to film began in 1970.<ref name="Shindler"/>


==Film and television career==
==Film and television career==
Jones began acting in small parts in film and television in the 1970s. In his best-known roles as Emperor Joseph II in ''Amadeus'', Charles Deetz in ''Beetlejuice'', and Edward R. Rooney in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'', his dead-pan expression and distinctive face bring a comic flavor to his characters through their reactions to the situations in which they find themselves, more so than the wit in their scripted lines.<ref name="Shindler"/> ''[[The New York Times]]<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' biographic profile says of Jones, "Although he has tried to steer clear of playing only sinister roles, the actor's imposing height, bugged-out eyes, easy sneer, and shock of reddish-blond hair give him vaguely devilish features that have prompted villain typecasting. However, the actor is also widely respected and considered a boon wherever he appears." The profile describes his portrayals variously as a "hissable, cartoonish high school principal" in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'', a "good-natured father" in ''Beetlejuice'', "an interplanetary freedom fighter" in ''Mom and Dad Save the World'', a "demon stand-in" in ''Stay Tuned'', "evil bespectacled twins" in ''Out on a Limb'', plus other ''[[persona]]e'' in a variety of other roles.<ref name="NYT Bio">{{cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Derek |title=Movies & TV—Jeffrey Jones |newspaper=New York Times |date=17 January 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/36137/Jeffrey-Jones/biography |access-date = 2014-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306025247/https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/36137/Jeffrey-Jones/biography |archive-date=6 March 2016}}</ref>
Jones began acting in small parts in film and television in the 1970s. In his best-known roles as Emperor Joseph II in ''Amadeus'', Charles Deetz in ''Beetlejuice'', and Edward R. Rooney in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'', his dead-pan expression and distinctive face bring a comic flavor to his characters through their reactions to the situations in which they find themselves, more so than the wit in their scripted lines.<ref name="Shindler"/> ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} biographic profile says of Jones, "Although he has tried to steer clear of playing only sinister roles, the actor's imposing height, bugged-out eyes, easy sneer, and shock of reddish-blond hair give him vaguely devilish features that have prompted villain typecasting. However, the actor is also widely respected and considered a boon wherever he appears." The profile describes his portrayals variously as a "hissable, cartoonish high school principal" in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'', a "good-natured father" in ''Beetlejuice'', "an interplanetary freedom fighter" in ''Mom and Dad Save the World'', a "demon stand-in" in ''Stay Tuned'', "evil bespectacled twins" in ''Out on a Limb'', plus other ''[[persona]]e'' in a variety of other roles.<ref name="NYT Bio">{{cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Derek |title=Movies & TV—Jeffrey Jones |newspaper=New York Times |date=17 January 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/36137/Jeffrey-Jones/biography |access-date = 2014-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306025247/https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/36137/Jeffrey-Jones/biography |archive-date=6 March 2016}}</ref>


Jones' work in the [[Lucille Lortel Theatre]] production of ''Cloud 9'' was noticed by the casting team of ''[[Easy Money (1983 film)|Easy Money]]'' (1983), earning Jones a supporting role opposite [[Rodney Dangerfield]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cloud 9 |url=http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/614 |website=Lortel.org |publisher=[[Lortel Archives]] |access-date=30 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Coozer |first1=Adam |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.readjunk.com/interviews/jeffrey-jones/ |website=ReadJunk.com |accessdate=30 March 2019}}</ref>
Jones's work in the [[Lucille Lortel Theatre]] production of ''Cloud 9'' was noticed by the casting team of ''[[Easy Money (1983 film)|Easy Money]]'' (1983), earning Jones a supporting role opposite [[Rodney Dangerfield]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cloud 9 |url=http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/614 |website=Lortel.org |publisher=[[Lortel Archives]] |access-date=30 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Coozer |first1=Adam |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=https://www.readjunk.com/interviews/jeffrey-jones/ |website=ReadJunk.com |accessdate=30 March 2019}}</ref>


===''Amadeus''===
===''Amadeus''===
''Cloud 9'' further attracted the attention of director [[Miloš Forman]], who cast Jones as Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in ''Amadeus'' (1984), an adaptation of the [[Peter Shaffer]] [[Amadeus|play of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Champlin |first=Charles |title=Jeffrey Jones Rising On A Musical Note |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1985-01-10/entertainment/ca-9434_1_jeffrey-jones |website=LATimes.com |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=10 January 1985 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Critic [[James Berardinelli]] noted that Jones portrayed the Emperor "as a superficial and self-absorbed ruler who can't tell the difference between a great opera and a mediocre one".<ref>{{cite web |first=James |last=Berardinelli |title=Amadeus |publisher=Reelviews |year=2003 |access-date=10 October 2018 |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/a/amadeus.html}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised the performance, citing the film's most memorable line, when the Emperor complains of ''[[Die Entführung aus dem Serail]]'' that "there are too many notes".<ref name="NYT Amadeus">
''Cloud 9'' further attracted the attention of director [[Miloš Forman]], who cast Jones as Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in ''Amadeus'' (1984), an adaptation of the [[Peter Shaffer]] [[Amadeus|play of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Champlin |first=Charles |title=Jeffrey Jones Rising On A Musical Note |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1985-01-10/entertainment/ca-9434_1_jeffrey-jones |website=LATimes.com |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=10 January 1985 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Critic [[James Berardinelli]] noted that Jones portrayed the Emperor "as a superficial and self-absorbed ruler who can't tell the difference between a great opera and a mediocre one".<ref>{{cite web |first=James |last=Berardinelli |title=Amadeus |publisher=Reelviews |year=2003 |access-date=10 October 2018 |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/a/amadeus.html}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised the performance, citing the film's most memorable line, when the Emperor complains of ''[[Die Entführung aus dem Serail]]'' that "there are too many notes".<ref name="NYT Amadeus">
{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link = Vincent Canby |title='Amadeus,' Directed by Forman |newspaper=New York Times |date=19 September 1984 |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/amadeus-re.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones' work earned him a nomination for the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Winners & Nominees 1985 |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1985/all#category-1892 |website=GoldenGlobes.com |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link = Vincent Canby |title='Amadeus,' Directed by Forman |newspaper=New York Times |date=19 September 1984 |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/amadeus-re.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones's work earned him a nomination for the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Winners & Nominees 1985 |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1985/all#category-1892 |website=GoldenGlobes.com |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


===''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''===
===''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''===
Jones' performance as Edward R. Rooney in the film ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986) made him a cultural icon.<ref name="Shindler"/><ref name="Where">{{cite news |first=Sheila |last=Marikar |title=The Cast of ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'': Where Are They Now? |publisher=ABC News |date=2 July 2010 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/matthew-broderick-jeffrey-jones-ferris-buellers-day-off/story?id=11067265 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Rooney, self-important and obsessed with catching the chronically truant Ferris Bueller, became a symbol of pomposity and authoritarian hatefulness. ''The New York Times<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' review characterized Jones' performance as having "fine cartoon like ferocity", wherein his character "gets scratched, bitten, attacked by ferocious dogs and covered with mud while pursuing his weaker, but craftier prey, and emerges each time bruised but undaunted, thinking up some new (and futile) plan." The review likened Jones' role as akin to that of [[Wile E. Coyote]] as a character who is fated to be unable to catch [[The Road Runner]] (Ferris Bueller).<ref name="NYT Bueller">{{cite news |last=Darnton |first=Nina |title=Screen: A Youth's Day Off |newspaper=New York Times |date=11 June 1986 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/11/movies/screen-a-youth-s-day-off.html | access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones expressed concern about being remembered more for this role than for ''Amadeus''. He further said, regarding the film's premise, "What's amazing about Ferris Bueller, is that we're asked to, and do, sympathise with a kid whose only complaint in life is that his sister got a car for her birthday and he got a computer."<ref name="Empire FB">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Adam |title=Ferris Bueller's Day Off Review |publisher=Empire |date=1 January 2014 |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/ferris-bueller-day/review/ |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
Jones's performance as Edward R. Rooney in the film ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986) made him a cultural icon.<ref name="Shindler"/><ref name="Where">{{cite news |first=Sheila |last=Marikar |title=The Cast of ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'': Where Are They Now? |publisher=ABC News |date=2 July 2010 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/matthew-broderick-jeffrey-jones-ferris-buellers-day-off/story?id=11067265 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Rooney, self-important and obsessed with catching the chronically truant Ferris Bueller, became a symbol of pomposity and authoritarian hatefulness. ''The New York Times''{{'}} review characterized Jones's performance as having "fine cartoon like ferocity", wherein his character "gets scratched, bitten, attacked by ferocious dogs and covered with mud while pursuing his weaker, but craftier prey, and emerges each time bruised but undaunted, thinking up some new (and futile) plan." The review likened Jones's role as akin to that of [[Wile E. Coyote]] as a character who is fated to be unable to catch [[The Road Runner]] (Ferris Bueller).<ref name="NYT Bueller">{{cite news |last=Darnton |first=Nina |title=Screen: A Youth's Day Off |newspaper=New York Times |date=11 June 1986 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/11/movies/screen-a-youth-s-day-off.html | access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones expressed concern about being remembered more for this role than for ''Amadeus''. He further said, regarding the film's premise, "What's amazing about Ferris Bueller, is that we're asked to, and do, sympathise with a kid whose only complaint in life is that his sister got a car for her birthday and he got a computer."<ref name="Empire FB">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Adam |title=Ferris Bueller's Day Off Review |publisher=Empire |date=1 January 2014 |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/ferris-bueller-day/review/ |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


===''Beetlejuice'' and Tim Burton===
===''Beetlejuice'' and Tim Burton===
In the horror comedy film ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), Jones and [[Catherine O'Hara]] portrayed a married couple (Charles and Delia Deetz) who unwittingly become co-owners of a haunted house. To highlight this couple's status as bores, director [[Tim Burton]] cast [[Dick Cavett]] and [[Robert Goulet]] to appear as their guests at a dinner party, at which the ghosts of the previous owners cause everyone to sing "[[Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)]]".<ref>{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |title=Review/Film; Ghosts And Extra Eyeballs |newspaper=New York Times |date=30 March 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/30/movies/review-film-ghosts-and-extra-eyeballs.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
In the horror comedy film ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), Jones and [[Catherine O'Hara]] portrayed a married couple (Charles and Delia Deetz) who unwittingly become co-owners of a haunted house. To highlight this couple's status as bores, director [[Tim Burton]] cast [[Dick Cavett]] and [[Robert Goulet]] to appear as their guests at a dinner party, at which the ghosts of the previous owners cause everyone to sing "[[Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)]]".<ref>{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |title=Review/Film; Ghosts And Extra Eyeballs |newspaper=New York Times |date=30 March 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/30/movies/review-film-ghosts-and-extra-eyeballs.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


Jones collaborated with Burton again on the films ''[[Ed Wood (film)|Ed Wood]]'' (1994), in which he portrays [[The Amazing Criswell]], and ''[[Sleepy Hollow (film)|Sleepy Hollow]]'' (1998). Shortly prior to the release of ''Sleepy Hollow'', Jones said of Burton "I've known Tim now for quite some time and really enjoy working with him. I like his sensibility, and he's great fun."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Michelle Erica |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=http://www.littlereview.com/getcritical/interviews/jones.htm |website=LittleReview.com |accessdate=30 March 2019}}</ref>
Jones collaborated with Burton again on the films ''[[Ed Wood (film)|Ed Wood]]'' (1994), in which he portrays [[The Amazing Criswell]], and ''[[Sleepy Hollow (film)|Sleepy Hollow]]'' (1999). Shortly prior to the release of ''Sleepy Hollow'', Jones said of Burton "I've known Tim now for quite some time and really enjoy working with him. I like his sensibility, and he's great fun."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Michelle Erica |title=Jeffrey Jones |url=http://www.littlereview.com/getcritical/interviews/jones.htm |website=LittleReview.com |accessdate=30 March 2019}}</ref>


===Other films===
===Other films===
Jones played Dr. Walter Jenning in the [[George Lucas]] film ''[[Howard the Duck]]'' (1986).<ref name="Release-2">{{cite AV media | people=Thompson, Lea; Jones, Jeffry; Gale, Ed |date=2009 |chapter=Releasing the Duck |title=Howard the Duck |medium=DVD (extra) |publisher=Universal Home Video |id=[[UPC-A]] 025195052306}}</ref> He portrayed [[Inspector Lestrade]] in the [[Sherlock Holmes]] spoof film ''[[Without a Clue]]'' (1988). In ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' (1990), he played ex-submarine commander Skip Tyler, who identifies the Red October's propulsion system to [[Alec Baldwin]]'s [[Jack Ryan (character)|Jack Ryan]]. He also appeared as real life figure [[Thomas Putnam]] in ''[[The Crucible (1996 film)|The Crucible]]'' (1996). As lumber mogul Joe Potter, Jones was the primary antagonist of the [[Eddie Murphy]] comedy ''[[Dr. Dolittle 2]]'' (2001).
Jones played Dr. Walter Jenning in the [[George Lucas]] film ''[[Howard the Duck]]'' (1986).<ref name="Release-2">{{cite AV media | people=Thompson, Lea; Jones, Jeffry; Gale, Ed |date=2009 |chapter=Releasing the Duck |title=Howard the Duck |medium=DVD (extra) |publisher=Universal Home Video |id=[[UPC-A]] 025195052306}}</ref> He portrayed [[Inspector Lestrade]] in the [[Sherlock Holmes]] spoof film ''[[Without a Clue]]'' (1988). In ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' (1990), he played ex-submarine commander Skip Tyler, who identifies the Red October's propulsion system to [[Alec Baldwin]]'s [[Jack Ryan (character)|Jack Ryan]]. He also appeared as real-life figure [[Thomas Putnam]] in ''[[The Crucible (1996 film)|The Crucible]]'' (1996). As lumber mogul Joe Potter, Jones was the primary antagonist of the [[Eddie Murphy]] comedy ''[[Dr. Dolittle 2]]'' (2001).


===Television roles===
===Television roles===
One of Jones' earliest television roles was in an episode of the short-lived [[CBS]] series ''[[Sara (U.S. 1976 TV series)|Sara]]'' (1976). He showcased his villain persona as the sinister Mister Acme (owner of Acme Toxic Waste) in the satirical comedy miniseries ''[[Fresno (miniseries)|Fresno]]'' (1986), starring [[Carol Burnett]], [[Charles Grodin]] and [[Dabney Coleman]]. For [[Disney]], Jones hosted the 1987 [[D-TV]] Monster Hits musical special (as the [[Magic Mirror (Snow White)|Magic Mirror]]) and later co-starred with [[Tyra Banks]], [[Kathy Najimy]] and [[Kevin Pollak]] in the video storyline portion of the [[Walt Disney World]] attraction [[ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter]], a staple of [[Tomorrowland]] from 1995 to 2003. He has had guest roles on a number of television series, including ''[[Amazing Stories (1985 TV series)|Amazing Stories]]'', ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'' and ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.<ref name="IMDb" /> He was the star of another short-lived [[CBS]] program: sitcom ''[[The People Next Door (U.S. TV series)|The People Next Door]]'' (1989), portraying a cartoonist whose imagination could make things come to life.<ref name="NYT Bio"/>
One of Jones's earliest television roles was in an episode of the short-lived [[CBS]] series ''[[Sara (U.S. 1976 TV series)|Sara]]'' (1976). He showcased his villain persona as the sinister Mister Acme (owner of Acme Toxic Waste) in the satirical comedy miniseries ''[[Fresno (miniseries)|Fresno]]'' (1986), starring [[Carol Burnett]], [[Charles Grodin]] and [[Dabney Coleman]]. For [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], Jones hosted the 1987 [[Disney Channel|D-TV]] Monster Hits musical special (as the [[Magic Mirror (Snow White)|Magic Mirror]]) and later co-starred with [[Tyra Banks]], [[Kathy Najimy]] and [[Kevin Pollak]] in the video storyline portion of the [[Walt Disney World]] attraction [[ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter]], a staple of [[Tomorrowland]] from 1995 to 2003. He has had guest roles on a number of television series, including ''[[Amazing Stories (1985 TV series)|Amazing Stories]]'', ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'' and ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.<ref name="IMDb" /> He was the star of another short-lived [[CBS]] program: sitcom ''[[The People Next Door (U.S. TV series)|The People Next Door]]'' (1989), portraying a cartoonist whose imagination could make things come to life.<ref name="NYT Bio"/>


Jones' most prominent television role is that of newspaper publisher A. W. Merrick on the acclaimed [[HBO]] drama series ''Deadwood'' (2004–2006).<ref>{{cite web |title=Deadwood |publisher=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/tv/show/69210/Deadwood/details |access-date=10 October 2018 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225145736/https://www.nytimes.com/tv/show/69210/Deadwood/details}}</ref> Keith Uhlich of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' referred to both Jones and the character of Merrick as "peversely appropriate additions" to the program, further citing Merrick as its "secular soul".<ref>{{cite web |last=Uhlich |first=Keith |title=Deadweek: The Wordsmith’s Credo—A Portrait of A.W. Merrick |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/deadweek-the-wordsmiths-credo-a-portrait-of-aw-merrick |website=SlantMagazine.com |publisher=[[Slant Magazine]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Along with the ensemble cast, Jones was nominated for the [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards |url=https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/13th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards |website=SAGAwards.org |publisher=[[SAG-AFTRA]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
Jones's most prominent television role is that of newspaper publisher A. W. Merrick on the acclaimed [[HBO]] drama series ''Deadwood'' (2004–2006).<ref>{{cite web |title=Deadwood |publisher=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/tv/show/69210/Deadwood/details |access-date=10 October 2018 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225145736/https://www.nytimes.com/tv/show/69210/Deadwood/details}}</ref> Keith Uhlich of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' referred to both Jones and the character of Merrick as "peversely appropriate additions" to the program, further citing Merrick as its "secular soul".<ref>{{cite web |last=Uhlich |first=Keith |title=Deadweek: The Wordsmith’s Credo—A Portrait of A.W. Merrick |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/deadweek-the-wordsmiths-credo-a-portrait-of-aw-merrick |website=SlantMagazine.com |publisher=[[Slant Magazine]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Along with the ensemble cast, Jones was nominated for the [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards |url=https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/13th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards |website=SAGAwards.org |publisher=[[SAG-AFTRA]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>


==Later career==
==Later career==
Subsequent to his legal troubles,<ref>{{cite web |first=Associated |last=Press |title='Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge |url=http://www.today.com/id/38027258/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/ferris-bueller-actor-faces-felony-charge/#.Wgjp51WnGM8 |website=Today.com |publisher=[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones has become progressively less active as a performer. Following his appearance in the [[golf]] comedy ''[[Who's Your Caddy?]]'' (2007), he was absent from film and television for several years. He returned with an uncredited cameo as ''[[Collier's]]'' editor Charles Colebaugh in the [[Emmy]]-nominated [[HBO]] original film ''[[Hemingway & Gellhorn]]'' (2012),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bowman |first1=Donna |title=Hemingway & Gellhorn |url=https://tv.avclub.com/hemingway-gellhorn-1798172952 |publisher=''[[The A.V. Club]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref> followed by the supporting role of scientist Gladstone in the independent [[disaster film]] ''[[10.0 Earthquake]]'' (2014).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |title=Henry Ian Cusick and Jeffrey Jones to Star in ‘10.0 The Big One’ |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/henry-ian-cusick-and-jeffrey-jones-to-star-in-10-0-the-big-one-1201151226/ |publisher=''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref> Jones went on to play a fictional version of himself in the short film ''7 Days'' (2016)<ref>{{cite web |title=7 Days (2016) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5009636 |website=IMDb.com |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=4 February 2019}}</ref> and reprised the role of A. W. Merrick in ''Deadwood: The Movie''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schager |first1=Nick |title=HBO’s ‘Deadwood: The Movie’ Is the Perfect End to Television’s Best Show |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/hbos-deadwood-the-movie-is-the-perfect-end-to-televisions-best-show |publisher=''[[The Daily Beast]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref>
Subsequent to his legal troubles,<ref>{{cite web |first=Associated |last=Press |title='Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge |url=http://www.today.com/id/38027258/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/ferris-bueller-actor-faces-felony-charge/#.Wgjp51WnGM8 |website=Today.com |publisher=[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Jones has become progressively less active as a performer. Following his appearance in the [[golf]] comedy ''[[Who's Your Caddy?]]'' (2007), he was absent from film and television for several years. He returned with an uncredited cameo as ''[[Collier's]]'' editor Charles Colebaugh in the [[Emmy Award|Emmy]]-nominated [[HBO]] original film ''[[Hemingway & Gellhorn]]'' (2012),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bowman |first1=Donna |title=Hemingway & Gellhorn |url=https://tv.avclub.com/hemingway-gellhorn-1798172952 |publisher=''[[The A.V. Club]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref> followed by the supporting role of scientist Gladstone in the independent [[disaster film]] ''[[10.0 Earthquake]]'' (2014).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |title=Henry Ian Cusick and Jeffrey Jones to Star in ‘10.0 The Big One’ |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/henry-ian-cusick-and-jeffrey-jones-to-star-in-10-0-the-big-one-1201151226/ |publisher=''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref> Jones went on to play a fictional version of himself in the short film ''7 Days'' (2016)<ref>{{cite web |title=7 Days (2016) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5009636 |website=IMDb.com |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=4 February 2019}}</ref> and reprised the role of A. W. Merrick in ''Deadwood: The Movie''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schager |first1=Nick |title=HBO’s ‘Deadwood: The Movie’ Is the Perfect End to Television’s Best Show |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/hbos-deadwood-the-movie-is-the-perfect-end-to-televisions-best-show |publisher=''[[The Daily Beast]]'' |accessdate=5 June 2019}}</ref>


In May 2015, Jones returned to the stage with the New American Theatre production of ''63 Trillion'', directed by [[Steve Zuckerman]]. The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised his portrayal of financial adviser Dick as having "malevolent gusto that Satan himself might envy."<ref>{{cite web |title=63 Trillion |url=https://www.newamericantheatre.com/63trillion.html |website=NewAmericanTheatre.com |access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Margaret |title=A one-note aria of the financial world in '63 Trillion' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-theater-review-63-trillion-at-the-odyssey-theatre-20150512-story.html |date=14 May 2015 |website=LATimes.com |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=10 October 2018}}</ref> Beginning in March 2018, Jones portrayed ailing patriarch Bradley in a production of the [[A. R. Gurney]] play ''[[The Cocktail Hour]]'', staged at the Annenberg Theater in the [[Palm Springs Art Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cvindependent.com/index.php/en-US/arts-and-culture/theater/item/4442-not-quite-ready-for-drinks-due-to-an-illness-coyote-stageworks-the-cocktail-hour-opened-before-it-should-have |title=Not Quite Ready for Drinks: Due to an Illness, Coyote StageWorks' 'The Cocktail Hour' Opened Before It Should Have |last=Hume |first=Valerie-Jean (VJ) |date=24 March 2018 |website=CV Independent |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Liebross |first=Audrey |date=26 March 2018 |title=BWW Review: A Qualified Yes to THE COCKTAIL HOUR |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/palm-springs/article/BWW-Review-A-Qualified-Yes-to-THE-COCKTAIL-HOUR-20180326 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
In May 2015, Jones returned to the stage with the New American Theatre production of ''63 Trillion'', directed by [[Steve Zuckerman]]. The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised his portrayal of financial adviser Dick as having "malevolent gusto that Satan himself might envy."<ref>{{cite web |title=63 Trillion |url=https://www.newamericantheatre.com/63trillion.html |website=NewAmericanTheatre.com |access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Margaret |title=A one-note aria of the financial world in '63 Trillion' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-theater-review-63-trillion-at-the-odyssey-theatre-20150512-story.html |date=14 May 2015 |website=LATimes.com |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=10 October 2018}}</ref> Beginning in March 2018, Jones portrayed ailing patriarch Bradley in a production of the [[A. R. Gurney]] play ''[[The Cocktail Hour]]'', staged at the Annenberg Theater in the [[Palm Springs Art Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cvindependent.com/index.php/en-US/arts-and-culture/theater/item/4442-not-quite-ready-for-drinks-due-to-an-illness-coyote-stageworks-the-cocktail-hour-opened-before-it-should-have |title=Not Quite Ready for Drinks: Due to an Illness, Coyote StageWorks' 'The Cocktail Hour' Opened Before It Should Have |last=Hume |first=Valerie-Jean (VJ) |date=24 March 2018 |website=CV Independent |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Liebross |first=Audrey |date=26 March 2018 |title=BWW Review: A Qualified Yes to THE COCKTAIL HOUR |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/palm-springs/article/BWW-Review-A-Qualified-Yes-to-THE-COCKTAIL-HOUR-20180326 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
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===Legal troubles===
===Legal troubles===
In 2002, Jones was arrested for possession of [[child pornography]] and accused by a 17-year-old boy of solicitation to pose for nude photographs.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">{{cite news |last=Susman |first=Gary |title=Actor Jeffrey Jones is busted on child porn charges |newspaper=Huffington Post |date=1 November 2002 |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/11/01/actor-jeffrey-jones-busted-child-porn-charges/ |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> He pleaded no contest to a felony charge of soliciting a minor, as the accuser was 14 when the offense first occurred.<ref>{{cite web |title=Actor Hit With Teen Sex Suit |url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/actor-hit-teen-sex-suit |website=TheSmokingGun.com |publisher=[[The Smoking Gun]] |accessdate=16 February 2019}}</ref> At the same time, the misdemeanor charge of possession of child pornography was dropped. His attorney emphasized that there was no allegation of improper physical contact. His punishment was five years probation, counseling, and the requirement to register as a [[sex offender]].<ref name="contactmusic.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/jeffrey-jones/news/jeffrey-jones-pleads-no-contest-to-porn-charges |title=Jeffrey Jones Pleads No Contest To Porn Charges |last=WENN |first= |date=9 July 2003 |website=ContactMusic.com |access-date=10 October 2018 |quote=Jones, 56, says, "This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again."}}</ref>
In 2002, Jones was arrested for possession of [[child pornography]] and accused by a 17-year-old boy of solicitation to pose for nude photographs.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">{{cite news |last=Susman |first=Gary |title=Actor Jeffrey Jones is busted on child porn charges |newspaper=Huffington Post |date=1 November 2002 |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/11/01/actor-jeffrey-jones-busted-child-porn-charges/ |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> He pleaded no contest to a felony charge of soliciting a minor, as the accuser was 14 when the offense first occurred.<ref>{{cite web |title=Actor Hit With Teen Sex Suit |url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/actor-hit-teen-sex-suit |website=TheSmokingGun.com |publisher=[[The Smoking Gun]] |accessdate=16 February 2019}}</ref> At the same time, the misdemeanor charge of possession of child pornography was dropped. His attorney emphasized that there was no allegation of improper physical contact. His punishment was five years' probation, counseling, and the requirement to register as a [[sex offender]].<ref name="contactmusic.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/jeffrey-jones/news/jeffrey-jones-pleads-no-contest-to-porn-charges |title=Jeffrey Jones Pleads No Contest To Porn Charges |last=WENN |first= |date=9 July 2003 |website=ContactMusic.com |access-date=10 October 2018 |quote=Jones, 56, says, "This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again."}}</ref>


Jones was arrested twice for failing to update his sex offender status, first in Florida in 2004,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38027258/ns/today-entertainment/ |dead-url=yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928085837/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38027258/ns/today-entertainment/ |archive-date=28 September 2012 |title='Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge |website=[[MSNBC.com]] |date=30 June 2010}}</ref> and then six years later in California.<ref name="cbs">{{cite news |first=Caroline |last=Black |title=Jeffrey Jones Guilty: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Actor Didn't Update Sex Offender Status |date=29 September 2010 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-jones-guilty-ferris-buellers-day-off-actor-didnt-update-sex-offender-status/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> In 2006, Jones' record became the subject of community complaint during production of ''Who's Your Caddy?'' in [[Aiken, South Carolina]]. Upon learning of his involvement, locals insisted that the public should have been alerted, considering that families were being invited to visit the set.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cho |first=Diane |title=Cast of movie filming in Aiken includes registered sex offender |url=https://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/4461422.html |date=23 October 2006 |website=WRDW.com |publisher=[[WRDW-TV]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Surrounding the release of ''Deadwood: The Movie'', Jones' crime was noted in the press.<ref>{{cite web |last1=VanDerWerff |first1=Todd |title=Deadwood: The Movie is a fitting capstone to one of TV’s greatest shows |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/5/31/18646457/deadwood-the-movie-review-hbo |publisher=''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' |accessdate=2 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Silver |first1=Stephen |title=Jeffrey Jones, ‘Ferris Bueller’ Actor And Convicted Sex Offender, Has Part In New ‘Deadwood’ Movie |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/5440749/jeffrey-jones-ferris-bueller-sex-offender-deadwood/ |publisher=''[[Inquisitr]]'' |accessdate=2 June 2019}}</ref>
Jones was arrested twice for failing to update his sex offender status, first in Florida in 2004,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38027258/ns/today-entertainment/ |dead-url=yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928085837/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38027258/ns/today-entertainment/ |archive-date=28 September 2012 |title='Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge |website=[[MSNBC.com]] |date=30 June 2010}}</ref> and then six years later in California.<ref name="cbs">{{cite news |first=Caroline |last=Black |title=Jeffrey Jones Guilty: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Actor Didn't Update Sex Offender Status |date=29 September 2010 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-jones-guilty-ferris-buellers-day-off-actor-didnt-update-sex-offender-status/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> In 2006, Jones's record became the subject of community complaint during production of ''Who's Your Caddy?'' in [[Aiken, South Carolina]]. Upon learning of his involvement, locals insisted that the public should have been alerted, considering that families were being invited to visit the set.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cho |first=Diane |title=Cast of movie filming in Aiken includes registered sex offender |url=https://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/4461422.html |date=23 October 2006 |website=WRDW.com |publisher=[[WRDW-TV]] |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> Surrounding the release of ''Deadwood: The Movie'', Jones's crime was noted in the press.<ref>{{cite web |last1=VanDerWerff |first1=Todd |title=Deadwood: The Movie is a fitting capstone to one of TV’s greatest shows |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/5/31/18646457/deadwood-the-movie-review-hbo |publisher=''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' |accessdate=2 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Silver |first1=Stephen |title=Jeffrey Jones, ‘Ferris Bueller’ Actor And Convicted Sex Offender, Has Part In New ‘Deadwood’ Movie |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/5440749/jeffrey-jones-ferris-bueller-sex-offender-deadwood/ |publisher=''[[Inquisitr]]'' |accessdate=2 June 2019}}</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==

Revision as of 15:05, 10 June 2019

For others similarly named, see Jeff Jones (disambiguation).

Jeffrey Jones
Jeffrey Jones in 2012
Born
Jeffrey Duncan Jones

(1946-09-28) September 28, 1946 (age 78)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican
EducationPutney School, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Alma materLawrence University
OccupationActor
Years active1970–present
Notable workAmadeus, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Beetlejuice, The Crucible
ChildrenJulian Coutts[1]

Jeffrey Duncan Jones (born September 28, 1946) is an American character actor best known for his roles as Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus (1984), Edward R. Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice (1988), and A. W. Merrick in both Deadwood (2004–2006) and Deadwood: The Movie (2019).[2][3] His career started in Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota and advanced to London and Broadway. In film and television, Jones has had many roles which capitalized on his deadpan portrayal of characters in unusual situations, often to comic effect. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in Amadeus and a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast of Deadwood.[4][5]

Early career

After graduating from the Putney School in 1964, Jones enrolled at Lawrence University as a premed student, where his performances in university productions brought him to the attention of Tyrone Guthrie, who recruited him for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[6] He then went to London in 1969 to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, followed by a three-year stint with the Stratford Theatre in Stratford, Ontario.[7]

His stage career included more than 125 productions, starting with the Guthrie Theater, then internationally in South America, Canada, and London,[8] and ultimately in New York's Broadway theatre, appearing with Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Walken, David Bowie and Meryl Streep. Productions included, Cloud 9, A Flea in Her Ear, Romeo and Juliet and The Elephant Man. His transition from stage to film began in 1970.[6]

Film and television career

Jones began acting in small parts in film and television in the 1970s. In his best-known roles as Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus, Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice, and Edward R. Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, his dead-pan expression and distinctive face bring a comic flavor to his characters through their reactions to the situations in which they find themselves, more so than the wit in their scripted lines.[6] The New York Times' biographic profile says of Jones, "Although he has tried to steer clear of playing only sinister roles, the actor's imposing height, bugged-out eyes, easy sneer, and shock of reddish-blond hair give him vaguely devilish features that have prompted villain typecasting. However, the actor is also widely respected and considered a boon wherever he appears." The profile describes his portrayals variously as a "hissable, cartoonish high school principal" in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, a "good-natured father" in Beetlejuice, "an interplanetary freedom fighter" in Mom and Dad Save the World, a "demon stand-in" in Stay Tuned, "evil bespectacled twins" in Out on a Limb, plus other personae in a variety of other roles.[8]

Jones's work in the Lucille Lortel Theatre production of Cloud 9 was noticed by the casting team of Easy Money (1983), earning Jones a supporting role opposite Rodney Dangerfield.[9][10]

Amadeus

Cloud 9 further attracted the attention of director Miloš Forman, who cast Jones as Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in Amadeus (1984), an adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play of the same name.[11] Critic James Berardinelli noted that Jones portrayed the Emperor "as a superficial and self-absorbed ruler who can't tell the difference between a great opera and a mediocre one".[12] Vincent Canby of The New York Times praised the performance, citing the film's most memorable line, when the Emperor complains of Die Entführung aus dem Serail that "there are too many notes".[13] Jones's work earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.[14]

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Jones's performance as Edward R. Rooney in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) made him a cultural icon.[6][15] Rooney, self-important and obsessed with catching the chronically truant Ferris Bueller, became a symbol of pomposity and authoritarian hatefulness. The New York Times' review characterized Jones's performance as having "fine cartoon like ferocity", wherein his character "gets scratched, bitten, attacked by ferocious dogs and covered with mud while pursuing his weaker, but craftier prey, and emerges each time bruised but undaunted, thinking up some new (and futile) plan." The review likened Jones's role as akin to that of Wile E. Coyote as a character who is fated to be unable to catch The Road Runner (Ferris Bueller).[16] Jones expressed concern about being remembered more for this role than for Amadeus. He further said, regarding the film's premise, "What's amazing about Ferris Bueller, is that we're asked to, and do, sympathise with a kid whose only complaint in life is that his sister got a car for her birthday and he got a computer."[17]

Beetlejuice and Tim Burton

In the horror comedy film Beetlejuice (1988), Jones and Catherine O'Hara portrayed a married couple (Charles and Delia Deetz) who unwittingly become co-owners of a haunted house. To highlight this couple's status as bores, director Tim Burton cast Dick Cavett and Robert Goulet to appear as their guests at a dinner party, at which the ghosts of the previous owners cause everyone to sing "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".[18]

Jones collaborated with Burton again on the films Ed Wood (1994), in which he portrays The Amazing Criswell, and Sleepy Hollow (1999). Shortly prior to the release of Sleepy Hollow, Jones said of Burton "I've known Tim now for quite some time and really enjoy working with him. I like his sensibility, and he's great fun."[19]

Other films

Jones played Dr. Walter Jenning in the George Lucas film Howard the Duck (1986).[20] He portrayed Inspector Lestrade in the Sherlock Holmes spoof film Without a Clue (1988). In The Hunt for Red October (1990), he played ex-submarine commander Skip Tyler, who identifies the Red October's propulsion system to Alec Baldwin's Jack Ryan. He also appeared as real-life figure Thomas Putnam in The Crucible (1996). As lumber mogul Joe Potter, Jones was the primary antagonist of the Eddie Murphy comedy Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001).

Television roles

One of Jones's earliest television roles was in an episode of the short-lived CBS series Sara (1976). He showcased his villain persona as the sinister Mister Acme (owner of Acme Toxic Waste) in the satirical comedy miniseries Fresno (1986), starring Carol Burnett, Charles Grodin and Dabney Coleman. For Disney, Jones hosted the 1987 D-TV Monster Hits musical special (as the Magic Mirror) and later co-starred with Tyra Banks, Kathy Najimy and Kevin Pollak in the video storyline portion of the Walt Disney World attraction ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, a staple of Tomorrowland from 1995 to 2003. He has had guest roles on a number of television series, including Amazing Stories, Tales from the Crypt and Batman: The Animated Series.[7] He was the star of another short-lived CBS program: sitcom The People Next Door (1989), portraying a cartoonist whose imagination could make things come to life.[8]

Jones's most prominent television role is that of newspaper publisher A. W. Merrick on the acclaimed HBO drama series Deadwood (2004–2006).[21] Keith Uhlich of Slant Magazine referred to both Jones and the character of Merrick as "peversely appropriate additions" to the program, further citing Merrick as its "secular soul".[22] Along with the ensemble cast, Jones was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[23]

Later career

Subsequent to his legal troubles,[24] Jones has become progressively less active as a performer. Following his appearance in the golf comedy Who's Your Caddy? (2007), he was absent from film and television for several years. He returned with an uncredited cameo as Collier's editor Charles Colebaugh in the Emmy-nominated HBO original film Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012),[25] followed by the supporting role of scientist Gladstone in the independent disaster film 10.0 Earthquake (2014).[26] Jones went on to play a fictional version of himself in the short film 7 Days (2016)[27] and reprised the role of A. W. Merrick in Deadwood: The Movie.[28]

In May 2015, Jones returned to the stage with the New American Theatre production of 63 Trillion, directed by Steve Zuckerman. The Los Angeles Times praised his portrayal of financial adviser Dick as having "malevolent gusto that Satan himself might envy."[29][30] Beginning in March 2018, Jones portrayed ailing patriarch Bradley in a production of the A. R. Gurney play The Cocktail Hour, staged at the Annenberg Theater in the Palm Springs Art Museum.[31][32]

Personal life

Jones was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Ruth (née Schooley) and Douglas Bennett Jones. His mother was an art historian, who urged him towards a career in acting. His father died during Jones's childhood.[33][34]

One interviewer found Jones to value anonymity and the enjoyment of everyday tasks, like home repairs, and found him to be uninterested in status symbols and fan adulation. In that 1989 interview, Jones pointed out that greater public recognition actually makes it more difficult to transition between roles and allow the character to come to the fore and the actor to recede from view.[6]

Jones has one son, actor Julian Coutts,[1][35] whose mother was Lloy Coutts (1941–2008), a Canadian voice coach. She and Jones met in Stratford, Ontario.[36][37]

In 2002, Jones was arrested for possession of child pornography and accused by a 17-year-old boy of solicitation to pose for nude photographs.[38] He pleaded no contest to a felony charge of soliciting a minor, as the accuser was 14 when the offense first occurred.[39] At the same time, the misdemeanor charge of possession of child pornography was dropped. His attorney emphasized that there was no allegation of improper physical contact. His punishment was five years' probation, counseling, and the requirement to register as a sex offender.[40]

Jones was arrested twice for failing to update his sex offender status, first in Florida in 2004,[41] and then six years later in California.[42] In 2006, Jones's record became the subject of community complaint during production of Who's Your Caddy? in Aiken, South Carolina. Upon learning of his involvement, locals insisted that the public should have been alerted, considering that families were being invited to visit the set.[43] Surrounding the release of Deadwood: The Movie, Jones's crime was noted in the press.[44][45]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1970 The Revolutionary[46]
1978 A Wedding Guest Uncredited
1982 The Soldier U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense
1983 Easy Money Clive Barlow
1984 Amadeus Emperor Joseph II
1985 Transylvania 6-5000 Mayor Lepescu
1986 Ferris Bueller's Day Off Edward R. Rooney
1986 Howard the Duck Dr. Walter Jenning / Dark Overlord
1987 The Hanoi Hilton Major Fischer
1988 Beetlejuice Charles Deetz
1988 Without a Clue Inspector George Lestrade
1989 Who's Harry Crumb? Elliot Draison
1989 Valmont Gercourt
1990 The Hunt for Red October Dr. Skip Tyler
1992 Out on a Limb Matt Skearns / Peter Van Der Haven
1992 Mom and Dad Save the World Dick Nelson
1992 Stay Tuned Spike
1993 Heaven & Earth Minister Uncredited
1994 Ed Wood The Amazing Criswell
1995 Houseguest Ron Timmerman
1996 The Crucible Thomas Putnam
1997 The Devil's Advocate Eddie Barzoon
1997 The Pest Gustav Shank
1997 Santa Fe Dr. Raskin Uncredited
1997 Flypaper Roger
1999 Stuart Little Uncle Crenshaw Little
1999 Ravenous Colonel Hart
1999 Sleepy Hollow Reverend Steenwyck
2000 Company Man Senator Biggs
2001 Heartbreakers Mr. Appel
2001 Dr. Dolittle 2 Joe Potter
2001 How High Vice President
2002 Par 6 Lloyd Bator Jenkins
2007 Who's Your Caddy? Cummings
2014 10.0 Earthquake Gladstone
2016 7 Days Jeffrey Jones Short

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 The Adams Chronicles Miniseries
1976 Sara 1 episode
1977 Great Performances Sergeant Wilson 1 episode
1977 Kojak Attendant 1 episode
1978 Interrogation in Budapest TV film
1983 A Fine Romance Harr TV film
1983 Remington Steele Clifford Conant 1 episode
1985 The Twilight Zone Carl Wilkerson 1 episode
1986 If Tomorrow Comes Budge Hollander Miniseries; 1 episode
1986 George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation Thomas Jefferson TV film
1986 Fresno Mr. Acme Miniseries; 2 episodes
1986 Amazing Stories John Baldwin 1 episode
1987 Disney's DTV Monster Hits Magic Mirror TV special
1989 The People Next Door Walter Kellogg 10 episodes
1993 Tales from the Crypt Professor Finley 1 episode
1994 Duckman Warden (voice) 1 episode
1994 Eek! Stravaganza Sloth (voice) 1 episode
1995 Batman: The Animated Series Nivens / Vinnie (voice) 1 episode
1995 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Nurse / Man in White (voice) 1 episode
1995 The Avenging Angel Brother Milton Long TV film
1998 The Outer Limits Dr. Scott Perkins 1 episode
2001 Till Dad Do Us Part Brady TV film
2001–2006 Invader Zim Various voices 4 episodes
2002 The Zeta Project Detective Marcus (voice) 1 episode
2002 Justice League Sir Swami (voice) 2 episodes
2003 Stuart Little Uncle Crenshaw Little (voice) 2 episodes
2004–2006 Deadwood A. W. Merrick 33 episodes
2012 Hemingway & Gellhorn Charles Colebaugh TV film; uncredited
2019 Deadwood: The Movie A. W. Merrick TV film

Other works

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Bombmeister[47] The Bombmeister Interactive movie (unreleased)
1995 ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter L.C. Clench Theme park attraction
1998 Fallout 2 Dick Richardson (voice) Video game

References

  1. ^ a b TóCsa (May 16, 2016). "Így néznek ki most az idén harmincéves Meglógtam a Ferrarival sztárjai". NLCafe (in Hungarian). Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "Jeffrey Jones". RottenTomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "AW Merrick played by Jeffrey Jones". HBO.com. HBO. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "Jeffrey Jones". GoldenGlobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  5. ^ "13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®: Nominations". SAGAwards.com. Screen Actors Guild. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e Shindler, Merrill (September 1989). "Keeping Up with the Jones". Los Angeles Magazine. The Monthly Guide—Films. Vol. 34. Los Angeles Times. pp. 189–192. ISSN 1522-9149. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Bowman, Alex G. "Jeffrey Jones: Biography". IMDb.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c Armstrong, Derek (January 17, 2014). "Movies & TV—Jeffrey Jones". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  9. ^ "Cloud 9". Lortel.org. Lortel Archives. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  10. ^ Coozer, Adam. "Jeffrey Jones". ReadJunk.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  11. ^ Champlin, Charles (January 10, 1985). "Jeffrey Jones Rising On A Musical Note". LATimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. ^ Berardinelli, James (2003). "Amadeus". Reelviews. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  13. ^ Canby, Vincent (September 19, 1984). "'Amadeus,' Directed by Forman". New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  14. ^ "Winners & Nominees 1985". GoldenGlobes.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  15. ^ Marikar, Sheila (July 2, 2010). "The Cast of Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Where Are They Now?". ABC News. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  16. ^ Darnton, Nina (June 11, 1986). "Screen: A Youth's Day Off". New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  17. ^ Smith, Adam (January 1, 2014). "Ferris Bueller's Day Off Review". Empire. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  18. ^ Maslin, Janet (March 30, 1988). "Review/Film; Ghosts And Extra Eyeballs". New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  19. ^ Green, Michelle Erica. "Jeffrey Jones". LittleReview.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  20. ^ Thompson, Lea; Jones, Jeffry; Gale, Ed (2009). "Releasing the Duck". Howard the Duck (DVD (extra)). Universal Home Video. UPC-A 025195052306.
  21. ^ "Deadwood". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  22. ^ Uhlich, Keith. "Deadweek: The Wordsmith's Credo—A Portrait of A.W. Merrick". SlantMagazine.com. Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  23. ^ "The 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". SAGAwards.org. SAG-AFTRA. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  24. ^ Press, Associated. "'Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge". Today.com. Today. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  25. ^ Bowman, Donna. "Hemingway & Gellhorn". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 5, 2019. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ Kroll, Justin. "Henry Ian Cusick and Jeffrey Jones to Star in '10.0 The Big One'". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2019. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ "7 Days (2016)". IMDb.com. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  28. ^ Schager, Nick. "HBO's 'Deadwood: The Movie' Is the Perfect End to Television's Best Show". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 5, 2019. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ "63 Trillion". NewAmericanTheatre.com. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  30. ^ Gray, Margaret (May 14, 2015). "A one-note aria of the financial world in '63 Trillion'". LATimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  31. ^ Hume, Valerie-Jean (VJ) (March 24, 2018). "Not Quite Ready for Drinks: Due to an Illness, Coyote StageWorks' 'The Cocktail Hour' Opened Before It Should Have". CV Independent. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  32. ^ Liebross, Audrey (March 26, 2018). "BWW Review: A Qualified Yes to THE COCKTAIL HOUR". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  33. ^ "Jeffrey Jones Biography". FilmReference.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  34. ^ "Jeffrey Jones". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ "Who is Julian Coutts?". Omnilexica.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  36. ^ "Lloy Coutts". Toronto Globe and Mail. Deaths. July 5, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  37. ^ "Lloy Jones (Coutts)". Geni.com. Geni.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  38. ^ Susman, Gary (November 1, 2002). "Actor Jeffrey Jones is busted on child porn charges". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  39. ^ "Actor Hit With Teen Sex Suit". TheSmokingGun.com. The Smoking Gun. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  40. ^ WENN (July 9, 2003). "Jeffrey Jones Pleads No Contest To Porn Charges". ContactMusic.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018. Jones, 56, says, "This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again."
  41. ^ "'Ferris Bueller' actor faces felony charge". MSNBC.com. June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ Black, Caroline (September 29, 2010). "Jeffrey Jones Guilty: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Actor Didn't Update Sex Offender Status". CBS News. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  43. ^ Cho, Diane (October 23, 2006). "Cast of movie filming in Aiken includes registered sex offender". WRDW.com. WRDW-TV. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  44. ^ VanDerWerff, Todd. "Deadwood: The Movie is a fitting capstone to one of TV's greatest shows". Vox. Retrieved June 2, 2019. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  45. ^ Silver, Stephen. "Jeffrey Jones, 'Ferris Bueller' Actor And Convicted Sex Offender, Has Part In New 'Deadwood' Movie". Inquisitr. Retrieved June 2, 2019. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  46. ^ "Jeffrey Jones biography". Tribute. Tribute Entertainment Media Group. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  47. ^ Wilson, F. Paul (March 31, 2009). Aftershock & Others: 16 Oddities. Tom Doherty Associates. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-4299-6817-1. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
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