James Cromwell began working in television in the early 1970s, a reliable character actor who made dozens of guest appearances. He made his feature film debut in 1976 and worked steadily in character roles, then in 1995 he appeared as Farmer Hoggett in Babe and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Since then, the tall, kindly-looking Cromwell has had memorable roles in movies such as director Curtis Hanson's L. A. Confidential (1997, starring Russell Crowe), The General's Daughter (1999, starring John Travolta) and The Green Mile (1999, starring Tom Hanks).

Throughout his career, Cromwell has made several appearances in television's Star Trek franchise, and he co-starred in the 1996 theatrical feature Star Trek: First Contact.

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