The Youngstown Vindicator - June 22, 1998

Area Native Makes Debut In Film
By Joe Milichia
Vindicator Staff Writer


The versatile Youngstown native ditched computer screens for a chance at the big screen

Everything comes to a halt in the Warren home of Victoria S. Rush everytime a Burger King commercial appears on television. It's not that Mrs. Rush is particularly fond of the fast-food chain. It's that her little brother, Reginald James, plays the customer smiling at the cashier.

"I guess when he becomes bigger we can become more nonchalant about it," she said. Well, it's time for James' family to start acting casual. James is making his feature film debut today in the Miramax romantic comedy "Hav Plenty."

"This is what he's wanted and this is what he's been working toward," Mrs. Rush said. "He sets his goal and does whatever it takes to achieve it."

Youngstown childhood: James was known as Reginald Humphrey as a child when he lived on Redondo Drive in Youngstown, where his father, Jesse Humphrey, still resides.

"Growing up in Youngstown was great to me. To me it is diverse. I loved it," James said. "I have no horror stories to tell because my parents made sure we were involved in a lot of things." After his parents divorced when he was 13, he moved to North Carolina with his mother Betty.

Good student: A self-described skinny geek as a kid, he always took advanced classes in school. He went on to study computer science in college, but decided debugging programs was not for him

James had always loved playing the piano and singing while growing up. He also had a passion for movies, especially screwball comedies such as "Bringing Up Baby" and "My Favorite Wife." And as far back as high school, he was talking about being on the cover of GQ. "I had to slow up and decide what I really wanted to do," he said.

So, he changed his major to film theory and criticism and moved with his newlywed wife, Kathryn, to New York after graduation in early 1994. Three months later he made his soap opera debut as a wedding guest at Tad and Dixie's wedding on "All My Children." His soap career has progressed to a recurring role on "As The World Turns" as Falcon Club bartender Frank Corbin. He's been in about 20 episodes with numerous speaking parts. He's also acted in lots of off-broadway theater, commercials, and training videos for Domino's Pizza.

Movie role: In "Hav Plenty," he plays Felix Darling, the career-focused husband of a woman who falls in love with a homeless novelist. His scenes include a confrontation with the writer, played by Chris Cherot, who also wrote and directed the film. Cherot picked James for the role after they worked together on an independent film. James hopes his exposure in "Hav Plenty" will lead to other comedy films.

"In my perfect world, I would make two or three films a year. I will remain a New York-based actor and I would do theater as well," he said. Although James has far-reaching goals, he remains down to earth. For example, how many big screen actors wash their own dishes?

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