James B. Harris

James B. Harris is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter.

Early life

Born in New York City, he attended the Juilliard School before entering the film industry.

Career

Harris worked with film director Stanley Kubrick as a producer on The Killing, Paths of Glory, and Lolita. Harris' directorial debut was the Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident. He also directed the actor James Woods in two films: the prison-guard drama Fast-Walking with actress Kay Lenz, and the thriller Cop, based on a James Ellroy novel, which Woods co-produced. Harris also directed the 1993 thriller Boiling Point.
The Turner Classic Movies website describes Harris as a "veteran Hollywood industry figure who has served triple duty as a producer, director, and screenwriter". A 2002 interview between Harris and Hollywood Five-O includes discussion of his works as well as of Kubrick, Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Lolita, and various other topics. It includes photos of Harris and screencaps of Kirk Douglas, Sue Lyon, James Mason, and Peter Sellers.

Personal life

Harris is the brother of composer J. Robert Harris.
In 2020, Michelle Phillips told journalist Sarah Weinman that Harris engaged in a forced sexual relationship with actress Sue Lyon during her stay in England to film Lolita when she was 14 years old. When contacted by Weinman, the 92-year-old Harris refused to respond to the allegation. At the time Stanley Kubrick's Lolita was in production, the age of consent in the UK was 16 years old but 18 in Lyon's home state of California. Harris was nearly 18 years older than Lyon, and a married man.

Filmography

Year	Film	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1956	The Killing
1957	Paths of Glory				Also acting cameo as uncredited private during the attack
1962	Lolita				Also actor as Jack Brewster
1965	The Bedford Incident
1973	Some Call It Loving
1977	Telefon
1982	Fast-Walking
1988	Cop
1993	Boiling Point
2006	The [Black Dahlia (film)\|The Black Dahlia]