Character Actor James Sloyan, Star of The Sting and Xanadu, Dies at 85
James Sloyan, a prolific character actor known for his memorable turns in the Academy Award-winning film The Sting, the musical Xanadu, and multiple Star Trek series, has died at the age of 85. According to an announcement by his family cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Sloyan died on July 22 at his home in Sherman Oaks.
A Definitive Career Across Film, Television, and Commercials
Born in Indianapolis on February 24, 1941, he graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and served three years in the U.S. Army. He cut his teeth on stage as an actor and fight choreographer for Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival before making his Broadway debut in Arthur Kopit’s Indians in 1969. His screen career launched with the 1970 film The Traveling Executioner starring Stacy Keach, setting off a relentless run of television and feature film credits.
In George Roy Hill’s 1973 classic The Sting—which swept the box office and captured the Oscar for best picture—Sloyan played Mottola, the numbers runner who sets the narrative machinery into motion. Working for racketeer Doyle Lonnegan, played by Robert Shaw, Sloyan’s character falls victim to the intricate pigeon drop scam orchestrated by Johnny Hooker and Luther Coleman, portrayed by Robert Redford and James Earl Jones respectively. A few years later, in the 1980 Olivia Newton-John musical fantasy Xanadu, he transitioned into playing Simpson, the tyrannical boss of Michael Beck’s artist character at AirFlow Records.
Genre Television Icon and Sitcom Regular
Beyond his feature film work, Sloyan left a profound mark on episodic television, science fiction fandom, and network sitcoms. He played Madeline Kahn’s husband—a steamy romance novelist writing under the pen name Crystal Love—on the short-lived 1983–84 ABC sitcom, which holds distinction as the very first series produced by Carsey-Werner Productions before its cancellation after 18 episodes.
Science fiction fans remember him vividly for his extensive contributions to the Star Trek television ecosystem during the 1990s. Across multiple series, Sloyan portrayed four distinct alien species over five appearances. His notable roles included a Romulan admiral, the son of the Klingon Worf on The Next Generation, the Bajoran scientist Dr. Mora Pol on Deep Space Nine, and the Haakonian scientist Ma’bor Jetrel on Voyager. His television résumé spanned dozens of network staples, including The Streets of San Francisco, Kojak, Murder, She Wrote, Quantum Leap, The X-Files, and NYPD Blue.
Off-screen, his distinctive voice became permanently etched into American advertising culture through an 18-year run as the exclusive voice of Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, beginning in 1989.
Family Legacy and Industry Tributes
Reflecting on his dynamic personal and professional life, his family shared a statement via The Hollywood Reporter: “Friends and colleagues remember him always present, always curious, courageous, inventive and loyal as well as brash, mouthy and very urban. He was one-of-a-kind.”
Sloyan is survived by his wife of more than fifty years, actress Deirdre Lenihan, and their children, musician Daniel Sloyan and actress Samantha Sloyan, whose credits include The Life of Chuck and Grey’s Anatomy. His brother, author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Patrick Sloyan, preceded him in death in February 2019.