J. K. Simmons

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J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man 2.
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J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man 2.

Jonathan Kimble Simmons (born January 9, 1955 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American character actor. He is best known for his TV roles as Dr. Emil Skoda, a police psychiatrist who has appeared on three of the four incarnations of Law & Order, and as the sadistic Vernon Schillinger on the prison drama Oz. He also played the obsessively egotistical newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson in both Spider-Man movies (and will reprise the role in the upcoming Spider-Man 3). As his character Jameson, Simmons provided his voice for the character in a 2006 episode of The Simpsons. He also stars as Ralph Earnhardt, the father of famous race-car driver Dale Earnhardt, in 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.Currently he plays as the Deputy Chief of the LA police, Will Pope in The Closer

Less well known is that he provided the voice of the yellow M&M in the product's commercials. Like many of his Law & Order co-stars, he also appeared in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street, though he portrayed a criminal suspect rather than his Dr. Skoda character.

[edit] Theatre

Prior to his successful film & television career, Simmons was a Broadway actor and singer. He was in the revival of Guys and Dolls as Benny Southstreet. He also played the role of Jigger in a revival of Carousel at the Houston Grand Opera.

[edit] Selected filmography

[edit] External links

Simmons attended Worthington High School. Here's a historic photo of JK Simmons (right), his sister Liz, and the nefarious Vaughn Owens.