| Jim Walton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tachikawa, Japan[1] |
Jim Walton is an American actor, most notable for his leading performance in the original production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along as Franklin Shephard.
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He graduated with a musical theatre degree from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and moved to New York City in 1979, and he was in Big Bad Burlesque. He was first a part of the 42nd Street tour in 1980, and would later be in Perfectly Frank, a review of Frank Loesser's songs.[2]
At auditions for Merrily, Sondheim asked him how old he was, at that time he was 26, and decided to tell the truth about his age rather than lie because he did not want to get off on a bad foot. He told them the truth and was sure he would be cut because they were looking for people closer to 18. He was relieved when they announced to the room that this was the cast of Merrily, but would have to wait a year because Sondheim had not finished the score at this time.[3] Jim Weissenbach was originally cast as Franklin Shepard, but left and Walton was chosen as his replacement.[4]Merrily only lasted for 16 performances.
He was next in the 1987 musical revue Stardust, a musical of Mitchell Parish's songs. He next starred as Anthony Hope in the 1989 revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with Bob Gunton as the title character.[5] In that same year he was in the musical revue Closer Than Ever.[6]
He was in the 1991 original Off-Broadway cast of And the World Goes 'Round.[7]
He was also in the 2000 revival of The Music Man.[8] He was in the 2004 Off-Broadway musical Chef's Theater: A Musical Feast.[9] He returned to Broadway in 2009 as Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls and as Charles F. Maude in Bye Bye Birdie, as well as the 2011 production of Company.[10]
He was also in the 2011 limited engagement of the new musical by Maury Yeston, Death Takes a Holiday.[11]
He has been in three PBS performances. He performed in the 1985 Philharmonic concert of Sondheim's Follies as Young Buddy, with Mandy Patinkin portraying the older Buddy. The two day concert was recorded and released on CD. He was also in Crazy for You and The All Night Strut.[12]
Walton and his brother Bob wrote My Brother's Keeper, Double Trouble, and Midlife! The Crisis Musical, the latter of which premiered at the Tada Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska. The show starred Beth King, Dustin Witte, Cris Rook, and Brent Welch.[13][14][15]
He is brother to actor Bob Walton and brother-in-law- to actress Laurie Walton.[16]