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Jim J. Bullock

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Jim J. Bullock
Born
James Jackson Bullock

(1955-02-09) February 9, 1955 (age 69)[1]
Casper, Wyoming, U.S.
Other namesJm J. Bullock
Alma materOklahoma Baptist University
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active1980–present
Known forToo Close for Comfort
Spouse
John Casey
​
​
(m. 1990; died 1996)​

James Jackson Bullock (born February 9, 1955) is an American actor and comedian of stage, television, and motion pictures. He starred in the sitcom Too Close for Comfort.

Early life

Bullock was born in Casper, Wyoming, and raised in Odessa, Texas (although he is listed as an alumnus of Natrona County High School (Casper, Wyoming)), and was raised in a Southern Baptist home and as a youth, planned to become an evangelical Christian minister.[1] He received a music scholarship to attend Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but left school without graduating.[2]

Career

Credited as "JM J. Bullock" because there was another "Jim Bullock" in the actors union,[3] Bullock became a notable entertainment figure in the 1980s when he co-starred on the sitcom Too Close for Comfort as Monroe Ficus and was a regular guest on John Davidson's updated version of the game show Hollywood Squares; Bullock occasionally substituted for Davidson as host.[4] He also appeared as a semi-regular on Battlestars and occasionally on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour and Body Language.

He later became a semi-regular on ALF (from 1989 to 1990) as Neal Tanner. Bullock was the guest host of a special episode of Super Sloppy Double Dare in 1989 in which host Marc Summers and announcer Harvey played against each other. The game ended with both Summers and Harvey playing the obstacle course and winning all eight prizes for their respective teammates. Stage assistants Robin Marrella and Dave Shikiar were the guest announcers for that episode.

After ALF went off the air in 1990, Bullock remained active with theatre, television, and film work. He briefly hosted a syndicated talk show with ex-televangelist Tammy Faye Messner. The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show debuted in 1996, but Messner exited the program a few months later following a cancer diagnosis. Bullock continued with new co-host, Ann Abernathy, and the show became The Jim J. and Ann Show until it was canceled.

Bullock was the voice of Queer Duck in the animated series of cartoons of the same name which have appeared on both the internet and the cable TV network Showtime. In 2000, Bullock was a regular panelist on the revival of I've Got a Secret. He also performed on the national tour of the Broadway production Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad, a role he took to the Broadway stage starting September 18, 2007. Some of his other noteworthy roles include the pilled-up narcoleptic Prince Valium in the 1987 Mel Brooks movie Spaceballs, and the "not-quite-out-of-the-closet" character in a dating montage at the beginning of 2001's Kissing Jessica Stein. From 2004 to 2007, he had a recurring role as Mr. Monroe, a teacher at the fictional James K. Polk Middle School on the Nickelodeon live-action sitcom Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.

Personal life

In 1985, while Too Close For Comfort was being retooled as The Ted Knight Show, Bullock learned that he was HIV positive. He made his diagnosis public 11 years later.[5]

In 1996, Bullock's partner of six years, John Casey, died from AIDS-related complications.[1][2] Bullock is a longtime survivor of the virus and, as of 2023, was still healthy due in part to antiretroviral drugs.[1][6]

On February 17, 1999, Bullock was arrested outside a bar in West Hollywood, California, for possession of crystal meth, and was sentenced to probation.[2][7]

Filmography

Genre Year Title Role Episodes Notes
TV series 1980–1987 Too Close for Comfort Monroe Ficus 118 episodes
Film 1981 Full Moon High Eddie credited as Jim. Bullock
Alternative title: Moon High
Film 1987 Spaceballs Prince Valium credited as Jim J. Bullock
Film 1988 DeGarmo & Key: Rock Solid...The Rock-u-mentary! News Reporter
TV series 1989 Super Sloppy Double Dare Himself/Guest Host
TV series 1989–1990 ALF Neal Tanner "He Ain't Heavy, He's Willie's Brother"
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
"Break Up to Make Up"
"Happy Together"
"Love on the Rocks"		 5 episodes
Film 1991 Switch The Psychic
TV series 1992 Seinfeld Flight Attendant #1 "The Airport"
Music Video 1994 Bubba Hyde Bubba Hyde "Diamond Rio song"
TV series 1994–1995 Boogies Diner Gerald unknown episodes
Animated TV series 1994 Duckman "Cellar Beware" voice actor
TV series 1996 Roseanne Al "Satan, Darling"
Animated TV series 2000-2004 Queer Duck Adam Seymour "Queer Duck" Duckstein voice actor; 20 episodes
TV series 2000 E! True Hollywood Story Himself "Jim J. Bullock" documentary
Documentary 2000 The Eyes of Tammy Faye Himself
Film 2000 Get Your Stuff Tom
Film 2001 10 Attitudes Tex
Film 2001 Kissing Jessica Stein Not-Yet-Out Gay Guy (Craig)
Film 2001 Circuit Mark
TV series 2001 Intimate Portrait Himself "Tammy Faye" documentary
TV series 2001 Popular Judge "The Brain Game"
Short film 2002 Gaydar Maurice's Ex 20 minutes
included in the Direct-to-video compilation film Men's Mix 1: Gay Shorts Collection
TV series 2004–2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Mr. Monroe 19 episodes
TV series 2005 The Bold and the Beautiful Serge (Wedding Planner) 2 episodes
Animated film 2006 Queer Duck: The Movie Adam Seymour "Queer Duck" Duckstein voice actor; Direct-to-video release
Film 2008 One, Two, Many Derek
Animated TV series 2008 Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World Jacques-Jean/Emerald Joe "Wickeder" voice actor
TV series 2009 The Bold and the Beautiful Serge (Wedding Planner) 10 episodes
Short film 2009 Cost of Living Bill 15 minutes
Film 2009 The Fish Jim-Jay "The Star"
Documentary 2010 Frances: A Mother Divine Himself
Film 2010 Role/Play Bernie
Film 2014 Ron and Laura Take Back America Bob Zackie
TV series 2015 Glee Cert "Loser Like Me" 1 episode
TV series 2015 Good Job, Thanks! John McWayne "Hacked!" 1 episode

References

  1. ^ a b c d Salkin, Judith (January 23, 2011). "Jim J. Bullock plays dual role: Clown, HIV survivor". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c Zachary, Bohdan (July 20, 1999). "The Comeback Kidder". The Advocate. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018.
  3. ^ Smith, C. Brian (2020-09-30). "An Oral History of 'The New Hollywood Squares'". MEL. Retrieved 2020-10-05.
  4. ^ Eakin, Marah; Teti, John; Adams, Erik (June 16, 2014). "Bonus round stars: 9 celebrities who found their greatest fame on game shows". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  5. ^ Sacks, Ethan (23 November 2015). "Before Charlie Sheen, here are other celebrities whose HIV-positive diagnoses or contracting of AIDS shocked fans". New York Daily News. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  6. ^ Falcon, Mike (June 6, 2001). "Jim J. Bullock reflects on AIDS anniversary". USA Today. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Too Close for Comfort: 1980–1985". People. 26 June 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
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