James B. Harris (born August 3, 1928) is an American film screenwriter, producer, and director. Born in New York City, he attended the Juilliard School^[1] before entering the film industry. He worked with film director Stanley Kubrick as a producer on The Killing (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), and Lolita (1962). Harris' directorial debut was the Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident (1965). He also directed the actor James Woods in two films: the prison-guard drama Fast-Walking (1982) with actress Kay Lenz, and the thriller Cop (1988), based on a James Ellroy novel, which Woods co-produced. Harris also directed the 1993 thriller Boiling Point.^[2]

The Turner Classic Movies website describes Harris as a "veteran Hollywood industry figure who has served triple duty as a producer, director, and screenwriter".^[3] 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 (who portrayed Lolita), James Mason, and Peter Sellers.^[4] His brother was the composer J. Robert Harris.^[4]

Allegation of Underage Affair with Sue Lyon

In 2020, Michelle Phillips, who was a friend of Sue Lyon when both were teenagers, told journalist Sarah Weinman that Lyon became emotionally involved with Harris during her stay in England to shoot Lolita and that Harris had become Lyon's first lover when she was 14 years old. When contacted by Weinman, the 92 year-old Harris refused to respond to the allegation with an affirmation or denial. At the time, the age of consent in the UK was 16 years old and 18 in Lyon's home state of California.^[5] Harris was nearly 18 years older than Lyon, and a married man.

Filmography