J. K. Simmons Movies and Career Information

Jonathan Kimble "J. K." Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles on television as Dr. Emil Skoda in NBC's Law & Order (and having appeared in other shows in the Law & Order franchise), Assistant Police Chief Will Pope in TNT's The Closer, neo-Nazi Vernon Schillinger in the HBO prison drama Oz, and on film as J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man franchise. Simmons was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Patricia (née Kimble), an administrator, and Donald William Simmons, a college professor. He has a brother, David (a singer-songwriter), and a sister, Elizabeth. He attended the University of Montana and was a member of the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Prior to his film and television career, Simmons was a Broadway actor and singer. He played Col. Nathan R Jessup in "A Few Good Men". He was in the revival of Guys and Dolls as Benny Southstreet. He also played the role of Jigger in a revival of Carousel with the Houston Grand Opera. He also starred in the 1987 Off-Broadway musical Birds of Paradise. Simmons is known for his TV roles as Dr. Emil Skoda, a police psychiatrist, who has appeared on three of the four incarnations of Law &