James Todd Spader ( born February 7, 1960 ) is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in films such as Pretty in Pink ; Less Than Zero ; Sex, Lies, and Videotape ; Crash ; Stargate ; and Secretary.

In 1997, Spader guest starred in an episode of Seinfeld as an angry recovering alcoholic who refuses to apologize to George for making fun of him.

Spader won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Emmy Award for his portrayal of Alan Shore in 2004, on The Practice and won it again in 2005 and 2007, for Boston Legal.

Spader also won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical for Boston Legal in 2006.

The movie, in which he is portrayed by James Spader, documents Ellsberg's life, starting with his work for RAND Corp and ending with the day on which the judge declared his espionage trial a mistrial.

He responded by firing most of the cast and hiring James Spader for the role of Alan Shore, whom The New York Times described as " a lecherous, twisted antitrust lawyer with a breezy disregard for ethics.

The film was also significant in that it featured James Spader playing the sympathetic protagonist, as in many of his past films he was best known for playing the role of the villain or the snobby preppy ( in particular, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero ).

Alan Shore ( Spader ) tells Denny Crane ( William Shatner ), " Denny, you're pretty in pink ", as they are both dressed in pink flamingos for a Halloween party.

The addition of James Spader and Rhona Mitra to the cast for the eighth season somewhat revived the ratings ; Spader went on to win an Emmy for his appearance.

However, on March 11, 2004, ABC announced that The Practice would not return for a ninth season ; rather, Kelley would create a new spin-off series Boston Legal, starring Spader, Mitra, Lake Bell and William Shatner.

Spader, Bergen, and Shatner were each nominated for their respective roles.

Unlike Francis Ford Coppola, who revealed a surprising enthusiasm for horrific vampire tricks in Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mr. Nichols shows no great gusto for the supernatural ... there are admirable performances from Mr. Spader, still turning the business of being despicable into a fine art, and Kate Nelligan, as Will's deceptively brisk and efficient wife ... Ms. Pfeiffer's role is underwritten, but her performance is expert enough to make even diffidence compelling.

Wolf won a Saturn Award for Best Writing for Jim Harrison and Wesley Strick's screenplay, and it was nominated for a further 5 Saturn Awards, in the categories of Best Horror Film, Best Actor ( Jack Nicholson ), Best Actress ( Michelle Pfeiffer ), Best Supporting Actor ( James Spader ) and Best Make-up ( Rick Baker ).

When Jade's older brother Keith ( James Spader ) tells the couple to come downstairs, he tells Jade that David is at fault for their father's death.

Endless Love was the feature film debut for a number of actors, including Tom Cruise, Jami Gertz, and Jeff Marcus, and features very early appearances by James Spader, as the elder brother of Brooke Shields, and of a pre-Beverly Hills, 90210, Ian Ziering.

From 2004 to 2008, Spader starred as the lead character Alan Shore in the television series Boston Legal, in which he reprised his role from the television series The Practice.

Soon after, he is demoted from editor in chief of a publishing house during a takeover by ruthless tycoon Raymond Alden ( Christopher Plummer ), who replaces him with Will's ambitious protégé Stewart Swinton ( James Spader ).

Twenty-seven-year-old St. Louis advertising executive Max Baron ( James Spader ) has completely shut himself off from the world in the two years since the auto accident death of his wife ( Maria Pitillo ).

Bobby Pendragon and Vo Spader, the Traveler from Cloral, arrive on First Earth ( New York City, 1937 ) shortly after the death of Bobby's uncle, Press Tilton, greeted by bullets from gangsters that Saint Dane has hired.

Bobby and Gunny return to First Earth, only to find that Spader and Rose have gone ahead, seeking to stop Winn Farrow from shooting a firework rocket into Hindenburg.

Once parachuting from the aeroplane, Bobby tracks down Max and Spader, who are seconds from departing to meet Max's airship arrival.

Spader, misunderstanding, tries to stop the rocket from launching ; Gunny holds him back, but fails.

Spader met his first wife, Victoria Kheel, a decorator, while working in a yoga studio, after he moved to New York in the 1980s.

* James Spader as Alan Shore ( 2003 – 2004 ), a highly unethical friend of Ellenor's who was hired by the firm at the beginning of the show's final season.

Spader is back playing the sort of loathsome yuppie he excelled at earlier in his career ... Nelligan has little to do as the unfaithful wife ... Eileen Atkins and David Hyde Pierce as Will's loyal publishing underlings, are dead perfect.

Rachel already has a boyfriend, DeForest ( Spader ); however, he is a control freak who does not treat her particularly well.

" Since then, it has been frequented by a number of famous visitors, including Tom Watson ( the 8 time major golf champion is a native of Kansas City and currently lives in Stilwell, Kansas ), Steven Spielberg, Bryant Gumbel, Jimmy Carter, Jack Nicholson, James Spader, and in 2008 by Republican presidential nominee John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin, as well as barbecue aficionados.

Boston Legal is a spin-off of long-running Kelley series The Practice, following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore ( James Spader ) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

The pilot was originally produced with former The Practice stars James Spader and Rhona Mitra, The Practice guest stars William Shatner and Lake Bell, Mark Valley and an expanded storyline featuring Larry Miller as Edwin Poole and John Michael Higgins as senior partner Jerry Austin.

Alien Hunter is a 2003 science-fiction-thriller film, directed by Ron Krauss and stars James Spader, Carl Lewis and Leslie Stefanson.

With the 2005 Emmy Win, Spader became one of the few actors ( along with co-star William Shatner as Denny Crane ) to win an Emmy award while playing the same character in two different series.

* Secretary ( 2002 ), directed by Steven Shainberg and starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal

The song appeared in the 1985 Kim Richards vehicle Tuff Turf starring James Spader and Robert Downey Jr. ( which also featured a cameo appearance by the band ), as well as 2004's Dawn of the Dead.

After killing the System Lord Ra ( Jaye Davidson ) by rigging a nuclear bomb onto his ship as it left Abydos, O ' Neill returned to Earth with two survivors of his team, leaving behind Dr. Daniel Jackson ( James Spader ), who remained with his new love Sha're ( Mili Avital ; called Sha ' uri in the movie ) and her brother Skaara ( Alexis Cruz ).

Film roles include Fast Times at Ridgemont High ( credited as Blair Ashleigh ), Three for the Road with Charlie Sheen " A Sinful Life with Anita Morris, Inside Monkey Zetterland, Dream Lover with James Spader, and The Anniversary Party with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Cryptologist Julien Rome ( James Spader ), a teacher at Berkeley University, is invited to investigate the mystery and he is sent to an Antarctic research base, which includes a huge greenhouse of genetically modified plants being studied by the scientists.

Richter also owes money to Ronnie Stover ( James Spader ), an abusive drug dealer.

Marley ( Robert Forster ), co-pilot Nick Vanzant ( James Spader ), medical officer Kaela Evers ( Angela Bassett ), medical technician Yerzy Penalosa ( Lou Diamond Phillips ), search and rescue paramedic Danika Lund ( Robin Tunney ), and computer technician Benjamin Sotomejor ( Wilson Cruz ).

Keys to Tulsa is a 1997 film directed by Leslie Greif, and starring Eric Stoltz and James Spader.

In 1989, Sarandon co-starred with Marlon Brando in A Dry White Season, followed by White Palace ( 1990 ) with James Spader.

James Spader and Robert Downey, Jr. have also been considered members and appeared in several films alongside other Brat Packers, most notably together with Andrew McCarthy in Less Than Zero ( Downey was also in two eighties films with Anthony Michael Hall-Weird Science and Johnny Be Good, as well as The Pick-up Artist with Molly Ringwald ).

At the 1989 Cannes Film Festival the film won the Palme d ' Or and the FIPRESCI Prize, with Spader getting the Best Actor Award.

Along with James Spader, Mitra also joined the cast of Boston Legal after The Practice ended, and her character became an attorney.

It is a romantic drama about the unlikely relationship between a young middle class widower ( Spader ) who falls in love with a middle-aged working class waitress ( Sarandon ) in St. Louis, Missouri.

The movie opens with Peter Burton ( Cusack ) and his best friend Tim Garrity ( Spader ) nervously awaiting the results of Peter's congressional election.

After a couple of singles, Bills and Humphreys left, with Halvorsen joining on bass, this line-up recording the Tanker album and the " Grader Spader " single, both produced by Brent McLachlan.

In 2008, Cryer appeared with Laurence Fishburne and James Cromwell in the film Tortured, and in 2009 co-starred with James Spader in the film Shorts.