Clifton James was an American film actor. He was born in Spokane, the son of a reporter and a teacher. From 1942 to 1945, during World War II, he served in the South Pacific as an infantry platoon sergeant in the 163rd Infantry Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division of the United States Army, receiving several awards, including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. He got his first roles on television in the early 1950s and became widely known in 1973 thanks to the James Bond film Live and Let Die, in which he portrayed Sheriff Pepper, a provincial lawman, in a heavily caricatured depiction.

The character was so popular that the producers brought him back years later in the sequel The Man with the Golden Gun. In addition to his film career, he appeared in television series, was a member of the Actors Studio, and also took part in some Broadway productions from 1955 to 1982.