James Downey(I)

James Woodward Downey is a multiple Emmy-winning television writer and performer, and occasional film actor. He joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1976 (sharing an office with Bill Murray), and continued with the show until 2013. From 1982 through 1983, he was the Head Writer for Late Night with David Letterman (1982). His film roles include There Will Be Blood (2007), One Battle After Another (2025), Billy Madison (1995), and Dirty Work (1998). On television, he has appeared in 30 Rock (2006), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Veep (2012), and The Chair Company (2025), along with dozens of appearances on SNL and "Late Night with David Letterman." He is a 1974 graduate of Harvard University, where he was President of the Harvard Lampoon.