James Joseph Sloyan Jr. (February 24, 1941 – July 22, 2026) was an American character actor of stage and screen, as well as a much-employed voice actor, most notably via his two-decade tenure as the voice of Lexus. He is the father of Samantha Sloyan.
Early life and career
Sloyan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on February 24, 1941. One of four children, two girls and two boys, born to James J. Sloyan and Annamae O'Brien (another being Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Patrick J. Sloyan), Sloyan Jr. spent most of the next nine and a half years in Europe, namely Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, and—if only long enough to board the next ship bound for home—Paris, France, before dividing the remainder of his preteens/adolescence between three decidedly disparate New York State municipalities. 1) Mechanicville, the birthplace of Sloyan's mother; 2) Albany, the state capitol, where, by his own count, Sloyan was "actually thrown out of five [or] six high schools", and 3) New York City, where in 1957, Sloyan embarked on his scholarship-subsidized two years of study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Sloyan's acting career was interrupted in 1962, when he was drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War.
In the fall of 1970, Sloyan, James Broderick, and Reni Santoni were cast in the ABC Movie of the Week episode, "Panic on the 5:22", as a trio of underprivileged, disaffected, and somewhat desperate Bronx residents who board a suburbs-bound commuter train in Manhattan and, after donning ski masks and drawing guns, commandeer its club car in hopes of making a quick killing. Much to their dismay, these hopes are promptly dashed, and their desperation dramatically escalated, by the discovery that these affluent suburbanites carry nothing but credit cards. In 1972, Sloyan co-starred with James Coco in Neil Simon's "The Greasy Spoon", one of five sketches that comprise his dark comedy, The Trouble With People, presented by Bell System Television Theatre on NBC-TV.
For 20 years, Sloyan was the voice of Lexus. The company's first commercial, "Balance," aired in 1989 and went on to win several awards as well as homages in pop culture and media. Sloyan served as Lexus' sole voice actor until 2009. He later narrated ads for Mitsubishi.[citation needed]
Sloyan was also a voice actor for Sprint Nextel long-distance services, and in film trailers for movies such as Jumper, The Shadow, and How to Make an American Quilt.
Personal life and death
Sloyan and actress Deirdre Lenihan began dating in 1963 and became engaged five years later. By 1973, they were openly living together, and seemed poised to take the plunge. They had two children, Daniel Sloyan and actress Samantha Sloyan.
123"Obituaries: Annamae Sloyan". The Indianapolis Star. August 23 1985. p.47. Retrieved March 12, 2026. "Services for Annamae O'Brien Sloyan, 82, Albany, N.Y., formerly of Indianapolis and mother of actor James Sloyan, will be l0 a.m. Saturday in Assumption-St. Paul Catholic Church, Mechanicville. N.Y. The widow of James J. Sloyan, she died Wednesday in Albany Medical Center. A native of Mechanicville, she had been an Indianapolis resident many years before moving to Albany 30 years ago. Her son, an Indianapolis native, has starred in several Broadway shows and two television series, including Oh Madeline with actress Madeline Kahn. [...] Survivors, besides her son. include a daughter. Judy Wilkes, and another son, Patrick J. Sloyan."
12"SLOYAN. The Indianapolis Star. 1954. Sec.3, p.7. Retrieved March 12, 2026. "James J.. 3490 E. Fall Creek Pkwy., N. Dr.. husband of Annamae, father of Patrick J., James J. Jr., and Judy, also survived by 3 sisters. Anna Sloyan, Mrs. Josephine Grampp of New York. [...] [S]ervices and burial Monday at Mechanicsville, N.Y.."
↑"Obituaries: Ann Judith (Judy) Wilkes (Oct. 8, 1935—Jan. 11, 2022)". The Post-Star. January 23, 2022. p.C6. Retrieved March 13, 2026. "Judy was born Oct. 8, 1935 to the late Annamae (O’Brien) and James Sloyan in Stamford, CT, and had three siblings: Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Patrick Sloyan (d. 2019, m. Phyllis); Elizabeth Sloyan (d. 1949); stage/film/television actor, James Sloyan (m. Deirdre)."
↑"Hoods Menace Passengers". Cumberland Times-News. Nov 9, 1974. p.12. Retrieved March 20, 2026. "Three gunmen looking quick "score," hold-up affluent passengers aboard the club car of a swank New commuter train in "Panic The 5:22,' [...] Harvey Hart directed the Eugene Price screenplay that pits the trio of bumbling but dangerous hoodlums, frustrated graduates of a teenage gang in the Bronx, against a problem-ridden group of Manhattan business executives, a promiscuous high fashion New York model, a retired Army general, a brittle female cosmetic firm owner, a young attorney and a professional athlete."
↑Cameron, Sue (November 21, 1974). "Television Review: Panic on the 3:22". The Hollywood Review. p.6. ProQuest2931983431. 'Panic on the 5:22' is a 'disaster film' with a message. Instead of being held prisoner in a burning building or running from an earthquake, a group of wealthy people are held hostage and robbed at gunpoint in the club car of a commuter train. The three criminals represent the underprivileged slum people and the passengers represent everything the robbers want most and hate at the same time. In other words, it's a class confrontation on a train, with the robbery used as a tool for the message. It's a better-than-average MOW that just moves right along suspensefully. James Sloyan, Robert Walden and Reni Santoni give excellent performances as the crooks. [...] Quinn Martin was executive producer and Anthony Spinner produced. It was written by Eugene Price and directed by Harvey Hart.
↑Thomas, Kevin (November 20, 1974). "A Morality Play in 'Panic'". The Los Angeles Times. pt.IV, p.20. Retrieved March 20, 2026. "Robert Walden and his pals from long-ago teenage gang days, dim-witted Reni Santoni and nervous James Sloyan, board a train at Grand Central Station bound for Groton, Conn., [...] In the 35 minutes--minus commercials - before Walden and company don ski masks and draw their guns, Hart and Price show their wealthy would-be victims as largely unsympathetic types, for the most part arrogant, self-centered and, in a few instances, downright crooked. Thus, the difference between these rich passengers and the intruders is one of socio-economics rather than morals."
↑Halliwell, Leslie (1977). Halliwell's Film Guide: A Survey of 8,000 English-Language Movies. London: Granada Publishing. p.574–575. ISBN0246109823. "Wealthy passengers are terrorized by three incompetent hoodlums who are exasperated at finding credit cards instead of money. Smooth, odd little suspenser which goes on too long and submerges in cliche philosophy. Some smart moments, though."
↑"Hooked by a Crook?". The Ouachita Citizen. November 2, 1972. p.7-B. Retrieved March 12, 2026. "'The Greasy Diner' has more than grease in store for James Coco as he finds out. Coco and Jim Sloyan star in 'The Greasy Diner,' one of the five sketches in the NBC-TV. Bell System Family Theatre presentation of Nell Simon's 'The Trouble With People,' which will be presented Sunday, Nov. 12, from 8-9 p.m."
↑Hale, Ernest (September 27, 1970). "Flicker Footnotes: 'Executioner' Is Sardonic Tale". The Columbus Ledger. p.18. Retrieved March 13, 2026. "James J. Sloyan (r) as Deputy Warden Piquant, talks with prisoners in 'The Traveling Executioner'."
