James Booth, the tall, craggy faced actor who is probably best remembered as ex-convict Ernie Miles on the cult television series Twin Peaks (1990-91), died on August 11 of natural causes at his home in Hadleigh, Essex, England. He was 77.

He was born David Geeves-Booth in Croyden, Surrey on December 19, 1927. A graduate of the famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, he spent the early part of his career on the UK stage until he made his film debut in 1960 in a minor English comedy, Let's Get Married (1960). He quickly made two more films that year: as a petty criminal in In the Nick; and as Alfred Wood, the spurned lover who testified against Oscar Wilde for his trial on homosexuality in Ken Hughes' Oscar Wilde.

Small roles in other films followed, but by the mid-60's, he was scoring some memorable film parts: the scheming Private Hook, who proves his valor as a soldier in Cy Endfeld's exciting look at the battle between British colonial soldiers and indigenous African rebels in Zulu (1964); the cunning Inspector Langdon in Peter Yates' finely tuned thriller about the 1963 great train robbery in England Robbery; and probably his most deft performance, Shirley MacLaine's lover who hides in the attic in the charming period comedy The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968).

The 70's saw a decline in the quality of his film roles: the forgettable David Janssen western Macho Callahan (1970); the lightweight pop musical for then hot UK rock star David Essex That'll Be the Day (1973); and yet another installment in the dreadful "Airport" series Airport '77 (1977). Around this time, Booth briegly relocated to Los Angeles, and while here, he made several appearances on American television, most notably in Baretta, Hart to Hart, and The Fall Guy.

His career received a brief spark from television in the late 80¿s when he landed some regular slots. First in Britain, when he played Kenny Ames, a construction worker who resides in Germany for a labor project in the acclaimed series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1986-88); and of course, Ernie Miles in David Lynch's groundbreaking drama Twin Peaks (1990-91). He recently just finished filming a Rown Atkinson comedy Keeping Mum (2005) which is currently in post-production. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Paula; and four children.

by Michael T. Toole