Sam J. Jones
Biography
Sam J. Jones is an actor and one-time football player who was born in Chicago and raised in Sacramento. After playing football in the Marine Corps, he moved to Seattle with hopes of joining the Seahawks and later began modeling; in 1977 he relocated to Los Angeles. His first film role was in 10 (1979), and that part helped him secure the title character in Flash Gordon (1980), beating out Kurt Russell and Arnold Schwarzenegger. A dispute with producer Dino De Laurentiis scuttled plans for a trilogy. On television, Jones played Chris Rorchek in Code Red and the lead in The Highwayman, and he appeared in films such as My Chauffeur (1986) and Jane and the Lost City (1987). He later played a prisoner in the 2007 Flash Gordon series, made cameos in Ted (2012) and Ted 2 (2015), and executive produced the documentary Life After Flash (2017).
72years old
Turns 73 on August 12in 280 days
- Born Chicago
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Also credited as Samuel Jerald Jones and Samuel Gerald Jones
Movie Career
- Films
- 17
- Career span
- 44 years1979 to 2023
Genres
- Comedy53%, 9 films
- Action41%, 7 films
- Sci-Fi24%, 4 films
- Adventure18%, 3 films
- Documentary12%, 2 films
First and latest
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Big break
Sam J. Jones beat out Kurt Russell and Arnold Schwarzenegger for the title role in the 1980 film Flash Gordon, and his hair was dyed blonde for the part.
A change of course
In 2002, Jones retrained. Away from acting and autograph booths on the ComicCon circuit, he works in San Diego as a high-end security professional, protecting executives who travel to Mexico.
Behind the camera
Sam J. Jones took the lead in and executive produced Life After Flash, a documentary about Flash Gordon funded by crowdfunding. It looks at how his falling-out with De Laurentiis affected his career and life.
Sam J. Jones movies on Netflix
Roswell Deliriumas Mr. Leonard
Decapitariumas Dean Usher
Life After The Navigatoras Himself
Axcelleratoras Brink
Life After Flashas Himself
Ted 2as Sam J. Jones
Tedas Sam Jones
ReVampedas Jake Hardcastle
Ganglandas Sgt. Richards
American Straysas Exterminator(Sam Jones)
South Beachas Billy
Thunder in Paradiseas David Kilmer
Jane and the Lost Cityas Jungle Jack Buck
Under the Gunas Mike Braxton
My Chauffeuras Battle(Sam Jones)
Flash Gordonas Flash Gordon
10as David Hanley
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Seth MacFarlane directed two of these films, Lisa Downs two. Fifteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
Patrick Stewart2 films together, 2012 to 2015
Dee Wallace2 films together, 1979 to 2023
Dee Wallace's page Roswell Delirium2023IMDb rating 3.7Jones as Mr. LeonardWallace as Betty
101979IMDb rating 6.2Jones as David HanleyWallace as Mary Lewis
Mark Wahlberg2 films together, 2012 to 2015
Patrick Warburton2 films together, 2012 to 2015
Giovanni Ribisi2 films together, 2012 to 2015
Fred Williamson2 films together, 1993 to 2007
Fred Williamson's page ReVamped2007IMDb rating 3.1Jones as Jake HardcastleWilliamson as Captain Michaels
South Beach1993IMDb rating 4.1Jones as BillyWilliamson as Mack Derringer
Seth MacFarlaneDirector, 2 films, 2012 to 2015
Lisa DownsDirector, 2 films, 2017 to 2020
All films by Lisa Downs Life After The Navigator2020IMDb rating 7.4Jones as Himself
Life After Flash2017IMDb rating 6.7Jones as Himself
Also two films together9 more actors
- Howard HessemanLife After The Navigator (2020) and My Chauffeur (1986)
- Bill SmitrovichTed 2 (2015) and Ted (2012)
- Brian BlessedLife After Flash (2017) and Flash Gordon (1980)
- Seth MacFarlaneTed 2 (2015) and Ted (2012)
- Richard O'BrienLife After Flash (2017) and Flash Gordon (1980)
- Melody AndersonLife After Flash (2017) and Flash Gordon (1980)
- TopolLife After Flash (2017) and Flash Gordon (1980)
- Peter WyngardeLife After Flash (2017) and Flash Gordon (1980)
- Jessica BarthTed 2 (2015) and Ted (2012)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Sam J. Jones's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$904 million
6 of the 17 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 17 films: 6 worldwide figure; 2 never in cinemas; 9 figure not found.
- 6Worldwide figure
- 2Never in cinemas
- 9Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$549M60.8% of the total
- 2$216M23.9% of the total
- 3$107M11.8% of the total
- 4$27M3.0% of the total
- 5$4.8M0.5% of the total
- 6$2K0.0% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.








