Reina James Reina James Reina James (born 1947) is a British author. She has written two novels, the first of which won the Society of Authors’ McKitterick Prize in 2007. James was born in 1947, shortly after her parents arrived in the UK from South Africa. Her father was the actor Sid James. During her teenage years she played in a folk group before marrying and starting a family. In her late 20s she appeared in the stage play "John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert" by Willy Russell, and later appeared in Russell's musical "Blood Brothers". Having worked since the 1980s
Jimmy James (comedian) was a sergeant in the Northumberland Fusiliers but was invalided out after being gassed on the Western Front. James appeared in Stockton as a double act with his great uncle Jimmy Howells and they were known as The Two Jimmies. James became a comedian by chance. In 1925, he took over for one night at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, standing in when the regular comedian walked out. His next big break came when he took over from a young Max Miller who had walked out of a show. In 1929, James was talent spotted at the Sunderland Empire by impresario George Black,