Born James Pringle Wittlig in Marietta, Ohio, he was the son of Walter Wittlig, a watchmaker, and Florence Ione Pringle. He had two brothers, the oldest Laurence Pringle Wittlig and a younger brother, David Pringle Wittlig. The Wittligs had emigrated from Langenthal, Switzerland in the 1860s. However, James did not follow in the family watchmaking tradition. His first love was art, which took him to the Pratt Art Institute of New York where he became a watercolorist and an illustrator for various magazines.
Film career
Warren was sighted by an MGMtalent scout, who offered him a contract. Changing his name to James Warren, he, his wife, Felice, and their six-week-old son moved to Hollywood, where over the course of several years he appeared in more than thirty movies. When his MGM contract expired he moved to RKO. There he appeared in several B-moviewesterns based on the works of Zane Grey. He replaced Robert Mitchum as RKO's cowboy star. Warren was then replaced by Tim Holt. Holt had been the preferred RKO cowboy star before the war and when Holt returned from the service he took back that role. Warren starred in such films as the 1946 remakeSunset Pass. His co-star was Nan Leslie. The previous Sunset Pass was made in 1933 film.. In 1952, he co-starred with Gloria Swanson in Three for Bedroom "C". During all his time in Hollywood, James had never lost his passion for painting. He produced several one-man shows throughout the US and found a patron in Vincent Price. At one of these shows, Katharine Hepburn purchased seven of Warren's large watercolor paintings which she kept in her private collection. In 1968 an art commission from Ford Motor Company took him to Hawaii. where he quickly settled into island life and became a highly respected member of the art community. He maintained an art gallery in Honolulu, as well as Maui. Warren specialized in whimsical interpretations of the Hawaiian Tutus and Kikis as well as many local images. He was a well-respected member of the Lahaina Art Society and always was a very willing and gracious participant in all art shows. He continued his one-man shows throughout his later life until his 70s when he chose to remain near his beloved Hawaii. He died, aged 88, in Kihei, Hawaiileaving four children and several grandchildren.
