James Thomas Cox was a lifelong lover of theatre and its arts in all shapes and forms. He developed an "itch" for theatre while a child in elementary school where a woman by the name of Anna Day taught Jim and his peers elocution and directed them in a variety of stage presentations that were closer to vaudeville than to the theatre world of today. As a young man in high school he was recognized as an avid reader of play scripts who couldn't wait to direct and perform and consequently formed a theatre company while still in school. (One of the first members to join him was a classmate, Anna Maria Italiano, later to be recognized as the Oscar and Tony winning actress, Anne Bancroft.) An account of the highs and lows of the years of struggling "to make it in show biz" can be read in "Thank You, Jonas Bronck," an autobiography written with humor, sensitivity and compassion.

The story of James Thomas Cox is not spectacular, but it is a remarkable example of the countless stories of theatre practitioners who never become household names. His career in the theatre included roles performed on the stage and on radio and in television and movies. His roles most often were character roles played in the background as support for stars. He did this on the small screen in episodes of "Hill Street Blues," "Cagney and Lacey," "The Judge," and "Official Detective" among others. He performed on stages from New England to Texas to Maryland to California. He had roles in productions of "Excess Baggage," "Cold Storage," "The Happy Time," "Tobacco Road," "Deathtrap," "Clash By Night," "Two Old Farts Reading Shakespeare," and "Steambath."

Prior to his death he asked that his extensive collection of play scripts be made available to students and faculty. This special collection is the fulfillment of that request. Perhaps it will enable others in going after what they want most. Go for it, keeping in mind one of this man's favorite sayings: "The only ladder to the stars is woven with dreams."