James Naughton’s first professional acting assignment was in Eugene O’Neill’s “A Long Day’s Journey Into Night” at the off-Broadway Promenade Theater. And at the end of the season, he discovered he was the recipient of three of the New York stage’s highest awards for his role as Edmund. They were:   The Theater World Award, the Vernon Rice Award, and the New York Drama Critics’ Most Promising Actor Award.   “It’s the closest thing to starting at the top that I’ve known,” says Naughton, who now stars as astronaut Pete Burke in 20th Century-Fox Television’s “Planet of the Apes” series for CBS-TV.   * * *   James Naughton was born December 6 in Middletown, Connecticut, but was raised in West Hartford. His father, James, is business manager for the Newton (Conn.) School System. His mother, Rosemary, is a former teacher.   After graduation from Conrad High School in West Hartford, Naughton was a pre-medical student at Brown University, where he received his A.B. degree. When he decided to switch to acting as a profession, Naughton attended Yale Drama School where he received his Master’s in Fine Arts.   Following “A Long Day’s Journey Into Night” in which he starred with Robert Ryan, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Stacy Keach, Naughton appeared in the off-Broadway version of Thomas Wolfe’s novel, “The Web and the Rock.” Then he co-starred with Timothy Bottoms in the television version of Wolfe’s “Look Homeward, Angel." He also starred with Genevieve Bujold in the N.T.A. production of “Antigone” for educational TV.   Naughton is most proud of having traveled with his Long Wharf Theater players from New Haven to the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland two years ago. There he appeared with Teresa Wright and John Cromwell in “Double Solitaire” and “You Can’t Take It With you.” Later, he again appeared with Timothy Bottoms in 20th Century-Fox’s feature film, “The Paper Chase."   Naughton and Pamela Parsons were married in October, 1966. They have two children -- Gregory, six, and daughter Keira, three. His brother, David, is an aspiring actor and is presently studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. His sister, Kathy, is a teacher at Simsbury Grade School in Connecticut.   Naughton played soccer and baseball in school and went on to become a semi-professional ball player in Hartford. Today he enjoys riding his motorcycle through the Southern California hills and canyons. He is also a tennis enthusiast.   * * * * Birthplace  Middletown, Conn.     Birthdate  Dec. 6   Height  6' 1"     Weight  185 lbs.   Hair  Dark Brown     Eyes  Brown   #   June, 1974