James Gleason
Acting
James Gleason was born in New York City to William Gleason and Mina Crolius, who were both in the theatre. He was married to Lucile Gleason (born Lucile Webster), and had a son, Russell Gleason. As a young man James fought in the Spanish-American War. After the war he joined the stock company at the Liberty Theater in Oakland, California, which his parents were running. James and his wife then moved to Portland, Oregon, where they played in stock at the Baker Theater. For several years afterward they toured in road shows until James enlisted in the army during World War I. When he returned he appeared on the stage in "The Five Million." He then turned to writing, including "Is Zat So", which he produced for the NY stage. He also wrote and acted in "The Fall Guy" and "The Shannons on Broadway." Next he wrote The Broadway Melody (1929) for MGM. He collaborated, in 1930, on The Swellhead (1930), Dumbbells in Ermine (1930), What a Widow! (1930), Rain or Shine (1930) and His First Command (1929). He and his wife were then contracted to Pathe, Lucille to act, and James (or Jimmie as he was known) as a writer. Probably his most famous acting role was as Max Corkle, the manager of Joe Pendleton who was wrongly plucked from this life into the next, in the hit fantasy Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941).
Known for
Acting143
movieThe Last Hurrah
1958
Cuke Gillen
movieMoney, Women and Guns
1958
Henry Devers
movieOnce Upon a Horse...
1958
Postmaster
movieRock-a-Bye Baby
1958
Doc Simpkins
movieMan or Gun
1958
Sheriff Jim Jackson
movieNo Time at All
1958
Dolph Grimes
movieThe Female Animal
1958
Tom Maloney
movieMan in the Shadow
1957
Hank James
movieLoving You
1957
Carl Meade
movieSpring Reunion
1957
Collie
movieStar in the Dust
1956
Orval Jones
tvScreen Director's Playhouse
1955
Ed Shafer
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Mr. Jorgy / Howard Fieldstone
movieThe Girl Rush
1955
Ether Ferguson
movieThe Night of the Hunter
1955
Uncle Birdie Steptoe
tvThe Millionaire
1955
Charles Hartford Simpson
tvClimax!
1954
Reverend Mr. McCarkle
movieSuddenly
1954
Peter 'Pop' Benson
movieHollywood Thrill-Makers
1954
Risky Russell
movieForever Female
1953
Eddie Woods
tvCavalcade of America
1952
Noah Larkin
movieWhat Price Glory
1952
General Cokely
movieThe Story of Will Rogers
1952
Bert Lynn
movieI'll See You in My Dreams
1951
Fred Townsend
movieCome Fill the Cup
1951
Charley Dolan
movieTriple Cross
1951
Knobby Walsh
movieTwo Gals and a Guy
1951
Max Howard
movieJoe Palooka in the Squared Circle
1950
Knobby Walsh
movieThe Jackpot
1950
Harry Summers
movieRiding High
1950
Racing Secretary
movieThe Yellow Cab Man
1950
Mickey Corkins
movieKey to the City
1950
Sergeant Hogan
movieMiss Grant Takes Richmond
1949
Timothy Gleason
movieTake One False Step
1949
Captain Gledhill
movieBad Boy
1949
Chief
movieWhen My Baby Smiles at Me
1948
Lefty Moore
movieThe Return of October
1948
Uncle Willie Ramsey
movieThe Dude Goes West
1948
Sam Briggs
movieSmart Woman
1948
Sam Corkle
movieTycoon
1947
Pop Mathews
movieThe Bishop's Wife
1947
Sylvester
movieDown to Earth
1947
Max Corkle
movieThe Homestretch
1947
Doc Kilborne
movieLady Luck
1946
Sacramento Sam
movieHome Sweet Homicide
1946
Sgt. O'Hare
movieThe Well Groomed Bride
1946
Captain Hornby
movieCaptain Eddie
1945
Tom Clark
movieThe Clock
1945
Al Henry
movieA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
1945
McGarrity
movieThis Man's Navy
1945
Jimmy Shannon
movieThe Keys of the Kingdom
1944
Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
movieArsenic and Old Lace
1944
Lt. Rooney
movieOnce Upon a Time
1944
Moke McGillicuddy
movieA Guy Named Joe
1944
“Nails” Kilpatrick
movieCrash Dive
1943
Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
movieManila Calling
1942
Tim O'Rourke
movieTales of Manhattan
1942
Father Joe
movieFootlight Serenade
1942
Bruce McKay
movieThe Falcon Takes Over
1942
Inspector Mike O'Hara
movieMy Gal Sal
1942
Pat Hawley
movieA Date with the Falcon
1942
Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
movieHay Foot
1942
Colonel J. A. Barkley
movieBabes on Broadway
1941
Thornton Reed
movieBreakdowns of 1941
1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieNine Lives Are Not Enough
1941
Sergeant Daniels
movieTanks a Million
1941
Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
movieHere Comes Mr. Jordan
1941
Max Corkle
movieAffectionately Yours
1941
'Chet' Phillips
movieMeet John Doe
1941
Henry Connell
movieEarl of Puddlestone
1940
Joe Higgins
movieGrandpa Goes To Town
1940
Joe Higgins
movieMoney To Burn
1939
Joe Higgins
movieThe Covered Trailer
1939
Joe Higgins
movieOn Your Toes
1939
Phil Dolan Sr.
movieShould Husbands Work?
1939
Joe Higgins
movieMy Wife's Relatives
1939
Joe Higgins
movieArmy Girl
1938
Hennessy
movieScreen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
1938
James Gleason
movieThe Higgins Family
1938
Joe Higgins
movieManhattan Merry-Go-Round
1937
Danny The Duck
movieForty Naughty Girls
1937
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieThe Plot Thickens
1936
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieThe Big Game
1936
George Scott
movieDon't Turn 'em Loose
1936
Detective Daniels
movieYours for the Asking
1936
Saratoga
movieThe Ex-Mrs. Bradford
1936
Inspector Corrigan
movieMurder on a Bridle Path
1936
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieWe're Only Human
1935
Detective Danny Walsh
movieHot Tip
1935
Jimmy McGill
movieWest Point of the Air
1935
Joe 'Bags'
movieMurder on a Honeymoon
1935
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieHelldorado
1935
Sam Barnes
movieMurder on the Blackboard
1934
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieChange of Heart
1934
Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
movieSearch for Beauty
1934
Dan Healy
movieThe Meanest Gal in Town
1934
Duke Slater
movieHoopla
1933
Jerry
movieOrders Is Orders
1933
Ed Waggermeyer
movieClear All Wires!
1933
Lefty Williams
movieThe Billion Dollar Scandal
1933
"Ratsy" Harris
movieThe Penguin Pool Murder
1932
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
movieThe Devil Is Driving
1932
'Beef' Evans
Yoo-Hoo
1932
Jimmy Gleason
movieThe All-American
1932
Chick Knipe
movieThe Crooked Circle
1932
Arthur Crimmer
Off His Base
1932
Picture in Opening Credits
movieBlondie of the Follies
1932
Pa McClune
movieLady and Gent
1932
Pin Streaver
movieHigh Hats and Low Brows
1932
Danny Ruff
movieFast Companions
1932
Silk Henley
movieRule 'Em and Weep
1932
Spike Mc Gorey
movieSuicide Fleet
1931
Skeets
movieThe Big Gamble
1931
Fred 'Squint' Dugan
movieSweepstakes
1931
Sleepy Jones
movieA Free Soul
1931
Eddie
movieIt's a Wise Child
1931
Cool Kelly
movieBeyond Victory
1931
Jim Mobley
movieHer Man
1930
Steve
movieThe Matrimonial Bed
1930
Gustave Corton
movieSwellhead
1930
Johnny Trump
moviePuttin' on the Ritz
1930
James 'Jimmy' Tierney
movieThe Shannons of Broadway
1929
Mickey Shannon
movieOh, Yeah!
1929
Dusty
movieMeet the Missus
1929
Bert La Motte
movieThe Broadway Melody
1929
Music Publisher (uncredited)
movieThe Count of Ten
1928
Johnny's Manager
moviePolly of the Follies
1922
Paul Gordon
Writing16
movieChange of Heart
1934
Screenplay
movieThe Bowery
1933
Screenplay
movieOrders Is Orders
1933
Screenplay
movieBeyond Victory
1931
Writer
movieWhat a Widow!
1930
Screenplay, Adaptation
movieRain or Shine
1930
Writer
movieThe Fall Guy
1930
Writer
movieMammy
1930
Theatre Play
movieSwellhead
1930
Dialogue
moviePuttin' on the Ritz
1930
Dialogue
movieHis First Command
1929
Screenplay, Story
movieHigh Voltage
1929
Dialogue, Screenplay
movieThe Broadway Melody
1929
Dialogue
Directing3
Crew2
movieMurder in the Fleet
1935
Additional Writing
movieThe Flying Fool
1929
Additional Dialogue