James Gleason
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
Credits
- 2002 · Charles Laughton Directs 'The Night of the Hunter' as Self (archive footage)
- 1958 · The Last Hurrah as Cuke Gillen
- 1958 · Money, Women and Guns as Henry Devers
- 1958 · Once Upon a Horse... as Postmaster
- 1958 · Rock-a-Bye Baby as Doc Simpkins
- 1958 · Man or Gun as Sheriff Jim Jackson
- 1958 · No Time at All as Dolph Grimes
- 1958 · The Female Animal as Tom Maloney
- 1957 · Man in the Shadow as Hank James
- 1957 · Leave It to Beaver as Pete
- 1957 · Loving You as Carl Meade
- 1957 · Spring Reunion as Collie
- 1956 · Star in the Dust as Orval Jones
- 1955 · Rookie of the Year as Ed Shafer
- 1955 · Screen Director's Playhouse as Ed Shafer
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Mr. Jorgy
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Howard Fieldstone
- 1955 · Cheyenne as
- 1955 · The Girl Rush as Ether Ferguson
- 1955 · The Night of the Hunter as Uncle Birdie Steptoe
- 1955 · The Millionaire as Charles Hartford Simpson
- 1954 · Climax! as Reverend Mr. McCarkle
- 1954 · Suddenly as Peter 'Pop' Benson
- 1954 · Hollywood Thrill-Makers as Risky Russell
- 1953 · Forever Female as Eddie Woods
- 1952 · This Is Your Life as Self
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as Noah Larkin
- 1952 · What Price Glory as General Cokely
- 1952 · The Story of Will Rogers as Bert Lynn
- 1952 · We're Not Married! as Duffy
- 1951 · I'll See You in My Dreams as Fred Townsend
- 1951 · Come Fill the Cup as Charley Dolan
- 1951 · Joe Palooka in Triple Cross as Knobby Walsh
- 1951 · Two Gals and a Guy as Max Howard
- 1951 · Racket Squad as
- 1950 · Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle as Knobby Walsh
- 1950 · The Jackpot as Harry Summers
- 1950 · The Colgate Comedy Hour as Self
- 1950 · Riding High as Racing Secretary
- 1950 · The Yellow Cab Man as Mickey Corkins
- 1950 · Key to the City as Sergeant Hogan
- 1949 · Miss Grant Takes Richmond as Timothy Gleason
- 1949 · Take One False Step as Captain Gledhill
- 1949 · The Life of Riley as Gillis
- 1949 · Bad Boy as Chief
- 1948 · When My Baby Smiles at Me as Lefty Moore
- 1948 · The Return of October as Uncle Willie Ramsey
- 1948 · The Dude Goes West as Sam Briggs
- 1948 · Smart Woman as Sam Corkle
- 1947 · Tycoon as Pop Mathews
- 1947 · The Bishop's Wife as Sylvester
- 1947 · Down to Earth as Max Corkle
- 1947 · The Homestretch as Doc Kilborne
- 1946 · Lady Luck as Sacramento Sam
- 1946 · Home Sweet Homicide as Sgt. O'Hare
- 1946 · The Well Groomed Bride as Captain Hornby
- 1946 · The Hoodlum Saint as Snarp
- 1945 · Captain Eddie as Tom Clark
- 1945 · The Clock as Al Henry
- 1945 · A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as McGarrity
- 1945 · This Man's Navy as Jimmy Shannon
- 1944 · The Keys of the Kingdom as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
- 1944 · Arsenic and Old Lace as Lt. Rooney
- 1944 · Once Upon a Time as Moke McGillicuddy
- 1943 · A Guy Named Joe as “Nails” Kilpatrick
- 1943 · Crash Dive as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
- 1942 · Manila Calling as Tim O'Rourke
- 1942 · Tales of Manhattan as Joe - Mission Aid Society
- 1942 · Footlight Serenade as Bruce McKay
- 1942 · The Falcon Takes Over as Inspector Mike O'Hara
- 1942 · My Gal Sal as Pat Hawley
- 1942 · A Date with the Falcon as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
- 1942 · Hay Foot as Colonel J. A. Barkley
- 1941 · Babes on Broadway as Thornton Reed
- 1941 · Breakdowns of 1941 as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1941 · Nine Lives Are Not Enough as Sergeant Daniels
- 1941 · Tanks a Million as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
- 1941 · Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Max Corkle
- 1941 · Affectionately Yours as 'Chet' Phillips
- 1941 · Meet John Doe as Henry Connell
- 1940 · Earl of Puddlestone as Joe Higgins
- 1940 · Grandpa Goes To Town as Joe Higgins
- 1939 · Money To Burn as Joe Higgins
- 1939 · The Covered Trailer as Joe Higgins
- 1939 · On Your Toes as Phil Dolan Sr.
- 1939 · Should Husbands Work? as Joe Higgins
- 1939 · My Wife's Relatives as Joe Higgins
- 1938 · Army Girl as Hennessy
- 1938 · Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 as James Gleason
- 1938 · The Higgins Family as Joe Higgins
- 1937 · Manhattan Merry-Go-Round as Danny The Duck
- 1937 · Forty Naughty Girls as Inspector Oscar Piper
- 1937 · Cinema Circus as Himself
- 1936 · The Plot Thickens as Oscar Piper
- 1936 · The Big Game as George Scott
- 1936 · Don't Turn 'em Loose as Detective Daniels
- 1936 · Yours for the Asking as Saratoga
- 1936 · The Ex-Mrs. Bradford as Inspector Corrigan
- 1936 · Murder on a Bridle Path as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1935 · We're Only Human as Detective Danny Walsh
- 1935 · Hot Tip as Jimmy McGill
- 1935 · Hollywood Hobbies as Himself
- 1935 · West Point of the Air as Joe 'Bags'
- 1935 · Murder on a Honeymoon as Inspector Oscar Piper
- 1935 · Helldorado as Sam Barnes
- 1934 · Murder on the Blackboard as Inspector Oscar Piper
- 1934 · Change of Heart as Hot Dog Vendor
- 1934 · Search for Beauty as Dan Healy
- 1934 · The Meanest Gal in Town as Duke Slater
- 1933 · Hoopla as Jerry
- 1933 · Orders Is Orders as Ed Waggermeyer
- 1933 · Clear All Wires! as Lefty Williams
- 1933 · The Billion Dollar Scandal as "Ratsy" Harris
- 1932 · Penguin Pool Murder as Police Inspector Oscar Piper
- 1932 · The Devil Is Driving as 'Beef' Evans
- 1932 · Yoo-Hoo as Jimmy Gleason
- 1932 · The All-American as Chick Knipe
- 1932 · The Crooked Circle as Arthur Crimmer
- 1932 · Off His Base as Picture in Opening Credits
- 1932 · Blondie of the Follies as Pa McClune
- 1932 · Lady and Gent as Pin Streaver
- 1932 · High Hats and Low Brows as Danny Ruff
- 1932 · Fast Companions as Silk Henley
- 1932 · Rule 'Em and Weep as Spike Mc Gorey
- 1931 · Suicide Fleet as Skeets
- 1931 · The Big Gamble as Fred 'Squint' Dugan
- 1931 · Sweepstakes as Sleepy Jones
- 1931 · A Free Soul as Eddie
- 1931 · It's a Wise Child as Cool Kelly
- 1931 · Beyond Victory as Jim Mobley
- 1930 · Big Money as Tom
- 1930 · Her Man as Steve
- 1930 · The Matrimonial Bed as Gustave Corton
- 1930 · Dumb-bells in Ermine as Mike
- 1930 · Swellhead as Johnny Trump
- 1930 · Puttin' on the Ritz as James 'Jimmy' Tierney
- 1930 · Don't Believe It as Jimmy
- 1929 · Fairways and Foul as Husband
- 1929 · Oh, Yeah! as Dusty
- 1929 · Meet the Missus as Bert La Motte
- 1929 · The Broadway Melody as Music Publisher (uncredited)
- 1922 · Polly of the Follies as Paul Gordon