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).
TV Shows(10)
Movies(133)
The Last Hurrah
Cuke Gillen
1958
Money, Women and Guns
Henry Devers
1958
Once Upon a Horse...
Postmaster
1958
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Doc Simpkins
1958
Man or Gun
Sheriff Jim Jackson
1958
No Time at All
Dolph Grimes
1958
The Female Animal
Tom Maloney
1958
Man in the Shadow
Hank James
1957
Loving You
Carl Meade
1957
Spring Reunion
Collie
1957
Star in the Dust
Orval Jones
1956
The Girl Rush
Ether Ferguson
1955
The Night of the Hunter
Uncle Birdie Steptoe
1955
Suddenly
Peter 'Pop' Benson
1954
Hollywood Thrill-Makers
Risky Russell
1954
Forever Female
Eddie Woods
1953
What Price Glory
General Cokely
1952
The Story of Will Rogers
Bert Lynn
1952
We're Not Married!
Duffy
1952
I'll See You in My Dreams
Fred Townsend
1951
Come Fill the Cup
Charley Dolan
1951
Triple Cross
Knobby Walsh
1951
Two Gals and a Guy
Max Howard
1951
Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle
Knobby Walsh
1950
The Jackpot
Harry Summers
1950
Riding High
Racing Secretary
1950
The Yellow Cab Man
Mickey Corkins
1950
Key to the City
Sergeant Hogan
1950
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Timothy Gleason
1949
Take One False Step
Captain Gledhill
1949
The Life of Riley
Gillis
1949
Bad Boy
Chief
1949
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Lefty Moore
1948
The Return of October
Uncle Willie Ramsey
1948
The Dude Goes West
Sam Briggs
1948
Smart Woman
Sam Corkle
1948
Tycoon
Pop Mathews
1947
The Bishop's Wife
Sylvester
1947
Down to Earth
Max Corkle
1947
The Homestretch
Doc Kilborne
1947
Lady Luck
Sacramento Sam
1946
Home Sweet Homicide
Sgt. O'Hare
1946
The Well Groomed Bride
Captain Hornby
1946
The Hoodlum Saint
Snarp
1946
Captain Eddie
Tom Clark
1945
The Clock
Al Henry
1945
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
McGarrity
1945
This Man's Navy
Jimmy Shannon
1945
The Keys of the Kingdom
Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
1944
Arsenic and Old Lace
Lt. Rooney
1944
Once Upon a Time
Moke McGillicuddy
1944
A Guy Named Joe
“Nails” Kilpatrick
1944
Crash Dive
Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
1943
Manila Calling
Tim O'Rourke
1942
Tales of Manhattan
Father Joe
1942
Footlight Serenade
Bruce McKay
1942
The Falcon Takes Over
Inspector Mike O'Hara
1942
My Gal Sal
Pat Hawley
1942
A Date with the Falcon
Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
1942
Hay Foot
Colonel J. A. Barkley
1942
Babes on Broadway
Thornton Reed
1941
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1941
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
Sergeant Daniels
1941
Tanks a Million
Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
1941
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Max Corkle
1941
Affectionately Yours
'Chet' Phillips
1941
Meet John Doe
Henry Connell
1941
Earl of Puddlestone
Joe Higgins
1940
Grandpa Goes To Town
Joe Higgins
1940
Money To Burn
Joe Higgins
1939
The Covered Trailer
Joe Higgins
1939
On Your Toes
Phil Dolan Sr.
1939
Should Husbands Work?
Joe Higgins
1939
My Wife's Relatives
Joe Higgins
1939
Army Girl
Hennessy
1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
James Gleason
1938
The Higgins Family
Joe Higgins
1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
Self
1938
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Danny The Duck
1937
Forty Naughty Girls
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1937
Cinema Circus
Himself
1937
The Plot Thickens
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1936
The Big Game
George Scott
1936
Don't Turn 'em Loose
Detective Daniels
1936
Yours for the Asking
Saratoga
1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Inspector Corrigan
1936
Murder on a Bridle Path
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1936
We're Only Human
Detective Danny Walsh
1935
Hot Tip
Jimmy McGill
1935
Hollywood Hobbies
Himself
1935
West Point of the Air
Joe 'Bags'
1935
Murder on a Honeymoon
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1935
Helldorado
Sam Barnes
1935
Murder on the Blackboard
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1934
Change of Heart
Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
1934
Search for Beauty
Dan Healy
1934
The Meanest Gal in Town
Duke Slater
1934
Hoopla
Jerry
1933
Orders Is Orders
Ed Waggermeyer
1933
Clear All Wires!
Lefty Williams
1933
The Billion Dollar Scandal
"Ratsy" Harris
1933
The Penguin Pool Murder
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
1932
The Devil Is Driving
'Beef' Evans
1932
Yoo-Hoo
Jimmy Gleason
1932
The All-American
Chick Knipe
1932
The Crooked Circle
Arthur Crimmer
1932
Off His Base
Picture in Opening Credits
1932
Blondie of the Follies
Pa McClune
1932
Lady and Gent
Pin Streaver
1932
High Hats and Low Brows
Danny Ruff
1932
Fast Companions
Silk Henley
1932
Rule 'Em and Weep
Spike Mc Gorey
1932
Suicide Fleet
Skeets
1931
The Big Gamble
Fred 'Squint' Dugan
1931
Sweepstakes
Sleepy Jones
1931
A Free Soul
Eddie
1931
It's a Wise Child
Cool Kelly
1931
Beyond Victory
Jim Mobley
1931
Big Money
Tom
1930
Her Man
Steve
1930
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
Self
1930
The Matrimonial Bed
Gustave Corton
1930
Dumb-bells in Ermine
Mike
1930
Swellhead
Johnny Trump
1930
Puttin' on the Ritz
James 'Jimmy' Tierney
1930
Don't Believe It
Jimmy
1930
The Shannons of Broadway
Mickey Shannon
1929
Oh, Yeah!
Dusty
1929
Fairways and Foul
Husband
1929
Meet the Missus
Bert La Motte
1929
The Broadway Melody
Music Publisher (uncredited)
1929
The Count of Ten
Johnny's Manager
1928
Polly of the Follies
Paul Gordon
1922