James Gleason

Biography

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

Climax!

Leave It to Beaver

Cheyenne

The Colgate Comedy Hour

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

The Millionaire

This Is Your Life

All Movies (133)

• The Last Hurrah1958 · as Cuke Gillen
• Money, Women and Guns1958 · as Henry Devers
• Once Upon a Horse...1958 · as Postmaster
• Rock-a-Bye Baby1958 · as Doc Simpkins
• Man or Gun1958 · as Sheriff Jim Jackson
• No Time at All1958 · as Dolph Grimes
• The Female Animal1958 · as Tom Maloney
• Man in the Shadow1957 · as Hank James
• Loving You1957 · as Carl Meade
• Spring Reunion1957 · as Collie
• Star in the Dust1956 · as Orval Jones
• The Girl Rush1955 · as Ether Ferguson
• The Night of the Hunter1955 · as Uncle Birdie Steptoe
• Suddenly1954 · as Peter 'Pop' Benson
• Hollywood Thrill-Makers1954 · as Risky Russell
• Forever Female1953 · as Eddie Woods
• What Price Glory1952 · as General Cokely
• The Story of Will Rogers1952 · as Bert Lynn
• We're Not Married!1952 · as Duffy
• I'll See You in My Dreams1951 · as Fred Townsend
• Come Fill the Cup1951 · as Charley Dolan
• Triple Cross1951 · as Knobby Walsh
• Two Gals and a Guy1951 · as Max Howard
• Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle1950 · as Knobby Walsh
• The Jackpot1950 · as Harry Summers
• Riding High1950 · as Racing Secretary
• The Yellow Cab Man1950 · as Mickey Corkins
• Key to the City1950 · as Sergeant Hogan
• Miss Grant Takes Richmond1949 · as Timothy Gleason
• Take One False Step1949 · as Captain Gledhill
• The Life of Riley1949 · as Gillis
• Bad Boy1949 · as Chief
• When My Baby Smiles at Me1948 · as Lefty Moore
• The Return of October1948 · as Uncle Willie Ramsey
• The Dude Goes West1948 · as Sam Briggs
• Smart Woman1948 · as Sam Corkle
• Tycoon1947 · as Pop Mathews
• The Bishop's Wife1947 · as Sylvester
• Down to Earth1947 · as Max Corkle
• The Homestretch1947 · as Doc Kilborne
• Lady Luck1946 · as Sacramento Sam
• Home Sweet Homicide1946 · as Sgt. O'Hare
• The Well Groomed Bride1946 · as Captain Hornby
• The Hoodlum Saint1946 · as Snarp
• Captain Eddie1945 · as Tom Clark
• The Clock1945 · as Al Henry
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn1945 · as McGarrity
• This Man's Navy1945 · as Jimmy Shannon
• The Keys of the Kingdom1944 · as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
• Arsenic and Old Lace1944 · as Lt. Rooney
• Once Upon a Time1944 · as Moke McGillicuddy
• A Guy Named Joe1944 · as “Nails” Kilpatrick
• Crash Dive1943 · as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
• Manila Calling1942 · as Tim O'Rourke
• Tales of Manhattan1942 · as Father Joe
• Footlight Serenade1942 · as Bruce McKay
• The Falcon Takes Over1942 · as Inspector Mike O'Hara
• My Gal Sal1942 · as Pat Hawley
• A Date with the Falcon1942 · as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
• Hay Foot1942 · as Colonel J. A. Barkley
• Babes on Broadway1941 · as Thornton Reed
• Breakdowns of 19411941 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Nine Lives Are Not Enough1941 · as Sergeant Daniels
• Tanks a Million1941 · as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
• Here Comes Mr. Jordan1941 · as Max Corkle
• Affectionately Yours1941 · as 'Chet' Phillips
• Meet John Doe1941 · as Henry Connell
• Earl of Puddlestone1940 · as Joe Higgins
• Grandpa Goes To Town1940 · as Joe Higgins
• Money To Burn1939 · as Joe Higgins
• The Covered Trailer1939 · as Joe Higgins
• On Your Toes1939 · as Phil Dolan Sr.
• Should Husbands Work?1939 · as Joe Higgins
• My Wife's Relatives1939 · as Joe Higgins
• Army Girl1938 · as Hennessy
• Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 121938 · as James Gleason
• The Higgins Family1938 · as Joe Higgins
• Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 61938 · as Self
• Manhattan Merry-Go-Round1937 · as Danny The Duck
• Forty Naughty Girls1937 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• Cinema Circus1937 · as Himself
• The Plot Thickens1936 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• The Big Game1936 · as George Scott
• Don't Turn 'em Loose1936 · as Detective Daniels
• Yours for the Asking1936 · as Saratoga
• The Ex-Mrs. Bradford1936 · as Inspector Corrigan
• Murder on a Bridle Path1936 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• We're Only Human1935 · as Detective Danny Walsh
• Hot Tip1935 · as Jimmy McGill
• Hollywood Hobbies1935 · as Himself
• West Point of the Air1935 · as Joe 'Bags'
• Murder on a Honeymoon1935 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• Helldorado1935 · as Sam Barnes
• Murder on the Blackboard1934 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• Change of Heart1934 · as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
• Search for Beauty1934 · as Dan Healy
• The Meanest Gal in Town1934 · as Duke Slater
• Hoopla1933 · as Jerry
• Orders Is Orders1933 · as Ed Waggermeyer
• Clear All Wires!1933 · as Lefty Williams
• The Billion Dollar Scandal1933 · as "Ratsy" Harris
• The Penguin Pool Murder1932 · as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
• The Devil Is Driving1932 · as 'Beef' Evans
• Yoo-Hoo1932 · as Jimmy Gleason
• The All-American1932 · as Chick Knipe
• The Crooked Circle1932 · as Arthur Crimmer
• Off His Base1932 · as Picture in Opening Credits
• Blondie of the Follies1932 · as Pa McClune
• Lady and Gent1932 · as Pin Streaver
• High Hats and Low Brows1932 · as Danny Ruff
• Fast Companions1932 · as Silk Henley
• Rule 'Em and Weep1932 · as Spike Mc Gorey
• Suicide Fleet1931 · as Skeets
• The Big Gamble1931 · as Fred 'Squint' Dugan
• Sweepstakes1931 · as Sleepy Jones
• A Free Soul1931 · as Eddie
• It's a Wise Child1931 · as Cool Kelly
• Beyond Victory1931 · as Jim Mobley
• Big Money1930 · as Tom
• Her Man1930 · as Steve
• Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 11930 · as Self
• The Matrimonial Bed1930 · as Gustave Corton
• Dumb-bells in Ermine1930 · as Mike
• Swellhead1930 · as Johnny Trump
• Puttin' on the Ritz1930 · as James 'Jimmy' Tierney
• Don't Believe It1930 · as Jimmy
• The Shannons of Broadway1929 · as Mickey Shannon
• Oh, Yeah!1929 · as Dusty
• Fairways and Foul1929 · as Husband
• Meet the Missus1929 · as Bert La Motte
• The Broadway Melody1929 · as Music Publisher (uncredited)
• The Count of Ten1928 · as Johnny's Manager
• Polly of the Follies1922 · as Paul Gordon

All TV Shows (11)

• Leave It to Beaver1957 · as Pete
• Screen Director's Playhouse1955 · as Ed Shafer
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Mr. Jorgy
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Howard Fieldstone
• Cheyenne1955
• The Millionaire1955 · as Charles Hartford Simpson
• Climax!1954 · as Reverend Mr. McCarkle
• This Is Your Life1952 · as Self
• Cavalcade of America1952 · as Noah Larkin
• Racket Squad1951
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self