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