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