Name
James Gleason
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1882-05-23
Deathday
1959-04-12 (77 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
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
7.852
In Depression-era West Virginia, a serial-killing preacher hunts two young children who kn...
7.612
Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribe...
7.316
As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John ...
7.5
In Brooklyn circa 1900, the Nolans manage to enjoy life on pennies despite great poverty a...
6
A Justice of the Peace performed weddings a few days before his license was valid. A few y...
6.9
An average television repairman must care for the newborn triplets of his former hometown ...
7.1
A young priest, Father Chisholm is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the ...
- 1944 Arsenic and Old Lace as Lt. Rooney
- 1955 The Night of the Hunter as Uncle Birdie Steptoe
- 1932 Blondie of the Follies as Pa McClune
- 1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as McGarrity
- 1949 Take One False Step as Captain Gledhill
- 1952 We're Not Married! as Duffy
- 1940 Earl of Puddlestone as Joe Higgins
- 1939 The Covered Trailer as Joe Higgins
- 1941 Meet John Doe as Henry Connell
- 1942 Tales of Manhattan as Father Joe
- 1944 A Guy Named Joe as “Nails” Kilpatrick
- 1951 I'll See You in My Dreams as Fred Townsend
- 1949 Miss Grant Takes Richmond as Timothy Gleason
- 1942 Footlight Serenade as Bruce McKay
- 1942 A Date with the Falcon as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
- 1931 The Big Gamble as Fred 'Squint' Dugan
- 1954 Hollywood Thrill-Makers as Risky Russell
- 1942 The Falcon Takes Over as Inspector Mike O'Hara
- 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Max Corkle
- 1922 Polly of the Follies as Paul Gordon
- 1936 Murder on a Bridle Path as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1944 Once Upon a Time as Moke McGillicuddy
- 1947 Down to Earth as Max Corkle
- 1957 Loving You as Carl Meade
- 1944 The Keys of the Kingdom as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
- 1954 Suddenly as Peter 'Pop' Benson
- 1947 The Bishop's Wife as Sylvester
- 1931 A Free Soul as Eddie
- 1929 Oh, Yeah! as Dusty
- 1952 What Price Glory as General Cokely
- 1946 The Hoodlum Saint as Snarp
- 1936 The Ex-Mrs. Bradford as Inspector Corrigan
- 1945 The Clock as Al Henry
- 1943 Crash Dive as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
- 1933 Hoopla as Jerry
- 1958 The Last Hurrah as Cuke Gillen
- 1941 Affectionately Yours as 'Chet' Phillips
- 1932 The Penguin Pool Murder as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1947 Tycoon as Pop Mathews
- 1935 Murder on a Honeymoon as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1958 Man or Gun as Sheriff Jim Jackson
- 1935 Helldorado as Sam Barnes
- 1941 Nine Lives Are Not Enough as Sergeant Daniels
- 1930 Puttin' on the Ritz as James 'Jimmy' Tierney
- 1945 This Man's Navy as Jimmy Shannon
- 1936 The Plot Thickens as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1942 Hay Foot as Colonel J. A. Barkley
- 1950 The Yellow Cab Man as Mickey Corkins
- 1939 On Your Toes as Phil Dolan Sr.
- 1952 The Story of Will Rogers as Bert Lynn
- 1942 My Gal Sal as Pat Hawley
- 1935 West Point of the Air as Joe 'Bags'
- 1958 Money, Women and Guns as Henry Devers
- 1950 Key to the City as Sergeant Hogan
- 1950 Riding High as Racing Secretary
- 1951 Come Fill the Cup as Charley Dolan
- 1950 The Jackpot as Harry Summers
- 1956 Star in the Dust as Orval Jones
- 1948 Smart Woman as Sam Corkle
- 1946 Home Sweet Homicide as Sgt. O'Hare
- 1937 Cinema Circus as Himself
- 1930 Swellhead as Johnny Trump
- 1930 Her Man as Steve
- 1932 The Crooked Circle as Arthur Crimmer
- 1953 Forever Female as Eddie Woods
- 1937 Forty Naughty Girls as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1938 Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 as James Gleason
- 1955 The Girl Rush as Ether Ferguson
- 1933 Clear All Wires! as Lefty Williams
- 1948 When My Baby Smiles at Me as Lefty Moore
- 1934 Murder on the Blackboard as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1932 Lady and Gent as Pin Streaver
- 1957 Spring Reunion as Collie
- 1938 Army Girl as Hennessy
- 1931 Sweepstakes as Sleepy Jones
- 1948 The Return of October as Uncle Willie Ramsey
- 1931 Suicide Fleet as Skeets
- 1932 High Hats and Low Brows as Danny Ruff
- 1929 Meet the Missus as Bert La Motte
- 1937 Manhattan Merry-Go-Round as Danny The Duck
- 1936 Don't Turn 'em Loose as Detective Daniels
- 1935 We're Only Human as Detective Danny Walsh
- 1947 The Homestretch as Doc Kilborne
- 1936 The Big Game as George Scott
- 1932 Off His Base as Picture in Opening Credits
- 1949 The Life of Riley as Gillis
- 1958 The Female Animal as Tom Maloney
- 1946 Lady Luck as Sacramento Sam
- 1930 Dumb-bells in Ermine as Mike
- 1934 The Meanest Gal in Town as Duke Slater
- 1949 Bad Boy as Chief
- 1932 The Devil Is Driving as 'Beef' Evans
- 1958 Rock-a-Bye Baby as Doc Simpkins
- 1930 The Matrimonial Bed as Gustave Corton
- 1934 Search for Beauty as Dan Healy
- 1948 The Dude Goes West as Sam Briggs
- 1931 Beyond Victory as Jim Mobley
- 1942 Manila Calling as Tim O'Rourke
- 1951 Two Gals and a Guy as Max Howard
- 1946 The Well Groomed Bride as Captain Hornby
- 1936 Yours for the Asking as Saratoga
- 1957 Man in the Shadow as Hank James
- 1934 Change of Heart as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
- 1958 No Time at All as Dolph Grimes
- 1950 Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle as Knobby Walsh
- 1939 Should Husbands Work? as Joe Higgins
- 1930 Don't Believe It as Jimmy
- 1939 Money To Burn as Joe Higgins
- 1938 The Higgins Family as Joe Higgins
- 1931 It's a Wise Child as Cool Kelly
- 1939 My Wife's Relatives as Joe Higgins
- 1932 Rule 'Em and Weep as Spike Mc Gorey
- 1940 Grandpa Goes To Town as Joe Higgins
- 1941 Tanks a Million as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
- 1941 Babes on Broadway as Thornton Reed
- 1945 Captain Eddie as Tom Clark
- 1941 Breakdowns of 1941 as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1935 Hot Tip as Jimmy McGill
- 1932 Yoo-Hoo as Jimmy Gleason
- 1929 The Broadway Melody as Music Publisher (uncredited)
- 1932 Fast Companions as Silk Henley
- 1932 The All-American as Chick Knipe
- 1929 Fairways and Foul as Husband
- 1951 Triple Cross as Knobby Walsh
- 1933 Orders Is Orders as Ed Waggermeyer
- 1933 The Billion Dollar Scandal as "Ratsy" Harris
- 1935 Hollywood Hobbies as Himself
- 1930 Big Money as Tom
- 1958 Once Upon a Horse... as Postmaster
- 1938 Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6 as Self
- 1930 Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1 as Self
- 1929 The Shannons of Broadway as Mickey Shannon
- 1928 The Count of Ten as Johnny's Manager
- 1955 Rookie of the Year as Ed Shafer
- 1955 Cheyenne ( 1 episode )
- 1950 The Colgate Comedy Hour ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1957 Leave It to Beaver ( 1 episode ) as Pete
- 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Jorgy
- 1955 The Millionaire ( 1 episode ) as Charles Hartford Simpson
- 1952 This Is Your Life ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1954 Climax! ( 1 episode ) as Reverend Mr. McCarkle
- 1951 Racket Squad ( 1 episode )
- 1952 Cavalcade of America ( 1 episode ) as Noah Larkin
- 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1 episode ) as Howard Fieldstone
- 1955 Screen Director's Playhouse ( 1 episode ) as Ed Shafer
