Acting
James Gleason
EN cinema · 145 credits
Born
23 May 1882
Died
12 April 1959 (aged 76)
Birthplace
New York City, New York, USA
Also known as James Austin Gleason · Jimmy 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).
Known for
Filmography
The Last Hurrah
as Cuke Gillen
Man or Gun
as Sheriff Jim Jackson
Money, Women and Guns
as Henry Devers
The Female Animal
as Tom Maloney
Rock-a-Bye Baby
as Doc Simpkins
No Time at All
as Dolph Grimes
Once Upon a Horse...
as Postmaster
Loving You
as Carl Meade
Spring Reunion
as Collie
Man in the Shadow
as Hank James
Star in the Dust
as Orval Jones
The Night of the Hunter
as Uncle Birdie Steptoe
The Girl Rush
as Ether Ferguson
Rookie of the Year
as Ed Shafer
Hollywood Thrill-Makers
as Risky Russell
Suddenly
as Peter 'Pop' Benson
Forever Female
as Eddie Woods
We're Not Married!
as Duffy
What Price Glory
as General Cokely
The Story of Will Rogers
as Bert Lynn
I'll See You in My Dreams
as Fred Townsend
Come Fill the Cup
as Charley Dolan
Two Gals and a Guy
as Max Howard
Triple Cross
as Knobby Walsh
The Yellow Cab Man
as Mickey Corkins
Key to the City
as Sergeant Hogan
Riding High
as Racing Secretary
The Jackpot
as Harry Summers
Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle
as Knobby Walsh
Take One False Step
as Captain Gledhill
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
as Timothy Gleason
The Life of Riley
as Gillis
Bad Boy
as Chief
Smart Woman
as Sam Corkle
When My Baby Smiles at Me
as Lefty Moore
The Return of October
as Uncle Willie Ramsey
The Dude Goes West
as Sam Briggs
Down to Earth
as Max Corkle
The Bishop's Wife
as Sylvester
Tycoon
as Pop Mathews
The Homestretch
as Doc Kilborne
The Hoodlum Saint
as Snarp
Home Sweet Homicide
as Sgt. O'Hare
Lady Luck
as Sacramento Sam
The Well Groomed Bride
as Captain Hornby
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
as McGarrity
The Clock
as Al Henry
This Man's Navy
as Jimmy Shannon
Captain Eddie
as Tom Clark
Arsenic and Old Lace
as Lt. Rooney
A Guy Named Joe
as “Nails” Kilpatrick
Once Upon a Time
as Moke McGillicuddy
The Keys of the Kingdom
as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
Crash Dive
as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
Tales of Manhattan
as Father Joe
Footlight Serenade
as Bruce McKay
A Date with the Falcon
as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
The Falcon Takes Over
as Inspector Mike O'Hara
Hay Foot
as Colonel J. A. Barkley
My Gal Sal
as Pat Hawley
Manila Calling
as Tim O'Rourke
Meet John Doe
as Henry Connell
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
as Max Corkle
Affectionately Yours
as 'Chet' Phillips
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
as Sergeant Daniels
Tanks a Million
as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
Babes on Broadway
as Thornton Reed
Breakdowns of 1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Earl of Puddlestone
as Joe Higgins
Grandpa Goes To Town
as Joe Higgins
The Covered Trailer
as Joe Higgins
On Your Toes
as Phil Dolan Sr.
Should Husbands Work?
as Joe Higgins
Money To Burn
as Joe Higgins
My Wife's Relatives
as Joe Higgins
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
as James Gleason
Army Girl
as Hennessy
The Higgins Family
as Joe Higgins
Forty Naughty Girls
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
as Danny The Duck
Murder on a Bridle Path
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
as Inspector Corrigan
The Plot Thickens
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Don't Turn 'em Loose
as Detective Daniels
The Big Game
as George Scott
Yours for the Asking
as Saratoga
Murder on a Honeymoon
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Helldorado
as Sam Barnes
West Point of the Air
as Joe 'Bags'
We're Only Human
as Detective Danny Walsh
Hot Tip
as Jimmy McGill, Director
Murder in the Fleet
Additional Writing
Murder on the Blackboard
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Meanest Gal in Town
as Duke Slater
Search for Beauty
as Dan Healy
Change of Heart
as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited), Screenplay
Hoopla
as Jerry
Clear All Wires!
as Lefty Williams
Orders Is Orders
as Ed Waggermeyer, Screenplay
The Billion Dollar Scandal
as "Ratsy" Harris
The Bowery
Screenplay
Blondie of the Follies
as Pa McClune
The Penguin Pool Murder
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Crooked Circle
as Arthur Crimmer
Lady and Gent
as Pin Streaver
High Hats and Low Brows
as Danny Ruff
Off His Base
1932
Off His Base
as Picture in Opening Credits, Director
The Devil Is Driving
as 'Beef' Evans
Rule 'Em and Weep
as Spike Mc Gorey
Yoo-Hoo
1932
Yoo-Hoo
as Jimmy Gleason
Fast Companions
as Silk Henley
The All-American
as Chick Knipe
Always Kickin'
Director
The Big Gamble
as Fred 'Squint' Dugan
A Free Soul
as Eddie
Sweepstakes
as Sleepy Jones
Suicide Fleet
as Skeets
Beyond Victory
as Jim Mobley, Writer
It's a Wise Child
as Cool Kelly
Puttin' on the Ritz
as James 'Jimmy' Tierney, Dialogue
Swellhead
as Johnny Trump, Dialogue
Her Man
as Steve
Dumb-bells in Ermine
as Mike, Writer
The Matrimonial Bed
as Gustave Corton
Big Money
as Tom
Mammy
Theatre Play
What a Widow!
Screenplay, Adaptation
The Fall Guy
Writer
Oh, Yeah!
as Dusty
Meet the Missus
as Bert La Motte
The Broadway Melody
as Music Publisher (uncredited), Dialogue
The Shannons of Broadway
as Mickey Shannon, Writer
His First Command
Screenplay, Story
The Flying Fool
Additional Dialogue
High Voltage
Dialogue, Screenplay
The Count of Ten
as Johnny's Manager
Polly of the Follies
as Paul Gordon