About

Known credits:
155
Birthday:
1882-05-22
Place of birth:
New York City, New York, USA
Website:
N/A

James Gleason

Overview

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

Acting
2002 Charles Laughton Directs 'The Night of the Hunter' Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1958 The Last Hurrah Actor Cuke Gillen 60
Fair
1958 Money, Women and Guns Actor Henry Devers 58
Average
1958 Once Upon a Horse... Actor Postmaster 59
Average
1958 Rock-a-Bye Baby Actor Doc Simpkins 60
Fair
1958 Man or Gun Actor Sheriff Jim Jackson 58
Average
1958 No Time at All Actor Dolph Grimes N/A
N/A
1958 The Female Animal Actor Tom Maloney 58
Average
1957 Man in the Shadow Actor Hank James 59
Average
1957 Loving You Actor Carl Meade 59
Average
1957 Spring Reunion Actor Collie 59
Average
1956 Star in the Dust Actor Orval Jones 58
Average
1955 Rookie of the Year Actor Ed Shafer 58
Average
1955 Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of the Year Actor Ed Shafer 60
Fair
1955 The Girl Rush Actor Ether Ferguson 58
Average
1955 The Night of the Hunter Actor Uncle Birdie Steptoe 74
Good
1954 Suddenly Actor Peter 'Pop' Benson 59
Average
1954 Hollywood Thrill-Makers Actor Risky Russell N/A
N/A
1953 Forever Female Actor Eddie Woods 59
Average
1952 What Price Glory Actor General Cokely 58
Average
1952 The Story of Will Rogers Actor Bert Lynn 59
Average
1952 We're Not Married! Actor Duffy 59
Average
1951 I'll See You in My Dreams Actor Fred Townsend 58
Average
1951 Come Fill the Cup Actor Charley Dolan 59
Average
1951 Joe Palooka in Triple Cross Actor Knobby Walsh N/A
N/A
1951 Two Gals and a Guy Actor Max Howard N/A
N/A
1950 Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle Actor Knobby Walsh N/A
N/A
1950 The Jackpot Actor Harry Summers 59
Average
1950 Riding High Actor Racing Secretary 58
Average
1950 The Yellow Cab Man Actor Mickey Corkins 59
Average
1950 Key to the City Actor Sergeant Hogan 58
Average
1949 Miss Grant Takes Richmond Actor Timothy Gleason 59
Average
1949 Take One False Step Actor Captain Gledhill 58
Average
1949 The Life of Riley Actor Gillis 59
Average
1949 Bad Boy Actor Chief 59
Average
1948 When My Baby Smiles at Me Actor Lefty Moore 58
Average
1948 The Return of October Actor Uncle Willie Ramsey 58
Average
1948 The Dude Goes West Actor Sam Briggs 59
Average
1948 Smart Woman Actor Sam Corkle 58
Average
1947 Tycoon Actor Pop Mathews 58
Average
1947 The Bishop's Wife Actor Sylvester 62
Fair
1947 Down to Earth Actor Max Corkle 59
Average
1947 The Homestretch Actor Doc Kilborne N/A
N/A
1946 Lady Luck Actor Sacramento Sam 58
Average
1946 Home Sweet Homicide Actor Sgt. O'Hare 58
Average
1946 The Well Groomed Bride Actor Captain Hornby 58
Average
1946 The Hoodlum Saint Actor Snarp 58
Average
1945 Captain Eddie Actor Tom Clark 59
Average
1945 The Clock Actor Al Henry 59
Average
1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Actor McGarrity 61
Fair
1945 This Man's Navy Actor Jimmy Shannon 59
Average
1944 The Keys of the Kingdom Actor Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske 60
Fair
1944 Arsenic and Old Lace Actor Lt. Rooney 69
Fair
1944 Once Upon a Time Actor Moke McGillicuddy 59
Average
1943 A Guy Named Joe Actor “Nails” Kilpatrick 59
Average
1943 Crash Dive Actor Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell 59
Average
1942 Manila Calling Actor Tim O'Rourke 59
Average
1942 Tales of Manhattan Actor Joe - Mission Aid Society 59
Average
1942 Footlight Serenade Actor Bruce McKay N/A
N/A
1942 The Falcon Takes Over Actor Inspector Mike O'Hara 59
Average
1942 My Gal Sal Actor Pat Hawley 59
Average
1942 A Date with the Falcon Actor Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara 59
Average
1942 Hay Foot Actor Colonel J. A. Barkley 59
Average
1941 Babes on Broadway Actor Thornton Reed 59
Average
1941 Breakdowns of 1941 Actor Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 59
Average
1941 Nine Lives Are Not Enough Actor Sergeant Daniels 59
Average
1941 Tanks a Million Actor Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley 58
Average
1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan Actor Max Corkle 60
Fair
1941 Affectionately Yours Actor 'Chet' Phillips 58
Average
1941 Meet John Doe Actor Henry Connell 63
Fair
1940 Earl of Puddlestone Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1940 Grandpa Goes To Town Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1939 Money To Burn Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1939 The Covered Trailer Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1939 On Your Toes Actor Phil Dolan Sr. 58
Average
1939 Should Husbands Work? Actor Joe Higgins 58
Average
1939 My Wife's Relatives Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1938 Army Girl Actor Hennessy 59
Average
1938 Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 Actor James Gleason N/A
N/A
1938 The Higgins Family Actor Joe Higgins N/A
N/A
1937 Manhattan Merry-Go-Round Actor Danny The Duck 59
Average
1937 Forty Naughty Girls Actor Inspector Oscar Piper 58
Average
1937 Cinema Circus Actor Himself N/A
N/A
1936 The Plot Thickens Actor Oscar Piper 59
Average
1936 The Big Game Actor George Scott 59
Average
1936 Don't Turn 'em Loose Actor Detective Daniels 58
Average
1936 Yours for the Asking Actor Saratoga 58
Average
1936 The Ex-Mrs. Bradford Actor Inspector Corrigan 58
Average
1936 Murder on a Bridle Path Actor Police Insp. Oscar Piper 58
Average
1935 We're Only Human Actor Detective Danny Walsh 59
Average
1935 Hot Tip Actor Jimmy McGill 58
Average
1935 Hollywood Hobbies Actor Himself N/A
N/A
1935 West Point of the Air Actor Joe 'Bags' 59
Average
1935 Murder on a Honeymoon Actor Inspector Oscar Piper 59
Average
1935 Helldorado Actor Sam Barnes N/A
N/A
1934 Murder on the Blackboard Actor Inspector Oscar Piper 59
Average
1934 Change of Heart Actor Hot Dog Vendor 59
Average
1934 Search for Beauty Actor Dan Healy 59
Average
1934 The Meanest Gal in Town Actor Duke Slater 59
Average
1933 Hoopla Actor Jerry 59
Average
1933 Orders Is Orders Actor Ed Waggermeyer N/A
N/A
1933 Clear All Wires! Actor Lefty Williams 59
Average
1933 The Billion Dollar Scandal Actor "Ratsy" Harris N/A
N/A
1932 The Devil Is Driving Actor 'Beef' Evans 58
Average
1932 Penguin Pool Murder Actor Police Inspector Oscar Piper 58
Average
1932 Yoo-Hoo Actor Jimmy Gleason N/A
N/A
1932 The All-American Actor Chick Knipe 58
Average
1932 The Crooked Circle Actor Arthur Crimmer 58
Average
1932 Off His Base Actor Picture in Opening Credits N/A
N/A
1932 Blondie of the Follies Actor Pa McClune 59
Average
1932 High Hats and Low Brows Actor Danny Ruff N/A
N/A
1932 Lady and Gent Actor Pin Streaver 59
Average
1932 Fast Companions Actor Silk Henley 59
Average
1932 Rule 'Em and Weep Actor Spike Mc Gorey N/A
N/A
1931 Suicide Fleet Actor Skeets 58
Average
1931 The Big Gamble Actor Fred 'Squint' Dugan 59
Average
1931 Sweepstakes Actor Sleepy Jones 58
Average
1931 A Free Soul Actor Eddie 59
Average
1931 It's a Wise Child Actor Cool Kelly 58
Average
1931 Beyond Victory Actor Jim Mobley N/A
N/A
1930 Big Money Actor Tom N/A
N/A
1930 Her Man Actor Steve 59
Average
1930 The Matrimonial Bed Actor Gustave Corton 59
Average
1930 Dumb-bells in Ermine Actor Mike 58
Average
1930 Swellhead Actor Johnny Trump N/A
N/A
1930 Puttin' on the Ritz Actor James 'Jimmy' Tierney 58
Average
1930 Don't Believe It Actor Jimmy N/A
N/A
1929 Oh, Yeah! Actor Dusty 59
Average
1929 Fairways and Foul Actor Husband N/A
N/A
1929 Meet the Missus Actor Bert La Motte N/A
N/A
1929 The Broadway Melody Actor Music Publisher (uncredited) 57
Average
1922 Polly of the Follies Actor Paul Gordon N/A
N/A

Directing
1935 Hot Tip Directing Director 58
Average
1932 Always Kickin' Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 Off His Base Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1934 Change of Heart Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1933 The Bowery Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1933 Orders Is Orders Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1931 Beyond Victory Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1931 Three Hollywood Girls Writing Writer 58
Average
1930 What a Widow! Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1930 What a Widow! Writing Adaptation 59
Average
1930 Rain or Shine Writing Writer 58
Average
1930 The Fall Guy Writing Writer 59
Average
1930 Dumb-bells in Ermine Writing Writer 58
Average
1930 Mammy Writing Theatre Play 58
Average
1930 Swellhead Writing Dialogue N/A
N/A
1930 Puttin' on the Ritz Writing Dialogue 58
Average
1929 His First Command Writing Story 59
Average
1929 His First Command Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1929 High Voltage Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1929 High Voltage Writing Dialogue 58
Average
1929 The Broadway Melody Writing Dialogue 57
Average

Crew
1935 Murder in the Fleet Crew Additional Writing 59
Average
1929 The Flying Fool Crew Additional Dialogue 59
Average