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).
Known for
Cheyenne
Leave It to Beaver
Pete
Climax!
Reverend Mr. McCarkle
This Is Your Life
Self
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Mr. Jorgy
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Howard Fieldstone
The Jackpot
Harry Summers
The Plot Thickens
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Key to the City
Sergeant Hogan
The Night of the Hunter
Uncle Birdie Steptoe
The Millionaire
Charles Hartford Simpson
Tycoon
Pop Mathews
Cavalcade of America
Noah Larkin
Riding High
Racing Secretary
Come Fill the Cup
Charley Dolan
What Price Glory
General Cokely
We're Not Married!
Duffy
Suddenly
Peter 'Pop' Benson
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Doc Simpkins
Money, Women and Guns
Henry Devers
The Return of October
Uncle Willie Ramsey
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Timothy Gleason
The Clock
Al Henry
The Matrimonial Bed
Gustave Corton
The Falcon Takes Over
Inspector Mike O'Hara
The Broadway Melody
Music Publisher (uncredited)
I'll See You in My Dreams
Fred Townsend
Her Man
Steve
Arsenic and Old Lace
Lt. Rooney
Once Upon a Time
Moke McGillicuddy
Star in the Dust
Orval Jones
Racket Squad
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Inspector Corrigan
A Free Soul
Eddie
On Your Toes
Phil Dolan Sr.
Beyond Victory
Jim Mobley
Screen Director's Playhouse
Ed Shafer
A Date with the Falcon
Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
Tales of Manhattan
Father Joe
Man in the Shadow
Hank James
Bad Boy
Chief
Hoopla
Jerry
The Bishop's Wife
Sylvester
Fast Companions
Silk Henley
Murder on the Blackboard
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Smart Woman
Sam Corkle
Spring Reunion
Collie
The Last Hurrah
Cuke Gillen
The Meanest Gal in Town
Duke Slater
The Female Animal
Tom Maloney
A Guy Named Joe
“Nails” Kilpatrick
Captain Eddie
Tom Clark
The Keys of the Kingdom
Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
The Devil Is Driving
'Beef' Evans
The Hoodlum Saint
Snarp
Once Upon a Horse...
Postmaster
West Point of the Air
Joe 'Bags'
Loving You
Carl Meade
Take One False Step
Captain Gledhill
Two Gals and a Guy
Max Howard
Manila Calling
Tim O'Rourke
Yoo-Hoo
Jimmy Gleason
The Billion Dollar Scandal
"Ratsy" Harris
Affectionately Yours
'Chet' Phillips
Sweepstakes
Sleepy Jones
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Danny The Duck
Off His Base
Picture in Opening Credits
Swellhead
Johnny Trump
The Covered Trailer
Joe Higgins
Change of Heart
Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
Sergeant Daniels
The Dude Goes West
Sam Briggs
Meet John Doe
Henry Connell
Babes on Broadway
Thornton Reed
The Well Groomed Bride
Captain Hornby
Down to Earth
Max Corkle
The Higgins Family
Joe Higgins
Helldorado
Sam Barnes
Home Sweet Homicide
Sgt. O'Hare
Murder on a Honeymoon
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Don't Turn 'em Loose
Detective Daniels
The Story of Will Rogers
Bert Lynn
The Big Game
George Scott
Blondie of the Follies
Pa McClune
We're Only Human
Detective Danny Walsh
Grandpa Goes To Town
Joe Higgins
Man or Gun
Sheriff Jim Jackson
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
McGarrity
The All-American
Chick Knipe
Big Money
Tom
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
Self
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Lefty Moore
Lady Luck
Sacramento Sam
The Homestretch
Doc Kilborne
Hot Tip
Jimmy McGill
The Girl Rush
Ether Ferguson
Hay Foot
Colonel J. A. Barkley
It's a Wise Child
Cool Kelly
My Gal Sal
Pat Hawley
Puttin' on the Ritz
James 'Jimmy' Tierney
Murder on a Bridle Path
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Lady and Gent
Pin Streaver
Don't Believe It
Jimmy
Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle
Knobby Walsh
The Penguin Pool Murder
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Crooked Circle
Arthur Crimmer
Joe Palooka in Triple Cross
Knobby Walsh
My Wife's Relatives
Joe Higgins
Orders Is Orders
Ed Waggermeyer
Tanks a Million
Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
Self
The Big Gamble
Fred 'Squint' Dugan
Oh, Yeah!
Dusty
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
James Gleason
Money To Burn
Joe Higgins
Army Girl
Hennessy
Earl of Puddlestone
Joe Higgins
Fairways and Foul
Husband
Hollywood Hobbies
Himself
This Man's Navy
Jimmy Shannon
Hollywood Thrill-Makers
Risky Russell
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Max Corkle
Crash Dive
Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
Forty Naughty Girls
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Yellow Cab Man
Mickey Corkins
Forever Female
Eddie Woods
Search for Beauty
Dan Healy
High Hats and Low Brows
Danny Ruff
Rule 'Em and Weep
Spike Mc Gorey
Should Husbands Work?
Joe Higgins
Polly of the Follies
Paul Gordon
Suicide Fleet
Skeets
Cinema Circus
Himself
Meet the Missus
Bert La Motte
Clear All Wires!
Lefty Williams
Footlight Serenade
Bruce McKay
Yours for the Asking
Saratoga
No Time at All
Dolph Grimes
The Life of Riley
Gillis
The Shannons of Broadway
Mickey Shannon
Dumb-bells in Ermine
Mike