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