Acting · New York City, New York, USA · Born May 23, 1882
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).
MovieThe Last Hurrah
1958
as Cuke Gillen
MovieMoney, Women and Guns
1958
as Henry Devers
MovieOnce Upon a Horse...
1958
as Postmaster
MovieRock-a-Bye Baby
1958
as Doc Simpkins
MovieMan or Gun
1958
as Sheriff Jim Jackson
MovieNo Time at All
1958
as Dolph Grimes
MovieThe Female Animal
1958
as Tom Maloney
MovieMan in the Shadow
1957
as Hank James
TVLeave It to Beaver
1957
as Pete
MovieLoving You
1957
as Carl Meade
MovieSpring Reunion
1957
as Collie
MovieStar in the Dust
1956
as Orval Jones
TVScreen Director's Playhouse
1955
as Ed Shafer
TVAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Mr. Jorgy
TVCheyenne
1955
MovieThe Girl Rush
1955
as Ether Ferguson
MovieThe Night of the Hunter
1955
as Uncle Birdie Steptoe
TVThe Millionaire
1955
as Charles Hartford Simpson
TVClimax!
1954
as Reverend Mr. McCarkle
MovieSuddenly
1954
as Peter 'Pop' Benson
MovieHollywood Thrill-Makers
1954
as Risky Russell
MovieForever Female
1953
as Eddie Woods
TVThis Is Your Life
1952
as Self
TVCavalcade of America
1952
as Noah Larkin
MovieWhat Price Glory
1952
as General Cokely
MovieThe Story of Will Rogers
1952
as Bert Lynn
MovieWe're Not Married!
1952
as Duffy
MovieI'll See You in My Dreams
1951
as Fred Townsend
MovieCome Fill the Cup
1951
as Charley Dolan
MovieTriple Cross
1951
as Knobby Walsh
MovieTwo Gals and a Guy
1951
as Max Howard
TVRacket Squad
1951
MovieJoe Palooka in the Squared Circle
1950
as Knobby Walsh
MovieThe Jackpot
1950
as Harry Summers
TVThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
MovieRiding High
1950
as Racing Secretary
MovieThe Yellow Cab Man
1950
as Mickey Corkins
MovieKey to the City
1950
as Sergeant Hogan
MovieMiss Grant Takes Richmond
1949
as Timothy Gleason
MovieTake One False Step
1949
as Captain Gledhill
MovieThe Life of Riley
1949
as Gillis
MovieBad Boy
1949
as Chief
MovieWhen My Baby Smiles at Me
1948
as Lefty Moore
MovieThe Return of October
1948
as Uncle Willie Ramsey
MovieThe Dude Goes West
1948
as Sam Briggs
MovieSmart Woman
1948
as Sam Corkle
MovieTycoon
1947
as Pop Mathews
MovieThe Bishop's Wife
1947
as Sylvester
MovieDown to Earth
1947
as Max Corkle
MovieThe Homestretch
1947
as Doc Kilborne
MovieLady Luck
1946
as Sacramento Sam
MovieHome Sweet Homicide
1946
as Sgt. O'Hare
MovieThe Well Groomed Bride
1946
as Captain Hornby
MovieThe Hoodlum Saint
1946
as Snarp
MovieCaptain Eddie
1945
as Tom Clark
MovieThe Clock
1945
as Al Henry
MovieA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
1945
as McGarrity
MovieThis Man's Navy
1945
as Jimmy Shannon
MovieThe Keys of the Kingdom
1944
as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
MovieArsenic and Old Lace
1944
as Lt. Rooney
MovieOnce Upon a Time
1944
as Moke McGillicuddy
MovieA Guy Named Joe
1944
as “Nails” Kilpatrick
MovieCrash Dive
1943
as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
MovieManila Calling
1942
as Tim O'Rourke
MovieTales of Manhattan
1942
as Father Joe
MovieFootlight Serenade
1942
as Bruce McKay
MovieThe Falcon Takes Over
1942
as Inspector Mike O'Hara
MovieMy Gal Sal
1942
as Pat Hawley
MovieA Date with the Falcon
1942
as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
MovieHay Foot
1942
as Colonel J. A. Barkley
MovieBabes on Broadway
1941
as Thornton Reed
MovieBreakdowns of 1941
1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieNine Lives Are Not Enough
1941
as Sergeant Daniels
MovieTanks a Million
1941
as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
MovieHere Comes Mr. Jordan
1941
as Max Corkle
MovieAffectionately Yours
1941
as 'Chet' Phillips
MovieMeet John Doe
1941
as Henry Connell
MovieEarl of Puddlestone
1940
as Joe Higgins
MovieGrandpa Goes To Town
1940
as Joe Higgins
MovieMoney To Burn
1939
as Joe Higgins
MovieThe Covered Trailer
1939
as Joe Higgins
MovieOn Your Toes
1939
as Phil Dolan Sr.
MovieShould Husbands Work?
1939
as Joe Higgins
MovieMy Wife's Relatives
1939
as Joe Higgins
MovieArmy Girl
1938
as Hennessy
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
1938
as James Gleason
MovieThe Higgins Family
1938
as Joe Higgins
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
1938
as Self
MovieManhattan Merry-Go-Round
1937
as Danny The Duck
MovieForty Naughty Girls
1937
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Cinema Circus
1937
as Himself
MovieThe Plot Thickens
1936
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
MovieThe Big Game
1936
as George Scott
MovieDon't Turn 'em Loose
1936
as Detective Daniels
MovieYours for the Asking
1936
as Saratoga
MovieThe Ex-Mrs. Bradford
1936
as Inspector Corrigan
MovieMurder on a Bridle Path
1936
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
MovieWe're Only Human
1935
as Detective Danny Walsh
MovieHot Tip
1935
as Jimmy McGill
Hollywood Hobbies
1935
as Himself
MovieWest Point of the Air
1935
as Joe 'Bags'
MovieMurder on a Honeymoon
1935
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
MovieHelldorado
1935
as Sam Barnes
MovieMurder on the Blackboard
1934
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
MovieChange of Heart
1934
as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
MovieSearch for Beauty
1934
as Dan Healy
MovieThe Meanest Gal in Town
1934
as Duke Slater
MovieHoopla
1933
as Jerry
MovieOrders Is Orders
1933
as Ed Waggermeyer
MovieClear All Wires!
1933
as Lefty Williams
MovieThe Billion Dollar Scandal
1933
as "Ratsy" Harris
MovieThe Penguin Pool Murder
1932
as Police Insp. Oscar Piper
MovieThe Devil Is Driving
1932
as 'Beef' Evans
Yoo-Hoo
1932
as Jimmy Gleason
MovieThe All-American
1932
as Chick Knipe
MovieThe Crooked Circle
1932
as Arthur Crimmer
Off His Base
1932
as Picture in Opening Credits
MovieBlondie of the Follies
1932
as Pa McClune
MovieLady and Gent
1932
as Pin Streaver
MovieHigh Hats and Low Brows
1932
as Danny Ruff
MovieFast Companions
1932
as Silk Henley
MovieRule 'Em and Weep
1932
as Spike Mc Gorey
MovieSuicide Fleet
1931
as Skeets
MovieThe Big Gamble
1931
as Fred 'Squint' Dugan
MovieSweepstakes
1931
as Sleepy Jones
MovieA Free Soul
1931
as Eddie
MovieIt's a Wise Child
1931
as Cool Kelly
MovieBeyond Victory
1931
as Jim Mobley
MovieBig Money
1930
as Tom
MovieHer Man
1930
as Steve
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
1930
as Self
MovieThe Matrimonial Bed
1930
as Gustave Corton
MovieDumb-bells in Ermine
1930
as Mike
MovieSwellhead
1930
as Johnny Trump
MoviePuttin' on the Ritz
1930
as James 'Jimmy' Tierney
Don't Believe It
1930
as Jimmy
MovieThe Shannons of Broadway
1929
as Mickey Shannon
MovieOh, Yeah!
1929
as Dusty
Fairways and Foul
1929
as Husband
MovieMeet the Missus
1929
as Bert La Motte
MovieThe Broadway Melody
1929
as Music Publisher (uncredited)
MovieThe Count of Ten
1928
as Johnny's Manager
MoviePolly of the Follies
1922
as Paul Gordon
