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