James Gleason

ActorCrewDirectorWriter May 23 (died age 76) New York City, New York, USA 1922–1958 (36 year career)

5.7 avg rating

Biography

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 afte…

Known For

Film

The Night of the Hunter

Uncle Birdie Steptoe

Film

Arsenic and Old Lace

Lt. Rooney

Film

Meet John Doe

Henry Connell

Film

The Bishop's Wife

Sylvester

Film

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

McGarrity

Film

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Max Corkle

Film

Suddenly

Peter 'Pop' Benson

Film

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Doc Simpkins

Filmography

Acting (143)

Movies (133)

The Last Hurrah

as Cuke Gillen

The Female Animal

as Tom Maloney

Man or Gun

as Sheriff Jim Jackson

2.5

Money, Women and Guns

as Henry Devers

Rock-a-Bye Baby

as Doc Simpkins

Once Upon a Horse...

as Postmaster

No Time at All

as Dolph Grimes

Spring Reunion

as Collie

Loving You

as Carl Meade

Man in the Shadow

as Hank James

Star in the Dust

as Orval Jones

The Night of the Hunter

1955

as Uncle Birdie Steptoe

The Girl Rush

as Ether Ferguson

Suddenly

as Peter 'Pop' Benson

6.4

Hollywood Thrill-Makers

1954

as Risky Russell

Forever Female

as Eddie Woods

We're Not Married!

as Duffy

What Price Glory

as General Cokely

The Story of Will Rogers

1952

as Bert Lynn

6.0

Triple Cross

1951

as Knobby Walsh

Come Fill the Cup

1951

as Charley Dolan

7.0

I'll See You in My Dreams

1951

as Fred Townsend

4.7

Two Gals and a Guy

1951

as Max Howard

Riding High

as Racing Secretary

Key to the City

as Sergeant Hogan

The Yellow Cab Man

as Mickey Corkins

The Jackpot

as Harry Summers

Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle

1950

as Knobby Walsh

Take One False Step

as Captain Gledhill

Bad Boy

as Chief

Miss Grant Takes Richmond

as Timothy Gleason

The Life of Riley

as Gillis

The Return of October

1948

as Uncle Willie Ramsey

5.8

Smart Woman

1948

as Sam Corkle

5.0

When My Baby Smiles at Me

as Lefty Moore

The Dude Goes West

as Sam Briggs

The Bishop's Wife

as Sylvester

The Homestretch

as Doc Kilborne

Down to Earth

as Max Corkle

Tycoon

as Pop Mathews

Lady Luck

as Sacramento Sam

The Hoodlum Saint

as Snarp

Home Sweet Homicide

as Sgt. O'Hare

The Well Groomed Bride

as Captain Hornby

The Clock

as Al Henry

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

as McGarrity

Captain Eddie

as Tom Clark

This Man's Navy

as Jimmy Shannon

Arsenic and Old Lace

as Lt. Rooney

A Guy Named Joe

as “Nails” Kilpatrick

6.7

The Keys of the Kingdom

1944

as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske

Once Upon a Time

as Moke McGillicuddy

Crash Dive

as Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell

6.3

Hay Foot

1942

as Colonel J. A. Barkley

Tales of Manhattan

as Father Joe

My Gal Sal

as Pat Hawley

The Falcon Takes Over

1942

as Inspector Mike O'Hara

6.2

A Date with the Falcon

1942

as Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara

6.5

Footlight Serenade

1942

as Bruce McKay

Manila Calling

as Tim O'Rourke

Affectionately Yours

as 'Chet' Phillips

Nine Lives Are Not Enough

as Sergeant Daniels

Meet John Doe

as Henry Connell

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

as Max Corkle

Babes on Broadway

as Thornton Reed

Breakdowns of 1941

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

7.0

Tanks a Million

1941

as Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley

5.3

Earl of Puddlestone

1940

as Joe Higgins

Grandpa Goes To Town

1940

as Joe Higgins

Money To Burn

1939

as Joe Higgins

My Wife's Relatives

1939

as Joe Higgins

On Your Toes

1939

as Phil Dolan Sr.

3.9

The Covered Trailer

1939

as Joe Higgins

Should Husbands Work?

1939

as Joe Higgins

2.0

Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6

1938

as Self

Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12

1938

as James Gleason

6.0

The Higgins Family

1938

as Joe Higgins

Army Girl

1938

as Hennessy

6.0

Manhattan Merry-Go-Round

1937

as Danny The Duck

6.0

Forty Naughty Girls

1937

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

5.3

Cinema Circus

1937

as Himself

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

1936

as Inspector Corrigan

6.2

The Big Game

1936

as George Scott

5.8

Murder on a Bridle Path

1936

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

Don't Turn 'em Loose

as Detective Daniels

The Plot Thickens

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

Yours for the Asking

as Saratoga

Hot Tip

as Jimmy McGill

Helldorado

as Sam Barnes

Hollywood Hobbies

1935

as Himself

6.0

West Point of the Air

1935

as Joe 'Bags'

6.0

We're Only Human

1935

as Detective Danny Walsh

6.5

Murder on a Honeymoon

1935

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

6.3

Murder on the Blackboard

1934

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

6.1

Change of Heart

1934

as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)

6.2

The Meanest Gal in Town

as Duke Slater

Search for Beauty

as Dan Healy

Hoopla

as Jerry

Clear All Wires!

as Lefty Williams

Orders Is Orders

as Ed Waggermeyer

The Billion Dollar Scandal

1933

as "Ratsy" Harris

High Hats and Low Brows

1932

as Danny Ruff

Off His Base

1932

as Picture in Opening Credits

Blondie of the Follies

as Pa McClune

Lady and Gent

as Pin Streaver

The All-American

as Chick Knipe

The Penguin Pool Murder

1932

as Police Insp. Oscar Piper

Fast Companions

as Silk Henley

The Crooked Circle

as Arthur Crimmer

The Devil Is Driving

as 'Beef' Evans

Yoo-Hoo

as Jimmy Gleason

Rule 'Em and Weep

1932

as Spike Mc Gorey

Sweepstakes

as Sleepy Jones

A Free Soul

as Eddie

The Big Gamble

as Fred 'Squint' Dugan

Suicide Fleet

as Skeets

It's a Wise Child

as Cool Kelly

Beyond Victory

1931

as Jim Mobley

Her Man

1930

as Steve

5.1

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1

1930

as Self

Big Money

1930

as Tom

The Matrimonial Bed

as Gustave Corton

Dumb-bells in Ermine

as Mike

Swellhead

as Johnny Trump

Puttin' on the Ritz

1930

as James 'Jimmy' Tierney

5.2

Don't Believe It

1930

as Jimmy

The Shannons of Broadway

1929

as Mickey Shannon

Meet the Missus

1929

as Bert La Motte

The Broadway Melody

1929

as Music Publisher (uncredited)

Oh, Yeah!

as Dusty

Fairways and Foul

as Husband

The Count of Ten

1928

as Johnny's Manager

Polly of the Follies

1922

as Paul Gordon

Television (10)

Leave It to Beaver

as Pete

Cheyenne

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955

as Mr. Jorgy

7.8

The Millionaire

1955

as Charles Hartford Simpson

5.0

Screen Director's Playhouse

1955

as Ed Shafer

6.5

Climax!

1954

as Reverend Mr. McCarkle

This Is Your Life

as Self

Cavalcade of America

as Noah Larkin

Racket Squad

The Colgate Comedy Hour

1950

as Self

6.8

Crew (24)

Movies (24)

Murder in the Fleet

Additional Writing

Hot Tip

Director

Change of Heart

Screenplay

The Bowery

Screenplay

Orders Is Orders

Screenplay

Always Kickin'

1932

Director

Off His Base

1932

Director

Three Hollywood Girls

1931

Writer

1.0

Beyond Victory

1931

Writer

What a Widow!

Adaptation

What a Widow!

Screenplay

Mammy

Theatre Play

Rain or Shine

Writer

The Fall Guy

Writer

Dumb-bells in Ermine

Writer

Swellhead

Dialogue

Puttin' on the Ritz

Dialogue

His First Command

Screenplay

His First Command

Story

The Shannons of Broadway

1929

Writer

The Broadway Melody

Dialogue

The Flying Fool

Additional Dialogue

High Voltage

Dialogue

High Voltage

Screenplay