
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).
Movie | Awaken | Willy | 2013-04-09 |
Series | Moon Embracing the Sun | Room Clerk | 2012-01-04 |
Movie | Stealing Roses | Marco | 2012-06-01 |
Series | Conspiracy in the Court | Peter 'Pop' Benson | 2007-07-09 |
Movie | American Dreamz | Journalist | 2006-03-04 |
Movie | S1m0ne | Reporter | 2002-08-23 |
Movie | Shadow of the Blair Witch | Jeff Schoene | 2000-10-22 |
Movie | Why Do Fools Fall In Love | Stage Manager | 1998-08-28 |
Movie | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | Agent Abernathy | 1993-08-13 |
Movie | Star | The Director | 1993-09-20 |
Movie | My Demon Lover | Alert Cop | 1987-04-24 |
Series | Foot in the Door | Waiter | 1983-03-28 |
Movie | Man or Gun | Sheriff Jim Jackson | 1958-05-30 |
Movie | The Female Animal | Tom Maloney | 1958-01-22 |
Movie | Rock-a-Bye Baby | Doc Simpkins | 1958-07-23 |
Movie | Money, Women and Guns | Henry Devers | 1958-10-01 |
Movie | The Last Hurrah | 'Cuke' Gillen | 1958-10-24 |
Movie | Spring Reunion | Collie | 1957-03-01 |
Movie | Loving You | Carl Meade | 1957-07-09 |
Series | Leave It to Beaver | Unknown | 1957-10-04 |
Movie | Man in the Shadow | Hank James | 1957-11-01 |
Movie | Star in the Dust | Orval Jones | 1956-06-13 |
Movie | The Night of the Hunter | Birdie Steptoe | 1955-04-03 |
Series | The Millionaire | Unknown | 1955-01-19 |
Movie | The Girl Rush | Ether Ferguson | 1955-09-16 |
Movie | Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of the Year | Ed Shafer | 1955-12-07 |
Series | Cheyenne | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Unknown | 1955-10-02 |
Movie | Forever Female | Eddie Woods | 1954-01-13 |
Series | Climax! | Unknown | 1954-10-07 |
Series | The Academy Awards | Unknown | 1953-03-18 |
Movie | We're Not Married! | Duffy | 1952-07-11 |
Series | Cavalcade of America | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | The Story of Will Rogers | Bert Lynn | 1952-07-17 |
Movie | What Price Glory | Gen. Cokely | 1952-08-22 |
Series | This Is Your Life | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | Come Fill The Cup | Charley Dolan | 1951-10-24 |
Series | Racket Squad | Unknown | 1951-06-07 |
Movie | I'll See You in My Dreams | Fred Townsend | 1951-12-05 |
Movie | Key to the City | Sergeant Hogan | 1950-02-02 |
Movie | The Yellow Cab Man | Mickey Corkins | 1950-04-07 |
Movie | Riding High | Racing Secretary | 1950-04-12 |
Movie | Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle | Knobby Walsh | 1950-11-04 |
Movie | The Jackpot | Harry Summers | 1950-11-01 |
Series | The Colgate Comedy Hour | Unknown | 1950-09-10 |
Movie | Bad Boy | Chief | 1949-02-22 |
Movie | The Life of Riley | Gillis | 1949-04-16 |
Movie | Take One False Step | Captain Gledhill | 1949-06-22 |
Movie | Miss Grant Takes Richmond | Timothy P. Gleason | 1949-10-20 |
Movie | Smart Woman | Sam Corkle | 1948-04-30 |
Movie | The Dude Goes West | Sam Briggs | 1948-05-30 |
Movie | When My Baby Smiles At Me | 1948-11-10 | |
Movie | The Return of October | Uncle Willie Ramsey | 1948-10-26 |
Movie | Down to Earth | Max Corkle | 1947-08-21 |
Movie | The Homestretch | Doc Kilborne | 1947-05-04 |
Movie | The Bishop's Wife | Sylvester | 1947-12-09 |
Movie | Tycoon | Pop Mathews | 1947-12-27 |
Movie | The Hoodlum Saint | Snarp | 1946-04-04 |
Movie | The Well-Groomed Bride | Capt. Hornby | 1946-05-17 |
Movie | Home Sweet Homicide | Sgt. O'Hare | 1946-10-02 |
Movie | Lady Luck | Sacramento Sam | 1946-10-30 |
Movie | A Tree Grows in Brooklyn | McGarrity | 1945-02-28 |
Movie | This Man's Navy | Jimmy Shannon | 1945-01-04 |
Movie | The Clock | Al Henry | 1945-04-25 |
Movie | Captain Eddie | Tom Clark | 1945-06-18 |
Movie | A Guy Named Joe | 'Nails' Kilpatrick | 1944-03-01 |
Movie | Once Upon a Time | McGillicuddy aka The Moke | 1944-06-29 |
Movie | Arsenic and Old Lace | Lt. Rooney | 1944-09-23 |
Movie | The Keys of the Kingdom | Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske | 1944-12-15 |
Movie | Crash Dive | Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell | 1943-04-22 |
Movie | A Date with the Falcon | Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara | 1942-01-16 |
Movie | Hay Foot | Colonel J. A. Barkley | 1942-01-02 |
Movie | My Gal Sal | Pat Hawley | 1942-04-30 |
Movie | Tales of Manhattan | Joe - Mission Aid Society | 1942-08-05 |
Movie | Manila Calling | Tim O'Rourke | 1942-10-16 |
Movie | The Falcon Takes Over | Inspector Mike O'Hara | 1942-05-29 |
Movie | Footlight Serenade | Bruce McKay | 1942-08-01 |
Movie | Affectionately Yours | 'Chet' Phillips | 1941-05-10 |
Movie | Here Comes Mr. Jordan | Max Corkle | 1941-08-07 |
Movie | Meet John Doe | Henry Connell | 1941-03-12 |
Movie | Nine Lives Are Not Enough | Sgt. Daniels | 1941-09-20 |
Movie | Tanks a Million | Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley | 1941-09-12 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1941 | Himself (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1941-11-14 |
Movie | Babes on Broadway | Thornton Reed | 1941-12-31 |
Movie | Grandpa Goes To Town | Joe Higgins | 1940-04-13 |
Movie | Should Husbands Work? | Joe Higgins | 1939-07-26 |
Movie | My Wife's Relatives | Joe Higgins | 1939-05-20 |
Movie | On Your Toes | Phil Dolan Sr. | 1939-10-14 |
Movie | Money To Burn | Joe Higgins | 1939-12-31 |
Movie | The Higgins Family | Joe Higgins | 1938-03-28 |
Movie | Army Girl | Hennessy | 1938-08-11 |
Movie | Cinema Circus | Himself | 1937-01-27 |
Movie | Manhattan Merry-Go-Round | Danny The Duck | 1937-11-26 |
Movie | Forty Naughty Girls | Inspector Oscar Piper | 1937-09-24 |
Movie | The Ex-Mrs. Bradford | Inspector Corrigan | 1936-05-13 |
Movie | Murder on a Bridle Path | Police Insp. Oscar Piper | 1936-04-17 |
Movie | Yours for the Asking | Saratoga | 1936-07-23 |
Movie | The Big Game | George Scott | 1936-10-09 |
Movie | Don't Turn 'em Loose | Detective Daniels | 1936-09-18 |
Movie | The Plot Thickens | Oscar Piper | 1936-12-11 |
Movie | Murder on a Honeymoon | Inspector Oscar Piper | 1935-02-22 |
Movie | West Point of the Air | Joe 'Bags' | 1935-03-23 |
Movie | Hot Tip | Jimmy McGill | 1935-08-20 |
Movie | We're Only Human | Detective Danny Walsh | 1935-12-27 |
Movie | The Meanest Gal in Town | Duke Slater | 1934-01-12 |
Movie | Search for Beauty | Dan Healy | 1934-02-02 |
Movie | Change of Heart | Hot Dog Vendor | 1934-05-18 |
Movie | Murder On The Blackboard | Inspector Oscar Piper | 1934-06-14 |
Movie | Clear All Wires! | Lefty Williams | 1933-02-24 |
Movie | Hoop-La | Jerry | 1933-11-30 |
Movie | Blondie of the Follies | Pa McClune | 1932-09-01 |
Movie | High Hats and Low Brows | Danny Ruff | 1932-07-10 |
Movie | Lady and Gent | Pin Streaver | 1932-07-10 |
Movie | The Crooked Circle | Arthur Crimmer | 1932-09-25 |
Movie | Yoo-Hoo | Jimmy Gleason | 1932-10-04 |
Movie | Penguin Pool Murder | Police Inspector Oscar Piper | 1932-12-09 |
Movie | The Devil Is Driving | 'Beef' Evans | 1932-12-09 |
Movie | Beyond Victory | Private Jim Mobley | 1931-04-03 |
Movie | A Free Soul | Eddie | 1931-06-02 |
Movie | It's a Wise Child | Cool Kelly | 1931-04-10 |
Movie | Sweepstakes | Sleepy Jones | 1931-07-10 |
Movie | Suicide Fleet | Skeets | 1931-11-30 |
Movie | The Big Gamble | Fred 'Squint' Dugan | 1931-09-27 |
Movie | Her Man | Steve | 1930-01-01 |
Movie | Puttin' on the Ritz | James 'Jimmy' Tierney | 1930-03-01 |
Movie | Dumbbells in Ermine | Mike | 1930-05-10 |
Movie | The Matrimonial Bed | Gustave Corton | 1930-08-01 |
Movie | The Broadway Melody | Music Publisher (uncredited) | 1929-02-08 |
Movie | Oh, Yeah! | Dusty | 1929-10-19 |