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