James Gleason
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 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).
Known For
Lt. Rooney
Arsenic and Old Lace
Uncle Birdie Steptoe
The Night of the Hunter
Pa McClune
Blondie of the Follies
McGarrity
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Captain Gledhill
Take One False Step
Duffy
We're Not Married!
Joe Higgins
Earl of Puddlestone
Joe Higgins
The Covered Trailer
Henry Connell
Meet John Doe
Joe - Mission Aid Society
Tales of Manhattan
“Nails” Kilpatrick
A Guy Named Joe
Fred Townsend
I'll See You in My Dreams
Timothy Gleason
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Bruce McKay
Footlight Serenade
Inspector Michael 'Mike' O'Hara
A Date with the Falcon
Fred 'Squint' Dugan
The Big Gamble
Risky Russell
Hollywood Thrill-Makers
Inspector Mike O'Hara
The Falcon Takes Over
Max Corkle
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Paul Gordon
Polly of the Follies
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Murder on a Bridle Path
Moke McGillicuddy
Once Upon a Time
Max Corkle
Down to Earth
Carl Meade
Loving You
Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
The Keys of the Kingdom
Peter 'Pop' Benson
Suddenly
Sylvester
The Bishop's Wife
Eddie
A Free Soul
Dusty
Oh, Yeah!
General Cokely
What Price Glory
Snarp
The Hoodlum Saint
Inspector Corrigan
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Al Henry
The Clock
Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
Crash Dive
Jerry
Hoopla
Cuke Gillen
The Last Hurrah
'Chet' Phillips
Affectionately Yours
Police Inspector Oscar Piper
The Penguin Pool Murder
Pop Mathews
Tycoon
Inspector Oscar Piper
Murder on a Honeymoon
Sheriff Jim Jackson
Man or Gun
Sam Barnes
Helldorado
Sergeant Daniels
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
James 'Jimmy' Tierney
Puttin' on the Ritz
Jimmy Shannon
This Man's Navy
Oscar Piper
The Plot Thickens
Colonel J. A. Barkley
Hay Foot
Mickey Corkins
The Yellow Cab Man
Phil Dolan Sr.
On Your Toes
Bert Lynn
The Story of Will Rogers
Pat Hawley
My Gal Sal
Joe 'Bags'
West Point of the Air
Henry Devers
Money, Women and Guns
Sergeant Hogan
Key to the City
Charley Dolan
Come Fill the Cup
Racing Secretary
Riding High
Harry Summers
The Jackpot
Orval Jones
Star in the Dust
Sam Corkle
Smart Woman
Sgt. O'Hare
Home Sweet Homicide
Himself
Cinema Circus
Johnny Trump
The Swellhead
Steve
Her Man
Arthur Crimmer
The Crooked Circle
Eddie Woods
Forever Female
Inspector Oscar Piper
Forty Naughty Girls
James Gleason
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
Ether Ferguson
The Girl Rush
Lefty Williams
Clear All Wires!
Lefty Moore
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Inspector Oscar Piper
Murder on the Blackboard
Pin Streaver
Lady and Gent
Collie
Spring Reunion
Hennessy
Army Girl
Sleepy Jones
Sweepstakes
Uncle Willie Ramsey
The Return of October
Skeets
Suicide Fleet
Danny Ruff
High Hats and Low Brows
Bert La Motte
Meet the Missus
Danny The Duck
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Detective Daniels
Don't Turn 'em Loose
Detective Danny Walsh
We're Only Human
George Scott
The Big Game
Doc Kilborne
The Homestretch
Picture in Opening Credits
Off His Base
Gillis
The Life of Riley
Tom Maloney
The Female Animal
Sacramento Sam
Lady Luck
Mike
Dumb-bells in Ermine
Duke Slater
The Meanest Gal in Town
Chief
Bad Boy
'Beef' Evans
The Devil Is Driving
Doc Simpkins
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Gustave Corton
The Matrimonial Bed
Dan Healy
Search for Beauty
Sam Briggs
The Dude Goes West
Jim Mobley
Beyond Victory
Tim O'Rourke
Manila Calling
Max Howard
Two Gals and a Guy
Captain Hornby
The Well Groomed Bride
Saratoga
Yours for the Asking
Hank James
Man in the Shadow
Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
Change of Heart
Dolph Grimes
No Time at All
Knobby Walsh
Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle
Joe Higgins
Should Husbands Work?
Jimmy
Don't Believe It
Joe Higgins
The Higgins Family
Joe Higgins
My Wife's Relatives
Cool Kelly
It's a Wise Child
Joe Higgins
Money To Burn
Spike Mc Gorey
Rule 'Em and Weep
Joe Higgins
Grandpa Goes To Town
Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
Tanks a Million
Thornton Reed
Babes on Broadway
Tom Clark
Captain Eddie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1941
Jimmy McGill
Hot Tip
Jimmy Gleason
Yoo-Hoo
Music Publisher (uncredited)
The Broadway Melody
Silk Henley
Fast Companions
Chick Knipe
The All-American
Husband
Fairways and Foul
Knobby Walsh
Joe Palooka in Triple Cross
Ed Waggermeyer
Orders Is Orders
"Ratsy" Harris
The Billion Dollar Scandal
Himself
Hollywood Hobbies
Tom
Big Money
Postmaster
Once Upon a Horse...
Self
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
Self
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
131
Gender
Male
Birthday
1882-05-22
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
James Austin Gleason