Highest rated as cast or director
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).
Acted in 133
1950s
- 1958
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
- 1957
Man in the Shadow
Hank James
- 1956
Star in the Dust
Orval Jones
- 1955
Rookie of the Year
Ed Shafer
The Girl Rush
Ether Ferguson
- 1954
Hollywood Thrill-Makers
Risky Russell
- 1953
Forever Female
Eddie Woods
- 1952
The Story of Will Rogers
Bert Lynn
- 1951
Come Fill the Cup
Charley Dolan
Two Gals and a Guy
Max Howard
- 1950
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
1940s
- 1949
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Timothy Gleason
Take One False Step
Captain Gledhill
The Life of Riley
Gillis
Bad Boy
Chief
- 1948
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
- 1947
Down to Earth
Max Corkle
The Homestretch
Doc Kilborne
- 1946
Lady Luck
Sacramento Sam
The Well Groomed Bride
Captain Hornby
The Hoodlum Saint
Snarp
- 1945
Captain Eddie
Tom Clark
This Man's Navy
Jimmy Shannon
- 1944
Once Upon a Time
Moke McGillicuddy
A Guy Named Joe
“Nails” Kilpatrick
- 1943
Crash Dive
Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
- 1942
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
- 1941
Babes on Broadway
Thornton Reed
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
Sergeant Daniels
Tanks a Million
Col. 'Spitfire' Barkley
Affectionately Yours
'Chet' Phillips
- 1940
Earl of Puddlestone
Joe Higgins
Grandpa Goes To Town
Joe Higgins
1930s
- 1939
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
- 1938
Army Girl
Hennessy
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
James Gleason
The Higgins Family
Joe Higgins
- 1937
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Danny The Duck
Forty Naughty Girls
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
- 1936
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
- 1935
We're Only Human
Detective Danny Walsh
Hot Tip
Jimmy McGill
West Point of the Air
Joe 'Bags'
Murder on a Honeymoon
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
Helldorado
Sam Barnes
- 1934
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
- 1933
Hoopla
Jerry
Orders Is Orders
Ed Waggermeyer
Clear All Wires!
Lefty Williams
The Billion Dollar Scandal
"Ratsy" Harris
- 1932
The Penguin Pool Murder
Police Insp. Oscar Piper
The Devil Is Driving
'Beef' Evans
The All-American
Chick Knipe
The Crooked Circle
Arthur Crimmer
Blondie of the Follies
Pa McClune
Lady and Gent
Pin Streaver
High Hats and Low Brows
Danny Ruff
Fast Companions
Silk Henley
Rule 'Em and Weep
Spike Mc Gorey
- 1931
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
- 1930
Big Money
Tom
Her Man
Steve
The Matrimonial Bed
Gustave Corton
Dumb-bells in Ermine
Mike
Swellhead
Johnny Trump
Puttin' on the Ritz
James 'Jimmy' Tierney
1920s
- 1929
The Shannons of Broadway
Mickey Shannon
Oh, Yeah!
Dusty
Meet the Missus
Bert La Motte
- 1928
The Count of Ten
Johnny's Manager
- 1922
Polly of the Follies
Paul Gordon
Wrote 16
1930s
- 1934
Change of Heart
Screenplay
- 1933
The Bowery
Screenplay
Orders Is Orders
Screenplay
- 1931
Beyond Victory
Writer
Three Hollywood Girls
Writer
- 1930
What a Widow!
Adaptation, Screenplay
The Fall Guy
Writer
Dumb-bells in Ermine
Writer
Swellhead
Dialogue
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dialogue
1920s
- 1929
His First Command
Story, Screenplay
The Shannons of Broadway
Writer
High Voltage
Screenplay, Dialogue
Directed 2
1930s
- 1935
Hot Tip
Director
- 1932
Always Kickin'
Director
Other crew 2
1930s
- 1935
Murder in the Fleet
Additional Writing
1920s
- 1929
The Flying Fool
Additional Dialogue
Appearances5
1940s
- 1941
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1930s
- 1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
Self
- 1930
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
Self