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James Gregory
Actor

James Gregory

23 Dec 1911Born
16 Sep 2002Died
90Age at death
133Credits

Biography

James Gregory (December 23, 1911 – September 16, 2002) was an American actor. His best-known roles include Schaffer in Al Capone (1959), the McCarthy-like Sen. John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), and Inspector Frank Luger in the television sitcom Barney Miller (1975–1982). Gregory grew up in New Rochelle, NY. In high school, he was elected president of the Drama Club. He went to work on Wall Street as a runner shortly after the 1929 crash. Gregory performed in drama groups and achieved pro status as a summer stock player in 1935. He performed in plays throughout New York, New Jersey and Maryland.

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His troupe of performers toured small towns in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, towing a trailer full of theatre props; they performed in school gyms, churches and YMCAs, earning $25 for a week of one-night stands. In 1939, Gregory made his Broadway debut in a production of "Key Largo". Over the next 16 years, he performed in approximately 25 Broadway productions. His career was interrupted by WWII; he served for 3 years in the Navy and Marine Corps. His tour of duty took him to the Pacific where he spent 83 days on Okinawa. He married Anne Miltner in 1944; they were married for 58 years (until his death). During his Broadway career, Gregory earned consistently favorable reviews by drama critics from the New York Press, Boston Globe, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Gregory did a few TV spots as early as 1951, and in 1955 he made the transition from the Broadway stage to live television. The following year, after a couple of earlier uncredited movie appearances, he would also begin his movie career in earnest. He worked steadily throughout the early years of TV, working for major live television productions from New York to Hollywood. In 1959, Gregory made television history by costarring in the pilot episode of the The Twilight Zone (1959); the episode "Where Is Everybody?" concerning the relevant topic of the USA winning the space race by sending a manned spaceship to the moon sold the series. Gregory would play Dean Martin's exasperated boss MacDonald in the first 3 of the Matt Helm movies: The Silencers (1966), Murderers' Row (1966) and The Ambushers (1967). One of his final roles, perhaps his most acclaimed, was as Inspector Frank Luger for the entire run of Barney Miller (1975 - 1982). As the Inspector, he would be lovable, irritating, ingratiating, exasperating, and humorous, sometimes all at the same time. Gregory retired from acting in 1983, with over 100 TV and movie credits.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 133 credits.

  1. 1983Wait Till Your Mother Gets HomeFilm: Dan Peters
  2. 1982The Flight of DragonsFilm: Bryagh / Smrgol (voice)
  3. 1981Goldie and the Boxer Go to HollywoodFilm: Leo Hackett
  4. 1980GridlockFilm: Gen. Caribou Caruthers
  5. 1980The Comeback KidFilm: Scotty
  6. 1979Detective SchoolSeries (23 episodes)
  7. 1979The Main EventFilm: Gough
  8. 1979SupertrainSeries: Griswald (1 episode)
  9. 1978Flying HighSeries (1 episode)
  10. 1978The BastardSeries: Will Campbell (1 episode)
  11. 1977The Love BoatSeries: Milton Benson (1 episode)
  12. 1976Quincy, M.E.Series: Tony Gordon (1 episode)
  13. 1976Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy IncidentFilm: James Donovan
  14. 1976All's FairSeries (1 episode)
  15. 1975The Strongest Man in the WorldFilm: Chief Blair
  16. 1975Barney MillerSeries: Inspector Frank Luger (36 episodes)
  17. 1975The Abduction of Saint AnneFilm: Pete Haggerty
  18. 1974Kolchak: The Night StalkerSeries: Captain Quill (1 episode)
  19. 1973Miracle on 34th StreetFilm: District Attorney
  20. 1973Police StorySeries (4 episodes)
  21. 1972The Weekend NunFilm: Sid Richardson
  22. 1972The Streets of San FranciscoSeries (1 episode)
  23. 1972M*A*S*HSeries: General Kelly (1 episode)
  24. 1972SearchSeries (1 episode)
  25. 1972The Paul Lynde ShowSeries (2 episodes)
  26. 1972Temperatures RisingSeries: James Jerome (1 episode)
  27. 1972A Very Missing PersonFilm: Oscar Piper
  28. 1972Emergency!Series (1 episode)
  29. 1972Sanford and SonSeries (3 episodes)
  30. 1972The Marshal of MadridFilm: Oil Tycoon
  31. 1971ColumboSeries: David Buckner (2 episodes)
  32. 1971CannonSeries (1 episode)
  33. 1971The Late LizFilm: Sam Burns
  34. 1971Shoot OutFilm: Sam Foley
  35. 1971The Million Dollar DuckFilm: Rutledge
  36. 1971All in the FamilySeries: William R. Kirkwood (1 episode)
  37. 1970Night GallerySeries (1 episode)
  38. 1970The Partridge FamilySeries: Claude Tubbles (1 episode)
  39. 1970The HeadmasterSeries (1 episode)
  40. 1970The HawaiiansFilm: Dr. Whipple Sr. (uncredited)
  41. 1970Beneath the Planet of the ApesFilm: Ursus
  42. 1970McCloudSeries (1 episode)
  43. 1969Medical CenterSeries: Col. Whittendale (1 episode)
  44. 1969My World and Welcome to ItSeries (1 episode)
  45. 1969The Love God?Film: Darrell Evans Hughes
  46. 1969Hawaii Five-OSeries: Jonathan Kaye, Mike Finney (1 episode)
  47. 1968The Mod SquadSeries: Gus Williams
  48. 1968LancerSeries (1 episode)
  49. 1968The OutcastsSeries (1 episode)
  50. 1968CocoonFilm: Jonathan Kaye
  51. 1968The OutsiderSeries (1 episode)
  52. 1968PremiereSeries (1 episode)
  53. 1968The Secret War of Harry FriggFilm: Gen. Homer Prentiss
  54. 1967The AmbushersFilm: MacDonald
  55. 1967ClambakeFilm: Duster Heyward
  56. 1967The HuntedFilm: Buckman
  57. 1967The High ChaparralSeries: Jake Stoner (1 episode)
  58. 1967Judd, for the DefenseSeries (1 episode)
  59. 1967Cimarron StripSeries (1 episode)
  60. 1967IronsideSeries: Herb Jarman, TV Presenter, Tony Hudson (1 episode)
  61. 1966Murderers' RowFilm: MacDonald
  62. 1966Mission: ImpossibleSeries (1 episode)
  63. 1966Star TrekSeries: Dr. Tristan Adams (1 episode)
  64. 1966That GirlSeries (4 episodes)
  65. 1966TarzanSeries (1 episode)
  66. 1966The SilencersFilm: MacDonald
  67. 1965A Rage to LiveFilm: Dr. O'Brien
  68. 1965The F.B.I.Series: Bert Anslem (1 episode)
  69. 1965The LonerSeries (1 episode)
  70. 1965The Wild Wild WestSeries (1 episode)
  71. 1965Hogan's HeroesSeries: General Biedenbender (1 episode)
  72. 1965The Big ValleySeries: Simon Carter, Harry Bodine, Senator Jim Bannard (1 episode)
  73. 1965F TroopSeries (3 episodes)
  74. 1965The Sons of Katie ElderFilm: Morgan Hastings
  75. 1965Quick, Before It MeltsFilm: Vice Admiral
  76. 1964Daniel BooneSeries: Captain Asa Webb (1 episode)
  77. 1964A Distant TrumpetFilm: Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint
  78. 1963Captain Newman, M.D.Film: Col. Edgar Pyser
  79. 1963Twilight of HonorFilm: Norris Bixby
  80. 1963Kraft Suspense TheatreSeries: Lieutenant Wade (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.