James Gregory
Personal Info
Known For Actor
Gender Male
Birthday 1911-12-23
Deathday 2002-09-16 (90 years old)
Place of Birth Bronx, New York, USA
Also Known As Robert Dixon, Jim Gregory
James Gregory
Biography
One of the most beloved actors of all, James Gregory was born December 23, 1911, in the Bronx and 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. James 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. 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, James 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). One good thing that came out of the war years is that he married Anne in 1944, and they would stay together always. During his Broadway career, James Gregory earned consistently favorable reviews by drama critics from the New York Press, Boston Globe, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Hollywood Reporter and Variety. James 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, James 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. James 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). But he won his biggest acclaim as Inspector Frank Luger for the entire run of the TV series Barney Miller (1974) (1975-1982). This was his signature role; as the Inspector, he would be lovable, irritating, ingratiating, exasperating and humorous, sometimes all at the same time. He was Barney's buddy for 7 years, and the series ended with the Inspector getting himself a mail-order bride. James Gregory retired from acting in 1983, with over 100 TV and movie credits. He has entertained, uplifted and captivated us with his performances. He has endeared himself to a legion of fans. When asked to define his life's work, he simply said, "I am an actor". Fans would disagree with him. James Gregory is so much more -- role model and inspiration.
Known For
Actor
as Dan Peters
as Bryagh / Smrgol (voice)
as Leo Hackett
as Gen. Caribou Caruthers
as Scotty
as Gough
as Will Campbell
as Milton Benson
as James Donovan
as Chief Blair
as Pete Haggerty
as Inspector Frank Luger
as Frank Luger
as Captain Quill
as District Attorney
as Sid Richardson
as Oscar Piper
as Oil Tycoon
as General Kelly
as James Jerome
as Sam Burns
as Sam Foley
as Rutledge
as David Buckner
as William R. Kirkwood
as Dr. Whipple Sr. (uncredited)
as Ursus
as Darrell Evans Hughes
as Jonathan Kaye
as Gen. Homer Prentiss
as Jonathan Kaye
as Mike Finney
as MacDonald
as Duster Heyward
as Buckman
as Jake Stoner
as Herb Jarman
as MacDonald
as MacDonald
as Dr. Tristan Adams
as Dr. O'Brien
as Morgan Hastings
as Vice Admiral
as Bert Anslem
as General Biedenbender
as Simon Carter
as Senator Jim Bannard
as Harry Bodine
as Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint
as Captain Asa Webb
as Col. Edgar Pyser
as Norris Bixby
as Commander C.R. Ritchie
as Lieutenant Wade
as Pete Crandall
as Sen. John Yerkes Iselin
as Brad Byrd
as Fred Kruger
as Slim Jessup
as Cal Young
as Tom Deparma
as Father Al
as Paul Tasso
as Editor
as Howard Yates
as Father Burton
as Schaefler (narrator)
as Confederate Sergeant
as Air Force General
as John Kramer
as Mulvaney
as Sgt. Mike Russell
as Barney Ruditsky
as Owen Spencer
as Mister Brothers
as Lash Whitcomb
as Lt. Cmdr. Fox aka The Skipper
as Hennify
as Lt. William Arnold
as Grimsell
as Flood
as Sergeant Shipley
as Ben Fraser
as Ralph Nevins
as Roy
as Mr. Wescott
as John Gregory
as Wayne Campbell
as Scanlon, Sr.
as Judge Calvin Strom
as Wes Martin
as Willie
as Bill Ritter
as Joe McCarthy
as Dr. Froelich
as Jim Patton
as Sandy Green
as Chief Petty Officer Lane
as Morgan
as Lieutenant Billy Kyle
as Mac
as Mr. Randolph
as Jerry
as Patrolman Albert Hicks (uncredited)
as Pete
as Gas Man
as Mr. Black
as James Metcalf
as Mr. Bales
as George Monzo
as Corey
as Private Alan Pomeroy
as Lester Thompson
as Angus
Producer
as Producer