
James Gregory
Known for Acting · 133 credits
- Born
- 1911-12-23
- Died
- 2002-09-16
- Place of birth
- Bronx, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Robert Dixon · Jim Gregory
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. 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
TV Shows (81)

Star Trek
1966
as Dr. Tristan Adams

Columbo
1971
as David Buckner

Bonanza
1959
as Mulvaney / Sgt. Mike Russell / Whitney Parker

The Love Boat
1977
as Milton Benson

The Fugitive
1963
as Pete Crandall

Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Jonathan Kaye / Mike Finney

M*A*S*H
1972
as General Kelly

Ironside
1967
as Herb Jarman / TV Presenter / Tony Hudson

Quincy, M.E.
1976
as Tony Gordon

Mission: Impossible
1966

Robert Montgomery Presents
1950

Hogan's Heroes
1965
as General Biedenbender

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
as Fred Kruger

The Twilight Zone
1959
as Confederate Sergeant / Air Force General

Climax!
1954
as Joe McCarthy / Dr. Froelich

The Virginian
1962
as Slim Jessup / Cal Young

The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
as Lester Thompson / Angus

Emergency!
1972

Barney Miller
1975
as Inspector Frank Luger

Ben Casey
1961

My Three Sons
1960

The F.B.I.
1965
as Bert Anslem

Studio One
1948
as Gas Man / Mr. Black / James Metcalf / Mr. Bales / George Monzo / Corey / Private Alan Pomeroy

Cannon
1971

Rawhide
1959
as Owen Spencer / Mister Brothers / Lash Whitcomb

The Wild Wild West
1965

Daniel Boone
1964
as Captain Asa Webb

The Big Valley
1965
as Simon Carter / Senator Jim Bannard / Harry Bodine

Medical Center
1969
as Col. Whittendale

The Defenders
1961
as Paul Tasso

Night Gallery
1970

The High Chaparral
1967
as Jake Stoner

Gunsmoke
1955
as Scanlon, Sr. / Judge Calvin Strom / Wes Martin

That Girl
1966

Thriller
1960
as Howard Yates

McCloud
1970

The Streets of San Francisco
1972

Sanford and Son
1972

All in the Family
1971
as William R. Kirkwood

Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Mr. Wescott / Wayne Campbell / John Gregory

Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
as Lieutenant Wade

The Partridge Family
1970
as Claude Tubbles

Laramie
1959

Suspense
1949
as Jerry

Lancer
1968

The Mod Squad
1968

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
as Martin Burke

Police Story
1973

Kraft Television Theatre
1947
as Steve
Danger
1950
as Willie

Tarzan
1966

Judd, for the Defense
1967

Kolchak: The Night Stalker
1974
as Captain Quill

F Troop
1965
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Mac / Mr. Randolph

The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as John Kramer

Sam Benedict
1962

Cimarron Strip
1967

Target: The Corruptors!
1961

Temperatures Rising
1972
as James Jerome
Movies (52)

Beneath the Planet of the Apes
1970
as Ursus

The Manchurian Candidate
1962
as Sen. John Yerkes Iselin

Shoot Out
1971
as Sam Foley

The Hawaiians
1970
as Dr. Whipple Sr. (uncredited)

The Sons of Katie Elder
1965
as Morgan Hastings

Clambake
1967
as Duster Heyward

The Naked City
1948
as Patrolman Albert Hicks (uncredited)

X-15
1961
as Tom Deparma

The Ambushers
1967
as MacDonald

Murderers' Row
1966
as MacDonald

Al Capone
1959
as Schaefler (narrator)

The Silencers
1966
as MacDonald

Nightfall
1956
as Ben Fraser

Two Weeks in Another Town
1962
as Brad Byrd

The Strongest Man in the World
1975
as Chief Blair

Twilight of Honor
1963
as Norris Bixby

The Flight of Dragons
1982
as Bryagh / Smrgol (voice)

PT 109
1963
as Commander C.R. Ritchie

The Million Dollar Duck
1971
as Rutledge

Captain Newman, M.D.
1963
as Col. Edgar Pyser

Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident
1976
as James Donovan

The Young Stranger
1957
as Sergeant Shipley

Onionhead
1958
as Lt. Cmdr. Fox aka The Skipper

A Distant Trumpet
1964
as Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint

Gun Glory
1957
as Grimsell

Gridlock
1980
as Gen. Caribou Caruthers

The Main Event
1979
as Gough

The Love God?
1969
as Darrell Evans Hughes

A Rage to Live
1965
as Dr. O'Brien

The Frogmen
1951
as Chief Petty Officer Lane

The Abduction of Saint Anne
1975
as Pete Haggerty

Miracle on 34th Street
1973
as District Attorney

The Secret War of Harry Frigg
1968
as Gen. Homer Prentiss

The Late Liz
1971
as Sam Burns

The Hunted
1967
as Buckman

The Scarlet Hour
1956
as Ralph Nevins

Cocoon
1968
as Jonathan Kaye

The Weekend Nun
1972
as Sid Richardson

Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood
1981
as Leo Hackett

A Very Missing Person
1972
as Oscar Piper
Underwater Warrior
1958
as Lt. William Arnold

The Comeback Kid
1980
as Scotty

The Marshal of Madrid
1972
as Oil Tycoon

Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home
1983
as Dan Peters

The Big Caper
1957
as Flood

A Town Has Turned to Dust
1958
as Hennify

Quick, Before It Melts
1965
as Vice Admiral

The Things People Want
1948
as Pete

The Snows of Kilimanjaro
1960
as Editor

Journey to the Day
1960
as Endicott

Hey Boy! Hey Girl!
1959
as Father Burton

At This Moment
1954
as Bill Ritter
About James Gregory
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… With 133 credits spanning from 1947 to 1983, James Gregory has appeared in 52 films and 81 TV shows.
Fans searching for James Gregory movies, James Gregory filmography, or the latest projects starring James Gregory can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular James Gregory Movies
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) — as Ursus
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962) — as Sen. John Yerkes Iselin
- Shoot Out (1971) — as Sam Foley
- The Hawaiians (1970) — as Dr. Whipple Sr. (uncredited)
- The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) — as Morgan Hastings
Where to Watch James Gregory Films
Most James Gregory movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring James Gregory, check our movies catalogue and browse page.