James Flavin
Known for Acting · 322 credits
- Born
- 1906-05-14
- Died
- 1976-04-23
- Place of birth
- Portland, Maine, USA
- Also known as
- James William Flavin Jr. · James Flaven · Jim Flavin
Biography
American character actor whose career lasted nearly half a century. James Wilson Flavin Jr. was the son of a hotel waiter of Canadian-English extraction and a mother, Katherine, whose father was an Irish immigrant. (Thus Flavin, well-known in Hollywood as an "Irish" type, was only one-quarter Irish.) Flavin was born and raised in Portland, Maine (a fact that may have enrichened his later working relationship with director John Ford, also a Portland native). He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, but (contrary to some sources) did not graduate. Instead he dropped out and returned to Portland where he drove a taxi. Then as now, summer stock companies flocked to Maine each year, and in 1929 he was asked to fill in for an actor. He did well with the part and the company manager offered him $150 per week to go with the troupe back to New York. Flavin accepted and by the spring of 1930 was living in a rooming house at 108 W. 87th Street in Manhattan. Flavin didn't manage to crack Broadway at this time (his Broadway debut would not occur for another thirty-nine years, in the 1971 revival of "The Front Page," in which Flavin played Murphy and briefly took over the lead role of Walter Burns from star Robert Ryan). He worked his way across the country in stock productions and tours, arriving in Los Angeles around 1932. He quickly made the transition to movies, landing the lead in his very first film, a Universal serial, The Airmail Mystery (1932). He also landed his leading lady, marrying the serial's female star Lucile Browne that same year. However, the serial marked virtually the last time that Flavin would play the lead in a film. Thereafter, he was restricted almost exclusively to supporting characters, many of them without so much as a name. He specialized in uniformed cops and hard-bitten detectives, but played chauffeurs, cabbies, and even a 16th-century palace guard with aplomb. Flavin appeared in nearly four hundred films between 1932 and 1971, and in almost a hundred television episodes before his final appearance, as President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident (1976). Flavin died of a heart ailment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on April 23, 1976. His widow Lucile died seventeen days later. They were survived by their son, William James Flavin, subsequently a professor at the United States Army War College. James and Lucile Brown Flavin were buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Known For
TV Shows (44)
The Rifleman
1958
Matinee Theater
1955
The Twilight Zone
1959
as 1962 Policeman / Truck Driver
Climax!
1954
as Hogan
The Lucy Show
1962
as Sergeant Wilcox
I Love Lucy
1951
as Immigration Officer
Burke's Law
1963
as Officer Danny Robin
Four Star Playhouse
1952
as Mr. Swanson
Dr. Kildare
1961
as John Dolan
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
as Sam Cooper
The Millionaire
1955
as Dan Mulcahy
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Joe Felix / Tony - The Doorman / Dan
Mister Ed
1961
State Trooper
1956
as Police Capt. Daniel Box
The Addams Family
1964
as Lt. Poston
Surfside 6
1960
It Takes a Thief
1968
as Gen. Levin
Alcoa Theatre
1957
as Gavin Marshall
Navy Log
1955
as Col. Flynn
December Bride
1954
Mr. Novak
1963
as Fire Chief Hawkins
Racket Squad
1951
The Brady Bunch
1969
City Detective
1953
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Steve / Heineman / Detective
The Abbott and Costello Show
1952
as Joe Kelly
Pete and Gladys
1960
Public Defender
1954
Dangerous Assignment
1952
Death Valley Days
1952
as Perry
Cavalcade of America
1952
Cain's Hundred
1961
as Arnie Kellwin
Johnny Midnight
1960
The Roaring 20's
1960
as Robert Howard
Letter to Loretta
1953
as MacNamara / Sgt. Danny Doofle / Deputy Mason
Coronado 9
1960
Sam Benedict
1962
The New Breed
1961
as Moose
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Captain Kimble / General Charles Lee
Man with a Camera
1958
The Pruitts of Southampton
1966
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
The Living Christ
1951
as Longinus
General Electric Theater
1953
as Callahan
Movies (278)
King Kong
1933
as Mate Briggs
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963
as Patrolman (uncredited)
Nightmare Alley
1947
as Hoatley / First Carnival Owner (uncredited)
Unconquered
1947
as Villager (uncredited)
Captain Hurricane
1935
as Freighter Officer
Start Cheering
1938
as Gas Station Attendant
The Grapes of Wrath
1940
as Guard (uncredited)
Laura
1944
as Det. McEveety (uncredited)
In Cold Blood
1967
as Clarence Duntz
Mildred Pierce
1945
as Detective (uncredited)
The Most Dangerous Game
1932
as First Mate on Yacht (uncredited)
You Can't Take It with You
1938
as Jailer (uncredited)
Reap the Wild Wind
1942
as Girl's Father (uncredited)
Prison Warden
1949
as Guard Capt. Peter Butler
Hello, Sister!
1933
as Fireman
North West Mounted Police
1940
as Mountie
Buck Privates
1941
as Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
Belle Starr
1941
as Sergeant
Saboteur
1942
as Motorcycle Cop (voice) (uncredited)
The Ghost Breakers
1940
as Hotel Porter (uncredited)
God Is My Co-Pilot
1945
as Major at Kweilin Airbase (uncredited)
Sleep, My Love
1948
as Lieutenant Mitchell
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
as Ft. Robinson Sergeant of the Guard (uncredited)
Anchors Aweigh
1945
as Radio Cop
Action in the North Atlantic
1943
as Merchant Marine School Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
O. Henry's Full House
1952
as Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)
Night Passage
1957
as Tim Riley
So Proudly We Hail
1943
as Captain O'Brien (Uncredited)
Heaven Can Wait
1943
as Policeman (uncredited)
Special Agent
1935
as Agent Arresting Julie (uncredited)
Operation Pacific
1951
as SP Commander
The Wings of Eagles
1957
as MP at Garden Party (uncredited)
My Man Godfrey
1936
as Detective (uncredited)
Blondie
1938
as Policeman in Accident Car (uncredited)
Wives Under Suspicion
1938
as Jenks (uncredited)
'G' Men
1935
as Agent with Jean (uncredited)
Mighty Joe Young
1949
as Schultz
Jesse James
1939
as Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
Boys' Ranch
1946
as Policeman (uncredited)
Western Union
1941
as Deputy Sheriff
The Roaring Twenties
1939
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Long Voyage Home
1940
as Dock Policeman
Union Pacific
1939
as Paddy (uncredited)
I Am the Law
1938
as George - Witness (uncredited)
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946
as Police Detective #1
The Naked Street
1955
as Attorney Michael X. Flanders
The Last Hurrah
1958
as Police Capt. Michael J. Shanahan (uncredited)
Affectionately Yours
1941
as Tomassetti
Fighting Coast Guard
1951
as Commander Rogers
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
1947
as First Policeman (uncredited)
You Only Live Once
1937
as State Trooper (uncredited)
The Wild Man of Borneo
1941
as Policeman (uncredited)
Never Say Goodbye
1956
as Timmy
The Velvet Touch
1948
as Sgt. Oliphant
Trouble Along the Way
1953
as Coach Buck Holman
My Favorite Brunette
1947
as Det. Lt. 'Mac' Hennessey (uncredited)
They Met in a Taxi
1936
as Policeman
Remember the Night
1940
as Court Attendant (uncredited)
Only Yesterday
1933
as Billy (Uncredited)
Brother Orchid
1940
as Parking Attendant at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
Desert Fury
1947
as Pat Johnson
Confidentially Connie
1953
as Harry (uncredited)
Flamingo Road
1949
Nora Prentiss
1947
as District Attorney
The Shanghai Cobra
1945
as H.R. Jarvis
Hollywood Canteen
1944
as Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
The Devil's Henchmen
1949
as Police Sergeant Briggs
Nobody Lives Forever
1946
as Shake Thomas
The Affairs of Cellini
1934
as Palace Guard (uncredited)
Johnny Apollo
1940
as Prison Guard In Library (uncredited)
A Stolen Life
1946
as Investigator (uncredited)
Once Upon a Time
1944
as Man in Subway (uncredited)
Three Loves Has Nancy
1938
as Jack's Friend (uncredited)
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars
1953
as First Policeman in Bank
Knute Rockne All American
1940
as Army Assistant Coach (uncredited)
Angel on My Shoulder
1946
as Dan Bellamy
Francis in the Haunted House
1956
as Police Chief Martin
Mr. Winkle Goes to War
1944
Gentleman Jim
1942
as George Corbett (uncredited)
The Missing Lady
1946
as Police Insp. Cardona
The Strawberry Blonde
1941
as Ticket Inspector on Boat (uncredited)
Shockproof
1949
as Policeman in Park (Uncredited)
Broadway Melody of 1940
1940
as Clancy (uncredited)
Carrie
1952
as Mike - Bartender (uncredited)
Fingers at the Window
1942
as Police Lieutenant Schaeffer
Queen of the Mob
1940
as Third FBI Director
They All Come Out
1939
as Officer (uncredited)
Hot Steel
1940
as Storm Swenson
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
1939
as Turnkey
I Wake Up Screaming
1941
as Detective (uncredited)
When the Daltons Rode
1940
as Annabella's Brother
Ride 'Em Cowboy
1941
as Railroad Detective #2 (uncredited)
The Savage Horde
1950
as Guard
Air Force
1943
as Maj. A.M. Bagley
Thru Different Eyes
1942
as Thomas
Okay, America!
1932
as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
The Fighting 69th
1940
as Supply Sergeant (uncredited)
Hold Back the Dawn
1941
as Immigration Guard (uncredited)
Ziegfeld Girl
1941
as Buck (uncredited)
The All-American
1932
as Don Lindsay
While New York Sleeps
1938
as 2nd Cop
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
as Policeman (uncredited)
Wild Is the Wind
1957
as Wool Buyer
Critic's Choice
1963
as Security Guard (uncredited)
Texas
1941
as Abilene Fight Announcer
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
1936
as Detective
Step by Step
1946
as Woods
Mission to Moscow
1943
as American Senator (uncredited)
Alexander's Ragtime Band
1938
as Army Captain (uncredited)
When Willie Comes Marching Home
1950
as Gen. Brevort (uncredited)
Christmas Holiday
1944
as Policeman (uncredited)
Sailor Beware
1952
as Petty Officer (uncredited)
Circumstantial Evidence
1945
as Guard
Mister Roberts
1955
as Military Policeman
It All Came True
1940
as Roaring 90's Club Doorman (uncredited)
Man on the Flying Trapeze
1935
as Chauffeur (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
1949
as Insp. Wellman
One Touch of Venus
1948
as Kerrigan
Homicide
1949
as Det. Lt. Boylan
A Yank on the Burma Road
1942
as Police Dispatcher
About James Flavin
American character actor whose career lasted nearly half a century. James Wilson Flavin Jr. was the son of a hotel waiter of Canadian-English extraction and a mother, Katherine, whose father was an Irish immigrant. (Thus Flavin, well-known in Hollywood as an "Irish" type, was only one-quarter Irish.) Flavin was born and raised in Portland, Maine (a fact that may have enrichened his later working relationship with director John Ford, also a Portland native). He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, but (contrary to some sou… With 322 credits spanning from 1932 to 2005, James Flavin has appeared in 278 films and 44 TV shows.
Fans searching for James Flavin movies, James Flavin filmography, or the latest projects starring James Flavin can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular James Flavin Movies
- King Kong (1933) — as Mate Briggs
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) — as Patrolman (uncredited)
- Nightmare Alley (1947) — as Hoatley / First Carnival Owner (uncredited)
- Unconquered (1947) — as Villager (uncredited)
- Captain Hurricane (1935) — as Freighter Officer
Where to Watch James Flavin Films
Most James Flavin 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 Flavin, check our movies catalogue and browse page.