James Gregory was an American character actor known for his deep, gravelly voice, and playing brash roles such as Schaffer in Al Capone, the McCarthy-like Sen. John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate, the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and crusty Inspector Frank Luger in the television sitcom Barney Miller. He retired from acting in 1983, with over 100 TV and movie credits. He has entertained, uplifted and captivated us with his performances. James has endeared himself to a legion of fans. When asked to define his life’s work, he simply said, “I am an actor”.
Birth Name
James Gregory
Nickname
James
Profession
Actor
Nationality
American
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
James Gregory was born on the 23rd of December 1911, in Bronx, New York City, United States.
Died
He was died on the 16th of September 2002 (aged 90), in Sedona, Arizona, United States due to natural causes .
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Ethnicity
White
Religion
Christianity
Education
His educational qualifications are unknown.
Family Details
- Father – Unknown
- Mother – Unknown
- Siblings – Unknown
Marital Status
Married
Girlfriend / Spouse
James Gregory has dated –
- Anne Catherine Miltner – In 1944, James married to Anne Catherine Miltner. His wife sang occasionally in The Chordettes.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 6 feet 0 inches
- In centimeters – 183 cm
- In meters – 1.83 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 73 kg
- In Pounds – 161 lbs
Body Build
Slim
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Hair Color
White
Shoe Size
He wears a size 11.5 (US) shoe.
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Gregory became known as an actor, and began on the Broadway stage. He specialized in playing loud, brash, tough cops or businessmen. One of his better roles was as the detective out to get Capone in Al Capone (1959). He also played Dean Martin’s boss in three of the four cheesy Matt Helm spy films. Memorable as the opinionated, loudmouthed Inspector Luger in the television series Barney Miller (1975).
Film Debut
In 1948, James Gregory had his first film onscreen role in the movie The Naked City as Patrolman Albert Hicks and he made his neo-noir psychological political theatrical film debut as Senator John Yerkes Iselin in the thriller movie, The Manchurian Candidate (1962).
Television Debut
In 1954, Gregory landed his first role in television by appearing as Mr. Bales / James Metcalf / Mr. Black / Private Alan Pomeroy / Corey / George Monzo / Gasman in the series, Studio One in Hollywood.
James Gregory Net worth
James Gregory has an estimated net worth of $2 million dollars as of 2023.
Some Lesser Known Facts About James Gregory
- Gregory was born in The Bronx, New York City, U.S and grew up in New Rochelle, N.Y.
- 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.
- In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in a production of Key Largo and worked in about 25 more Broadway productions over the next 16 years.
- He served from 1941-46, during World War II, in the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
- His early acting work included army training films; one such appearance is excerpted in The Atomic Café. He also worked in radio, including a year (1955–1956) on 21st Precinct.
- Gregory was the lead in The Lawless Years, a 1920s-era crime drama which aired 45 episodes on NBC. In the series, which ran from 1959 to 1961, he played NYPD Detective Barney Ruditsky.
- After his appearance as the McCarthyistic Senator Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate, Gregory starred in the film PT 109 with Cliff Robertson.
- He played Dean Martin’s spy boss MacDonald, in the Matt Helm film series; in the original Star Trek series in the episode Dagger of the Mind, as Dr. Tristan Adams; and in the Elvis Presley film Clambake.
- In the pilot movie for the 1968 Hawaii Five-O series, Gregory became the first actor to portray State Department official Jonathan Kaye, a recurring character on the series. In 1986, His final acting credit was a episode of Mr. Belvedere.
- In 2002, Gregory died of natural causes in Sedona, Arizona, aged 90. He and his wife, Anne Catherine Miltner (1917–2005), are interred together at Sedona Community Cemetery.
