James Gregory (actor)

James Gregory (December 23, 1911 – September 16, 2002) was an American character actor known for his deep, gravelly voice and playing brash roles such as the McCarthy-like Sen. John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), and crusty Inspector Frank Luger in the television sitcom Barney Miller (1975–1982).

For other people with the same name, see James Gregory (disambiguation).
James Gregory
Gregory in 1948
Born(1911-12-23)December 23, 1911
Bronx, New York City, U.S.
DiedSeptember 16, 2002(2002-09-16) (aged 90)
Sedona, Arizona, U.S.
Resting placeSedona Community Cemetery
Years active1939–1986
Spouse(s)
Ann Miltner
​
(m. 1944⁠–⁠2002)​

Early years

Gregory was born in the Bronx in New York City, and raised in New Rochelle, just north of New York City. In high school he was president of the Drama Club. He briefly worked on Wall Street as a runner in 1929 and thought of being a stockbroker, but, by 1935, had become a professional actor instead.

Career

In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in a production of Key Largo[1] and worked in about 25 more Broadway productions over the next 16 years.

He served three years in the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps during World War II.[2] His early acting work included army training films; one such appearance is excerpted in The Atomic Café (1982). 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.[3]:588

After his appearance as the McCarthyistic Senator Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Gregory starred in the film PT 109 (1963) 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" (1966), as Dr. Tristan Adams; and in the Elvis Presley film Clambake (1967). 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.

Gregory portrayed Nick Hannigan on Detective School.[3] He was a semi-regular on the TV series Barney Miller as Deputy Inspector Frank Luger. His final acting credit was in a 1986 episode of Mr. Belvedere.

Death

Gregory died of natural causes in Sedona, Arizona, in 2002, aged 90.[4] He and his wife, Anne Miltner (1917–2005), are interred at the Sedona Community Cemetery.

Selected TV and filmography

References
  1. "James Gregory". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020.
  2. Olive, Myrna (September 19, 2002). "James Gregory, 90; Veteran Player of Cops and Generals in Movies and Television". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2019-04-13.
  3. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  4. "James Gregory, Actor, 90, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 19, 2002.
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