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James Gregory

James Gregory

Actor · Died September 16, 2002, aged 90 · Bronx, New York, USA

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 23, 1911
Died
September 16, 2002 (aged 90)
From
Bronx, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
55 on MovieCove · 135 credits in all

What are James Gregory's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 10 · Dark 9

A split, not a type: Grounded 16 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 4

Gentle 11 · Charged 18 · Intense 2

Steady 15 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 0

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 10

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 21 · Relentless 0

Casual 19 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 1

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 4

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 18 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 18
Mentor
3 of 18
Threshold guardian
3 of 18
Herald
2 of 18
Ally
2 of 18
Hero
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Joyful
10
Melancholic
12
Warm
7
Absurd
6
Other
31

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch James Gregory's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Subscription and free streaming for James Gregory's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

135 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page.

  • Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • The Flight of Dragons(1982)

    as Bryagh / Smrgol (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • The Atomic Cafe(1982)

    as Soldier

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Gridlock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Gen. Caribou Caruthers

  • The Comeback Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Scotty

  • Detective School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 23 episodes · Actor

  • The Main Event(1979)

    as Gough

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Supertrain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Griswald

  • Flying High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Bastard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Will Campbell

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Milton Benson

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows
  • Off the Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Producer

  • Quincy, M.E. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony Gordon

  • Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • All's Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Strongest Man in the World(1975)

    as Chief Blair

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Barney Miller(1975)

    Show 40 episodes · as Frank Luger · as Inspector Frank Luger

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • The Abduction of Saint Anne(1975)

    as Pete Haggerty

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Kolchak: The Night Stalker(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Quill

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • Miracle on 34th Street(1973)

    as District Attorney

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • The Weekend Nun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Sid Richardson

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • M*A*S*H(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as General Kelly

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • Search (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Paul Lynde Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Temperatures Rising (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as James Jerome

  • A Very Missing Person (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Oscar Piper

  • Emergency!(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Sanford and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • The Marshal of Madrid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Oil Tycoon

  • Columbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 2 episodes · as David Buckner

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Late Liz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Sam Burns

  • Shoot Out(1971)

    as Sam Foley

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Million Dollar Duck(1971)

    as Rutledge

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • All in the Family(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as William R. Kirkwood

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Night Gallery(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • The Partridge Family(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Claude Tubbles

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows
  • The Headmaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Hawaiians(1970)

    as Dr. Whipple Sr. (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • McCloud(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Col. Whittendale

  • My World and Welcome to It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Love God?(1969)

    as Darrell Evans Hughes

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Lancer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Outcasts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cocoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Jonathan Kaye

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Jonathan Kaye · as Mike Finney

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • The Outsider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Premiere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Secret War of Harry Frigg(1968)

    as Gen. Homer Prentiss

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • The Ambushers(1967)

    as MacDonald

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Clambake(1967)

    as Duster Heyward

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • The Hunted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Buckman

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Jake Stoner

  • Judd, for the Defense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cimarron Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Herb Jarman · as Tony Hudson · as TV Presenter

  • Murderers' Row(1966)

    as MacDonald

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
  • Star Trek(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Tristan Adams

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
  • Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • That Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • The Silencers(1966)

    as MacDonald

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • A Rage to Live(1965)

    as Dr. O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • The F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Bert Anslem

  • The Loner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hogan's Heroes(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as General Biedenbender

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • The Wild Wild West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Big Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Harry Bodine · as Senator Jim Bannard · as Simon Carter

  • F Troop(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • The Sons of Katie Elder(1965)

    as Morgan Hastings

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Quick, Before It Melts(1964)

    as Vice Admiral

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • Daniel Boone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Asa Webb

  • A Distant Trumpet(1964)

    as Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Captain Newman, M.D.(1963)

    as Col. Edgar Pyser

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Twilight of Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Norris Bixby

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant Wade

  • The Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Pete Crandall

  • The Lieutenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • PT 109(1963)

    as Commander C.R. Ritchie

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • The Manchurian Candidate(1962)

    as Sen. John Yerkes Iselin

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Fred Kruger

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Cal Young · as Slim Jessup

  • Sam Benedict (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Two Weeks in Another Town(1962)

    as Brad Byrd

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • X-15(1961)

    as Tom Deparma

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • The New Breed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Father Al

  • Ben Casey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Target: The Corruptors! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Tasso

  • My Three Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Thriller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard Yates

  • Journey to the Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Endicott

  • The Snows of Kilimanjaro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Editor

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Air Force General · as Confederate Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • The DuPont Show with June Allyson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as John Kramer

  • Laramie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mulvaney · as Sgt. Mike Russell · as Whitney Parker

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • Hey Boy! Hey Girl! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Father Burton

  • The Lawless Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 48 episodes · as Barney Ruditsky

  • Al Capone(1959)

    as Schaefler (narrator)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Lash Whitcomb · as Mister Brothers · as Owen Spencer

  • Onionhead(1958)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Fox aka The Skipper

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Martin Burke

  • A Town Has Turned to Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Hennify

  • Underwater Warrior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Lt. William Arnold

  • Gun Glory(1957)

    as Grimsell

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • The Big Caper(1957)

    as Flood

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • The Young Stranger(1957)

    as Sergeant Shipley

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Nightfall(1956)

    as Ben Fraser

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • The Scarlet Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Ralph Nevins

  • Playwrights '56 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as John Gregory · as Mr. Wescott · as Wayne Campbell

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Calvin Strom · as Scanlon, Sr. · as Wes Martin

  • Climax! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Froelich · as Joe McCarthy

  • Inner Sanctum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • At This Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Bill Ritter

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Patton

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Sandy Green

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant Billy Kyle · as Morgan

  • The Frogmen(1951)

    as Chief Petty Officer Lane

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Mac · as Mr. Randolph

  • Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Willie

  • Robert Montgomery Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · as Jerry

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Corey · as Gas Man · as George Monzo · as James Metcalf · as Mr. Bales · as Mr. Black · as Private Alan Pomeroy

  • The Philco Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 2 episodes · as Angus · as Lester Thompson

  • The Naked City(1948)

    as Patrolman Albert Hicks (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • The Things People Want (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Pete

  • Kraft Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Show 1 episode · as Steve

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 134 titles from 1947 to 1983; peak year 1962.

Film career

19471983

Peak 1962 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting133 of 134: 133 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thProducing1 of 134: 1 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s6 · acting1950s30 · acting1960s55 · acting1970s38 · 37 acting · 1 crew1980s5 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 20 roles
516671

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do James Gregory's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 36; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed14

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is James Gregory's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles6–41 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does James Gregory work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Gregory's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dean Martin shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles