James Gregory (actor)
James Gregory was an American character actor who played roles such as Schaffer in Al Capone, the McCarthy-like Sen. John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate, General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and Inspector Frank Luger in the television sitcom Barney Miller.
Career
In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in a production of Key Largo. He served from 1941 to 1946 in the United States Navy 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 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 three of 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.
Gregory portrayed Nick Hannigan on Detective School. He was a semiregular on the TV series Barney Miller as Deputy Inspector Frank Luger. His final acting credit was in a 1986 episode of Mr. Belvedere.
Gregory was married to Ann Miltner for 58 years. He died of natural causes on September 16, 2002, in Sedona, Arizona, aged 90.
Selected TV and filmography
The Naked City as Patrolman Albert Hicks The Frogmen as Chief Petty Officer Lane Studio One in Hollywood as Mr. Bales / James Metcalf / Mr. Black / Private Alan Pomeroy / Corey / George Monzo / GasmanThe Scarlet Hour as Ralph NevinsNightfall as Ben FraserAlfred Hitchcock Presents as Wayne CampbellAlfred Hitchcock Presents as John GregoryThe Young Stranger as Police Sergeant ShipleyThe Big Caper as FloodGun Glory as GrimsellAlfred Hitchcock Presents as Mr. WescottUnderwater Warrior as Lieutenant William Arnold, MDOnionhead as Lieutenant Commander Fox The Twilight Zone as Air Force General / Confederate SergeantLux Playhouse as Johnny WarcheckAl Capone as Sergeant SchaeflerHey Boy! Hey Girl! as Father BurtonThe Lawless Years as Barney RuditskyLaramie as Richards / Father ElliottWagon Train as Ricky BellThe DuPont Show with June Allyson as John KramerGeneral Electric Theater as Swandy Green in "Sarah's Laughter" as Sandy GreenFrontier Circus as Jacob CarnoThe New Breed as Father AlThe Untouchables as Walter TragerX-15 as Tom DeparmaTarget: The Corruptors as TerranThe Virginian as Slim JessupTwo Weeks in Another Town as Brad ByrdThe Manchurian Candidate as Senator John Yerkes IselinEmpire as Theron HaskellSam Benedict as John Paul ElcottThe Eleventh Hour as Eddie FormanPT 109 as Commander C.R. RitchieTwilight of Honor as Norris BixbyThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Fred KrugerRawhide as Lash Whitcomb / Mister Brothers / Owen SpencerThe Lieutenant as Sergeant Horace 'Biff' Capp / Sergeant Horace CappCaptain Newman, M.D. as Colonel Edgar PyserBreaking Point as MalcolmThe Defenders as Paul TassoA Distant Trumpet as Major General Alexander Upton QuaintQuick Before It Melts as Vice AdmiralBonanza as Sergeant Mike Russell / Mulvaney / Whitney ParkerThe Sons of Katie Elder as Morgan HastingsGunsmoke as John Scanlon / Judge Calvin Strom / Wes MartinThe Wild, Wild West as Ulysses S. GrantA Rage to Live as Dr. O'BrienA Man Called Shenandoah as Jake RobertsThe Big Valley four episodes: "Pursuit" and "Ambush" as Simon Carter, "The Challenge" as Senator Jim Bannard, and "The Other Face of Justice" as Harry BodineF Troop as Major Duncan / Big Jim ParkerThe Silencers as MacDonaldHogan's Heroes as German General BiedenbenderThe Fugitive as Pete CrandallStar Trek: The Original Series – Dr. Tristan Adams in S1:E9, "Dagger of the Mind"Murderers' Row as MacDonaldMy Three Sons as Cappy EngstromThe Virginian as Cal YoungClambake as Duster HaywardThe Ambushers as MacDonaldThe Secret War of Harry Frigg as General Homer PrentissThe Mod Squad as Gus WilliamsThe Love God? as Darrell Evans HughesHawaii-Five-O as Jonathan Kaye and Mike FinneyBeneath the Planet of the Apes as General UrsusThe Hawaiians as Dr. Whipple Sr. Million Dollar Duck as RutledgeShoot Out as Sam FoleyThe Late Liz as Sam BurnsIronside as TV show hostColumbo as Coach Rizzo / David L. BucknerMission: Impossible "The Bride" as Joe CorvinAll in the Family as William R. KirkwoodSearch "Operation Iceman" as Ambassador Gordon EssexMiracle On 34th Street as Deputy District Attorney Thomas MaraM*A*S*H as Lieutenant General Robert 'Iron Guts' KellyThe Partridge Family "Danny Drops Out" as Claude TubblesPolice Story 4 episodesThe F.B.I. as Frank BonnerEmergency! as Brackett's FatherBarney Miller as Deputy Inspector Frank Luger The Strongest Man in the World as Chief BlairSanford and Son as CommanderThe Bastard as Will CampbellThe Main Event as GoughDetective School as Nick HanniganThe Comeback Kid as ScottyThe Great American Traffic Jam as General CaruthersThe Flight of Dragons as Bryagh / Smrgol Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home! as Dan PetersMr. Belvedere as Mr. Sparks