James Flavin
Acting
🎂 1906-05-14
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.
Cast credits(320)
1955
1961
1958
Officer Danny Robin
1963
John Dolan
1961
1952
1962
Gavin Marshall
1957
Col. Flynn
1955
1960
1962 Policeman
1959
Truck Driver
1959
Moose
1961
Sergeant Wilcox
1962
Police Capt. Daniel Box
1956
Lt. Poston
1964
1960
1954
1954
1958
Hogan
1954
Mr. Swanson
1952
1951
1953
Arnie Kellwin
1961
1966
Fire Chief Hawkins
1963
MacNamara
1953
Deputy Mason
1953
Sgt. Danny Doofle
1953
1969
1960
1960
Perry
1952
Dan Mulcahy
1955
Sam Cooper
1957
Joe Kelly
1952
Immigration Officer
1951
Captain Kimble
1951
General Charles Lee
1951
Joe Felix
1955
Tony - The Doorman
1955
Dan
1955
1960
Longinus
1951
Steve
1950
Heineman
1950
1952
Patrolman (uncredited)
1963
Mate Briggs
1933
Police Detective #1
1946
1953
Callahan
1953
Traffic Cop (uncredited)
1948
Hotel Porter (uncredited)
1940
1951
Det. McEveety (uncredited)
1944
Motorcycle Cop (voice) (uncredited)
1942
Police Sergeant Patella
1947
Guard (uncredited)
1940
Detective (uncredited)
1936
Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
1939
Police Capt. Michael J. Shanahan (uncredited)
1958
Jailer (uncredited)
1938
Detective (uncredited)
1945
Deputy Sheriff
1941
Policeman (uncredited)
1943
Court Attendant (uncredited)
1940
Petty Officer (uncredited)
1952
Ft. Robinson Sergeant of the Guard (uncredited)
1964
Radio Cop
1945
Policeman (uncredited)
1939
Detective (uncredited)
1941
Tim Riley
1957
Sheriff Bud Connolly (uncredited)
1941
Sheriff Bud Connolly
1941
Merchant Marine School Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
1943
Clarence Duntz
1967
Villager (uncredited)
1947
Agent with Jean (uncredited)
1935
Paddy (uncredited)
1939
Schultz
1949
Secret Service Chief
1957
Hoatley - First Carnival Owner (uncredited)
1947
State Trooper (uncredited)
1937
Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)
1952
Policeman Reardon (uncredited)
1947
Insp. Wellman
1949
Girl's Father (uncredited)
1942
First Mate on Yacht (uncredited)
1932
1949
Military Policeman
1955
Mike - Bartender (uncredited)
1952
Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
1944
Bellamy
1946
Timmy
1956
Policeman (uncredited)
1939
Investigator (uncredited)
1946
Pat Johnson
1947
Annabella's Brother
1940
Lieutenant Mitchell
1948
2st Military Policeman (uncredited)
1935
Maj. A.M. Bagley
1943
Moving Man
1941
First Policeman (uncredited)
1947
Buck (uncredited)
1941
American Senator (uncredited)
1943
Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
1941
Man in Subway (uncredited)
1944
Coach Buck Holman
1953
Parking Attendant at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
1940
Dock Policeman
1940
Guard (uncredited)
1948
Wool Buyer
1957
Policeman at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)
1935
Orderly About to Give Bath (uncredited)
1941
Lt. Phillips
1950
George Corbett (uncredited)
1942
Sergeant
1941
SP Commander
1951
Gen. Brevort (uncredited)
1950
Turnkey
1939
Kerrigan
1948
Abilene Fight Announcer
1941
Col. Walsh
1946
Woods
1946
First Policeman in Bank
1953
Policeman Kelly
1941
O'Leary, Manhattan Police Chief (uncredited)
1951
Federal Agent (uncredited)
1943
Bank Security Guard (Uncredited)
1944
Laundry Truck Driver (uncredited)
1945
Det. Lt. 'Mac' Hennessey (uncredited)
1947
Capt. Luddy
1942
Detective
1936
George - Witness (uncredited)
1938
Mountie
1940
Army Sergeant (uncredited)
1940
Shake Thomas
1946
Doorman (uncredited)
1942
Sgt. Oliphant
1948
Subway Conductor (Uncredited)
1946
Lieutenant
1967
Policeman in Park (Uncredited)
1949
Freighter Officer
1935
Immigration Guard (uncredited)
1941
Captain O'Brien (Uncredited)
1943
Detective Sgt. McFarland (uncredited)
1946
Police Sgt. Jerry
1939
Supply Sergeant (uncredited)
1940
Policeman Guarding Entrance (uncredited)
1939
Secret Service Chief
1950
Conductor
1952
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
1939
Clancy (uncredited)
1940
Lt. Flynn
1965
Pilot (uncredited)
1938
Burly Man (Uncredited)
1938
Fluger
1939
Police Officer (uncredited)
1945
Harry (uncredited)
1953
Captain (uncredited)
1945
Army Captain (uncredited)
1938
Palace Guard (uncredited)
1934
Guard
1938
Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
1941
Keenan - Detective Grilling Eddie (uncredited)
1942
Col. Marshall
1955
Railroad Workman
1950
1st Lt. Bill Gardner
1943
Det. Mack McCue
1933
Major at Kweilin Airbase (uncredited)
1945
Captain of Mobile Guard
1944
Policeman (uncredited)
1943
Policeman
1940
Mac - Policeman (uncredited)
1935
Doorman (uncredited)
1939
Train Conductor
1943
Policeman (uncredited)
1937
Reporter (uncredited)
1932
Fireman
1933
Marine Who Likes Painting (uncredited)
1937
Flannigan
1934
Kelly
1953
Cop (uncredited)
1940
Police Chief Martin
1956
Demolition Man (uncredited)
1941
McRafferty
1940
Prison Guard In Library (uncredited)
1940
H.R. Jarvis
1945
Detective (uncredited)
1934
Policeman
1940
Striker (uncredited)
1938
Plebe Hockey Coach
1938
Patrolman Johnson
1940
Det. Lt. Boylan
1949
Policeman
1947
Policeman
1944
Billy (Uncredited)
1933
Cafe Customer
1940
Police Lieutenant Schaeffer
1942
Officer Johnson
1941
George Mitchell
1939
Grogin
1940
Police Dispatcher
1942
Doorman (uncredited)
1940
Turnkey (uncredited)
1946
Agent Arresting Julie (uncredited)
1935
Police Insp. Cardona
1946
Longinus
1953
Policeman in Accident Car (uncredited)
1938
Police Inspector Thorndyke
1948
Lieutenant-Colonel at End
1952
Railroad Detective #2 (uncredited)
1942
Andrews
1950
Death Row Guard (uncredited)
1940
Cab Driver
1937
District Attorney
1947
Policeman
1942
Commander Rogers
1951
Sgt. Wiggins
1944
Henry Gibbs
1951
Police Lt. Brewster
1950
Policeman
1936
Informant on Telephone
1935
Third FBI Director
1940
Army Assistant Coach (uncredited)
1940
Col. Tarant
1954
Doorman
1939
Officer Simmons (uncredited)
1939
Policeman
1935
Policeman (uncredited)
1946
Egan (Uncredited)
1942
Policeman
1939
Flavin - Federal Agent (uncredited)
1935
Flavin, Mate of the Quincy (uncredited)
1945
Jack's Friend (uncredited)
1938
Jenks - Chauffeur (uncredited)
1938
Chauffeur (uncredited)
1935
Guard
1950
Capt. Toomey
1976
Hotel Guest in Room 625 (uncredited)
1941
Sergeant
1939
Radio Policeman (Uncredited)
1943
Chief Bosun Mate Gurney
1946
Gas Station Attendant
1938
Guard
1945
2nd Cop
1938
Driver
1937
Sergeant Major
1948
Roaring 90's Club Doorman (uncredited)
1940
Cop (uncredited)
1943
Prosecuting Attorney
1951
Joe
1946
Policeman
1941
Officer Johnny Tracy
1945
Mr. Bradbury
1957
Capt. Worth
1951
Cop (uncredited)
1938
Det. Carvin
1940
Detective Hayes
1938
Dr. Spitzy Calahan (uncredited)
1937
Attorney Michael X. Flanders
1955
Al Bragg
1953
Detective
1940
Process Server
1942
Guard (uncredited)
1939
Police Sergeant Briggs
1949
Stan Caldwell
1949
Kidnapper
1938
Texas Rangers Capt. Sturdivant
1953
Don Lindsay
1932
Police Interrogator
1939
Detective
1940
Det. Bill O'Malley
1937
Detective
1937
Doctor
1954
Tomassetti
1941
Second Mate Briggs (archive footage)
2005
Lieutenant (uncredited)
1935
Dowling
1940
Policeman
1943
Police Announcer (uncredited)
1939
Guard
1940
Truck Driver
1940
Storm Swenson
1940
Guard Capt. Peter Butler
1949
Captain Danforth
1947
Bill Figg
1934
Man in Manhole (uncredited)
1936
Detective McCormick
1937
Police Lt. Bardette
1941
Ranch Foreman
1940
Wilcox
1934
Jake Morgan
1957
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
1976
Holt Larkins
1934
Bob Lee
1932
Corporal Randall McKenna
1932
Detective
1935
Joe Trosper
1942
Detective Sgt. Berkovich
1938
Officer (uncredited)
1939
Cmdr. Kalin
1943
Thomas
1942
State Trooper
1937
Ed
1935
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
1932
Mooney
1958
Buck Miller
1940
Policeman
1936
Sanders
1939
Justice Department Agent
1938
Brophy
1949
Frank Busch
1933
Bill Seaver
1937
Lt. Sam Wilson
1948
1952
Brandhma
1935
Judd Harrison
1954