James Flavin

James Flavin

Date of Birth:

May 14, 1906

Place of Birth:

Portland, Maine, USA

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.

filmography:

Easy to Wed Easy to Wed

1946

Rock Island Trail Rock Island Trail

1950

Angel on My Shoulder Angel on My Shoulder

1946

Robin Hood Of Texas Robin Hood Of Texas

1947

Chinatown Squad Chinatown Squad

1935

Captain Hurricane Captain Hurricane

1935

La Conga Nights La Conga Nights

1940

The Lost Spider Pit Sequence The Lost Spider Pit Sequence

2005

Thank Your Lucky Stars Thank Your Lucky Stars

1943

The Ghost Breakers The Ghost Breakers

1940

Girl in 313 Girl in 313

1940

Rhythm on the River Rhythm on the River

1940

The Way of All Flesh The Way of All Flesh

1940

Women Without Names Women Without Names

1940

The Great Profile The Great Profile

1940

Trouble Along the Way Trouble Along the Way

1953

I Beheld His Glory I Beheld His Glory

1953

Shockproof Shockproof

1949

Johnny Rocco Johnny Rocco

1958

Big Town Czar Big Town Czar

1939

Big Town Girl Big Town Girl

1937

New York Town New York Town

1941

Double Alibi Double Alibi

1940

Texas Texas

1941

Ten Gentlemen from West Point Ten Gentlemen from West Point

1942

Four Mothers Four Mothers

1941

Tough as They Come Tough as They Come

1942

The Plunderers The Plunderers

1948

Western Union Western Union

1941

Star of Texas Star of Texas

1953

Ride 'Em Cowboy Ride 'Em Cowboy

1942

And One Was Beautiful And One Was Beautiful

1940

The Golden Fleecing The Golden Fleecing

1940

Johnny Apollo Johnny Apollo

1940

Laura Laura

1944

Bungalow 13 Bungalow 13

1948

Everybody's Baby Everybody's Baby

1939

Saboteur Saboteur

1942

Thru Different Eyes Thru Different Eyes

1942

Ship of Wanted Men Ship of Wanted Men

1933

Hold Back the Dawn Hold Back the Dawn

1941

Dakota Lil Dakota Lil

1950

The Daring Young Man The Daring Young Man

1935

Treat 'Em Rough Treat 'Em Rough

1942

Remember the Night Remember the Night

1940

Sentimental Journey Sentimental Journey

1946

Brother Orchid Brother Orchid

1940

The Fighting 69th The Fighting 69th

1940

The Night of January 16th The Night of January 16th

1941

When the Daltons Rode When the Daltons Rode

1940

Gentleman Jim Gentleman Jim

1942

Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident

1976

Castle on the Hudson Castle on the Hudson

1940

It All Came True It All Came True

1940

Florian Florian

1940

Knute Rockne All American Knute Rockne All American

1940

One Touch of Venus One Touch of Venus

1948

The Long Voyage Home The Long Voyage Home

1940

North West Mounted Police North West Mounted Police

1940

Ride on Vaquero Ride on Vaquero

1941

Code of the Streets Code of the Streets

1939

Baby Take a Bow Baby Take a Bow

1934

Gateway Gateway

1938

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley

1940

Angel's Holiday Angel's Holiday

1937

Dangerous Number Dangerous Number

1937

Joe Palooka in the Knockout Joe Palooka in the Knockout

1947

My Man Godfrey My Man Godfrey

1936

The Restless Breed The Restless Breed

1957

Rhubarb Rhubarb

1951

Young Widow Young Widow

1946

Okay, America! Okay, America!

1932

Ziegfeld Girl Ziegfeld Girl

1941

The Spider The Spider

1945

Riding High Riding High

1943

Mister Roberts Mister Roberts

1955

Over 21 Over 21

1945

Private Affairs Private Affairs

1940

The Noose Hangs High The Noose Hangs High

1948

You Only Live Once You Only Live Once

1937

Pot o' Gold Pot o' Gold

1941

Kid Glove Killer Kid Glove Killer

1942

Beloved Beloved

1934

Test Pilot Test Pilot

1938

Hot Steel Hot Steel

1940

South Sea Sinner South Sea Sinner

1950

The Last Hurrah The Last Hurrah

1958

The Luckiest Girl in the World The Luckiest Girl in the World

1936

Return of the Dead Return of the Dead

1954

Nightmare Alley Nightmare Alley

1947

Step by Step Step by Step

1946

Mickey the Kid Mickey the Kid

1939

Queen of the Mob Queen of the Mob

1940

The All-American The All-American

1932

Swing Shift Maisie Swing Shift Maisie

1943

The Velvet Touch The Velvet Touch

1948

Secret Service Investigator Secret Service Investigator

1948

Night in New Orleans Night in New Orleans

1942

It Ain't Hay It Ain't Hay

1943

The Big Race The Big Race

1934

Action in the North Atlantic Action in the North Atlantic

1943

Affectionately Yours Affectionately Yours

1941

Corvette K-225 Corvette K-225

1943

Circumstantial Evidence Circumstantial Evidence

1945

Something to Shout About Something to Shout About

1943

Hot Water Hot Water

1937

Song of the Thin Man Song of the Thin Man

1947

Once Upon a Time Once Upon a Time

1944

I Wake Up Screaming I Wake Up Screaming

1941

Shipmates Forever Shipmates Forever

1935

Million Dollar Mermaid Million Dollar Mermaid

1952

Fighting Coast Guard Fighting Coast Guard

1951

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff

1949

Tars and Spars Tars and Spars

1946

Heaven Can Wait Heaven Can Wait

1943

Mission to Moscow Mission to Moscow

1943

Public Hero Number 1 Public Hero Number 1

1935

'G' Men 'G' Men

1935

Hollywood Canteen Hollywood Canteen

1944

Special Agent Special Agent

1935

Buck Privates Buck Privates

1941

Dishonored Lady Dishonored Lady

1947

My Favorite Brunette My Favorite Brunette

1947

The Duke of West Point The Duke of West Point

1938

I Promise to Pay I Promise to Pay

1937

Rendezvous with Annie Rendezvous with Annie

1946

Murder, He Says Murder, He Says

1945

Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President

1939

Only Yesterday Only Yesterday

1933

Strange Affair Strange Affair

1944

Mildred Pierce Mildred Pierce

1945

Uncertain Glory Uncertain Glory

1944

The Murder Man The Murder Man

1935

Francis in the Haunted House Francis in the Haunted House

1956

Dragonfly Squadron Dragonfly Squadron

1954

Rendezvous Rendezvous

1935

Sailor Beware Sailor Beware

1952

The Naked Street The Naked Street

1955

God Is My Co-Pilot God Is My Co-Pilot

1945

Mr. Wong in Chinatown Mr. Wong in Chinatown

1939

The Further Adventures of Gallegher The Further Adventures of Gallegher

1965

In Cold Blood In Cold Blood

1967

Homicide Homicide

1949

Wild Gold Wild Gold

1934

It Happened on Fifth Avenue It Happened on Fifth Avenue

1947

Man on the Flying Trapeze Man on the Flying Trapeze

1935

Belle Starr Belle Starr

1941

How to Behave How to Behave

1936

So Proudly We Hail So Proudly We Hail

1943

Hold That Hypnotist Hold That Hypnotist

1957

Abroad with Two Yanks Abroad with Two Yanks

1944

Murder on the Waterfront Murder on the Waterfront

1943

Wives Under Suspicion Wives Under Suspicion

1938

The Cisco Kid and the Lady The Cisco Kid and the Lady

1939

Boys' Ranch Boys' Ranch

1946

Prison Warden Prison Warden

1949

Never Say Goodbye Never Say Goodbye

1956

I Dood It I Dood It

1943

Reap the Wild Wind Reap the Wild Wind

1942

The Missing Lady The Missing Lady

1946

Riot Squad Riot Squad

1933

Law and Order Law and Order

1976

Flamingo Road Flamingo Road

1949

Kathleen Kathleen

1941

Mighty Joe Young Mighty Joe Young

1949

Night Passage Night Passage

1957

Three Loves Has Nancy Three Loves Has Nancy

1938

Here Come the Marines Here Come the Marines

1952

Mannequin Mannequin

1938

The Devil's Henchman The Devil's Henchman

1949

Desert Fury Desert Fury

1947

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

1946

Armored Car Robbery Armored Car Robbery

1950

One Way Ticket One Way Ticket

1935

Confidentially Connie Confidentially Connie

1953

Manpower Manpower

1941

Youth Will Be Served Youth Will Be Served

1940

The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Game

1932

Blondie Hits the Jackpot Blondie Hits the Jackpot

1949

My Girl Tisa My Girl Tisa

1948

Nora Prentiss Nora Prentiss

1947

Nobody Lives Forever Nobody Lives Forever

1946

Born to Be Wild Born to Be Wild

1938

Cheyenne Autumn Cheyenne Autumn

1964

The Shanghai Cobra The Shanghai Cobra

1945

Hot News Hot News

1953

Fingers at the Window Fingers at the Window

1942

Footsteps in the Night Footsteps in the Night

1957

Cloak and Dagger Cloak and Dagger

1946

Alexander's Ragtime Band Alexander's Ragtime Band

1938

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

1953

Charlie Chan at the Race Track Charlie Chan at the Race Track

1936

Wild Is the Wind Wild Is the Wind

1957

Destination Murder Destination Murder

1950

McKenna of the Mounted McKenna of the Mounted

1932

The Savage Horde The Savage Horde

1950

Girls Can Play Girls Can Play

1937

O. Henry's Full House O. Henry's Full House

1952

The Gracie Allen Murder Case The Gracie Allen Murder Case

1939

Rose of Washington Square Rose of Washington Square

1939

Union Pacific Union Pacific

1939

They Shall Have Music They Shall Have Music

1939

Each Dawn I Die Each Dawn I Die

1939

Sergeant Madden Sergeant Madden

1939

Christmas Holiday Christmas Holiday

1944

The Ice Follies of 1939 The Ice Follies of 1939

1939

Good Times Good Times

1967

Start Cheering Start Cheering

1938

Back Street Back Street

1932

Carrie Carrie

1952

Broadway Melody of 1940 Broadway Melody of 1940

1940

Jesse James Jesse James

1939

Manhattan Heartbeat Manhattan Heartbeat

1940

Fast and Furious Fast and Furious

1939

The Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties

1939

Dangerously Yours Dangerously Yours

1937

Air Force Air Force

1943

You Can't Take It with You You Can't Take It with You

1938

I Am the Law I Am the Law

1938

Unconquered Unconquered

1947

Miracle Money Miracle Money

1938

Bedtime Story Bedtime Story

1941

The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath

1940

The Wild Man of Borneo The Wild Man of Borneo

1941

A Stolen Life A Stolen Life

1946

Lucky Cisco Kid Lucky Cisco Kid

1940

South of Pago Pago South of Pago Pago

1940

When Willie Comes Marching Home When Willie Comes Marching Home

1950

Secrets of Chinatown Secrets of Chinatown

1935

The Airmail Mystery The Airmail Mystery

1932

Life Begins at Eight-Thirty Life Begins at Eight-Thirty

1942

Lightning Carson Rides Again Lightning Carson Rides Again

1938

Mississippi Rhythm Mississippi Rhythm

1949

Anchors Aweigh Anchors Aweigh

1945

While New York Sleeps While New York Sleeps

1938

Massacre Canyon Massacre Canyon

1954

The Eddie Cantor Story The Eddie Cantor Story

1953

Operation Pacific Operation Pacific

1951

Hello, Sister! Hello, Sister!

1933

Irish Luck Irish Luck

1939

Apache Ambush Apache Ambush

1955

They All Come Out They All Come Out

1939

Follow the Sun Follow the Sun

1951

The Brand of Hate The Brand of Hate

1934

Convicts at Large Convicts at Large

1938

We Go Fast We Go Fast

1941

Oh! Susanna Oh! Susanna

1951

A Yank on the Burma Road A Yank on the Burma Road

1942

Night Spot Night Spot

1938

Blondie Blondie

1938

Woman Wanted Woman Wanted

1935

Tell No Tales Tell No Tales

1939

According to Mrs. Hoyle According to Mrs. Hoyle

1951

Everybody's Doing It Everybody's Doing It

1938

Live, Love and Learn Live, Love and Learn

1937

Midnight Taxi Midnight Taxi

1937

The Devil's Pipeline The Devil's Pipeline

1940

The Affairs of Cellini The Affairs of Cellini

1934

Sleep, My Love Sleep, My Love

1948

Pot o' Gold Pot o' Gold

1941

My Dear Miss Aldrich My Dear Miss Aldrich

1937

They Met in a Taxi They Met in a Taxi

1936

King Kong King Kong

1933

Show more

Comments