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.
Movie | Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident | President Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1976-09-29 |
Movie | Good Times | Detective Lieutenant | 1967-04-11 |
Movie | In Cold Blood | Clarence Duntz | 1967-12-15 |
Series | The Addams Family | Unknown | 1964-09-18 |
Movie | Cheyenne Autumn | Ft. Robinson Sergeant of the Guard (uncredited) | 1964-10-15 |
Series | Burke's Law | Unknown | 1963-09-20 |
Series | Mr. Novak | Unknown | 1963-09-24 |
Series | Sam Benedict | Unknown | 1962-09-15 |
Series | Cain's Hundred | Unknown | 1961-09-19 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Unknown | 1961-09-27 |
Series | The Twilight Zone | Truck Driver | 1959-10-02 |
Series | The Rifleman | Unknown | 1958-09-30 |
Series | Man with a Camera | 1958-10-10 | |
Movie | Johnny Rocco | Mooney | 1958-12-21 |
Movie | The Last Hurrah | Police Capt. Michael J. Shanahan (uncredited) | 1958-12-31 |
Movie | Hold That Hypnotist | Jake Morgan | 1957-02-24 |
Movie | Footsteps in the Night | Mr. Bradbury | 1957-04-14 |
Movie | Night Passage | Tim Riley | 1957-07-24 |
Movie | The Restless Breed | Secret Service Chief | 1957-05-01 |
Movie | Wild Is the Wind | Wool Buyer | 1957-12-11 |
Movie | Never Say Goodbye | Timmy | 1956-03-10 |
Movie | Francis in the Haunted House | Police Chief Martin | 1956-07-09 |
Movie | Apache Ambush | Col. Marshall | 1955-08-24 |
Movie | Mister Roberts | Military Policeman | 1955-07-10 |
Movie | The Naked Street | Attorney Michael X. Flanders | 1955-08-01 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Unknown | 1955-10-02 |
Series | Matinee Theater | Unknown | 1955-10-31 |
Movie | Massacre Canyon | Col. Tarant | 1954-05-01 |
Movie | Dragonfly Squadron | Doctor | 1954-03-21 |
Series | December Bride | Unknown | 1954-10-04 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Unknown | 1953-02-01 |
Movie | Star of Texas | Texas Rangers Capt. Sturdivant | 1953-01-11 |
Series | City Detective | Unknown | 1953-01-01 |
Movie | Confidentially Connie | Harry (uncredited) | 1953-03-12 |
Movie | The Eddie Cantor Story | Kelly | 1953-12-25 |
Movie | I Beheld His Glory | Longinus | 1953-03-31 |
Movie | Hot News | Al Bragg | 1953-10-11 |
Movie | Abbott and Costello Go to Mars | First Policeman in Bank | 1953-04-06 |
Movie | Trouble Along the Way | Coach Buck Holman | 1953-04-04 |
Movie | Sailor Beware | Petty Officer (uncredited) | 1952-02-08 |
Movie | Here Come the Marines | Lieutenant-Colonel at End | 1952-06-29 |
Movie | O. Henry's Full House | Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited) | 1952-08-07 |
Series | Cavalcade of America | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | According to Mrs. Hoyle | Prosecuting Attorney | 1951-05-20 |
Movie | Oh! Susanna | Capt. Worth | 1951-03-01 |
Movie | Fighting Coast Guard | Commander Rogers | 1951-05-31 |
Movie | Follow the Sun | Henry Gibbs | 1951-05-22 |
Series | Racket Squad | Unknown | 1951-06-07 |
Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |
Movie | Rhubarb | O'Leary, Manhattan Police Chief (uncredited) | 1951-08-29 |
Movie | The Savage Horde | Guard | 1950-05-22 |
Movie | Dakota Lil | Secret Service Chief | 1950-02-17 |
Movie | Rock Island Trail | Railroad Workman | 1950-05-18 |
Movie | Armored Car Robbery | Lt. Phillips | 1950-06-08 |
Movie | Destination Murder | Police Lt. Brewster | 1950-06-09 |
Series | Lux Video Theatre | Unknown | 1950-10-02 |
Movie | South Sea Sinner | Andrews | 1950-08-30 |
Movie | Flamingo Road | 1949-04-30 | |
Movie | Homicide | Det. Lt. Boylan | 1949-04-02 |
Movie | Mississippi Rhythm | Stan Caldwell | 1949-05-28 |
Movie | Shockproof | Policeman in Park (Uncredited) | 1949-01-25 |
Movie | Mighty Joe Young | Schultz | 1949-07-27 |
Movie | Prison Warden | Guard Capt. Peter Butler | 1949-10-29 |
Movie | Blondie Hits the Jackpot | Brophy | 1949-09-08 |
Movie | Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff | Insp. Wellman | 1949-08-22 |
Movie | Sleep, My Love | Lieutenant Mitchell | 1948-02-18 |
Movie | The Noose Hangs High | Traffic Cop (uncredited) | 1948-04-05 |
Movie | Secret Service Investigator | Police Inspector Thorndyke | 1948-05-31 |
Movie | The Plunderers | Sergeant Major | 1948-10-30 |
Movie | Bungalow 13 | Lt. Sam Wilson | 1948-11-19 |
Movie | One Touch of Venus | Kerrigan | 1948-08-01 |
Movie | It Happened on Fifth Avenue | First Policeman (uncredited) | 1947-04-17 |
Movie | My Favorite Brunette | Det. Lt. 'Mac' Hennessey (uncredited) | 1947-03-19 |
Movie | Nora Prentiss | District Attorney | 1947-02-22 |
Movie | Dishonored Lady | Police Sergeant Patella | 1947-05-16 |
Movie | Song of the Thin Man | Policeman Reardon (uncredited) | 1947-08-28 |
Movie | Robin Hood Of Texas | Captain Danforth | 1947-07-15 |
Movie | Nightmare Alley | Hoatley - First Carnival Owner (uncredited) | 1947-10-09 |
Movie | Unconquered | Villager (uncredited) | 1947-10-10 |
Movie | Desert Fury | Pat Johnson | 1947-08-15 |
Movie | Rendezvous with Annie | Turnkey (uncredited) | 1946-07-22 |
Movie | Boys' Ranch | Policeman (uncredited) | 1946-07-18 |
Movie | Young Widow | Subway Conductor (Uncredited) | 1946-03-01 |
Movie | Easy to Wed | Joe | 1946-07-25 |
Movie | Sentimental Journey | Detective Sgt. McFarland (uncredited) | 1946-03-06 |
Movie | Tars and Spars | Chief Bosun Mate Gurney | 1946-01-10 |
Movie | Nobody Lives Forever | Shake Thomas | 1946-11-01 |
Movie | The Missing Lady | Police Insp. Cardona | 1946-08-17 |
Movie | Angel on My Shoulder | Bellamy | 1946-09-20 |
Movie | Cloak and Dagger | Col. Walsh | 1946-09-28 |
Movie | The Strange Love of Martha Ivers | Police Detective #1 | 1946-08-19 |
Movie | Step by Step | Woods | 1946-08-23 |
Movie | Circumstantial Evidence | Guard | 1945-04-20 |
Movie | Murder, He Says | Police Officer (uncredited) | 1945-06-23 |
Movie | God Is My Co-Pilot | Major at Kweilin Airbase (uncredited) | 1945-04-07 |
Movie | Over 21 | Captain (uncredited) | 1945-08-08 |
Movie | Mildred Pierce | Detective (uncredited) | 1945-10-20 |
Movie | Anchors Aweigh | Radio Cop | 1945-08-13 |
Movie | The Spider | Officer Johnny Tracy | 1945-12-01 |
Movie | The Shanghai Cobra | H.R. Jarvis | 1945-09-29 |
Movie | Once Upon a Time | Man in Subway (uncredited) | 1944-06-29 |
Movie | Uncertain Glory | Captain of Mobile Guard | 1944-04-07 |
Movie | Christmas Holiday | Policeman | 1944-07-31 |
Movie | Abroad with Two Yanks | Sgt. Wiggins | 1944-08-04 |
Movie | Hollywood Canteen | Marine Sergeant (uncredited) | 1944-12-15 |
Movie | Strange Affair | Bank Security Guard (Uncredited) | 1944-10-05 |
Movie | Action in the North Atlantic | Merchant Marine School Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited) | 1943-06-12 |
Movie | Mission to Moscow | American Senator (uncredited) | 1943-04-29 |
Movie | Something to Shout About | Policeman | 1943-02-25 |
Movie | It Ain't Hay | Cop (uncredited) | 1943-03-10 |
Movie | Air Force | Maj. A.M. Bagley | 1943-03-20 |
Movie | Heaven Can Wait | Policeman (uncredited) | 1943-08-05 |
Movie | I Dood It | Federal Agent (uncredited) | 1943-09-01 |
Movie | Riding High | Train Conductor | 1943-11-11 |
Movie | Corvette K-225 | 1st Lt. Bill Gardner | 1943-09-29 |
Movie | Swing Shift Maisie | Radio Policeman (Uncredited) | 1943-10-01 |
Movie | Murder on the Waterfront | Cmdr. Kalin | 1943-09-18 |
Movie | So Proudly We Hail | Captain O'Brien (Uncredited) | 1943-09-09 |
Movie | Reap the Wild Wind | Girl's Father (uncredited) | 1942-03-26 |
Movie | Kid Glove Killer | Keenan - Detective Grilling Eddie (uncredited) | 1942-04-17 |
Movie | A Yank on the Burma Road | Police Dispatcher | 1942-01-29 |
Movie | Treat 'Em Rough | Joe Trosper | 1942-01-30 |
Movie | Ride 'Em Cowboy | Railroad Detective #2 (uncredited) | 1942-02-13 |
Movie | Tough as They Come | Process Server | 1942-06-05 |
Movie | Night in New Orleans | Egan (Uncredited) | 1942-07-01 |
Movie | Gentleman Jim | George Corbett (uncredited) | 1942-11-14 |
Movie | Ten Gentlemen from West Point | Capt. Luddy | 1942-06-26 |
Movie | Thru Different Eyes | Thomas | 1942-06-19 |
Movie | Ride on Vaquero | Officer Johnson | 1941-04-18 |
Movie | Ziegfeld Girl | Buck (Uncredited) | 1941-04-25 |
Movie | Affectionately Yours | Tomassetti | 1941-05-10 |
Movie | Pot o' Gold | Sheriff Bud Connolly (uncredited) | 1941-04-03 |
Movie | Four Mothers | Demolition Man (uncredited) | 1941-01-04 |
Movie | Manpower | Orderly About to Give Bath (uncredited) | 1941-08-09 |
Movie | The Wild Man of Borneo | Policeman | 1941-01-24 |
Movie | Buck Privates | Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited) | 1941-01-31 |
Movie | The Strawberry Blonde | Ticket Inspector on Boat (uncredited) | 1941-02-21 |
Movie | Western Union | Deputy Sheriff | 1941-02-21 |
Movie | New York Town | Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited) | 1941-10-31 |
Movie | Kathleen | Moving Man | 1941-12-18 |
Movie | Bedtime Story | Hotel Guest in Room 625 (uncredited) | 1941-12-25 |
Movie | Belle Starr | Sergeant | 1941-09-12 |
Movie | I Wake Up Screaming | Detective (uncredited) | 1941-10-31 |
Movie | The Night of January 16th | Policeman Kelly | 1941-11-28 |
Movie | We Go Fast | Police Lt. Bardette | 1941-09-19 |
Movie | Hold Back the Dawn | Immigration Guard (uncredited) | 1941-09-26 |
Movie | Texas | Abilene Fight Announcer | 1941-10-09 |
Movie | It All Came True | Roaring 90's Club Doorman (uncredited) | 1940-04-06 |
Movie | Johnny Apollo | Prison Guard In Library (uncredited) | 1940-04-19 |
Movie | Hot Steel | Storm Swenson | 1940-05-24 |
Movie | Girl in 313 | Det. Carvin | 1940-05-31 |
Movie | And One Was Beautiful | McRafferty | 1940-04-05 |
Movie | Florian | Policeman | 1940-06-05 |
Movie | La Conga Nights | Grogin | 1940-05-31 |
Movie | The Fighting 69th | Supply Sergeant (uncredited) | 1940-01-27 |
Movie | Remember the Night | Court Attendant (uncredited) | 1940-01-19 |
Movie | Brother Orchid | Parking Attendant at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited) | 1940-06-07 |
Movie | Broadway Melody of 1940 | Clancy (uncredited) | 1940-02-09 |
Movie | Castle on the Hudson | Death Row Guard (uncredited) | 1940-02-17 |
Movie | Women Without Names | Guard | 1940-03-14 |
Movie | Double Alibi | Patrolman Johnson | 1940-03-01 |
Movie | The Grapes of Wrath | Guard (uncredited) | 1940-03-15 |
Movie | When the Daltons Rode | Annabella's Brother | 1940-08-23 |
Movie | Knute Rockne All American | Army Assistant Coach (uncredited) | 1940-10-05 |
Movie | The Great Profile | Detective | 1940-08-30 |
Movie | The Ghost Breakers | Hotel Porter (uncredited) | 1940-06-21 |
Movie | The Devil's Pipeline | Dowling | 1940-10-31 |
Movie | Tin Pan Alley | Army Sergeant (uncredited) | 1940-11-29 |
Movie | The Long Voyage Home | Dock Policeman | 1940-11-16 |
Movie | Rhythm on the River | Detective | 1940-08-28 |
Movie | North West Mounted Police | Mountie | 1940-10-22 |
Movie | Queen of the Mob | Third FBI Director | 1940-06-28 |
Movie | Lucky Cisco Kid | Ranch Foreman | 1940-06-28 |
Movie | Manhattan Heartbeat | Truck Driver | 1940-07-11 |
Movie | The Way of All Flesh | Policeman | 1940-07-05 |
Movie | South of Pago Pago | Cafe Customer | 1940-07-19 |
Movie | The Golden Fleecing | Cop (uncredited) | 1940-08-16 |
Movie | Rose of Washington Square | Guard (uncredited) | 1939-05-05 |
Movie | Union Pacific | Paddy (uncredited) | 1939-05-05 |
Movie | The Gracie Allen Murder Case | Turnkey | 1939-06-02 |
Movie | Big Town Czar | George Mitchell | 1939-05-03 |
Movie | The Ice Follies of 1939 | Doorman (Uncredited) | 1939-03-10 |
Movie | Jesse James | Cavalry Captain (uncredited) | 1939-01-14 |
Movie | Tell No Tales | Officer Simmons (uncredited) | 1939-06-12 |
Movie | Everybody's Baby | Police Announcer (uncredited) | 1939-03-24 |
Movie | Sergeant Madden | Police Interrogator | 1939-03-24 |
Movie | Code of the Streets | Doorman | 1939-04-13 |
Movie | Mr. Wong in Chinatown | Police Sgt. Jerry | 1939-08-01 |
Movie | Fast and Furious | Policeman Guarding Entrance (uncredited) | 1939-10-06 |
Movie | The Roaring Twenties | Policeman (uncredited) | 1939-10-28 |
Movie | The Cisco Kid and the Lady | Sergeant | 1939-12-29 |
Movie | Mickey the Kid | Sanders | 1939-07-03 |
Movie | Irish Luck | Fluger | 1939-08-22 |
Movie | Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President | Policeman | 1939-12-01 |
Movie | Each Dawn I Die | Policeman (uncredited) | 1939-08-19 |
Movie | They All Come Out | Officer (uncredited) | 1939-08-04 |
Movie | When Tomorrow Comes | Coast Guard Man on Road | 1939-08-11 |
Movie | They Shall Have Music | Police Sergeant (uncredited) | 1939-08-18 |
Movie | Test Pilot | Pilot (uncredited) | 1938-04-16 |
Movie | Alexander's Ragtime Band | Army Captain (uncredited) | 1938-05-24 |
Movie | Start Cheering | Gas Station Attendant | 1938-03-03 |
Movie | Everybody's Doing It | Detective Hayes | 1938-01-14 |
Movie | Wives Under Suspicion | Jenks - Chauffeur (uncredited) | 1938-06-03 |
Movie | Born to Be Wild | Striker (uncredited) | 1938-02-16 |
Movie | Night Spot | Kidnapper | 1938-02-25 |
Movie | Too Hot to Handle | Young Reporter (uncredited) | 1938-09-16 |
Movie | Gateway | Guard | 1938-08-05 |
Movie | While New York Sleeps | 2nd Cop | 1938-12-16 |
Movie | The Duke of West Point | Plebe Hockey Coach | 1938-12-29 |
Movie | Lightning Carson Rides Again | Justice Department Agent | 1938-10-09 |
Movie | Convicts at Large | Detective Sgt. Berkovich | 1938-12-14 |
Movie | I Am the Law | George - Witness (uncredited) | 1938-08-25 |
Movie | You Can't Take It with You | Jailer (uncredited) | 1938-09-01 |
Movie | Midnight Taxi | Detective McCormick | 1937-04-04 |
Movie | Dangerous Number | Cab Driver | 1937-01-22 |
Movie | Angel's Holiday | Detective | 1937-06-07 |
Movie | You Only Live Once | State Trooper (uncredited) | 1937-01-23 |
Movie | I Promise to Pay | Bill Seaver | 1937-04-21 |
Movie | Big Town Girl | State Trooper | 1937-12-03 |
Movie | Girls Can Play | Det. Bill O'Malley | 1937-06-23 |
Movie | Live, Love and Learn | Marine Who Likes Painting (uncredited) | 1937-10-29 |
Movie | Dangerously Yours | Driver | 1937-09-21 |
Movie | My Dear Miss Aldrich | Dr. Spitzy Calahan (uncredited) | 1937-09-17 |
Movie | Charlie Chan at the Race Track | Detective | 1936-08-07 |
Movie | My Man Godfrey | Detective (uncredited) | 1936-09-02 |
Movie | They Met in a Taxi | Policeman | 1936-09-08 |
Movie | The Murder Man | Policeman at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited) | 1935-07-12 |
Movie | Public Hero Number 1 | Flavin - Federal Agent (uncredited) | 1935-05-31 |
Movie | 'G' Men | Agent with Jean (uncredited) | 1935-05-04 |
Movie | Secrets of Chinatown | Brandhma | 1935-02-20 |
Movie | Captain Hurricane | Freighter Officer | 1935-03-01 |
Movie | The Daring Young Man | Informant on Telephone | 1935-07-17 |
Movie | Chinatown Squad | Detective | 1935-05-31 |
Movie | One Way Ticket | Ed | 1935-11-25 |
Movie | Woman Wanted | Mac - Policeman (uncredited) | 1935-08-02 |
Movie | Rendezvous | 2st Military Policeman (uncredited) | 1935-10-25 |
Movie | Shipmates Forever | Lieutenant (uncredited) | 1935-10-12 |
Movie | Man on the Flying Trapeze | Chauffeur (uncredited) | 1935-08-03 |
Movie | Special Agent | Agent Arresting Julie (uncredited) | 1935-09-14 |
Movie | The Affairs of Cellini | Palace Guard (uncredited) | 1934-08-24 |
Movie | Baby Take a Bow | Flannigan | 1934-06-30 |
Movie | The Brand of Hate | Holt Larkins | 1934-11-02 |
Movie | King Kong | Mate Briggs | 1933-03-15 |
Movie | Riot Squad | Det. Mack McCue | 1933-07-25 |
Movie | Hello, Sister! | Fireman | 1933-04-14 |
Movie | Ship of Wanted Men | Frank Busch | 1933-09-08 |
Movie | Only Yesterday | Billy (Uncredited) | 1933-11-01 |
Movie | The Airmail Mystery | Bob Lee | 1932-03-28 |
Movie | Back Street | Reporter (uncredited) | 1932-08-04 |
Movie | Okay, America! | Undetermined Role (uncredited) | 1932-09-08 |
Movie | McKenna of the Mounted | Corporal Randall McKenna | 1932-08-26 |
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