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John Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898 – October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey and attended Peabody High School. He initially pondered a law career, but acting won out and he established himself as a musical stage performer.
Educated in dramatics at the University of Pittsburgh, where he became a brother of Sigma Chi, Toomey began as a stock actor and eventually made it to Broadway. Toomey was a singer on stage until throat problems (acute laryngitis) while touring in Europe stopped that aspect of his career. In 1929, Toomey first began appearing in films. He initially started out as a leading man, but found more success as a character actor (sans his toupee).
Toomey appeared in over 180 films, including classics such as The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart. In 1956, he appeared as a judge, with Chuck Connors as "Andy", in the third episode, "The Nevada Nightingale", of the NBC anthology series The Joseph Cotten Show. Toomey thereafter appeared in another anthology series too as the character "Harry" in the 1960 episode "The Doctor and the Redhead", with Dick Powell and Felicia Farr, of CBS's The DuPont Show with June Allyson. In the 1961–1962 television season, he appeared in a supporting role with George Nader in the syndicated crime drama Shannon about insurance investigators. From 1963–1966, Toomey was one of the stars of the ABC crime drama, Burke's Law, starring Gene Barry. He played Sergeant Les Hart, one of the detectives assisting the murder investigations of the millionaire police captain Amos Burke. He also guest-starred on dozens of television programs, including the "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" episode of Maverick.
In 1941, Toomey appeared in You're in the Army Now, in which he and Jane Wyman had the longest screen kiss in cinema history: 3 minutes and 5 seconds.
Known For
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls
Spellbound
(1945)
Det. Sgt. Gillespie
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
John Young
Warlock
(1959)
Skinner
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Detective
'G' Men
(1935)
Eddie Buchanan
Union Pacific
(1939)
Paddy O'Rourke
Raw Deal
(1948)
(uncredited)
Show Boat
(1951)
Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited)
They Died with Their Boots On
(1941)
Fitzhugh Lee
The Bishop's Wife
(1947)
Mr. Miller
Man's Favorite Sport?
(1964)
Bagley
His Girl Friday
(1940)
Sanders
Station West
(1948)
Jim Goddard
Guys and Dolls
(1955)
Arvide Abernathy
Destroyer
(1943)
Lt. Cmdr. Clark
Full Filmography
Acting
Alibi
(1929)
Danny McGann
Illusion
(1929)
Eric
The Wheel of Life
(1929)
Lt. MacLaren
Framed
(1930)
Jimmy McArthur
The Light of Western Stars
(1930)
Bob Drexell
Good Intentions
(1930)
Richard Holt
Street of Chance
(1930)
'Babe' Marsden
Shadow of the Law
(1930)
Tom Owens
A Man from Wyoming
(1930)
Jersey
Crazy That Way
(1930)
Robert Metcalf
Other Men's Women
(1931)
Jack Kulper
Murder by the Clock
(1931)
Office Cassidy
Scandal Sheet
(1931)
Regan
Graft
(1931)
Dustin Hotchkiss
24 Hours
(1931)
Tony Bruzzi
The Finger Points
(1931)
Charlie 'Breezy' Russell
Finn and Hattie
(1931)
Henry Collins
Kick In
(1931)
Chick Hewes
Touchdown!
(1931)
Tom Hussey
Under Eighteen
(1932)
Jimmie Slocum
Shopworn
(1932)
David Livingston
The Crowd Roars
(1932)
Dick Wilbur
They Never Come Back
(1932)
Jimmy Nolan
The Penal Code
(1932)
Robert Palmer
A Strange Adventure
(1932)
Detective-Sergeant Mitchell
The Midnight Patrol
(1932)
John Martin
She Had to Say Yes
(1933)
Tommy Nelson
Laughing at Life
(1933)
Pat Collins / Mc Hale
Big Time Or Bust
(1933)
Jimmie Kane
How to Break 90 #5: Impact
(1933)
Soldiers of the Storm
(1933)
Brad Allerton
State Trooper
(1933)
Michael Rolph
Picture Brides
(1934)
Dave Hart
She Had to Choose
(1934)
Jack Berry
Red Morning
(1934)
John Hastings
Redhead
(1934)
Scoop
Murder on the Blackboard
(1934)
Detective Smiley North
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
(1934)
One Frightened Night
(1935)
Tom Dean
Skull and Crown
(1935)
Bob Franklin, alias Rocky Morgan
Shadow of Doubt
(1935)
Reed Ryan
Bars of Hate
(1935)
Ted Clark
Great God Gold
(1935)
Phil Stuart
'G' Men
(1935)
Eddie Buchanan
Manhattan Moon
(1935)
Eddie
Bulldog Edition
(1936)
Jim Hardy
Big City
(1937)
Fred Hawkins
Shadows of the Orient
(1937)
Inspector Bob Baxter
Midnight Taxi
(1937)
Hilton
Back in Circulation
(1937)
Buck
Submarine D-1
(1937)
Tom Callan
The Lady Escapes
(1937)
American reporter (uncredited)
Illegal Traffic
(1938)
Windy
The Invisible Menace
(1938)
Lt. Matthews
Blind Alibi
(1938)
Doctor Wilson - Veterinarian
Smashing the Spy Ring
(1938)
Ted Hall
The Phantom Creeps
(1939)
Lt. Jim Daly
Thunder Afloat
(1939)
Ives
The Mysterious Miss X
(1939)
Jack Webster
Indianapolis Speedway
(1939)
Dick Wilbur
Union Pacific
(1939)
Paddy O'Rourke
Wings of the Navy
(1939)
First Flight Instructor
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
(1939)
Tom - in Coffee Shop (uncredited)
Society Smugglers
(1939)
Johnny Beebe
Street of Missing Men
(1939)
Jim Parker
Hidden Power
(1939)
Mayton
Trapped in the Sky
(1939)
Lt. Gary
Pirates of the Skies
(1939)
His Girl Friday
(1940)
Sanders
Arizona
(1940)
Grant Oury
North West Mounted Police
(1940)
Constable Jerry Moore
'Til We Meet Again
(1940)
Freddy
Northwest Passage
(1940)
Webster
March On, Marines
(1940)
Drill Sergeant
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Bert Hansen
Dive Bomber
(1941)
Tim Griffin
They Died with Their Boots On
(1941)
Fitzhugh Lee
The Nurse's Secret
(1941)
Inspector Tom Patten
You're in the Army Now
(1941)
Captain Joe Radcliffe
Law of the Tropics
(1941)
Tom Marshall
A Shot in the Dark
(1941)
William Ryder
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
(1941)
Wallace
New York Town
(1941)
Jim Martin (uncredited)
Reaching for the Sun
(1941)
Intern
The Devil and Miss Jones
(1941)
1st Policeman
Tennessee Johnson
(1942)
Blackstone McDaniel
I Was Framed
(1942)
Bob Leeds
Bullet Scars
(1942)
Dr. Steven Bishop
The Forest Rangers
(1942)
Frank Hatfield
Destroyer
(1943)
Lt. Cmdr. Clark
Adventures of the Flying Cadets
(1943)
Capt. Ralph Carson
Follow the Boys
(1944)
Dr. Henderson
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Detective
The Doughgirls
(1944)
Timothy Walsh
Dark Mountain
(1944)
Steve Downey
Raiders of Ghost City
(1944)
Capt. Clay Randolph [Chs. 1-6]
When the Lights Go On Again
(1944)
Bill Regan
Murder in the Blue Room
(1944)
Inspector McDonald
Song of the Open Road
(1944)
Connors
Spellbound
(1945)
Det. Sgt. Gillespie
Strange Illusion
(1945)
Dr. Vincent
Betrayal from the East
(1945)
Agent Posing as 'Sgt. Jimmy Scott'
Follow That Woman
(1945)
Barney Manners
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls
Mysterious Intruder
(1946)
James Summers
Child of Divorce
(1946)
Ray Carter
Her Sister's Secret
(1946)
Bill Gordon
Sister Kenny
(1946)
New York Reporter (uncredited)
The Thirteenth Hour
(1947)
Don Parker
The Guilty
(1947)
Detective Heller
High Tide
(1947)
Inspector O'Haffey
The Bishop's Wife
(1947)
Mr. Miller
Magic Town
(1947)
Ed Weaver
The Big Fix
(1947)
Lt. Brenner
Station West
(1948)
Jim Goddard
The Boy with Green Hair
(1948)
Mr. Davis
I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes
(1948)
Police Inspector Clint Judd
Reaching from Heaven
(1948)
Pastor
Raw Deal
(1948)
(uncredited)
Beyond the Forest
(1949)
Sorren
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
John Young
Come to the Stable
(1949)
Monsignor Talbot
The Phantom Creeps
(1949)
Lt. Jim Daley
The Devil's Henchman
(1949)
Tip Banning
Undercover Girl
(1950)
Hank Miller
Frenchie
(1950)
Carter
Dynamite Pass
(1950)
Dan Madden
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
(1950)
Reporter (uncredited)
Again Pioneers
(1950)
Dave Harley
Cry Danger
(1951)
Gus Cobb
The People Against O'Hara
(1951)
Fred Colton, Police Sound Man
Show Boat
(1951)
Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited)
The Tall Target
(1951)
Insp. Tim Reilly (uncredited)
Navy Bound
(1951)
Capt. Charles Danning
My Six Convicts
(1952)
Dr. Gordon
Just for You
(1952)
Mr. Hodges
My Pal Gus
(1952)
Farley Norris
The Battle at Apache Pass
(1952)
Dr. Carter
Crossroads - U.S.A.
(1952)
Bill Marshall
Island in the Sky
(1953)
Sergeant Harper
Never Wave at a WAC
(1953)
General Ned Prager
The Nebraskan
(1953)
Col. Markham
Son of Belle Starr
(1953)
Tom Wren
It Happens Every Thursday
(1953)
Mayor Hull
The Backbone of America
(1953)
Bill Carmody
Main Street to Broadway
(1953)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Take the High Ground!
(1953)
Chaplain (uncredited)
The Human Jungle
(1954)
Bob Geddes
The High and the Mighty
(1954)
Tim Garfield
Drums Across the River
(1954)
Sheriff Jim Beal
Guys and Dolls
(1955)
Arvide Abernathy
Top Gun
(1955)
Jim O'Hara
Atomic Energy as a Force for Good
(1955)
Mike Farrell
Dakota Incident
(1956)
Minstrel
Great Day in the Morning
(1956)
Father Murphy
Three for Jamie Dawn
(1956)
Murph
Curfew Breakers
(1957)
Coach Bettger
Joy Ride
(1958)
Miles Renny
Sing Boy Sing
(1958)
Rev. Easton
No Time at All
(1958)
Joe Donaldson
Warlock
(1959)
Skinner
The Hangman
(1959)
Soldier at Fort
Guns of the Timberland
(1960)
Sheriff Taylor
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
(1961)
Dr. Jamieson
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
(1961)
Bill Baird
The Last Sunset
(1961)
Milton Wing
The Errand Boy
(1961)
Studio Exec with the Baron
Johnny Shiloh
(1963)
Mr. Clem
Man's Favorite Sport?
(1964)
Bagley
The Night of the Grizzly
(1966)
Cotton Benson
Gunn
(1967)
The Bishop
Change of Habit
(1969)
Father Gibbons
Cover Me Babe
(1970)
Michael Atterbury
The Carey Treatment
(1972)
Sanderson the Pathologist
The Phantom of Hollywood
(1974)
Joe
Dr. Shagetz
(1975)
Doc Hooper
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
(1976)
Burlesque Stagehand
Evil Town
(1987)
Doc Hooper