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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
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
John Young
Spellbound
(1945)
Det. Sgt. Gillespie
His Girl Friday
(1940)
Sanders
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Bert Hansen
The Bishop's Wife
(1947)
Mr. Miller
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Detective
Guys and Dolls
(1955)
Arvide Abernathy
Warlock
(1959)
Skinner
The Last Sunset
(1961)
Milton Wing
They Died with Their Boots On
(1941)
Fitzhugh Lee
Show Boat
(1951)
Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited)
Northwest Passage
(1940)
Webster
'G' Men
(1935)
Eddie Buchanan
Strange Illusion
(1945)
Dr. Vincent
The High and the Mighty
(1954)
Tim Garfield
Full Filmography
Acting
Alibi
(1929)
Danny McGann
Illusion
(1929)
Eric
The Wheel of Life
(1929)
Lt. MacLaren
A Man from Wyoming
(1930)
Jersey
Shadow of the Law
(1930)
Tom Owens
Crazy That Way
(1930)
Robert Metcalf
Good Intentions
(1930)
Richard Holt
Street of Chance
(1930)
'Babe' Marsden
The Light of Western Stars
(1930)
Bob Drexell
Framed
(1930)
Jimmy McArthur
Other Men's Women
(1931)
Jack Kulper
The Finger Points
(1931)
Charlie 'Breezy' Russell
Graft
(1931)
Dustin Hotchkiss
Kick In
(1931)
Chick Hewes
24 Hours
(1931)
Tony Bruzzi
Finn and Hattie
(1931)
Henry Collins
Scandal Sheet
(1931)
Regan
Touchdown!
(1931)
Tom Hussey
Murder by the Clock
(1931)
Office Cassidy
Shopworn
(1932)
David Livingston
Under Eighteen
(1932)
Jimmie Slocum
A Strange Adventure
(1932)
Detective-Sergeant Mitchell
The Midnight Patrol
(1932)
John Martin
The Penal Code
(1932)
Robert Palmer
The Crowd Roars
(1932)
Dick Wilbur
They Never Come Back
(1932)
Jimmy Nolan
State Trooper
(1933)
Michael Rolph
Big Time Or Bust
(1933)
Jimmie Kane
How to Break 90 #5: Impact
(1933)
Laughing at Life
(1933)
Pat Collins / Mc Hale
Soldiers of the Storm
(1933)
Brad Allerton
She Had to Say Yes
(1933)
Tommy Nelson
She Had to Choose
(1934)
Jack Berry
Redhead
(1934)
Scoop
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
(1934)
Murder on the Blackboard
(1934)
Detective Smiley North
Picture Brides
(1934)
Dave Hart
Red Morning
(1934)
John Hastings
Manhattan Moon
(1935)
Eddie
Shadow of Doubt
(1935)
Reed Ryan
Skull and Crown
(1935)
Bob Franklin, alias Rocky Morgan
One Frightened Night
(1935)
Tom Dean
Bars of Hate
(1935)
Ted Clark
Great God Gold
(1935)
Phil Stuart
'G' Men
(1935)
Eddie Buchanan
Bulldog Edition
(1936)
Jim Hardy
The Lady Escapes
(1937)
American reporter (uncredited)
Back in Circulation
(1937)
Buck
Shadows of the Orient
(1937)
Inspector Bob Baxter
Midnight Taxi
(1937)
Hilton
Submarine D-1
(1937)
Tom Callan
Big City
(1937)
Fred Hawkins
Smashing the Spy Ring
(1938)
Ted Hall
Illegal Traffic
(1938)
Windy
Blind Alibi
(1938)
Doctor Wilson - Veterinarian
The Invisible Menace
(1938)
Lt. Matthews
The Mysterious Miss X
(1939)
Jack Webster
The Phantom Creeps
(1939)
Lt. Jim Daly
Hidden Power
(1939)
Mayton
Society Smugglers
(1939)
Johnny Beebe
Union Pacific
(1939)
Paddy O'Rourke
Trapped in the Sky
(1939)
Lt. Gary
Wings of the Navy
(1939)
First Flight Instructor
Street of Missing Men
(1939)
Jim Parker
Thunder Afloat
(1939)
Ives
Indianapolis Speedway
(1939)
Dick Wilbur
Pirates of the Skies
(1939)
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
(1939)
Tom - in Coffee Shop (uncredited)
'Til We Meet Again
(1940)
Freddy
North West Mounted Police
(1940)
Constable Jerry Moore
Northwest Passage
(1940)
Webster
March On, Marines
(1940)
Drill Sergeant
Arizona
(1940)
Grant Oury
His Girl Friday
(1940)
Sanders
You're in the Army Now
(1941)
Captain Joe Radcliffe
Reaching for the Sun
(1941)
Intern
Dive Bomber
(1941)
Tim Griffin
They Died with Their Boots On
(1941)
Fitzhugh Lee
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
(1941)
Wallace
New York Town
(1941)
Jim Martin (uncredited)
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Bert Hansen
The Devil and Miss Jones
(1941)
1st Policeman
Law of the Tropics
(1941)
Tom Marshall
The Nurse's Secret
(1941)
Inspector Tom Patten
A Shot in the Dark
(1941)
William Ryder
Tennessee Johnson
(1942)
Blackstone McDaniel
I Was Framed
(1942)
Bob Leeds
The Forest Rangers
(1942)
Frank Hatfield
Bullet Scars
(1942)
Dr. Steven Bishop
Destroyer
(1943)
Lt. Cmdr. Clark
Adventures of the Flying Cadets
(1943)
Capt. Ralph Carson
When the Lights Go On Again
(1944)
Bill Regan
Raiders of Ghost City
(1944)
Capt. Clay Randolph [Chs. 1-6]
Dark Mountain
(1944)
Steve Downey
Murder in the Blue Room
(1944)
Inspector McDonald
The Doughgirls
(1944)
Timothy Walsh
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Detective
Follow the Boys
(1944)
Dr. Henderson
Song of the Open Road
(1944)
Connors
Follow That Woman
(1945)
Barney Manners
Betrayal from the East
(1945)
Agent Posing as 'Sgt. Jimmy Scott'
Strange Illusion
(1945)
Dr. Vincent
Spellbound
(1945)
Det. Sgt. Gillespie
Sister Kenny
(1946)
New York Reporter (uncredited)
Mysterious Intruder
(1946)
James Summers
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls
Her Sister's Secret
(1946)
Bill Gordon
Child of Divorce
(1946)
Ray Carter
Magic Town
(1947)
Ed Weaver
High Tide
(1947)
Inspector O'Haffey
The Bishop's Wife
(1947)
Mr. Miller
The Big Fix
(1947)
Lt. Brenner
The Guilty
(1947)
Detective Heller
The Thirteenth Hour
(1947)
Don Parker
Reaching from Heaven
(1948)
Pastor
I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes
(1948)
Police Inspector Clint Judd
The Boy with Green Hair
(1948)
Mr. Davis
Station West
(1948)
Jim Goddard
Raw Deal
(1948)
(uncredited)
The Devil's Henchman
(1949)
Tip Banning
Come to the Stable
(1949)
Monsignor Talbot
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
John Young
Beyond the Forest
(1949)
Sorren
The Phantom Creeps
(1949)
Lt. Jim Daley
Dynamite Pass
(1950)
Dan Madden
Frenchie
(1950)
Carter
Again Pioneers
(1950)
Dave Harley
Undercover Girl
(1950)
Hank Miller
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
(1950)
Reporter (uncredited)
Navy Bound
(1951)
Capt. Charles Danning
The People Against O'Hara
(1951)
Fred Colton, Police Sound Man
Cry Danger
(1951)
Gus Cobb
The Tall Target
(1951)
Insp. Tim Reilly (uncredited)
Show Boat
(1951)
Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited)
My Six Convicts
(1952)
Dr. Gordon
Crossroads - U.S.A.
(1952)
Bill Marshall
My Pal Gus
(1952)
Farley Norris
Just for You
(1952)
Mr. Hodges
The Battle at Apache Pass
(1952)
Dr. Carter
The Nebraskan
(1953)
Col. Markham
Never Wave at a WAC
(1953)
General Ned Prager
The Backbone of America
(1953)
Bill Carmody
Take the High Ground!
(1953)
Chaplain (uncredited)
Island in the Sky
(1953)
Sergeant Harper
Main Street to Broadway
(1953)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Son of Belle Starr
(1953)
Tom Wren
It Happens Every Thursday
(1953)
Mayor Hull
Drums Across the River
(1954)
Sheriff Jim Beal
The High and the Mighty
(1954)
Tim Garfield
The Human Jungle
(1954)
Bob Geddes
Guys and Dolls
(1955)
Arvide Abernathy
Atomic Energy as a Force for Good
(1955)
Mike Farrell
Top Gun
(1955)
Jim O'Hara
Three for Jamie Dawn
(1956)
Murph
Great Day in the Morning
(1956)
Father Murphy
Dakota Incident
(1956)
Minstrel
Curfew Breakers
(1957)
Coach Bettger
Sing Boy Sing
(1958)
Rev. Easton
Joy Ride
(1958)
Miles Renny
No Time at All
(1958)
Joe Donaldson
Warlock
(1959)
Skinner
The Hangman
(1959)
Soldier at Fort
Guns of the Timberland
(1960)
Sheriff Taylor
The Last Sunset
(1961)
Milton Wing
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
(1961)
Bill Baird
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
(1961)
Dr. Jamieson
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