From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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.
Series | Shannon | 2025 | |
Movie | Evil Town | Doc Hooper | 1987-06-02 |
Movie | Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood | Burlesque Stagehand | 1976-07-26 |
Movie | Dr. Shagetz | Doc Hooper | 1975-01-01 |
Movie | The Phantom of Hollywood | Joe | 1974-02-12 |
Series | Ghost Story | Sam Streeter | 1972-09-15 |
Movie | The Carey Treatment | Sanderson the Pathologist | 1972-03-29 |
Movie | Cover Me Babe | Michael Atterbury | 1970-10-01 |
Movie | Change of Habit | Father Gibbons | 1969-11-10 |
Series | Adam-12 | Billy Heckman | 1968-09-21 |
Movie | Gunn | The Bishop | 1967-06-28 |
Series | The Time Tunnel | Dr. Ben Berkhart | 1966-09-09 |
Movie | The Night of the Grizzly | Cotton Benson | 1966-04-20 |
Series | The Legend of Jesse James | Defense Attorney Reed | 1965-09-13 |
Series | The F.B.I. | Calvin Betts | 1965-09-19 |
Series | Green Acres | Unknown | 1965-09-15 |
Movie | Man's Favorite Sport? | Bagley | 1964-01-31 |
Series | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | George Penfield | 1964-09-14 |
Movie | Johnny Shiloh | Mr. Clem | 1963-01-20 |
Series | Petticoat Junction | Doc Stuart | 1963-09-24 |
Series | Burke's Law | Detective Lester Hart | 1963-09-20 |
Series | The Virginian | Joseph Denton | 1962-09-19 |
Series | Going My Way | Unknown | 1962-10-03 |
Movie | The Last Sunset | Milton Wing | 1961-06-08 |
Movie | King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein | Bill Baird | 1961-06-11 |
Movie | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Dr. Jamieson | 1961-07-12 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Arthur Wheeler | 1961-09-27 |
Series | Cain's Hundred | Judge Thomas Otto | 1961-09-19 |
Movie | The Errand Boy | Studio Exec with the Baron | 1961-11-28 |
Movie | Guns of the Timberland | Sheriff Taylor | 1960-02-01 |
Series | The Tall Man | Unknown | 1960-09-10 |
Series | Route 66 | Unknown | 1960-10-07 |
Series | The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Dr. Harry Randolph | 1959-09-21 |
Series | Rawhide | Unknown | 1959-01-09 |
Movie | Warlock | Skinner | 1959-05-15 |
Series | Tightrope | Unknown | 1959-09-08 |
Movie | The Hangman | Soldier at Fort | 1959-06-17 |
Movie | No Time at All | Joe Donaldson | 1958-02-13 |
Movie | Sing Boy Sing | Rev. Easton | 1958-02-21 |
Series | Peter Gunn | Unknown | 1958-09-22 |
Movie | Joy Ride | Miles Renny | 1958-11-23 |
Series | Wanted: Dead or Alive | Lenny the Bartender | 1958-09-06 |
Series | Bronco | Judge Claymore | 1958-09-23 |
Series | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Lt. Dennis McGough | 1957-07-01 |
Series | Sugarfoot | John Peel | 1957-09-17 |
Movie | Curfew Breakers | Coach Bettger | 1957-03-22 |
Series | Perry Mason | Andy Grant | 1957-09-21 |
Series | Wagon Train | Mr. Hunter | 1957-09-18 |
Series | Trackdown | Unknown | 1957-10-04 |
Series | Maverick | Ben Granville | 1957-09-22 |
Movie | Three for Jamie Dawn | Murph | 1956-07-08 |
Movie | Great Day in the Morning | Father Murphy | 1956-05-16 |
Movie | Dakota Incident | Minstrel | 1956-07-23 |
Series | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Sheriff Barnes | 1956-10-05 |
Series | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Unknown | 1956-09-07 |
Series | Playhouse 90 | Regis Toomey | 1956-10-04 |
Series | The Millionaire | Pete Marlowe | 1955-01-19 |
Series | Navy Log | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Movie | Atomic Energy as a Force for Good | Mike Farrell | 1955-01-01 |
Movie | Guys and Dolls | Arvide Abernathy | 1955-12-23 |
Series | Cheyenne | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Movie | Top Gun | Jim O'Hara | 1955-12-01 |
Series | Matinee Theater | Unknown | 1955-10-31 |
Series | The 20th Century Fox Hour | Unknown | 1955-10-05 |
Movie | Drums Across the River | Sheriff Jim Beal | 1954-06-01 |
Movie | The High and the Mighty | Tim Garfield | 1954-07-03 |
Series | Hey Mulligan | Joe Mulligan | 1954-08-28 |
Series | December Bride | Unknown | 1954-10-04 |
Series | Climax! | Fred Warren | 1954-10-07 |
Movie | The Human Jungle | Bob Geddes | 1954-10-03 |
Movie | It Happens Every Thursday | Mayor Hull | 1953-04-22 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Jimmy | 1953-02-01 |
Movie | Never Wave at a WAC | General Ned Prager | 1953-01-28 |
Movie | Son of Belle Starr | Tom Wren | 1953-06-26 |
Movie | The Nebraskan | Col. Markham | 1953-12-02 |
Movie | The Backbone of America | Bill Carmody | 1953-12-29 |
Movie | Island in the Sky | Sergeant Harper | 1953-09-05 |
Movie | Take the High Ground! | Chaplain (uncredited) | 1953-10-30 |
Series | Letter to Loretta | John Howell | 1953-09-20 |
Movie | Main Street to Broadway | Desk Sergeant (uncredited) | 1953-10-12 |
Movie | My Six Convicts | Dr. Gordon | 1952-03-20 |
Movie | The Battle at Apache Pass | Dr. Carter | 1952-05-09 |
Movie | Crossroads - U.S.A. | Bill Marshall | 1952-02-02 |
Movie | My Pal Gus | Farley Norris | 1952-12-01 |
Series | Four Star Playhouse | Police Lt. Manny Waldo | 1952-09-25 |
Series | Cavalcade of America | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | Just for You | Mr. Hodges | 1952-09-27 |
Movie | Cry Danger | Gus Cobb | 1951-02-23 |
Movie | Navy Bound | Capt. Charles Danning | 1951-03-04 |
Movie | The Tall Target | Insp. Tim Reilly (uncredited) | 1951-08-17 |
Series | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Unknown | 1951-10-05 |
Movie | Show Boat | Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited) | 1951-07-19 |
Movie | The People Against O'Hara | Fred Colton, Police Sound Man | 1951-09-01 |
Movie | Again Pioneers | Dave Harley | 1950-11-01 |
Movie | Dynamite Pass | Dan Madden | 1950-03-23 |
Series | Lux Video Theatre | Unknown | 1950-10-02 |
Movie | Undercover Girl | Hank Miller | 1950-11-02 |
Movie | Frenchie | Carter | 1950-12-25 |
Movie | Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone | Reporter (uncredited) | 1950-12-08 |
Movie | The Phantom Creeps | Lt. Jim Daley | 1949-06-06 |
Movie | Come to the Stable | Monsignor Talbot | 1949-07-27 |
Movie | Mighty Joe Young | John Young | 1949-07-27 |
Movie | Beyond the Forest | Sorren | 1949-10-21 |
Movie | The Devil's Henchman | Tip Banning | 1949-09-15 |
Movie | Reaching from Heaven | Pastor | 1948-02-01 |
Movie | Raw Deal | (uncredited) | 1948-05-21 |
Movie | The Boy with Green Hair | Mr. Davis | 1948-11-26 |
Movie | I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes | Police Inspector Clint Judd | 1948-05-23 |
Movie | Station West | Jim Goddard | 1948-09-01 |
Movie | The Guilty | Detective Heller | 1947-03-22 |
Movie | The Thirteenth Hour | Don Parker | 1947-02-06 |
Movie | The Big Fix | Lt. Brenner | 1947-04-19 |
Movie | High Tide | Inspector O'Haffey | 1947-09-13 |
Movie | The Bishop's Wife | Mr. Miller | 1947-12-25 |
Movie | Magic Town | Ed Weaver | 1947-10-07 |
Movie | Mysterious Intruder | James Summers | 1946-04-11 |
Movie | The Big Sleep | Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls | 1946-08-23 |
Movie | Her Sister's Secret | Bill Gordon | 1946-09-23 |
Movie | Child of Divorce | Ray Carter | 1946-10-14 |
Movie | Sister Kenny | New York Reporter (uncredited) | 1946-10-10 |
Movie | Strange Illusion | Dr. Vincent | 1945-03-31 |
Movie | Follow That Woman | Barney Manners | 1945-12-14 |
Movie | Betrayal from the East | Agent Posing as 'Sgt. Jimmy Scott' | 1945-04-24 |
Movie | Spellbound | Det. Sgt. Gillespie | 1945-11-08 |
Movie | Follow the Boys | Dr. Henderson | 1944-05-05 |
Movie | Song of the Open Road | Connors | 1944-06-21 |
Movie | Phantom Lady | Detective | 1944-01-28 |
Movie | Raiders of Ghost City | Capt. Clay Randolph [Chs. 1-6] | 1944-07-25 |
Movie | Murder in the Blue Room | Inspector McDonald | 1944-10-27 |
Movie | When the Lights Go On Again | Bill Regan | 1944-10-22 |
Movie | Dark Mountain | Steve Downey | 1944-09-01 |
Movie | The Doughgirls | Timothy Walsh | 1944-11-25 |
Movie | Adventures of the Flying Cadets | Capt. Ralph Carson | 1943-09-07 |
Movie | Destroyer | Lt. Cmdr. Clark | 1943-08-19 |
Movie | Bullet Scars | Dr. Steven Bishop | 1942-03-07 |
Movie | I Was Framed | Bob Leeds | 1942-04-04 |
Movie | Tennessee Johnson | Blackstone McDaniel | 1942-12-01 |
Movie | The Forest Rangers | Frank Hatfield | 1942-10-21 |
Movie | A Shot in the Dark | William Ryder | 1941-04-05 |
Movie | Meet John Doe | Bert Hansen | 1941-03-14 |
Movie | Dive Bomber | Tim Griffin | 1941-01-01 |
Movie | The Devil and Miss Jones | 1st Policeman | 1941-04-11 |
Movie | The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance | Wallace | 1941-03-06 |
Movie | New York Town | Jim Martin (uncredited) | 1941-10-31 |
Movie | They Died with Their Boots On | Fitzhugh Lee | 1941-11-20 |
Movie | Reaching for the Sun | Intern | 1941-05-01 |
Movie | You're in the Army Now | Captain Joe Radcliffe | 1941-12-25 |
Movie | The Nurse's Secret | Inspector Tom Patten | 1941-05-24 |
Movie | Law of the Tropics | Tom Marshall | 1941-10-04 |
Movie | His Girl Friday | Sanders | 1940-01-18 |
Movie | Northwest Passage | Webster | 1940-02-23 |
Movie | 'Til We Meet Again | Freddy | 1940-04-20 |
Movie | March On, Marines | Drill Sergeant | 1940-12-14 |
Movie | Arizona | Grant Oury | 1940-12-25 |
Movie | North West Mounted Police | Constable Jerry Moore | 1940-10-22 |
Movie | Wings of the Navy | First Flight Instructor | 1939-02-11 |
Movie | The Mysterious Miss X | Jack Webster | 1939-01-10 |
Movie | Pirates of the Skies | 1939-01-01 | |
Movie | Society Smugglers | Johnny Beebe | 1939-03-01 |
Movie | The Phantom Creeps | Lt. Jim Daly | 1939-01-07 |
Movie | Hidden Power | Mayton | 1939-09-07 |
Movie | Indianapolis Speedway | Dick Wilbur | 1939-08-05 |
Movie | Thunder Afloat | Ives | 1939-09-15 |
Movie | Street of Missing Men | Jim Parker | 1939-04-24 |
Movie | Trapped in the Sky | Lt. Gary | 1939-06-01 |
Movie | Confessions of a Nazi Spy | Tom - in Coffee Shop (uncredited) | 1939-05-06 |
Movie | Union Pacific | Paddy O'Rourke | 1939-05-05 |
Movie | The Invisible Menace | Lt. Matthews | 1938-01-11 |
Movie | Illegal Traffic | Windy | 1938-11-02 |
Movie | Blind Alibi | Doctor Wilson - Veterinarian | 1938-05-20 |
Movie | Smashing the Spy Ring | Ted Hall | 1938-12-29 |
Movie | The Lady Escapes | American reporter (uncredited) | 1937-07-22 |
Movie | Midnight Taxi | Hilton | 1937-04-04 |
Movie | Submarine D-1 | Tom Callan | 1937-11-27 |
Movie | Back in Circulation | Buck | 1937-08-27 |
Movie | Big City | Fred Hawkins | 1937-09-03 |
Movie | Bulldog Edition | Jim Hardy | 1936-09-13 |
Movie | Great God Gold | Phil Stuart | 1935-04-14 |
Movie | One Frightened Night | Tom Dean | 1935-05-01 |
Movie | Shadow of Doubt | Reed Ryan | 1935-02-15 |
Movie | Bars of Hate | Ted Clark | 1935-11-01 |
Movie | Skull and Crown | Bob Franklin, alias Rocky Morgan | 1935-12-16 |
Movie | 'G' Men | Eddie Buchanan | 1935-05-04 |
Movie | Shadows of the Orient | Inspector Bob Baxter | 1935-07-06 |
Movie | Manhattan Moon | Eddie | 1935-07-01 |
Movie | Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 | 1934-03-02 | |
Movie | Picture Brides | Dave Hart | 1934-04-23 |
Movie | Red Morning | John Hastings | 1934-12-14 |
Movie | Murder on the Blackboard | Detective Smiley North | 1934-06-15 |
Movie | Redhead | Scoop | 1934-10-31 |
Movie | She Had to Choose | Jack Berry | 1934-10-01 |
Movie | Soldiers of the Storm | Brad Allerton | 1933-04-04 |
Movie | State Trooper | Michael Rolph | 1933-02-10 |
Movie | Laughing at Life | Pat Collins / Mc Hale | 1933-07-12 |
Movie | How to Break 90 #5: Impact | Himself | 1933-07-14 |
Movie | Big Time Or Bust | Jimmie Kane | 1933-11-10 |
Movie | She Had to Say Yes | Tommy Nelson | 1933-07-15 |
Movie | Shopworn | David Livingston | 1932-03-25 |
Movie | The Midnight Patrol | John Martin | 1932-04-10 |
Movie | Under Eighteen | Jimmie Slocum | 1932-01-02 |
Movie | The Penal Code | Robert Palmer | 1932-12-23 |
Movie | The Crowd Roars | Dick Wilbur | 1932-04-16 |
Movie | A Strange Adventure | Detective-Sergeant Mitchell | 1932-11-20 |
Movie | They Never Come Back | Jimmy Nolan | 1932-05-10 |
Movie | Scandal Sheet | Regan | 1931-01-31 |
Movie | Other Men's Women | Jack Kulper | 1931-01-17 |
Movie | Finn and Hattie | Henry Collins | 1931-02-04 |
Movie | The Finger Points | Charlie 'Breezy' Russell | 1931-04-11 |
Movie | Touchdown! | Tom Hussey | 1931-11-15 |
Movie | 24 Hours | Tony Bruzzi | 1931-10-03 |
Movie | Graft | Dustin Hotchkiss | 1931-09-21 |
Movie | Murder by the Clock | Office Cassidy | 1931-07-21 |
Movie | Kick In | Chick Hewes | 1931-05-22 |
Movie | Framed | Jimmy McArthur | 1930-03-16 |
Movie | Street of Chance | 'Babe' Marsden | 1930-02-08 |
Movie | Crazy That Way | Robert Metcalf | 1930-03-20 |
Movie | A Man from Wyoming | Jersey | 1930-07-12 |
Movie | The Light of Western Stars | Bob Drexell | 1930-04-19 |
Movie | Good Intentions | Richard Holt | 1930-06-29 |
Movie | Shadow of the Law | Tom Owens | 1930-06-06 |
Movie | Alibi | Danny McGann | 1929-04-20 |
Movie | Illusion | Eric | 1929-09-21 |
Movie | Rich People | Jef MacLean | 1929-12-07 |
Movie | The Wheel of Life | Lt. MacLaren | 1929-06-15 |