Birth Day: 1906-05-14
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.
Credits
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As President Dwight D. Eisenhower
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As Capt. Toomey
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As Detective Lieutenant
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As Clarence Duntz
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As Lt. Flynn
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As Ft. Robinson Sergeant of the Guard (uncredited)
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As Police Capt. Michael J. Shanahan (uncredited)
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As Mooney
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As Tim Riley
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As Jake Morgan
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As Wool Buyer
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As Secret Service Chief
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As Mr. Bradbury
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As Timmy
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As Police Chief Martin
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As Military Policeman
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As Col. Marshall
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As Attorney Michael X. Flanders
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As Doctor
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As Col. Tarant
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As Longinus
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As Harry (uncredited)
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As Kelly
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As Coach Buck Holman
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As First Policeman in Bank
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As Al Bragg
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As Texas Rangers Capt. Sturdivant
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As Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)
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As Mike - Bartender (uncredited)
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As Lieutenant-Colonel at End
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As Petty Officer (uncredited)
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As Conductor
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As Prosecuting Attorney
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As Capt. Worth
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As O'Leary, Manhattan Police Chief (uncredited)
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As Commander Rogers
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As SP Commander
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As Henry Gibbs
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As Lt. Phillips
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As Gen. Brevort (uncredited)
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As Secret Service Chief
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As Guard
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As Police Lt. Brewster
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As Andrews
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As Railroad Workman
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As Schultz
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As Insp. Wellman
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As Police Sergeant Briggs
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As Guard Capt. Peter Butler
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As Policeman in Park (Uncredited)
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As Stan Caldwell
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As Brophy
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As Det. Lt. Boylan
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As Lieutenant Mitchell
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As Police Inspector Thorndyke
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As Sgt. Oliphant
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As Traffic Cop (uncredited)
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As Lt. Sam Wilson
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As Guard (uncredited)
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As Kerrigan
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As Sergeant Major
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As Villager (uncredited)
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As Det. Lt. 'Mac' Hennessey (uncredited)
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As District Attorney
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As Captain Danforth
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As Pat Johnson
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As Policeman Reardon (uncredited)
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As Police Sergeant Patella
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As First Policeman (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Hoatley - First Carnival Owner (uncredited)
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As Detective Sgt. McFarland (uncredited)
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As Turnkey (uncredited)
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As Joe
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As Woods
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As Chief Bosun Mate Gurney
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As Subway Conductor (Uncredited)
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As Bellamy
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As Police Insp. Cardona
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As Shake Thomas
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As Investigator (uncredited)
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As Police Detective #1
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As Col. Walsh
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As Policeman (uncredited)
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As Major at Kweilin Airbase (uncredited)
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As Detective (uncredited)
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As Police Officer (uncredited)
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As Officer Johnny Tracy
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As Captain (uncredited)
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As H.R. Jarvis
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As Guard
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As Radio Cop
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As Sgt. Wiggins
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As Det. McEveety (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Bank Security Guard (Uncredited)
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As Man in Subway (uncredited)
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As Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Captain of Mobile Guard
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As Maj. A.M. Bagley
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As Radio Policeman (Uncredited)
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As American Senator (uncredited)
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As Policeman (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As 1st Lt. Bill Gardner
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As Captain O'Brien (Uncredited)
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As Federal Agent (uncredited)
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As Merchant Marine School Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
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As Cmdr. Kalin
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As Cop (uncredited)
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As Train Conductor
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As Egan (Uncredited)
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As Joe Trosper
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As Process Server
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As Railroad Detective #2 (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Capt. Luddy
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As George Corbett (uncredited)
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As Police Lieutenant Schaeffer
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As Keenan - Detective Grilling Eddie (uncredited)
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As Police Dispatcher
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As Girl's Father (uncredited)
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As Thomas
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As Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Abilene Fight Announcer
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As Deputy Sheriff
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As Tomassetti
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As Demolition Man (uncredited)
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As Sheriff Bud Connolly
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As Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Detective (uncredited)
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As Immigration Guard (uncredited)
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As Sergeant
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As Policeman Kelly
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As Sheriff Bud Connolly (uncredited)
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As Police Lt. Bardette
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As Officer Johnson
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As Orderly About to Give Bath (uncredited)
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As Hotel Guest in Room 625 (uncredited)
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As Buck (Uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Moving Man
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As Det. Carvin
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As Cafe Customer
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As Supply Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Court Attendant (uncredited)
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As Guard (uncredited)
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As Truck Driver
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As Clancy (uncredited)
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As Guard
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As Ranch Foreman
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As Third FBI Director
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As Dowling
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As Doorman (uncredited)
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As Detective
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As Parking Attendant at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
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As Storm Swenson
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As Prison Guard In Library (uncredited)
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As Army Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Grogin
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As Detective
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As Policeman
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As Hotel Porter (uncredited)
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As Cop (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Roaring 90's Club Doorman (uncredited)
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As Army Assistant Coach (uncredited)
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As Death Row Guard (uncredited)
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As McRafferty
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As Annabella's Brother
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As Buck Miller
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As Mountie
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As Patrolman Johnson
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As Dock Policeman
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As Policeman (uncredited)
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As George Mitchell
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As Police Sgt. Jerry
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As Sergeant
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As Sanders
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As Officer (uncredited)
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As Fluger
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As Police Interrogator
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As Doorman
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As Officer Simmons (uncredited)
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As Policeman Guarding Entrance (uncredited)
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As Police Announcer (uncredited)
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As Doorman (Uncredited)
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As Paddy (uncredited)
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As Guard (uncredited)
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As Police Sergeant (uncredited)
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As Policeman
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As Turnkey
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As Policeman (uncredited)
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As Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
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As George - Witness (uncredited)
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As Striker (uncredited)
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As Pilot (uncredited)
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As Jenks - Chauffeur (uncredited)
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As Jack's Friend (uncredited)
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As Cop (uncredited)
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As Detective Sgt. Berkovich
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As Jailer (uncredited)
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As Justice Department Agent
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As Burly Man (Uncredited)
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As 2nd Cop
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As Gas Station Attendant
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As Plebe Hockey Coach
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As Detective Hayes
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As Guard
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As Policeman in Accident Car (uncredited)
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As Army Captain (uncredited)
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As Kidnapper
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As Driver
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As Detective McCormick
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As Marine Who Likes Painting (uncredited)
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As Detective
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As State Trooper
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As Cab Driver
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As Det. Bill O'Malley
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As Dr. Spitzy Calahan (uncredited)
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As Policeman (uncredited)
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As Bill Seaver
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As State Trooper (uncredited)
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As Detective
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As Policeman
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As Man in Manhole (uncredited)
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As Detective (uncredited)
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As Mac - Policeman (uncredited)
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As Brandhma
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As Policeman at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)
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As Informant on Telephone
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As Freighter Officer
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As Agent Arresting Julie (uncredited)
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As Flavin - Federal Agent (uncredited)
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As Agent with Jean (uncredited)
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As Lieutenant (uncredited)
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As Ed
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As Detective
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As Chauffeur (uncredited)
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As 2st Military Policeman (uncredited)
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As Palace Guard (uncredited)
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As Bill Figg
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As Flannigan
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As Holt Larkins
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As Wilcox
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As Detective (uncredited)
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As Det. Mack McCue
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As Mate Briggs
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As Fireman
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As Frank Busch
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As Billy (Uncredited)
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As Corporal Randall McKenna
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As Bob Lee
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As Reporter (uncredited)
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As First Mate on Yacht (uncredited)
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As Don Lindsay
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As Undetermined Role (uncredited)