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 |
Movie | The Carey Treatment | Sanderson the Pathologist | 1972-03-29 |
Series | Ghost Story | Unknown | 1972-09-15 |
Movie | Cover Me Babe | Michael Atterbury | 1970-10-01 |
Movie | Change of Habit | Father Gibbons | 1969-11-10 |
Movie | Gunn | The Bishop | 1967-06-28 |
Series | The Time Tunnel | Unknown | 1966-09-09 |
Movie | The Night of the Grizzly | Cotton Benson | 1966-04-20 |
Series | The Legend of Jesse James | Unknown | 1965-09-13 |
Series | Green Acres | Unknown | 1965-09-15 |
Series | The F.B.I. | Unknown | 1965-09-19 |
Movie | Man's Favorite Sport? | Bagley | 1964-01-31 |
Series | Petticoat Junction | Unknown | 1963-09-24 |
Series | Burke's Law | Detective Lester Hart | 1963-09-20 |
Series | Going My Way | Unknown | 1962-10-03 |
Series | The Virginian | Unknown | 1962-09-19 |
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 | The Errand Boy | Studio Exec with the Baron | 1961-11-28 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Unknown | 1961-09-27 |
Series | Cain's Hundred | Unknown | 1961-09-19 |
Movie | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Dr. Jamieson | 1961-07-12 |
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 | Unknown | 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 | Sing Boy Sing | Rev. Easton | 1958-02-21 |
Series | Wanted: Dead or Alive | Unknown | 1958-09-06 |
Series | Bronco | Unknown | 1958-09-23 |
Series | Peter Gunn | Unknown | 1958-09-22 |
Movie | Joy Ride | Miles Renny | 1958-11-23 |
Series | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Unknown | 1957-07-01 |
Movie | Curfew Breakers | Coach Bettger | 1957-03-22 |
Series | Perry Mason | Unknown | 1957-09-21 |
Series | Trackdown | Unknown | 1957-10-04 |
Series | Maverick | Unknown | 1957-09-22 |
Series | Sugarfoot | Unknown | 1957-09-17 |
Movie | Great Day in the Morning | Father Murphy | 1956-05-16 |
Movie | Three for Jamie Dawn | Murph | 1956-07-08 |
Series | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Unknown | 1956-10-05 |
Movie | Dakota Incident | Minstrel | 1956-07-23 |
Series | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Unknown | 1956-09-07 |
Series | Navy Log | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Series | Cheyenne | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Series | The Millionaire | Unknown | 1955-01-19 |
Movie | Guys and Dolls | Arvide Abernathy | 1955-12-23 |
Series | The 20th Century Fox Hour | Unknown | 1955-10-05 |
Movie | Top Gun | Jim O'Hara | 1955-12-01 |
Series | Matinee Theater | Unknown | 1955-10-31 |
Movie | Drums Across the River | Sheriff Jim Beal | 1954-06-01 |
Series | Hey Mulligan | Joe Mulligan | 1954-08-28 |
Movie | The High and the Mighty | Tim Garfield | 1954-07-03 |
Series | December Bride | Unknown | 1954-10-04 |
Series | Climax! | Unknown | 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 | Unknown | 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 | Take the High Ground! | Chaplain (uncredited) | 1953-10-30 |
Movie | Main Street to Broadway | Desk Sergeant (uncredited) | 1953-10-12 |
Movie | Island in the Sky | Sergeant Harper | 1953-09-05 |
Series | Letter to Loretta | Unknown | 1953-09-20 |
Movie | The Battle at Apache Pass | Dr. Carter | 1952-05-09 |
Movie | My Six Convicts | Dr. Gordon | 1952-03-20 |
Movie | My Pal Gus | Farley Norris | 1952-12-01 |
Movie | Just for You | Mr. Hodges | 1952-09-27 |
Series | Cavalcade of America | Unknown | 1952-10-01 |
Movie | Tomahawk | 1951-02-05 | |
Movie | Cry Danger | Gus Cobb | 1951-02-23 |
Movie | Show Boat | Sheriff Ike Vallon (uncredited) | 1951-07-19 |
Series | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Unknown | 1951-10-05 |
Movie | The People Against O'Hara | Fred Colton, Police Sound Man | 1951-09-01 |
Movie | The Tall Target | Insp. Tim Reilly (uncredited) | 1951-08-17 |
Movie | Dynamite Pass | Dan Madden | 1950-03-23 |
Movie | Again Pioneers | Dave Harley | 1950-11-01 |
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 | Mighty Joe Young | John Young | 1949-07-27 |
Movie | Come to the Stable | Monsignor Talbot | 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 Thirteenth Hour | Don Parker | 1947-02-06 |
Movie | The Guilty | Detective Heller | 1947-03-22 |
Movie | The Bishop's Wife | Mr. Miller | 1947-12-25 |
Movie | High Tide | Inspector O'Haffey | 1947-09-13 |
Movie | Magic Town | Ed Weaver | 1947-10-07 |
Movie | The Big Sleep | Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls | 1946-08-23 |
Movie | Mysterious Intruder | James Summers | 1946-04-11 |
Movie | Sister Kenny | New York Reporter (uncredited) | 1946-10-10 |
Movie | Child of Divorce | Ray Carter | 1946-10-14 |
Movie | Her Sister's Secret | Bill Gordon | 1946-09-23 |
Movie | Strange Illusion | Dr. Vincent | 1945-03-31 |
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 | The Doughgirls | Timothy Walsh | 1944-11-25 |
Movie | Raiders of Ghost City | Capt. Clay Randolph [Chs. 1-6] | 1944-07-25 |
Movie | When the Lights Go On Again | Bill Regan | 1944-10-22 |
Movie | Dark Mountain | Steve Downey | 1944-09-01 |
Movie | Murder in the Blue Room | Inspector McDonald | 1944-10-27 |
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 | The Devil and Miss Jones | 1st Policeman | 1941-04-11 |
Movie | A Shot in the Dark | William Ryder | 1941-04-05 |
Movie | Meet John Doe | Bert Hansen | 1941-03-14 |
Movie | Reaching for the Sun | Intern | 1941-05-01 |
Movie | The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance | Wallace | 1941-03-06 |
Movie | They Died with Their Boots On | Fitzhugh Lee | 1941-11-20 |
Movie | The Nurse's Secret | Inspector Tom Patten | 1941-05-24 |
Movie | You're in the Army Now | Captain Joe Radcliffe | 1941-12-25 |
Movie | New York Town | Jim Martin (uncredited) | 1941-10-31 |
Movie | Dive Bomber | Tim Griffin | 1941-08-30 |
Movie | Law of the Tropics | Tom Marshall | 1941-10-04 |
Movie | Northwest Passage | Webster | 1940-02-23 |
Movie | His Girl Friday | Sanders | 1940-01-18 |
Movie | North West Mounted Police | Constable Jerry Moore | 1940-10-22 |
Movie | 'Til We Meet Again | Freddy | 1940-04-20 |
Movie | Arizona | Grant Oury | 1940-12-25 |
Movie | March On, Marines | Drill Sergeant | 1940-12-14 |
Movie | Society Smugglers | Johnny Beebe | 1939-03-01 |
Movie | Wings of the Navy | First Flight Instructor | 1939-02-11 |
Movie | Street of Missing Men | Jim Parker | 1939-04-24 |
Movie | The Mysterious Miss X | Jack Webster | 1939-01-10 |
Movie | The Phantom Creeps | Lt. Jim Daly | 1939-01-07 |
Movie | Thunder Afloat | Ives | 1939-09-15 |
Movie | Union Pacific | Paddy O'Rourke | 1939-05-05 |
Movie | Hidden Power | Mayton | 1939-09-07 |
Movie | Indianapolis Speedway | Dick Wilbur | 1939-08-05 |
Movie | Confessions of a Nazi Spy | Tom - in Coffee Shop (uncredited) | 1939-05-06 |
Movie | Trapped in the Sky | Lt. Gary | 1939-06-01 |
Movie | The Invisible Menace | Lt. Matthews | 1938-01-11 |
Movie | Smashing the Spy Ring | Ted Hall | 1938-12-29 |
Movie | Blind Alibi | Doctor Wilson - Veterinarian | 1938-05-20 |
Movie | Illegal Traffic | Windy | 1938-11-02 |
Movie | Shadows of the Orient | Inspector Bob Baxter | 1937-08-18 |
Movie | Midnight Taxi | Hilton | 1937-04-04 |
Movie | Back in Circulation | Buck | 1937-08-27 |
Movie | Submarine D-1 | Tom Callan | 1937-11-27 |
Movie | Big City | Fred Hawkins | 1937-09-03 |
Movie | Bulldog Edition | Jim Hardy | 1936-09-13 |
Movie | One Frightened Night | Tom Dean | 1935-05-01 |
Movie | Shadow of Doubt | Reed Ryan | 1935-02-15 |
Movie | Great God Gold | Phil Stuart | 1935-04-14 |
Movie | 'G' Men | Eddie Buchanan | 1935-05-04 |
Movie | Skull and Crown | Bob Franklin, alias Rocky Morgan | 1935-12-16 |
Movie | Bars of Hate | Ted Clark | 1935-11-01 |
Movie | Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 | 1934-03-02 | |
Movie | Picture Brides | Dave Hart | 1934-04-23 |
Movie | Murder on the Blackboard | Detective Smiley North | 1934-06-15 |
Movie | She Had to Choose | Jack Berry | 1934-10-01 |
Movie | Red Morning | John Hastings | 1934-12-14 |
Movie | Laughing at Life | Pat Collins / Mc Hale | 1933-07-12 |
Movie | She Had to Say Yes | Tommy Nelson | 1933-07-15 |
Movie | Big Time Or Bust | Jimmie Kane | 1933-11-10 |
Movie | Under Eighteen | Jimmie Slocum | 1932-01-02 |
Movie | The Penal Code | Robert Palmer | 1932-12-23 |
Movie | The Midnight Patrol | John Martin | 1932-04-10 |
Movie | Shopworn | David Livingston | 1932-03-25 |
Movie | A Strange Adventure | Detective-Sergeant Mitchell | 1932-11-20 |
Movie | They Never Come Back | Jimmy Nolan | 1932-05-10 |
Movie | The Crowd Roars | Dick Wilbur | 1932-04-16 |
Movie | Scandal Sheet | Regan | 1931-01-31 |
Movie | Other Men's Women | Jack Kulper | 1931-01-17 |
Movie | The Finger Points | Charlie 'Breezy' Russell | 1931-04-11 |
Movie | Finn and Hattie | Henry Collins | 1931-02-04 |
Movie | Kick In | Chick Hewes | 1931-05-22 |
Movie | Touchdown! | Tom Hussey | 1931-11-15 |
Movie | 24 Hours | Tony Bruzzi | 1931-10-03 |
Movie | Murder by the Clock | Office Cassidy | 1931-07-21 |
Movie | Graft | Dustin Hotchkiss | 1931-09-21 |
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 | The Light of Western Stars | Bob Drexell | 1930-04-19 |
Movie | A Man from Wyoming | Jersey | 1930-07-12 |
Movie | Shadow of the Law | Tom Owens | 1930-06-06 |
Movie | Good Intentions | Richard Holt | 1930-06-29 |
Movie | Alibi | Danny McGann | 1929-04-20 |
Movie | Illusion | Eric | 1929-09-21 |
Movie | The Wheel of Life | Lt. MacLaren | 1929-06-15 |