Regis Toomey

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 CBSs The DuPont Show with June Allyson In the 19611962 television season he appeared in a supporting role with George Nader in the syndicated crime drama Shannon about insurance investigators From 19631966 Toomey was one of the stars of the ABC crime drama Burkes 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 gueststarred on dozens of television programs including the Shady Deal at Sunny Acres episode of Maverick In 1941 Toomey appeared in Youre in the Army Now in which he and Jane Wyman had the longest screen kiss in cinema history 3 minutes and 5 seconds