THE HAT SQUAD: PAUL GLEASON

Paul Gleason passed away last week from mysasthelioma, a lung cancer connected to asbestos. Most people would automatically think of him as the principal in 'The Breakfast Club' or from 'Trading Places'. And it's probably from those two movies that he was able to build upon for better roles over the next twenty years.

Of all his roles in Television, my personal favorite was in an episode of 'NewsRadio' in which he had very few lines, three at the most, I'd say. His main duty was to serve as corporate muscle and intimidate the staffers of WNYX. But after getting socked in the nose, his aura of menace crumpled like a fender.

While working to group his TV appearances into their appropriate categories, I found one role of particular interest for the Toobworld conecpt. "Women At West Point" was a fictionalized look at the induction of women into the military academy in 1976, and he played Major James Kirk. The IMDb.com has the middle initial of "T" added in, but it's missing from the book "Movies Made For Television (The Telefeature and the Mini-series) 1964-1986". Could that "T" have stood for "Tiberius"?

Even if its addition was just wishful thinking or a hoax on the part of an IMDb contributor, the possibility still exists that Major James Kirk could have been an ancestor to the captain of the starship Enterprise some 400 years later in 'Star Trek'.

Whether playing villains or enjoying a humorous guest spot, sometimes at the same time, Paul Gleason was a great supporting player and his presence will be missed in Toobworld.

TV SERIES
"Lost on Earth" (1997) TV Series .... George Greckin
"Superior Court" (1986) TV Series .... Attorney
"Another Life" (1981) TV Series .... Lee Carothers #1 (1982-83)
"All My Children" (1970) TV Series .... Dr. David Thornton (1976-1978)

TV MOVIES
Sun Gods (2002) (TV)
Majority Rule (1992) (TV)
Fourth Story (1991) (TV) .... Lt. Petkavich
Starting Now (1989) (TV) .... Harold
Spooner (1989) (TV) .... Roland Hyde
Supercarrier (1988) (TV)
Challenge of a Lifetime (1985) (TV) .... John Schoonover
Doubletake (1985) (TV) .... Howie Henley
Women at West Point (1979) (TV) .... Major James T. Kirk

TV MINI-SERIES
"Ike" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... Capt. Ernest 'Tex' Lee

TV MOVIES CONNECTED TO THE "CINEVERSE"
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love (1994) (TV)
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985) (TV) .... Jeremitt

TV GUEST ROLES
"George Lopez"
- George to the Third Power (2005) TV Episode .... Lou Powers
"Cold Case"
- Blank Generation (2005) TV Episode .... Stewart Adams
"Malcolm in the Middle"
- Reese Joins the Army: Part 2 (2004) TV Episode .... Mystery Man
- Reese Joins the Army: Part 1 (2004) TV Episode .... Mystery Man
"Dawson's Creek"
- Sex and Violence (2003) TV Episode .... Larry Newman
- Day Out of Days (2003) TV Episode .... Studio Producer
"Dragnet"
- Sticks and Stones (2003) TV Episode .... Matt Margolis
"The Guardian"
- The Dark (2002) TV Episode .... Scott Kollbrenner
"Fastlane"
- Pilot (2002) TV Episode .... Detective Lannigan
"Dead Last"
- The Mulravian Candidate (2001) TV Episode .... Johnson the CIA Agent
"Cursed"
- ...And Then Jack Became the Voice of the Cougars (2001) TV Episode .... Principal Squires
"The District"
- Rage Against the Machine (2001) TV Episode .... Peter Wendt
"Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction"
- Creepy Comics (2000) TV Episode .... Kip Sherman
"Friends"
- The One That Could Have Been: Part 1 (2000) TV Episode .... Jack
- The One That Could Have Been: Part 2 (2000) TV Episode .... Jack
"Diagnosis Murder"
- Seven Deadly Sins (1999) TV Episode
"The Drew Carey Show"
- Drew and the Gang Law (1999) TV Episode .... Judge #1
"Veronica's Closet"
- Veronica's June Swoon (1999) TV Episode .... Hank
"Chicago Hope"
- Home Is Where the Heartache Is (1999) TV Episode .... Tom McNeil
"Melrose Place"
- The Usual Santas (1998) TV Episode .... Judge Nicholas
"Nash Bridges"
- Hardball (1998) TV Episode .... Mickey Tripp
"Grace Under Fire"
- Finders Keepers (1997) TV Episode .... Stuart Wallace
"Walker, Texas Ranger"
- Brainchild (1997) TV Episode .... Dr. Harold Payton
"NewsRadio"
- The Public Domain (1997) TV Episode .... Steve Johnson
"Boy Meets World"
- Fraternity Row (1997) TV Episode .... Dean Borak
- It's Not You... It's Me (1997) TV Episode .... Dean Borak
"Dark Skies"
- The Awakening (1996) TV Episode .... Nelson Rockefeller
"One West Waikiki" (1994) TV Series .... Captain Dave Herzog
"Seinfeld"
- The Opposite (1994) TV Episode .... Cushman
"Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"
- The Ides of Metropolis (1994) TV Episode .... Henry Harrison
"The Wonder Years"
- Scenes from a Wedding (1992) TV Episode .... Arthur Jensen
"Murder, She Wrote"
- Murder in Milan (1992) TV Episode .... Steve Morrison
- Thursday's Child (1991) TV Episode .... Lt. Barney Claymore
- The Error of Her Ways (1989) TV Episode .... Sterling Rose
"Tales from the Crypt"
- The Reluctant Vampire (1991) TV Episode
"L.A. Law"
- Speak, Lawyers, for Me (1991) TV Episode .... Coach John Laughton
"Hardball"
- The Cool Katt (1990) TV Episode
"Father Dowling Mysteries"
- The Stone Killer Mystery (1990) TV Episode
"B.L. Stryker"
- Winner Takes All (1990) TV Episode
"21 Jump Street"
- Parental Guidance Suggested (1989) TV Episode
"Life Goes On"
- The Baby-Sitter (1989) TV Episode .... Stan Graber
"Beauty and the Beast"
- Song of Orpheus (1987) TV Episode .... Henry Dutton
"Falcon Crest"
- Cold Hands (1987) TV Episode .... Andy Stryker
"The Equalizer"
- Tip on a Sure Thing (1986) TV Episode .... Greenleaf
"Miami Vice"
- When Irish Eyes Are Crying (1986) TV Episode .... Bunny Berrigan
"The A-Team"
- The Trouble with Harry (1986) TV Episode .... Harry
- Fire (1984) TV Episode .... Roy Kelsey
"Kate & Allie"
- High Anxiety (1986) TV Episode .... Tom Fitzgerald
"Dallas"
- Terms of Estrangement (1985) TV Episode .... Lt. Lee Spaulding
"Magnum, P.I."
- Kiss of the Sabre (1984) TV Episode .... Ronnie Meeder/'Jacques Arnot'
"Hill Street Blues"
- Low Blow (1984) TV Episode .... Biff Lowe
- Fuched Again (1984) TV Episode .... Biff Lowe
"Riptide"
- Father's Day (1984) TV Episode .... Commander Phillip Everitt
- The Hardcase (1984) TV Episode .... Detective Hallins
"Hardcastle and McCormick"
- You Would Cry Too, If It Happened to You (1984) TV Episode .... Jack Fish
"Call to Glory"
- Paper Tiger (1984) TV Episode .... Marty Colby
"Cagney & Lacey"
- A Killer's Dozen (1984) TV Episode .... Detective Crespi
"Remington Steele"
- Small Town Steele (1984) TV Episode .... Sheriff Jeff 'Jed' Nebbins
"Scarecrow and Mrs. King"
- Savior (1984) TV Episode .... Edson Ballon
Columbo: Identity Crisis (1975) (TV) .... Parsons
"Adam-12"
- Excessive Force (1974) TV Episode (as Paul Xavier Gleason) .... John Suntor
- Training Wheels (1972) TV Episode .... Instructor Chuck Williams
- Backup 1-L20 (1972) TV Episode .... Patrolman Arnold
- The Grandmothers (1971) TV Episode .... Smitty
"Banacek"
- No Sign of the Cross (1972) TV Episode .... Border Guard
"Mission: Impossible"
- The Deal (1972) TV Episode .... Blair

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby