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 on 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 then found more success as a character actor (sans his toupee.)

Toomey appeared in over 180 films and guest starred on dozens of television programs, including the "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" episode of Maverick.

In 1941, he 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. http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0943837/bio

Pittsburgh-born and raised Regis Toomey studied drama at the university of his home town. One of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, John Regis Toomey initially pondered a law career, but acting won out and he established himself as a musical stage performer. He was touring in "Little Nellie Kelly" in England when he developed an acute case of laryngitis. The problem forced a sincere rethinking of his career goals. With the birth of sound pictures, Toomey made an auspicious debut with Alibi (1929) starring Chester Morris (I) where a climactic death scene sparked controversy...and a movie career that would include almost 200 pictures. His lead/second lead status opposite such stars as Clara Bow (I), Constance Bennett (I), Barbara Stanwyck and Evelyn Brent fell away within a few years, finding more work in streetwise character roles. Fast-paced crime action was his forte and he was prevalent throughout the 30s and 40s, but, with time, he moved further down the credits list. In the 50s he looked for employment on TV. Fellow one-time singer Dick Powell (I) became a friend and Powell, having turned producer, saw to it that Toomey had involving roles on his TV series such as "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" (1957) and "Burke's Law" (1965)_. Toomey played roles well past his 80th year. His marriage (from 1925) to Kathryn Scott produced two children. He died of natural causes on October 12, 1991 in Woodland Hills, California at age 93.