About

Known credits:
148
Birthday:
1886-09-23
Place of birth:
New York City, New York, USA
Website:
N/A

James Burke

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James Burke (September 24, 1886 – May 23, 1968) was an American film and television actor born in New York City. He made his stage debut in New York around 1912 and went to Hollywood in 1933. He made over 200 film appearances during his career, which ranged from 1932 to 1964; he was more often than not cast as a cop, usually a none-too-bright one, most notably as Sgt. Velie in Columbia's Ellery Queen mysteries in the early 1940s. He appeared in The Maltese Falcon, At the Circus, Lone Star, and many others. One of his best roles was as Charles Ruggles' rowdy rancher pal in Ruggles of Red Gap.

In the early 1950s, Burke appeared with Tom Conway in the ABC detective drama series then called Inspector Mark Saber -- Homicide Detective, later renamed, reformatted, and switched to NBC under the title Saber of London. From 1960-1961, Burke appeared in the role of Zeke Bonner in seven episodes of the ABC western television series Stagecoach West, starring Wayne Rogers, Robert Bray, and Richard Eyer.

Burke suffered from a heart condition, which took his life at the age of eighty-one.

Known for

Acting
1975 Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1959 Alias Jesse James Actor Charlie (uncredited) 59
Average
1957 The Unholy Wife Actor Sheriff Tom Watling 58
Average
1957 Public Pigeon No. 1 Actor Harrigan 59
Average
1954 Lucky Me Actor Mahoney 59
Average
1952 Lone Star Actor Luther Kilgore 58
Average
1952 Toughest Man in Arizona Actor N/A
N/A
1952 We're Not Married! Actor Willie's Sergeant (uncredited) 59
Average
1952 Denver and Rio Grande Actor Sheriff Ed Johnson 58
Average
1951 Warpath Actor Oldtimer 58
Average
1951 Raton Pass Actor Hank 58
Average
1951 The Last Outpost Actor Stagecoach driver (uncredited) 59
Average
1950 Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone Actor The Train Conductor 59
Average
1950 Let's Dance Actor George (uncredited) 59
Average
1950 Copper Canyon Actor Jeb Bassett 58
Average
1949 Red, Hot and Blue Actor Doorman (uncredited) 58
Average
1949 Alias Nick Beal Actor Bum 59
Average
1949 Shamrock Hill Actor Michael Rogan 59
Average
1948 June Bride Actor Luke Potter 59
Average
1948 Night Wind Actor Sheriff Hamilton N/A
N/A
1948 Beyond Glory Actor Jim, the Bartender (uncredited) 59
Average
1948 Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven Actor Cop (uncredited) 59
Average
1948 The Timber Trail Actor Jed Baker N/A
N/A
1948 The Big Clock Actor O'Brien 62
Fair
1947 Body and Soul Actor Arnold (uncredited) 60
Fair
1947 Nightmare Alley Actor Rural Marshal (uncredited) 62
Fair
1947 Song of the Thin Man Actor Policeman Callahan (uncredited) 60
Fair
1947 The Gas House Kids in Hollywood Actor Police Lt. Burke 59
Average
1947 Down to Earth Actor Detective Kelly 59
Average
1947 Philo Vance's Gamble Actor Lt. Burke 59
Average
1947 Easy Come, Easy Go Actor Harry Weston N/A
N/A
1947 California Actor Pokey 59
Average
1946 Two Years Before the Mast Actor Carrick 59
Average
1946 Bowery Bombshell Actor Detective O'Malley 59
Average
1946 The Virginian Actor Andy Jones (uncredited) 59
Average
1946 Young Widow Actor Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited) 58
Average
1945 How DOooo You Do Actor Detective N/A
N/A
1945 I Love a Bandleader Actor Charles Gibley N/A
N/A
1945 Shady Lady Actor Crane 59
Average
1945 Anchors Aweigh Actor Studio Cop 61
Fair
1945 The Horn Blows at Midnight Actor Policeman (uncredited) 59
Average
1944 Casanova Brown Actor O'Leary (uncredited) 59
Average
1944 3 Men in White Actor First Policeman (uncredited) 59
Average
1943 Riding High Actor Pete 58
Average
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars Actor Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited) 59
Average
1943 Dixie Actor Riverboat Captain (uncredited) 58
Average
1943 No Place for a Lady Actor Police Substation Chief Moriarty 59
Average
1942 A Night to Remember Actor Pat Murphy (uncredited) 59
Average
1942 Army Surgeon Actor Brooklyn 59
Average
1942 Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen Actor Police Sergeant Velie 59
Average
1942 It Happened in Flatbush Actor Umpire Shaunnessy 58
Average
1942 A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen Actor Sgt. Velie 59
Average
1942 My Favorite Blonde Actor Union Secretary 59
Average
1942 A Close Call for Ellery Queen Actor Sgt. Velie 59
Average
1942 All Through the Night Actor Police Lt. Forbes 60
Fair
1941 Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring Actor Sgt. Velie 59
Average
1941 The Maltese Falcon Actor Luke 72
Good
1941 Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime Actor Sgt. Velie 59
Average
1941 Million Dollar Baby Actor Callahan 59
Average
1941 Reaching for the Sun Actor Norm 59
Average
1941 Pot o' Gold Actor Lt. Grady 58
Average
1941 Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery Actor Sgt. Velie 59
Average
1940 Ellery Queen, Master Detective Actor Sgt. Velle 59
Average
1940 Little Nellie Kelly Actor Sergeant McGowan 59
Average
1940 No Time for Comedy Actor Police Sergeant (uncredited) 58
Average
1940 The Golden Fleecing Actor Sibley 58
Average
1940 The Way of All Flesh Actor Frisco 58
Average
1940 The Saint Takes Over Actor Patrolman Mike 59
Average
1940 Buck Benny Rides Again Actor Taxi Driver N/A
N/A
1940 Opened by Mistake Actor Police Sergeant Wilkins N/A
N/A
1940 Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise Actor Wilkie, house detective 59
Average
1940 Double Alibi Actor Police Captain Orr 59
Average
1939 The Cisco Kid and the Lady Actor Pop Saunders 58
Average
1939 At the Circus Actor John Carter 59
Average
1939 Fast and Furious Actor Clancy 58
Average
1939 Beau Geste Actor Lieutenant Dufour 60
Fair
1939 On Borrowed Time Actor Sheriff Burlingame 59
Average
1939 Dodge City Actor Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited) 60
Fair
1939 Sudden Money Actor McPherson 58
Average
1939 The Family Next Door Actor Policeman 58
Average
1939 Within the Law Actor 'Red' 59
Average
1939 The Saint Strikes Back Actor Headquarters Police Officer 58
Average
1938 The Dawn Patrol Actor Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver 59
Average
1938 Little Orphan Annie Actor Mike Moriarty N/A
N/A
1938 The Mad Miss Manton Actor Sullivan 59
Average
1938 The Affairs of Annabel Actor Muldoon 58
Average
1938 You Can't Take It with You Actor Chief Detective (uncredited) 65
Fair
1938 Men with Wings Actor J.A. Nolan 59
Average
1938 Joy of Living Actor Mac 59
Average
1938 Flight Into Nowhere Actor Ike Matthews 58
Average
1937 The Perfect Specimen Actor Constable Snodgrass 59
Average
1937 Life Begins with Love Actor Darby McGraw 58
Average
1937 Dead End Actor Police Officer Mulligan 61
Fair
1937 High, Wide and Handsome Actor Stackpole 59
Average
1937 Champagne Waltz Actor Mr. Scribner 59
Average
1936 Laughing at Trouble Actor Bill Norton 59
Average
1936 Great Guy Actor Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley 59
Average
1936 Can This Be Dixie? Actor Sheriff N.B.F. Rider N/A
N/A
1936 36 Hours to Kill Actor Doyle - Process Server 59
Average
1936 Rhythm on the Range Actor Wabash 59
Average
1936 Song and Dance Man Actor Lt. Mike Boyle N/A
N/A
1936 Klondike Annie Actor 59
Average
1936 The Leathernecks Have Landed Actor Corrigan 59
Average
1936 Dancing Feet Actor Phil Moore 58
Average
1935 So Red the Rose Actor Major Rushton 59
Average
1935 Frisco Waterfront Actor Corrigan N/A
N/A
1935 Coronado Actor Slug Moran 58
Average
1935 Hot Money Actor Police Sgt. Burke N/A
N/A
1935 Music Is Magic Actor Mickey (uncredited) 59
Average
1935 Case of the Missing Man Actor Police Sergeant Rorty N/A
N/A
1935 Here Comes Cookie Actor Broken-Nose Reilly 59
Average
1935 The Affair of Susan Actor Hogan N/A
N/A
1935 Welcome Home Actor Michael Shaughnessy N/A
N/A
1935 Call of the Wild Actor Ole 59
Average
1935 Man on the Flying Trapeze Actor Patrolman 58
Average
1935 Broadway Gondolier Actor Uncle Andy 58
Average
1935 Make a Million Actor Pete 59
Average
1935 After the Dance Actor Police Lieutenant 59
Average
1935 Dinky Actor Truck Driver 59
Average
1935 Ruggles of Red Gap Actor Jeff Tuttle 60
Fair
1935 The Mystery Man Actor Managing Editor Marvin 59
Average
1934 Ticket to a Crime Actor Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis 59
Average
1934 Love Time Actor Emperor Francis I N/A
N/A
1934 Lady by Choice Actor Brannigan 59
Average
1934 Treasure Island Actor Pirate of the Spanish Main 59
Average
1934 Friends of Mr. Sweeney Actor Policeman Arresting Wynn 59
Average
1934 Such Women Are Dangerous Actor Detective N/A
N/A
1934 Little Miss Marker Actor Detective Reardon (uncredited) 59
Average
1934 The Merry Frinks Actor 3rd Expressman (uncredited) 58
Average
1934 Twentieth Century Actor Sheriff (uncredited) 60
Fair
1934 The Scarlet Empress Actor 60
Fair
1934 A Very Honorable Guy Actor Sergeant 58
Average
1934 City Limits Actor King, a Hobo 59
Average
1934 Wharf Angel Actor Brooklyn Jack 58
Average
1934 Gambling Lady Actor Detective Making Raid (uncredited) 59
Average
1934 It Happened One Night Actor Detective (uncredited) 72
Good
1934 Six of a Kind Actor Detective (uncredited) 59
Average
1934 All of Me Actor Welfare Island Guard (uncredited) 59
Average
1933 Queen Christina Actor Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited) 60
Fair
1933 Lady Killer Actor 59
Average
1933 The Kennel Murder Case Actor Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited) 59
Average
1933 Bombshell Actor First Immigration Officer (uncredited) 59
Average
1933 To the Last Man Actor Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited) 59
Average
1933 Torch Singer Actor Taxi Driver 58
Average
1933 College Humor Actor Cromwell Dexter 58
Average
1933 The Girl in 419 Actor Detective Jackson 58
Average
1933 A Lady's Profession Actor Mulroy N/A
N/A
1933 Face in the Sky Actor Cop (uncredited) 58
Average