James Burke
Biography
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.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (38)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
1975
Alias Jesse James
as Charlie (uncredited)
1959
The Unholy Wife
as Sheriff Tom Watling
1957
Public Pigeon No. 1
as Harrigan
1957
Lucky Me
as Mahoney
1954
Lone Star
as Luther Kilgore
1952
Toughest Man in Arizona
1952
We're Not Married!
as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
1952
Denver and Rio Grande
as Sheriff Ed Johnson
1952
Warpath
as Oldtimer
1951
Here Comes the Groom
as O'Neill, Policeman
1951
His Kind of Woman
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
1951
Raton Pass
as Hank
1951
The Last Outpost
as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
1951
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
as The Train Conductor
1950
Let's Dance
as George (uncredited)
1950
Copper Canyon
as Jeb Bassett
1950
Red, Hot and Blue
as Doorman (uncredited)
1949
Alias Nick Beal
as Bum
1949
Shamrock Hill
as Michael Rogan
1949
June Bride
as Luke Potter
1948
Night Wind
as Sheriff Hamilton
1948
Beyond Glory
as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
1948
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Cop (uncredited)
1948
The Timber Trail
as Jed Baker
1948
The Big Clock
as O'Brien
1948
Body and Soul
as Arnold (uncredited)
1947
Nightmare Alley
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
1947
Song of the Thin Man
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
1947
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
as Police Lt. Burke
1947
Down to Earth
as Detective Kelly
1947
Philo Vance's Gamble
as Lt. Burke
1947
Easy Come, Easy Go
as Harry Weston
1947
California
as Pokey
1947
Two Years Before the Mast
as Carrick
1946
Bowery Bombshell
as Detective O'Malley
1946
The Virginian
as Andy Jones (uncredited)
1946
Young Widow
as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
1946
TV Shows (12)
Dinah!
as Self
1974
Stagecoach West
as James Burke
1960
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Policeman
1959
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
as Sheriff John Tatum
1958
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
as Horse Handler (uncredited)
1957
Trackdown
1957
The 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
Cheyenne
as Buckshot
1955
Lassie
1954
My Little Margie
1952
I Love Lucy
as Mr. Watson
1951