James Burke
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1886-09-23
Day of Death
1968-05-23 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
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.
Known For
Acting
(1975)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
(1959)
Alias Jesse James
as Charlie (uncredited)
(1957)
The Unholy Wife
as Sheriff Tom Watling
(1957)
Public Pigeon No. 1
as Harrigan
(1954)
Lucky Me
as Mahoney
(1952)
Lone Star
as Luther Kilgore
(1952)
We're Not Married!
as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
(1952)
Denver and Rio Grande
as Sheriff Ed Johnson
(1952)
(1951)
The Last Outpost
as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
(1951)
Warpath
as Oldtimer
(1951)
His Kind of Woman
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
(1951)
Raton Pass
as Hank
(1951)
Here Comes the Groom
as O'Neill, Policeman
(1950)
Let's Dance
as George (uncredited)
(1950)
Copper Canyon
as Jeb Bassett
(1950)
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
as The Train Conductor
(1949)
Alias Nick Beal
as Bum
(1949)
Red, Hot and Blue
as Doorman (uncredited)
(1949)
Shamrock Hill
as Michael Rogan
(1948)
The Big Clock
as O'Brien
(1948)
June Bride
as Luke Potter
(1948)
The Timber Trail
as Jed Baker
(1948)
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Cop (uncredited)
(1948)
Beyond Glory
as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
(1948)
Night Wind
as Sheriff Hamilton
(1947)
Nightmare Alley
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
(1947)
California
as Pokey
(1947)
Song of the Thin Man
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
(1947)
Body and Soul
as Arnold (uncredited)
(1947)
Down to Earth
as Detective Kelly
(1947)
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
as Police Lt. Burke
(1947)
Philo Vance's Gamble
as Lt. Burke
(1947)
Easy Come, Easy Go
as Harry Weston
(1946)
The Virginian
as Andy Jones (uncredited)
(1946)
Young Widow
as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
(1946)
Bowery Bombshell
as Detective O'Malley
(1946)
Two Years Before the Mast
as Carrick
(1945)
Anchors Aweigh
as Studio Cop
(1945)
The Horn Blows at Midnight
as Policeman (uncredited)
(1945)
How DOooo You Do
as Detective
(1945)
Shady Lady
as Crane
(1945)
I Love a Bandleader
as Charles Gibley
(1944)
Casanova Brown
as O'Leary (uncredited)
(1944)
3 Men in White
as First Policeman (uncredited)
(1943)
Dixie
as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
(1943)
Riding High
as Pete
(1943)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
(1943)
No Place for a Lady
as Police Substation Chief Moriarty
(1942)
All Through the Night
as Police Lt. Forbes
(1942)
My Favorite Blonde
as Union Secretary
(1942)
A Night to Remember
as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
(1942)
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
as Sgt. Velie
(1942)
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
as Police Sergeant Velie
(1942)
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Sgt. Velie
(1942)
Army Surgeon
as Brooklyn
(1942)
It Happened in Flatbush
as Umpire Shaunnessy
(1941)
The Maltese Falcon
as Luke
(1941)
Pot o' Gold
as Lt. Grady
(1941)
Million Dollar Baby
as Callahan
(1941)
Reaching for the Sun
as Norm
(1941)
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Sgt. Velie
(1941)
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
as Sgt. Velie
(1941)
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Sgt. Velie
(1940)
The Golden Fleecing
as Sibley
(1940)
The Way of All Flesh
as Frisco
(1940)
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Taxi Driver
(1940)
The Saint Takes Over
as Patrolman Mike
(1940)
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
as Wilkie, house detective
(1940)
Little Nellie Kelly
as Sergeant McGowan
(1940)
Opened by Mistake
as Police Sergeant Wilkins
(1940)
Double Alibi
as Police Captain Orr
(1940)
No Time for Comedy
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
(1940)
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Sgt. Velle
(1939)
Dodge City
as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
(1939)
Beau Geste
as Lieutenant Dufour
(1939)
At the Circus
as John Carter
(1939)
On Borrowed Time
as Sheriff Burlingame
(1939)
The Saint Strikes Back
as Headquarters Police Officer
(1939)
Fast and Furious
as Clancy
(1939)
The Cisco Kid and the Lady
as Pop Saunders
(1939)
The Family Next Door
as Policeman
(1939)
I'm from Missouri
as Walt Bliss
(1939)
Sudden Money
as McPherson
(1939)
Within the Law
as 'Red'
(1938)
You Can't Take It with You
as Chief Detective (uncredited)
(1938)
Men with Wings
as J.A. Nolan
(1938)
Flight Into Nowhere
as Ike Matthews
(1938)
The Mad Miss Manton
as Sullivan
(1938)
Joy of Living
as Mac
(1938)
The Dawn Patrol
as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
(1938)
Little Orphan Annie
as Mike Moriarty
(1938)
The Affairs of Annabel
as Muldoon
(1937)
Dead End
as Police Officer Mulligan
(1937)
High, Wide and Handsome
as Stackpole
(1937)
Life Begins with Love
as Darby McGraw
(1937)
The Perfect Specimen
as Constable Snodgrass
(1937)
Champagne Waltz
as Mr. Scribner
(1936)
Great Guy
as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
(1936)
Dancing Feet
as Phil Moore
(1936)
Song and Dance Man
as Lt. Mike Boyle
(1936)
The Leathernecks Have Landed
as Corrigan
(1936)
Rhythm on the Range
as Wabash
(1936)
(1936)
Laughing at Trouble
as Bill Norton
(1936)
36 Hours to Kill
as Doyle - Process Server
(1936)
Can This Be Dixie?
as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
(1936)
Forgotten Faces
as Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
(1935)
Call of the Wild
as Ole
(1935)
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Jeff Tuttle
(1935)
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
(1935)
After the Dance
as Police Lieutenant
(1935)
Dinky
as Truck Driver
(1935)
Make a Million
as Pete
(1935)
Case of the Missing Man
as Police Sergeant Rorty
(1935)
Broadway Gondolier
as Uncle Andy
(1935)
Man on the Flying Trapeze
as Patrolman
(1935)
Mississippi
as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
(1935)
Music Is Magic
as Mickey (uncredited)
(1935)
The Mystery Man
as Managing Editor Marvin
(1935)
Frisco Waterfront
as Corrigan
(1935)
Coronado
as Slug Moran
(1935)
Hot Money
as Police Sgt. Burke
(1935)
Here Comes Cookie
as Broken-Nose Reilly
(1935)
The Affair of Susan
as Hogan
(1935)
So Red the Rose
as Major Rushton
(1935)
Welcome Home
as Michael Shaughnessy
(1934)
It Happened One Night
as Detective (uncredited)
(1934)
(1934)
Treasure Island
as Pirate of the Spanish Main
(1934)
Twentieth Century
as Sheriff (uncredited)
(1934)
Little Miss Marker
as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
(1934)
Sadie McKee
as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
(1934)
Ticket to a Crime
as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
(1934)
Wharf Angel
as Brooklyn Jack
(1934)
Gambling Lady
as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
(1934)
Lady by Choice
as Brannigan
(1934)
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
as Policeman Arresting Wynn
(1934)
Love Time
as Emperor Francis I
(1934)
The Merry Frinks
as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
(1934)
Six of a Kind
as Detective (uncredited)
(1934)
City Limits
as King, a Hobo
(1934)
Such Women Are Dangerous
as Detective
(1934)
A Very Honorable Guy
as Sergeant
(1934)
All of Me
as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
(1933)
Queen Christina
as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
(1933)
To the Last Man
as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
(1933)
Torch Singer
as Taxi Driver
(1933)
Lady Killer
as Panhandler (uncredited)
(1933)
Bombshell
as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
(1933)
Face in the Sky
as Cop (uncredited)
(1933)
The Girl in 419
as Detective Jackson
(1933)
A Lady's Profession
as Mulroy
(1933)
College Humor
as Cromwell Dexter
(1932)