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