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)
Warpath
as Oldtimer
(1951)
The Last Outpost
as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
(1951)
Raton Pass
as Hank
(1951)
His Kind of Woman
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
(1951)
Here Comes the Groom
as O'Neill, Policeman
(1950)
Copper Canyon
as Jeb Bassett
(1950)
Let's Dance
as George (uncredited)
(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)
Beyond Glory
as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
(1948)
June Bride
as Luke Potter
(1948)
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Cop (uncredited)
(1948)
Night Wind
as Sheriff Hamilton
(1948)
The Timber Trail
as Jed Baker
(1947)
Nightmare Alley
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
(1947)
Song of the Thin Man
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
(1947)
California
as Pokey
(1947)
Body and Soul
as Arnold (uncredited)
(1947)
Down to Earth
as Detective Kelly
(1947)
Easy Come, Easy Go
as Harry Weston
(1947)
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
as Police Lt. Burke
(1947)
Philo Vance's Gamble
as Lt. Burke
(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)
Shady Lady
as Crane
(1945)
I Love a Bandleader
as Charles Gibley
(1945)
How DOooo You Do
as Detective
(1944)
Casanova Brown
as O'Leary (uncredited)
(1944)
3 Men in White
as First Policeman (uncredited)
(1943)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
(1943)
Dixie
as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
(1943)
Riding High
as Pete
(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)
It Happened in Flatbush
as Umpire Shaunnessy
(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
(1941)
The Maltese Falcon
as Luke
(1941)
Pot o' Gold
as Lt. Grady
(1941)
Million Dollar Baby
as Callahan
(1941)
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
as Sgt. Velie
(1941)
Reaching for the Sun
as Norm
(1941)
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Sgt. Velie
(1941)
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Sgt. Velie
(1940)
Little Nellie Kelly
as Sergeant McGowan
(1940)
Double Alibi
as Police Captain Orr
(1940)
The Way of All Flesh
as Frisco
(1940)
The Golden Fleecing
as Sibley
(1940)
Opened by Mistake
as Police Sergeant Wilkins
(1940)
No Time for Comedy
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
(1940)
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Taxi Driver
(1940)
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Sgt. Velle
(1940)
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
as Wilkie, house detective
(1940)
The Saint Takes Over
as Patrolman Mike
(1939)
Dodge City
as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
(1939)
Beau Geste
as Lieutenant Dufour
(1939)
Fast and Furious
as Clancy
(1939)
At the Circus
as John Carter
(1939)
On Borrowed Time
as Sheriff Burlingame
(1939)
Sudden Money
as McPherson
(1939)
The Saint Strikes Back
as Headquarters Police Officer
(1939)
Within the Law
as 'Red'
(1939)
The Cisco Kid and the Lady
as Pop Saunders
(1939)
The Family Next Door
as Policeman
(1938)
You Can't Take It with You
as Chief Detective (uncredited)
(1938)
The Mad Miss Manton
as Sullivan
(1938)
Joy of Living
as Mac
(1938)
The Dawn Patrol
as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
(1938)
Men with Wings
as J.A. Nolan
(1938)
The Affairs of Annabel
as Muldoon
(1938)
Little Orphan Annie
as Mike Moriarty
(1938)
Flight Into Nowhere
as Ike Matthews
(1937)
Dead End
as Police Officer Mulligan
(1937)
Champagne Waltz
as Mr. Scribner
(1937)
The Perfect Specimen
as Constable Snodgrass
(1937)
Life Begins with Love
as Darby McGraw
(1937)
High, Wide and Handsome
as Stackpole
(1936)
Great Guy
as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
(1936)
(1936)
Dancing Feet
as Phil Moore
(1936)
Laughing at Trouble
as Bill Norton
(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)
Rhythm on the Range
as Wabash
(1936)
36 Hours to Kill
as Doyle - Process Server
(1936)
Can This Be Dixie?
as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
(1935)
Call of the Wild
as Ole
(1935)
Here Comes Cookie
as Broken-Nose Reilly
(1935)
Mississippi
as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
(1935)
So Red the Rose
as Major Rushton
(1935)
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
(1935)
Welcome Home
as Michael Shaughnessy
(1935)
Broadway Gondolier
as Uncle Andy
(1935)
Dinky
as Truck Driver
(1935)
Coronado
as Slug Moran
(1935)
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Jeff Tuttle
(1935)
The Mystery Man
as Managing Editor Marvin
(1935)
Make a Million
as Pete
(1935)
Hot Money
as Police Sgt. Burke
(1935)
Music Is Magic
as Mickey (uncredited)
(1935)
The Affair of Susan
as Hogan
(1935)
Frisco Waterfront
as Corrigan
(1935)
After the Dance
as Police Lieutenant
(1935)
Man on the Flying Trapeze
as Patrolman
(1935)
Case of the Missing Man
as Police Sergeant Rorty
(1934)
It Happened One Night
as Detective (uncredited)
(1934)
Twentieth Century
as Sheriff (uncredited)
(1934)
Treasure Island
as Pirate of the Spanish Main
(1934)
(1934)
Gambling Lady
as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
(1934)
Sadie McKee
as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
(1934)
Lady by Choice
as Brannigan
(1934)
Little Miss Marker
as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
(1934)
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
as Policeman Arresting Wynn
(1934)
A Very Honorable Guy
as Sergeant
(1934)
Love Time
as Emperor Francis I
(1934)
The Merry Frinks
as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
(1934)
Ticket to a Crime
as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
(1934)
City Limits
as King, a Hobo
(1934)
Six of a Kind
as Detective (uncredited)
(1934)
Wharf Angel
as Brooklyn Jack
(1934)
All of Me
as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
(1934)
Such Women Are Dangerous
as Detective
(1933)
Queen Christina
as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
(1933)
Bombshell
as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
(1933)
(1933)
Torch Singer
as Taxi Driver
(1933)
To the Last Man
as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
(1933)
College Humor
as Cromwell Dexter
(1933)
Face in the Sky
as Cop (uncredited)
(1933)
The Girl in 419
as Detective Jackson
(1933)
A Lady's Profession
as Mulroy