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)
His Kind of Woman
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
(1951)
Here Comes the Groom
as O'Neill, Policeman
(1951)
Warpath
as Oldtimer
(1951)
Raton Pass
as Hank
(1950)
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
as The Train Conductor
(1950)
Copper Canyon
as Jeb Bassett
(1950)
Let's Dance
as George (uncredited)
(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)
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Cop (uncredited)
(1948)
June Bride
as Luke Potter
(1948)
Night Wind
as Sheriff Hamilton
(1948)
The Timber Trail
as Jed Baker
(1947)
Body and Soul
as Arnold (uncredited)
(1947)
Nightmare Alley
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
(1947)
Song of the Thin Man
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
(1947)
California
as Pokey
(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)
Two Years Before the Mast
as Carrick
(1946)
Bowery Bombshell
as Detective O'Malley
(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)
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 Close Call for Ellery Queen
as Sgt. Velie
(1942)
It Happened in Flatbush
as Umpire Shaunnessy
(1942)
A Night to Remember
as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
(1942)
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Sgt. Velie
(1942)
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
as Police Sergeant 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)
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
as Sgt. Velie
(1941)
Reaching for the Sun
as Norm
(1941)
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
as Sgt. Velie
(1940)
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
as Wilkie, house detective
(1940)
The Golden Fleecing
as Sibley
(1940)
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Taxi Driver
(1940)
No Time for Comedy
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
(1940)
The Way of All Flesh
as Frisco
(1940)
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Sgt. Velle
(1940)
Double Alibi
as Police Captain Orr
(1940)
Little Nellie Kelly
as Sergeant McGowan
(1940)
The Saint Takes Over
as Patrolman Mike
(1940)
Opened by Mistake
as Police Sergeant Wilkins
(1939)
Dodge City
as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
(1939)
On Borrowed Time
as Sheriff Burlingame
(1939)
At the Circus
as John Carter
(1939)
Fast and Furious
as Clancy
(1939)
Beau Geste
as Lieutenant Dufour
(1939)
The Saint Strikes Back
as Headquarters Police Officer
(1939)
The Family Next Door
as Policeman
(1939)
The Cisco Kid and the Lady
as Pop Saunders
(1939)
Within the Law
as 'Red'
(1939)
Sudden Money
as McPherson
(1939)
I'm from Missouri
as Walt Bliss
(1938)
You Can't Take It with You
as Chief Detective (uncredited)
(1938)
The Mad Miss Manton
as Sullivan
(1938)
The Dawn Patrol
as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
(1938)
Joy of Living
as Mac
(1938)
Men with Wings
as J.A. Nolan
(1938)
Little Orphan Annie
as Mike Moriarty
(1938)
The Affairs of Annabel
as Muldoon
(1938)
Flight Into Nowhere
as Ike Matthews
(1937)
Dead End
as Police Officer Mulligan
(1937)
Life Begins with Love
as Darby McGraw
(1937)
High, Wide and Handsome
as Stackpole
(1937)
The Perfect Specimen
as Constable Snodgrass
(1937)
Champagne Waltz
as Mr. Scribner
(1936)
Great Guy
as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
(1936)
Rhythm on the Range
as Wabash
(1936)
Dancing Feet
as Phil Moore
(1936)
36 Hours to Kill
as Doyle - Process Server
(1936)
Can This Be Dixie?
as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
(1936)
Laughing at Trouble
as Bill Norton
(1936)
(1936)
The Leathernecks Have Landed
as Corrigan
(1936)
Song and Dance Man
as Lt. Mike Boyle
(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)
Mississippi
as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
(1935)
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
(1935)
So Red the Rose
as Major Rushton
(1935)
Broadway Gondolier
as Uncle Andy
(1935)
Man on the Flying Trapeze
as Patrolman
(1935)
Case of the Missing Man
as Police Sergeant Rorty
(1935)
Here Comes Cookie
as Broken-Nose Reilly
(1935)
Dinky
as Truck Driver
(1935)
Coronado
as Slug Moran
(1935)
The Mystery Man
as Managing Editor Marvin
(1935)
Make a Million
as Pete
(1935)
After the Dance
as Police Lieutenant
(1935)
Welcome Home
as Michael Shaughnessy
(1935)
The Affair of Susan
as Hogan
(1935)
Music Is Magic
as Mickey (uncredited)
(1935)
Hot Money
as Police Sgt. Burke
(1935)
Frisco Waterfront
as Corrigan
(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)
Six of a Kind
as Detective (uncredited)
(1934)
Lady by Choice
as Brannigan
(1934)
Gambling Lady
as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
(1934)
Sadie McKee
as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
(1934)
A Very Honorable Guy
as Sergeant
(1934)
All of Me
as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
(1934)
Such Women Are Dangerous
as Detective
(1934)
The Merry Frinks
as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
(1934)
Love Time
as Emperor Francis I
(1934)
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
as Policeman Arresting Wynn
(1934)
Ticket to a Crime
as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
(1934)
Wharf Angel
as Brooklyn Jack
(1934)
City Limits
as King, a Hobo
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
(1933)
To the Last Man
as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
(1933)
Queen Christina
as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
(1933)
Bombshell
as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
(1933)
Torch Singer
as Taxi Driver
(1933)
A Lady's Profession
as Mulroy
(1933)
(1933)
College Humor
as Cromwell Dexter
(1933)
The Girl in 419
as Detective Jackson
(1933)
Face in the Sky
as Cop (uncredited)
(1932)