
Acting · New York City, New York, USA · Born September 23, 1886
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.
MovieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
TVStagecoach West
1960
as James Burke
TVThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Policeman
MovieAlias Jesse James
1959
as Charlie (uncredited)
TVWestinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
TVWanted: Dead or Alive
1958
as Sheriff John Tatum
TVThe Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957
as Horse Handler (uncredited)
TVTrackdown
1957
MovieThe Unholy Wife
1957
as Sheriff Tom Watling
MoviePublic Pigeon No. 1
1957
as Harrigan
TVThe 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
TVCheyenne
1955
as Buckshot
TVLassie
1954
MovieLucky Me
1954
as Mahoney
MovieLone Star
1952
as Luther Kilgore
MovieToughest Man in Arizona
1952
MovieWe're Not Married!
1952
as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
TVMy Little Margie
1952
MovieDenver and Rio Grande
1952
as Sheriff Ed Johnson
MovieWarpath
1951
as Oldtimer
TVI Love Lucy
1951
as Mr. Watson
MovieHere Comes the Groom
1951
as O'Neill, Policeman
MovieHis Kind of Woman
1951
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
MovieRaton Pass
1951
as Hank
MovieThe Last Outpost
1951
as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
MovieMrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
1950
as The Train Conductor
MovieLet's Dance
1950
as George (uncredited)
MovieCopper Canyon
1950
as Jeb Bassett
MovieRed, Hot and Blue
1949
as Doorman (uncredited)
MovieAlias Nick Beal
1949
as Bum
MovieShamrock Hill
1949
as Michael Rogan
MovieJune Bride
1948
as Luke Potter
MovieNight Wind
1948
as Sheriff Hamilton
MovieBeyond Glory
1948
as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
MovieTexas, Brooklyn & Heaven
1948
as Cop (uncredited)
MovieThe Timber Trail
1948
as Jed Baker
MovieThe Big Clock
1948
as O'Brien
MovieBody and Soul
1947
as Arnold (uncredited)
MovieNightmare Alley
1947
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
MovieSong of the Thin Man
1947
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
MovieThe Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947
as Police Lt. Burke
MovieDown to Earth
1947
as Detective Kelly
MoviePhilo Vance's Gamble
1947
as Lt. Burke
MovieEasy Come, Easy Go
1947
as Harry Weston
MovieCalifornia
1947
as Pokey
MovieTwo Years Before the Mast
1946
as Carrick
MovieBowery Bombshell
1946
as Detective O'Malley
MovieThe Virginian
1946
as Andy Jones (uncredited)
MovieYoung Widow
1946
as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
MovieHow DOooo You Do
1945
as Detective
MovieI Love a Bandleader
1945
as Charles Gibley
MovieShady Lady
1945
as Crane
MovieAnchors Aweigh
1945
as Studio Cop
MovieThe Horn Blows at Midnight
1945
as Policeman (uncredited)
MovieCasanova Brown
1944
as O'Leary (uncredited)
Movie3 Men in White
1944
as First Policeman (uncredited)
MovieRiding High
1943
as Pete
MovieThank Your Lucky Stars
1943
as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
MovieDixie
1943
as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
MovieNo Place for a Lady
1943
as Police Substation Chief Moriarty
MovieA Night to Remember
1942
as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
MovieArmy Surgeon
1942
as Brooklyn
MovieEnemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
1942
as Police Sergeant Velie
MovieIt Happened in Flatbush
1942
as Umpire Shaunnessy
MovieA Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
1942
as Sgt. Velie
MovieMy Favorite Blonde
1942
as Union Secretary
MovieA Close Call for Ellery Queen
1942
as Sgt. Velie
MovieAll Through the Night
1942
as Police Lt. Forbes
MovieEllery Queen and the Murder Ring
1941
as Sgt. Velie
MovieThe Maltese Falcon
1941
as Luke
MovieEllery Queen and the Perfect Crime
1941
as Sgt. Velie
MovieMillion Dollar Baby
1941
as Callahan
MovieReaching for the Sun
1941
as Norm
MoviePot o' Gold
1941
as Lt. Grady
MovieEllery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
1941
as Sgt. Velie
MovieEllery Queen, Master Detective
1940
as Sgt. Velle
MovieLittle Nellie Kelly
1940
as Sergeant McGowan
MovieNo Time for Comedy
1940
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
MovieThe Golden Fleecing
1940
as Sibley
MovieThe Way of All Flesh
1940
as Frisco
MovieThe Saint Takes Over
1940
as Patrolman Mike
MovieBuck Benny Rides Again
1940
as Taxi Driver
MovieOpened by Mistake
1940
as Police Sergeant Wilkins
MovieCharlie Chan's Murder Cruise
1940
as Wilkie, house detective
MovieDouble Alibi
1940
as Police Captain Orr
MovieThe Cisco Kid and the Lady
1939
as Pop Saunders
MovieAt the Circus
1939
as John Carter
MovieFast and Furious
1939
as Clancy
MovieBeau Geste
1939
as Lieutenant Dufour
MovieOn Borrowed Time
1939
as Sheriff Burlingame
MovieDodge City
1939
as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
MovieI'm from Missouri
1939
as Walt Bliss
MovieSudden Money
1939
as McPherson
MovieThe Family Next Door
1939
as Policeman
MovieWithin the Law
1939
as 'Red'
MovieThe Saint Strikes Back
1939
as Headquarters Police Officer
MovieThe Dawn Patrol
1938
as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
Little Orphan Annie
1938
as Mike Moriarty
MovieThe Mad Miss Manton
1938
as Sullivan
MovieThe Affairs of Annabel
1938
as Muldoon
MovieYou Can't Take It with You
1938
as Chief Detective (uncredited)
MovieMen with Wings
1938
as J.A. Nolan
MovieJoy of Living
1938
as Mac
MovieFlight Into Nowhere
1938
as Ike Matthews
MovieThe Perfect Specimen
1937
as Constable Snodgrass
MovieLife Begins with Love
1937
as Darby McGraw
MovieDead End
1937
as Mulligan
MovieHigh, Wide and Handsome
1937
as Stackpole
MovieChampagne Waltz
1937
as Mr. Scribner
MovieLaughing at Trouble
1936
as Bill Norton
MovieGreat Guy
1936
as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
MovieCan This Be Dixie?
1936
as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
Movie36 Hours to Kill
1936
as Doyle - Process Server
MovieRhythm on the Range
1936
as Wabash
MovieForgotten Faces
1936
as Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
MovieSong and Dance Man
1936
as Lt. Mike Boyle
MovieKlondike Annie
1936
MovieThe Leathernecks Have Landed
1936
as Corrigan
MovieDancing Feet
1936
as Phil Moore
MovieSo Red the Rose
1935
as Major Rushton
MovieFrisco Waterfront
1935
as Corrigan
MovieCoronado
1935
as Slug Moran
MovieHot Money
1935
as Police Sgt. Burke
MovieMusic Is Magic
1935
as Mickey (uncredited)
MovieThe Case of the Missing Man
1935
as Police Sergeant Rorty
MovieThe Affair of Susan
1935
as Hogan
MovieHere Comes Cookie
1935
as Broken-Nose Reilly
MovieWelcome Home
1935
as Michael Shaughnessy
MovieCall of the Wild
1935
as Ole
MovieMan on the Flying Trapeze
1935
as Patrolman
MovieBroadway Gondolier
1935
as Uncle Andy
MovieMake a Million
1935
as Pete
MovieThe Farmer Takes a Wife
1935
as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
MovieAfter the Dance
1935
as Police Lieutenant
MovieDinky
1935
as Truck Driver
MovieMississippi
1935
as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
MovieRuggles of Red Gap
1935
as Jeff Tuttle
MovieThe Mystery Man
1935
as Managing Editor Marvin
MovieTicket to a Crime
1934
as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
MovieLove Time
1934
as Emperor Francis I
MovieLady by Choice
1934
as Brannigan
MovieTreasure Island
1934
as Pirate of the Spanish Main
MovieFriends of Mr. Sweeney
1934
as Policeman Arresting Wynn
MovieSuch Women Are Dangerous
1934
as Detective
MovieLittle Miss Marker
1934
as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
MovieThe Merry Frinks
1934
as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
MovieTwentieth Century
1934
as Sheriff (uncredited)
MovieThe Scarlet Empress
1934
MovieSadie McKee
1934
as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
MovieA Very Honorable Guy
1934
as Sergeant
MovieSisters Under the Skin
1934
as Conroy
MovieCity Limits
1934
as King, a Hobo
MovieWharf Angel
1934
as Brooklyn Jack
MovieGambling Lady
1934
as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
MovieIt Happened One Night
1934
as Detective (uncredited)
MovieSix of a Kind
1934
as Detective (uncredited)
MovieQueen Christina
1934
as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
MovieAll of Me
1934
as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
MovieLady Killer
1933
as Panhandler (uncredited)
MovieThe Kennel Murder Case
1933
as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
MovieBombshell
1933
as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
MovieThe Bowery
1933
as Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
MovieTo the Last Man
1933
as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
MovieTorch Singer
1933
as Taxi Driver
MovieCollege Humor
1933
as Cromwell Dexter
MovieThe Girl in 419
1933
as Detective Jackson
MovieA Lady's Profession
1933
as Mulroy
MovieFace in the Sky
1933
as Cop (uncredited)
The Hollywood Handicap
1932