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

Lassie

Cheyenne

I Love Lucy

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Dinah!

Trackdown

All Movies (158)

• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?1975 · as Self (archive footage)
• Alias Jesse James1959 · as Charlie (uncredited)
• The Unholy Wife1957 · as Sheriff Tom Watling
• Public Pigeon No. 11957 · as Harrigan
• Lucky Me1954 · as Mahoney
• Lone Star1952 · as Luther Kilgore
• Toughest Man in Arizona1952
• We're Not Married!1952 · as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
• Denver and Rio Grande1952 · as Sheriff Ed Johnson
• Warpath1951 · as Oldtimer
• Here Comes the Groom1951 · as O'Neill, Policeman
• His Kind of Woman1951 · as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
• Raton Pass1951 · as Hank
• The Last Outpost1951 · as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
• Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone1950 · as The Train Conductor
• Let's Dance1950 · as George (uncredited)
• Copper Canyon1950 · as Jeb Bassett
• Red, Hot and Blue1949 · as Doorman (uncredited)
• Alias Nick Beal1949 · as Bum
• Shamrock Hill1949 · as Michael Rogan
• June Bride1948 · as Luke Potter
• Night Wind1948 · as Sheriff Hamilton
• Beyond Glory1948 · as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
• Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven1948 · as Cop (uncredited)
• The Timber Trail1948 · as Jed Baker
• The Big Clock1948 · as O'Brien
• Body and Soul1947 · as Arnold (uncredited)
• Nightmare Alley1947 · as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
• Song of the Thin Man1947 · as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
• The Gas House Kids in Hollywood1947 · as Police Lt. Burke
• Down to Earth1947 · as Detective Kelly
• Philo Vance's Gamble1947 · as Lt. Burke
• Easy Come, Easy Go1947 · as Harry Weston
• California1947 · as Pokey
• Two Years Before the Mast1946 · as Carrick
• Bowery Bombshell1946 · as Detective O'Malley
• The Virginian1946 · as Andy Jones (uncredited)
• Young Widow1946 · as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
• How DOooo You Do1945 · as Detective
• I Love a Bandleader1945 · as Charles Gibley
• Shady Lady1945 · as Crane
• Anchors Aweigh1945 · as Studio Cop
• The Horn Blows at Midnight1945 · as Policeman (uncredited)
• Casanova Brown1944 · as O'Leary (uncredited)
• 3 Men in White1944 · as First Policeman (uncredited)
• Riding High1943 · as Pete
• Thank Your Lucky Stars1943 · as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
• Dixie1943 · as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
• No Place for a Lady1943 · as Police Substation Chief Moriarty
• A Night to Remember1942 · as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
• Army Surgeon1942 · as Brooklyn
• Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen1942 · as Police Sergeant Velie
• It Happened in Flatbush1942 · as Umpire Shaunnessy
• A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen1942 · as Sgt. Velie
• My Favorite Blonde1942 · as Union Secretary
• A Close Call for Ellery Queen1942 · as Sgt. Velie
• All Through the Night1942 · as Police Lt. Forbes
• Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring1941 · as Sgt. Velie
• The Maltese Falcon1941 · as Luke
• Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime1941 · as Sgt. Velie
• Million Dollar Baby1941 · as Callahan
• Reaching for the Sun1941 · as Norm
• Pot o' Gold1941 · as Lt. Grady
• Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery1941 · as Sgt. Velie
• Ellery Queen, Master Detective1940 · as Sgt. Velle
• Little Nellie Kelly1940 · as Sergeant McGowan
• No Time for Comedy1940 · as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
• The Golden Fleecing1940 · as Sibley
• The Way of All Flesh1940 · as Frisco
• The Saint Takes Over1940 · as Patrolman Mike
• Buck Benny Rides Again1940 · as Taxi Driver
• Opened by Mistake1940 · as Police Sergeant Wilkins
• Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise1940 · as Wilkie, house detective
• Double Alibi1940 · as Police Captain Orr
• The Cisco Kid and the Lady1939 · as Pop Saunders
• At the Circus1939 · as John Carter
• Fast and Furious1939 · as Clancy
• Beau Geste1939 · as Lieutenant Dufour
• On Borrowed Time1939 · as Sheriff Burlingame
• Dodge City1939 · as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
• I'm from Missouri1939 · as Walt Bliss
• Sudden Money1939 · as McPherson
• The Family Next Door1939 · as Policeman
• Within the Law1939 · as 'Red'
• The Saint Strikes Back1939 · as Headquarters Police Officer
• The Dawn Patrol1938 · as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
• Little Orphan Annie1938 · as Mike Moriarty
• The Mad Miss Manton1938 · as Sullivan
• The Affairs of Annabel1938 · as Muldoon
• You Can't Take It with You1938 · as Chief Detective (uncredited)
• Men with Wings1938 · as J.A. Nolan
• Joy of Living1938 · as Mac
• Flight Into Nowhere1938 · as Ike Matthews
• The Perfect Specimen1937 · as Constable Snodgrass
• Life Begins with Love1937 · as Darby McGraw
• Dead End1937 · as Mulligan
• High, Wide and Handsome1937 · as Stackpole
• Champagne Waltz1937 · as Mr. Scribner
• Laughing at Trouble1936 · as Bill Norton
• Great Guy1936 · as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
• Can This Be Dixie?1936 · as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
• 36 Hours to Kill1936 · as Doyle - Process Server
• Rhythm on the Range1936 · as Wabash
• Forgotten Faces1936 · as Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
• Song and Dance Man1936 · as Lt. Mike Boyle
• Klondike Annie1936
• The Leathernecks Have Landed1936 · as Corrigan
• Dancing Feet1936 · as Phil Moore
• So Red the Rose1935 · as Major Rushton
• Frisco Waterfront1935 · as Corrigan
• Coronado1935 · as Slug Moran
• Hot Money1935 · as Police Sgt. Burke
• Music Is Magic1935 · as Mickey (uncredited)
• Case of the Missing Man1935 · as Police Sergeant Rorty
• The Affair of Susan1935 · as Hogan
• Here Comes Cookie1935 · as Broken-Nose Reilly
• Welcome Home1935 · as Michael Shaughnessy
• Call of the Wild1935 · as Ole
• Man on the Flying Trapeze1935 · as Patrolman
• Broadway Gondolier1935 · as Uncle Andy
• Make a Million1935 · as Pete
• The Farmer Takes a Wife1935 · as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
• After the Dance1935 · as Police Lieutenant
• Dinky1935 · as Truck Driver
• Mississippi1935 · as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
• Ruggles of Red Gap1935 · as Jeff Tuttle
• The Mystery Man1935 · as Managing Editor Marvin
• Ticket to a Crime1934 · as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
• Love Time1934 · as Emperor Francis I
• Lady by Choice1934 · as Brannigan
• Treasure Island1934 · as Pirate of the Spanish Main
• Friends of Mr. Sweeney1934 · as Policeman Arresting Wynn
• Such Women Are Dangerous1934 · as Detective
• Little Miss Marker1934 · as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
• The Merry Frinks1934 · as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
• Twentieth Century1934 · as Sheriff (uncredited)
• The Scarlet Empress1934
• Sadie McKee1934 · as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
• A Very Honorable Guy1934 · as Sergeant
• Sisters Under the Skin1934 · as Conroy
• City Limits1934 · as King, a Hobo
• Wharf Angel1934 · as Brooklyn Jack
• Gambling Lady1934 · as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
• It Happened One Night1934 · as Detective (uncredited)
• Six of a Kind1934 · as Detective (uncredited)
• Queen Christina1934 · as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
• All of Me1934 · as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
• Lady Killer1933 · as Panhandler (uncredited)
• The Kennel Murder Case1933 · as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
• Bombshell1933 · as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
• The Bowery1933 · as Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
• To the Last Man1933 · as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
• Torch Singer1933 · as Taxi Driver
• College Humor1933 · as Cromwell Dexter
• The Girl in 4191933 · as Detective Jackson
• A Lady's Profession1933 · as Mulroy
• Face in the Sky1933 · as Cop (uncredited)
• The Hollywood Handicap1932

All TV Shows (15)

• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• Stagecoach West1960 · as James Burke
• Stagecoach West1960 · as Zeke Bonner
• The DuPont Show with June Allyson1959 · as Policeman
• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse1958
• Wanted: Dead or Alive1958 · as Sheriff John Tatum
• Wanted: Dead or Alive1958 · as Sheriff M. Comstock
• Wanted: Dead or Alive1958 · as Sheriff Blore
• The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour1957 · as Horse Handler (uncredited)
• Trackdown1957
• The 20th Century Fox Hour1955
• Cheyenne1955 · as Buckshot
• Lassie1954
• My Little Margie1952
• I Love Lucy1951 · as Mr. Watson