![James Luisi](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w300//lDtFhVuMvsrnmaFhuQyoaeoHT9I.jpg)
James Luisi
A native New Yorker, James Luisi attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights on a basketball scholarship. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He then played one season (1953-54) with the Baltimore Bullets in the National Basketball Association. His acting career began on the stage with early parts coming in the Broadway musicals "Sweet Charity" and "Zorba". His early movies were minor, though his "beefcake" appeal was evident in 1973's I Escaped from Devil's Island (1973) in which he rarely wore a shirt. Most of his later work was on TV. In 1976 he shared a "best actor" daytime Emmy for playing George Washington in a daytime drama special titled First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington (1975). Also in 1976 he started his four-season role as Jim Rockford's (James Garner) nemesis Lt. Chapman in The Rockford Files (1974). In 1983 he played the cop in charge of some street-gang-members-turned-undercover-agents in the short-lived series The Renegades (1983), which provided a boost for Patrick Swayze, who played one of the gang members. Along with guest spots on numerous TV shows, Luisi also appeared in the soap operas Days of Our Lives (1965) and Another World (1964). In the 1990s he returned to acting in and directing stage work in the Los Angeles area. Stricken with cancer he passed away on 7 June 2002 and is survived by his wife of 41 years, the former Georgia Phillips.
Known For
Credits
- 1996 · The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play as Capt. Doug Chapman
- 1996 · The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits... as Capt. Doug Chapman
- 1995 · Baywatch Nights as Murray
- 1991 · Silk Stalkings as
- 1991 · Dark Justice as
- 1989 · Lethal Woman as Colonel Jerry Maxim
- 1988 · Feds as Sperry
- 1987 · The Hidden as Ferrari Salesman
- 1986 · L.A. Law as Paul Viola
- 1986 · Murphy's Law as Ed Reineke
- 1986 · The Hogan Family as
- 1985 · Hell Town as
- 1984 · Partners in Crime as
- 1984 · Finder of Lost Loves as Jordan Hollis
- 1984 · The Red-Light Sting as Renny Lucas
- 1983 · Star 80 as Roy
- 1983 · Sunset Limousine as Angel
- 1983 · The Renegades as Lt. Marciano
- 1983 · The A-Team as Jimmy Durkee
- 1982 · Knight Rider as D.G. Grebs
- 1982 · Matt Houston as
- 1982 · The Renegades as Lt. Joe Marciano
- 1982 · T. J. Hooker as Vincent Hazzard / George Laszlo
- 1982 · T. J. Hooker as George Laszlo
- 1981 · The Fall Guy as
- 1981 · Our Family Business as Frank
- 1980 · Magnum, P.I. as
- 1980 · Fade to Black as Capt. M.L. Gallagher
- 1980 · Here's Boomer as
- 1979 · Knots Landing as Lieutenant Gilbert Garcia
- 1979 · Hart to Hart as
- 1979 · Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Hood
- 1979 · Harris and Company as
- 1979 · Norma Rae as George Benson
- 1978 · Moment by Moment as Dan Santini
- 1978 · One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story as Jimmy Karalla
- 1978 · Vega$ as
- 1978 · Sword of Justice as
- 1978 · The Eddie Capra Mysteries as
- 1978 · Love Is Not Enough as Harry Foreman
- 1978 · Killer's Delight as Sgt. Vince De Carlo
- 1978 · A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story as Lazzeri
- 1977 · Contract on Cherry Street as Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer
- 1977 · CHiPs as
- 1977 · Stunts as Alvin Blake
- 1977 · Hunter as
- 1976 · Quincy, M.E. as
- 1976 · Spencer's Pilots as
- 1976 · Future Cop as Paterno
- 1976 · Good Heavens as
- 1976 · City of Angels as
- 1975 · Wonder Woman as George
- 1975 · First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington as George Washington
- 1975 · Starsky & Hutch as
- 1975 · S.W.A.T. as
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Lt. Doug Chapman
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Burt Stryker
- 1974 · The Take as Benedetto
- 1974 · Honky Tonk as Blackie
- 1974 · The Man from Independence as Stranger
- 1973 · Cry Rape as Det. Kroger
- 1973 · Kojak as Det. Geno Alessi
- 1973 · Kojak as Capt. Henry 'Hank' Rosseau
- 1973 · I Escaped from Devil's Island as Dazzas
- 1973 · Police Story as
- 1973 · Hawkins as Andy Tyler
- 1973 · Barnaby Jones as Nick Gorman
- 1973 · Barnaby Jones as Burt Logan
- 1972 · The Streets of San Francisco as
- 1972 · Ghost Story as Rick
- 1972 · The Rookies as
- 1972 · Ben as Ed
- 1971 · Cannon as
- 1971 · Cat Ballou as Spider Levinsky
- 1968 · Adam-12 as Antonio Minetti
- 1967 · Ironside as Mike Purcell
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Sam Kehoe
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Little Julio
- 1964 · Another World as
- 1958 · The Rifleman as
- 1958 · Naked City as Mark Andrew
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Ivers