James Burke
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
Credits
- 1975 · Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? as Self (archive footage)
- 1959 · The DuPont Show with June Allyson as Policeman
- 1959 · Alias Jesse James as Charlie (uncredited)
- 1958 · Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Sheriff John Tatum
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Sheriff M. Comstock
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Sheriff Blore
- 1957 · The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour as Horse Handler (uncredited)
- 1957 · Trackdown as
- 1957 · The Unholy Wife as Sheriff Tom Watling
- 1957 · Public Pigeon No. 1 as Harrigan
- 1955 · The 20th Century Fox Hour as
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Buckshot
- 1954 · Lassie as
- 1954 · Lucky Me as Mahoney
- 1952 · Lone Star as Luther Kilgore
- 1952 · Toughest Man in Arizona as
- 1952 · We're Not Married! as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1952 · My Little Margie as
- 1952 · Denver and Rio Grande as Sheriff Ed Johnson
- 1951 · Warpath as Oldtimer
- 1951 · I Love Lucy as Mr. Watson
- 1951 · His Kind of Woman as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
- 1951 · Raton Pass as Hank
- 1951 · The Last Outpost as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
- 1950 · Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone as The Train Conductor
- 1950 · Let's Dance as George (uncredited)
- 1950 · Copper Canyon as Jeb Bassett
- 1949 · Red, Hot and Blue as Doorman (uncredited)
- 1949 · Alias Nick Beal as Bum
- 1949 · Shamrock Hill as Michael Rogan
- 1948 · June Bride as Luke Potter
- 1948 · Night Wind as Sheriff Hamilton
- 1948 · Beyond Glory as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
- 1948 · Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven as Cop (uncredited)
- 1948 · The Timber Trail as Jed Baker
- 1948 · The Big Clock as O'Brien
- 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 · The Gas House Kids in Hollywood as Police Lt. Burke
- 1947 · Down to Earth as Detective Kelly
- 1947 · Philo Vance's Gamble as Lt. Burke
- 1947 · Easy Come, Easy Go as Harry Weston
- 1947 · California as Pokey
- 1946 · Two Years Before the Mast as Carrick
- 1946 · Bowery Bombshell as Detective O'Malley
- 1946 · The Virginian as Andy Jones (uncredited)
- 1946 · Young Widow as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
- 1945 · How DOooo You Do as Detective
- 1945 · I Love a Bandleader as Charles Gibley
- 1945 · Shady Lady as Crane
- 1945 · Anchors Aweigh as Studio Cop
- 1945 · The Horn Blows at Midnight as Policeman (uncredited)
- 1944 · Casanova Brown as O'Leary (uncredited)
- 1944 · 3 Men in White as First Policeman (uncredited)
- 1943 · Riding High as Pete
- 1943 · Thank Your Lucky Stars as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
- 1943 · Dixie as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
- 1943 · No Place for a Lady as Police Substation Chief Moriarty
- 1942 · A Night to Remember as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
- 1942 · Army Surgeon as Brooklyn
- 1942 · Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen as Police Sergeant Velie
- 1942 · It Happened in Flatbush as Umpire Shaunnessy
- 1942 · A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen as Sgt. Velie
- 1942 · My Favorite Blonde as Union Secretary
- 1942 · A Close Call for Ellery Queen as Sgt. Velie
- 1942 · All Through the Night as Police Lt. Forbes
- 1941 · Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring as Sgt. Velie
- 1941 · The Maltese Falcon as Luke
- 1941 · Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime as Sgt. Velie
- 1941 · Million Dollar Baby as Callahan
- 1941 · Reaching for the Sun as Norm
- 1941 · Pot o' Gold as Lt. Grady
- 1941 · Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery as Sgt. Velie
- 1940 · Ellery Queen, Master Detective as Sgt. Velle
- 1940 · Little Nellie Kelly as Sergeant McGowan
- 1940 · No Time for Comedy as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1940 · The Golden Fleecing as Sibley
- 1940 · The Way of All Flesh as Frisco
- 1940 · The Saint Takes Over as Patrolman Mike
- 1940 · Buck Benny Rides Again as Taxi Driver
- 1940 · Opened by Mistake as Police Sergeant Wilkins
- 1940 · Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise as Wilkie, house detective
- 1940 · Double Alibi as Police Captain Orr
- 1939 · The Cisco Kid and the Lady as Pop Saunders
- 1939 · At the Circus as John Carter
- 1939 · Fast and Furious as Clancy
- 1939 · Beau Geste as Lieutenant Dufour
- 1939 · On Borrowed Time as Sheriff Burlingame
- 1939 · Dodge City as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
- 1939 · Sudden Money as McPherson
- 1939 · The Family Next Door as Policeman
- 1939 · Within the Law as 'Red'
- 1939 · The Saint Strikes Back as Headquarters Police Officer
- 1938 · The Dawn Patrol as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
- 1938 · Little Orphan Annie as Mike Moriarty
- 1938 · The Mad Miss Manton as Sullivan
- 1938 · The Affairs of Annabel as Muldoon
- 1938 · You Can't Take It with You as Chief Detective (uncredited)
- 1938 · Men with Wings as J.A. Nolan
- 1938 · Joy of Living as Mac
- 1938 · Flight Into Nowhere as Ike Matthews
- 1937 · The Perfect Specimen as Constable Snodgrass
- 1937 · Life Begins with Love as Darby McGraw
- 1937 · Dead End as Police Officer Mulligan
- 1937 · High, Wide and Handsome as Stackpole
- 1937 · Champagne Waltz as Mr. Scribner
- 1936 · Laughing at Trouble as Bill Norton
- 1936 · Great Guy as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
- 1936 · Can This Be Dixie? as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
- 1936 · 36 Hours to Kill as Doyle - Process Server
- 1936 · Rhythm on the Range as Wabash
- 1936 · Forgotten Faces as Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
- 1936 · Song and Dance Man as Lt. Mike Boyle
- 1936 · Klondike Annie as
- 1936 · The Leathernecks Have Landed as Corrigan
- 1936 · Dancing Feet as Phil Moore
- 1935 · So Red the Rose as Major Rushton
- 1935 · Frisco Waterfront as Corrigan
- 1935 · Coronado as Slug Moran
- 1935 · Hot Money as Police Sgt. Burke
- 1935 · Music Is Magic as Mickey (uncredited)
- 1935 · Case of the Missing Man as Police Sergeant Rorty
- 1935 · Here Comes Cookie as Broken-Nose Reilly
- 1935 · The Affair of Susan as Hogan
- 1935 · Call of the Wild as Ole
- 1935 · Welcome Home as Michael Shaughnessy
- 1935 · Man on the Flying Trapeze as Patrolman
- 1935 · Broadway Gondolier as Uncle Andy
- 1935 · Make a Million as Pete
- 1935 · The Farmer Takes a Wife as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
- 1935 · After the Dance as Police Lieutenant
- 1935 · Dinky as Truck Driver
- 1935 · Mississippi as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
- 1935 · Ruggles of Red Gap as Jeff Tuttle
- 1935 · The Mystery Man as Managing Editor Marvin
- 1934 · Ticket to a Crime as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
- 1934 · Love Time as Emperor Francis I
- 1934 · Lady by Choice as Brannigan
- 1934 · Treasure Island as Pirate of the Spanish Main
- 1934 · Friends of Mr. Sweeney as Policeman Arresting Wynn
- 1934 · Such Women Are Dangerous as Detective
- 1934 · Little Miss Marker as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
- 1934 · The Merry Frinks as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
- 1934 · Twentieth Century as Sheriff (uncredited)
- 1934 · The Scarlet Empress as
- 1934 · Sadie McKee as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
- 1934 · A Very Honorable Guy as Sergeant
- 1934 · City Limits as King, a Hobo
- 1934 · Wharf Angel as Brooklyn Jack
- 1934 · Gambling Lady as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
- 1934 · It Happened One Night as Detective (uncredited)
- 1934 · Six of a Kind as Detective (uncredited)
- 1934 · All of Me as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
- 1933 · Queen Christina as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
- 1933 · Lady Killer as
- 1933 · The Kennel Murder Case as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
- 1933 · Bombshell as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
- 1933 · To the Last Man as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
- 1933 · Torch Singer as Taxi Driver
- 1933 · College Humor as Cromwell Dexter
- 1933 · The Girl in 419 as Detective Jackson
- 1933 · A Lady's Profession as Mulroy
- 1933 · Face in the Sky as Cop (uncredited)