James Burke
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 23, 1886
- Died
- May 23, 1968
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
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.
Filmography
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 1975
as Self (archive footage)
Alias Jesse James 1959
as Charlie (uncredited)
The Unholy Wife 1957
as Sheriff Tom Watling
Public Pigeon No. 1 1957
as Harrigan
Lucky Me 1954
as Mahoney
Lone Star 1952
as Luther Kilgore
Toughest Man in Arizona 1952
Actor
We're Not Married! 1952
as Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
Denver and Rio Grande 1952
as Sheriff Ed Johnson
Warpath 1951
as Oldtimer
Here Comes the Groom 1951
as O'Neill, Policeman
His Kind of Woman 1951
as Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
Raton Pass 1951
as Hank
The Last Outpost 1951
as Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone 1950
as The Train Conductor
Let's Dance 1950
as George (uncredited)
Copper Canyon 1950
as Jeb Bassett
Red, Hot and Blue 1949
as Doorman (uncredited)
Alias Nick Beal 1949
as Bum
Shamrock Hill 1949
as Michael Rogan
June Bride 1948
as Luke Potter
Night Wind 1948
as Sheriff Hamilton
Beyond Glory 1948
as Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven 1948
as Cop (uncredited)
The Timber Trail 1948
as Jed Baker
The Big Clock 1948
as O'Brien
Body and Soul 1947
as Arnold (uncredited)
Nightmare Alley 1947
as Rural Marshal (uncredited)
Song of the Thin Man 1947
as Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood 1947
as Police Lt. Burke
Down to Earth 1947
as Detective Kelly
Philo Vance's Gamble 1947
as Lt. Burke
Easy Come, Easy Go 1947
as Harry Weston
California 1947
as Pokey
Two Years Before the Mast 1946
as Carrick
Bowery Bombshell 1946
as Detective O'Malley
The Virginian 1946
as Andy Jones (uncredited)
Young Widow 1946
as Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
How DOooo You Do 1945
as Detective
I Love a Bandleader 1945
as Charles Gibley
Shady Lady 1945
as Crane
Anchors Aweigh 1945
as Studio Cop
The Horn Blows at Midnight 1945
as Policeman (uncredited)
Casanova Brown 1944
as O'Leary (uncredited)
3 Men in White 1944
as First Policeman (uncredited)
Riding High 1943
as Pete
Thank Your Lucky Stars 1943
as Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
Dixie 1943
as Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
No Place for a Lady 1943
as Police Substation Chief Moriarty
A Night to Remember 1942
as Pat Murphy (uncredited)
Army Surgeon 1942
as Brooklyn
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen 1942
as Police Sergeant Velie
It Happened in Flatbush 1942
as Umpire Shaunnessy
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen 1942
as Sgt. Velie
My Favorite Blonde 1942
as Union Secretary
A Close Call for Ellery Queen 1942
as Sgt. Velie
All Through the Night 1942
as Police Lt. Forbes
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring 1941
as Sgt. Velie
The Maltese Falcon 1941
as Luke
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime 1941
as Sgt. Velie
Million Dollar Baby 1941
as Callahan
Reaching for the Sun 1941
as Norm
Pot o' Gold 1941
as Lt. Grady
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery 1941
as Sergeant Velie
Ellery Queen, Master Detective 1940
as Sgt. Velle
Little Nellie Kelly 1940
as Sergeant McGowan
No Time for Comedy 1940
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
The Golden Fleecing 1940
as Sibley
The Way of All Flesh 1940
as Frisco
The Saint Takes Over 1940
as Patrolman Mike
Buck Benny Rides Again 1940
as Taxi Driver
Opened by Mistake 1940
as Police Sergeant Wilkins
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise 1940
as Wilkie, house detective
Double Alibi 1940
as Police Captain Orr
The Cisco Kid and the Lady 1939
as Pop Saunders
At the Circus 1939
as John Carter
Fast and Furious 1939
as Clancy
Beau Geste 1939
as Lieutenant Dufour
On Borrowed Time 1939
as Sheriff Burlingame
Dodge City 1939
as Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
I'm from Missouri 1939
as Walt Bliss
Sudden Money 1939
as McPherson
The Family Next Door 1939
as Policeman
Within the Law 1939
as 'Red'
The Saint Strikes Back 1939
as Headquarters Police Officer
The Dawn Patrol 1938
as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
- Little Orphan Annie
Little Orphan Annie 1938
as Mike Moriarty
The Mad Miss Manton 1938
as Sullivan
The Affairs of Annabel 1938
as Muldoon
You Can't Take It with You 1938
as Chief Detective (uncredited)
Men with Wings 1938
as J.A. Nolan
Joy of Living 1938
as Mac
Flight Into Nowhere 1938
as Ike Matthews
The Perfect Specimen 1937
as Constable Snodgrass
Life Begins with Love 1937
as Darby McGraw
Dead End 1937
as Mulligan
High, Wide and Handsome 1937
as Stackpole
Champagne Waltz 1937
as Mr. Scribner
Laughing at Trouble 1936
as Bill Norton
Great Guy 1936
as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
Can This Be Dixie? 1936
as Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
36 Hours to Kill 1936
as Doyle - Process Server
Rhythm on the Range 1936
as Wabash
Forgotten Faces 1936
as Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
Song and Dance Man 1936
as Lt. Mike Boyle
Klondike Annie 1936
Actor
The Leathernecks Have Landed 1936
as Corrigan
Dancing Feet 1936
as Phil Moore
So Red the Rose 1935
as Major Rushton
Frisco Waterfront 1935
as Corrigan
Coronado 1935
as Slug Moran
Hot Money 1935
as Police Sgt. Burke
Music Is Magic 1935
as Mickey (uncredited)
The Case of the Missing Man 1935
as Police Sergeant Rorty
The Affair of Susan 1935
as Hogan
Here Comes Cookie 1935
as Broken-Nose Reilly
Call of the Wild 1935
as Ole
Welcome Home 1935
as Michael Shaughnessy
Man on the Flying Trapeze 1935
as Patrolman
Broadway Gondolier 1935
as Uncle Andy
Make a Million 1935
as Pete
The Farmer Takes a Wife 1935
as Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
After the Dance 1935
as Police Lieutenant
Dinky 1935
as Truck Driver
Mississippi 1935
as Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
Ruggles of Red Gap 1935
as Jeff Tuttle
The Mystery Man 1935
as Managing Editor Marvin
Ticket to a Crime 1934
as Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
Love Time 1934
as Emperor Francis I
Lady by Choice 1934
as Brannigan
Treasure Island 1934
as Pirate of the Spanish Main
Friends of Mr. Sweeney 1934
as Policeman Arresting Wynn
Such Women Are Dangerous 1934
as Detective
Little Miss Marker 1934
as Detective Reardon (uncredited)
The Merry Frinks 1934
as 3rd Expressman (uncredited)
Twentieth Century 1934
as Sheriff (uncredited)
Sadie McKee 1934
as Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
The Scarlet Empress 1934
Actor
A Very Honorable Guy 1934
as Sergeant
Sisters Under the Skin 1934
as Conroy
City Limits 1934
as King, a Hobo
Wharf Angel 1934
as Brooklyn Jack
Gambling Lady 1934
as Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
It Happened One Night 1934
as Detective (uncredited)
Queen Christina 1934
as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Six of a Kind 1934
as Detective (uncredited)
All of Me 1934
as Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
Lady Killer 1933
as Panhandler (uncredited)
The Kennel Murder Case 1933
as Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
Bombshell 1933
as First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
The Bowery 1933
as Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
To the Last Man 1933
as Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
Torch Singer 1933
as Taxi Driver
College Humor 1933
as Cromwell Dexter
The Girl in 419 1933
as Detective Jackson
A Lady's Profession 1933
as Mulroy
Face in the Sky 1933
as Cop (uncredited)
- The Hollywood Handicap
The Hollywood Handicap 1932
Actor
Credits from TMDB.