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