James Burke
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Lassie
1954
Series
Cheyenne
Buckshot
1955
Series
I Love Lucy
Mr. Watson
1951
Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Sheriff John Tatum
1958
Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Sheriff M. Comstock
1958
Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Sheriff Blore
1958
Series
Dinah!
Self
1974
Series
Trackdown
1957
Series
The 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Series
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Policeman
1959
Series
Stagecoach West
James Burke
1960
Series
Stagecoach West
Zeke Bonner
1960
Series
My Little Margie
1952
Series
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Horse Handler (uncredited)
1957
Film
The Maltese Falcon
Luke
1941
Film
It Happened One Night
Detective (uncredited)
1934
Film
Nightmare Alley
Rural Marshal (uncredited)
1947
Film
Lone Star
Luther Kilgore
1952
Film
June Bride
Luke Potter
1948
Film
Anchors Aweigh
Studio Cop
1945
Film
You Can't Take It with You
Chief Detective (uncredited)
1938
Film
The Virginian
Andy Jones (uncredited)
1946
Film
Dead End
Mulligan
1937
Film
Treasure Island
Pirate of the Spanish Main
1934
Film
Dodge City
Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited)
1939
Film
California
Pokey
1947
Film
Copper Canyon
Jeb Bassett
1950
Film
Broadway Gondolier
Uncle Andy
1935
Film
Warpath
Oldtimer
1951
Film
Night Wind
Sheriff Hamilton
1948
Film
Alias Jesse James
Charlie (uncredited)
1959
Film
Mississippi
Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited)
1935
Film
Sudden Money
McPherson
1939
Film
All Through the Night
Police Lt. Forbes
1942
Film
Forgotten Faces
Sgt. Johnny Donovan / Harry's friend
1936
Film
Life Begins with Love
Darby McGraw
1937
Film
Song of the Thin Man
Policeman Callahan (uncredited)
1947
Film
His Kind of Woman
Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
1951
Film
Dancing Feet
Phil Moore
1936
Film
Call of the Wild
Ole
1935
Film
The Mad Miss Manton
Sullivan
1938
Film
Beau Geste
Lieutenant Dufour
1939
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
Gambling Lady
Detective Making Raid (uncredited)
1934
Film
Twentieth Century
Sheriff (uncredited)
1934
Film
Body and Soul
Arnold (uncredited)
1947
Film
High, Wide and Handsome
Stackpole
1937
Film
Down to Earth
Detective Kelly
1947
Film
The Saint Takes Over
Patrolman Mike
1940
Film
At the Circus
John Carter
1939
Film
We're Not Married!
Willie's Sergeant (uncredited)
1952
Film
Lady Killer
Panhandler (uncredited)
1933
Film
The Perfect Specimen
Constable Snodgrass
1937
Film
To the Last Man
Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited)
1933
Film
The Scarlet Empress
1934
Film
Queen Christina
Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
1934
Film
The Unholy Wife
Sheriff Tom Watling
1957
Film
The Bowery
Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
1933
Film
Ruggles of Red Gap
Jeff Tuttle
1935
Film
The Kennel Murder Case
Policeman Who Lets Dog Out (uncredited)
1933
Film
Bombshell
First Immigration Officer (uncredited)
1933
Film
Sadie McKee
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
1934
Film
Fast and Furious
Clancy
1939
Film
Laughing at Trouble
Bill Norton
1936
Film
Man on the Flying Trapeze
Patrolman
1935
Film
Beyond Glory
Jim, the Bartender (uncredited)
1948
Film
The Affairs of Annabel
Muldoon
1938
Film
Lucky Me
Mahoney
1954
Film
So Red the Rose
Major Rushton
1935
Film
Joy of Living
Mac
1938
Film
Toughest Man in Arizona
1952
Film
Casanova Brown
O'Leary (uncredited)
1944
Film
The Last Outpost
Stagecoach driver (uncredited)
1951
Film
Million Dollar Baby
Callahan
1941
Film
Pot o' Gold
Lt. Grady
1941
Film
Alias Nick Beal
Bum
1949
Film
Six of a Kind
Detective (uncredited)
1934
Film
Within the Law
'Red'
1939
Film
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Bill, Intern Guard (uncredited)
1943
Film
Men with Wings
J.A. Nolan
1938
Film
Dinky
Truck Driver
1935
Film
The Big Clock
O'Brien
1948
Film
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Cop (uncredited)
1948
Film
Song and Dance Man
Lt. Mike Boyle
1936
Film
Two Years Before the Mast
Carrick
1946
Film
Dixie
Riverboat Captain (uncredited)
1943
Film
Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery
Sgt. Velie
1941
Film
All of Me
Welfare Island Guard (uncredited)
1934
Film
Torch Singer
Taxi Driver
1933
Film
Klondike Annie
1936
Film
College Humor
Cromwell Dexter
1933
Film
3 Men in White
First Policeman (uncredited)
1944
Film
The Dawn Patrol
Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
1938
Film
Denver and Rio Grande
Sheriff Ed Johnson
1952
Film
Champagne Waltz
Mr. Scribner
1937
Film
No Place for a Lady
Police Substation Chief Moriarty
1943
Film
Here Comes the Groom
O'Neill, Policeman
1951
Film
A Very Honorable Guy
Sergeant
1934
Film
Love Time
Emperor Francis I
1934
Film
Music Is Magic
Mickey (uncredited)
1935
Film
Public Pigeon No. 1
Harrigan
1957
Film
The Horn Blows at Midnight
Policeman (uncredited)
1945
Film
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Policeman Arresting Wynn
1934
Film
Great Guy
Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
1936
Film
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
Sgt. Velle
1940
Film
Red, Hot and Blue
Doorman (uncredited)
1949
Film
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
Sgt. Velie
1941
Film
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
Wilkie, house detective
1940
Film
My Favorite Blonde
Union Secretary
1942
Film
Army Surgeon
Brooklyn
1942
Film
The Merry Frinks
3rd Expressman (uncredited)
1934
Film
Shady Lady
Crane
1945
Film
Opened by Mistake
Police Sergeant Wilkins
1940
Film
The Cisco Kid and the Lady
Pop Saunders
1939
Film
Welcome Home
Michael Shaughnessy
1935
Film
Little Nellie Kelly
Sergeant McGowan
1940
Film
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets
1935
Film
Coronado
Slug Moran
1935
Film
Little Miss Marker
Detective Reardon (uncredited)
1934
Film
Let's Dance
George (uncredited)
1950
Film
Raton Pass
Hank
1951
Film
Riding High
Pete
1943
Film
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
Police Sergeant Velie
1942
Film
A Close Call for Ellery Queen
Sgt. Velie
1942
Film
The Leathernecks Have Landed
Corrigan
1936
Film
Reaching for the Sun
Norm
1941
Film
Face in the Sky
Cop (uncredited)
1933
Film
The Golden Fleecing
Sibley
1940
Film
The Way of All Flesh
Frisco
1940
Film
A Night to Remember
Pat Murphy (uncredited)
1942
Little Orphan Annie
Mike Moriarty
1938
Film
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
The Train Conductor
1950
Film
Buck Benny Rides Again
Taxi Driver
1940
Film
Here Comes Cookie
Broken-Nose Reilly
1935
Film
The Saint Strikes Back
Headquarters Police Officer
1939
Film
How DOooo You Do
Detective
1945
Film
No Time for Comedy
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
1940
Film
The Girl in 419
Detective Jackson
1933
Film
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
Sgt. Velie
1941
Film
On Borrowed Time
Sheriff Burlingame
1939
Film
Wharf Angel
Brooklyn Jack
1934
Film
Rhythm on the Range
Wabash
1936
Film
Young Widow
Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited)
1946
Film
Lady by Choice
Brannigan
1934
Film
Double Alibi
Police Captain Orr
1940
Film
The Mystery Man
Managing Editor Marvin
1935
Film
It Happened in Flatbush
Umpire Shaunnessy
1942
Film
The Timber Trail
Jed Baker
1948
Film
Bowery Bombshell
Detective O'Malley
1946
Film
Make a Million
Pete
1935
Film
Ticket to a Crime
Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis
1934
Film
Can This Be Dixie?
Sheriff N.B.F. Rider
1936
Film
City Limits
King, a Hobo
1934
Film
Flight Into Nowhere
Ike Matthews
1938
The Hollywood Handicap
1932
Film
36 Hours to Kill
Doyle - Process Server
1936
Film
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
Sgt. Velie
1942
Film
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
Police Lt. Burke
1947
Film
Philo Vance's Gamble
Lt. Burke
1947
Film
Easy Come, Easy Go
Harry Weston
1947
Film
After the Dance
Police Lieutenant
1935
Film
The Affair of Susan
Hogan
1935
Film
Case of the Missing Man
Police Sergeant Rorty
1935
Film
Hot Money
Police Sgt. Burke
1935
Film
Sisters Under the Skin
Conroy
1934
Film
I'm from Missouri
Walt Bliss
1939
Film
I Love a Bandleader
Charles Gibley
1945
Film
A Lady's Profession
Mulroy
1933
Film
The Family Next Door
Policeman
1939
Film
Such Women Are Dangerous
Detective
1934
Film
Shamrock Hill
Michael Rogan
1949
Film
Frisco Waterfront
Corrigan
1935