James Michael Burke (September 24, 1886 – May 23, 1968) was an Irish-American film and television

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

."New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909", FHL microfilm 1,322,214; New York Municipal Archives, Manhattan, New York, N.Y. FamilySearch. Retrieved February 20, 2019.

Career

Burke made his stage debut in New York around 1912 and went to Hollywood in 1933. He made over 200 film appearances during his career between 1932 and 1964, some of them uncredited. He was often cast as a police officer, usually a none-too-bright one, such as his role as Sergeant Velie in

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...

crime dramas in the early 1940s. Burke can also be seen in ''

At The Circus ''At the Circus'' is a 1939 comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which they help save a circus from bankruptcy. The film contains Groucho Marx's classic rendition of ...

'', '' The Maltese Falcon'', '' Lone Star'', and many other films. One of his memorable roles is his portrayal of a rowdy rancher in the 1935 comedy ''

Ruggles of Red Gap ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' is a 1935 American comedy western film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, and ZaSu Pitts and featuring Roland Young and Leila Hyams. It was based on the best-selling 1915 ...

''. In the early 1950s, Burke appeared on television with

Tom Conway Tom Conway (born Thomas Charles Sanders, 15 September 1904 – 22 April 1967) was a British film, television, and radio actor remembered for playing private detectives (including The Falcon, Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, and The Saint) ...

in the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

drama ''Inspector Mark Saber—Homicide Detective'', a series later renamed, reformatted, and switched to

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

under the new title ''

Saber of London ''The Vise'' (later known as ''Saber of London'', also known as ''Mark Saber'') is an American detective drama that was broadcast on ABC (1955-1957) and then moved to NBC (1957-1960). The series is a reboot of the ''ABC Mystery Theater'' radio a ...

''. In 1955 Burke appeared as Buckshot on the TV western ''Cheyenne'' in the episode "Border Showdown." In 1958, he appeared as Sheriff John Tatum in the episode, "Bounty" in the TV series, Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Death

Burke died on May 23, 1968 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

at age 81. His death was attributed to a heart condition.

Selected filmography

*'' The Painted Woman'' (1932) - Sailor, Yank's Pal (uncredited) *''

Face in the Sky ''Face in the Sky'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code comedy film. Plot The film concerns two sign painters (Spencer Tracy and Stuart Erwin) who find themselves blackmailed by a beautiful woman (Marian Nixon) determined to force Tracy's character in ...

'' (1933) - Cop (uncredited) *'' A Lady's Profession'' (1933) - Mulroy *''

The Girl in 419 ''The Girl in 419'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and written by Allen Rivkin, Manuel Seff and P.J. Wolfson. The film stars James Dunn, Gloria Stuart, David Manners, William Harrigan, ...

'' (1933) - Detective Jackson *'' The Man Who Dared'' (1933) - Registrar of Voters (uncredited) *'' College Humor'' (1933) - Cromwell Dexter *''

Her Bodyguard ''Her Bodyguard'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Edmund Lowe, Wynne Gibson and Edward Arnold.Marshall p.315-16 Cast * Edmund Lowe as Casey McCarthy * Wynne Gibson as Margot Brienne * Edwa ...

'' (1933) - Police Captain (uncredited) *''

The Power and the Glory ''The Power and the Glory'' is a 1940 novel by British author Graham Greene. The title is an allusion to the doxology often recited at the end of the Lord's Prayer: "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen." ...

'' (1933) - Gateman (uncredited) *''

Torch Singer A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affecte ...

'' (1933) - Taxicab Driver (uncredited) *'' To the Last Man'' (1933) - Kentucky Sheriff (uncredited) *''

The Bowery The Bowery () is a street and neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The street runs from Chatham Square at Park Row, Worth Street, and Mott Street in the south to Cooper Square at 4th Street in the north.Jackson, Kenneth L. "Bo ...

'' (1933) - Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited) *'' Bombshell'' (1933) - First Immigration Officer (uncredited) *''

Tillie and Gus ''Tillie and Gus'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Francis Martin, co-written by Martin and Walter DeLeon, and starring W.C. Fields, Alison Skipworth, Baby LeRoy, Julie Bishop, and Clarence Wilson. It is based on a short ...

'' (1933) - Juror (uncredited) *''

The Kennel Murder Case ''The Kennel Murder Case'' is a 1933 murder mystery novel written by S. S. Van Dine with fictional detective Philo Vance investigating a complex locked-room mystery. Plot summary One of the Coe brothers is found dead in his bedroom, locked f ...

'' (1933) - Policeman Who Lets Philo's Dog Out (uncredited) *''

Blood Money Blood money may refer to: * Blood money (restitution), money paid to the family of a murder victim Films * Blood Money (1917 film), ''Blood Money'' (1917 film), a film starring Harry Carey * Blood Money (1921 film), ''Blood Money'' (1921 film ...

'' (1933) - Pool Hall Detective (uncredited) *''

Jimmy and Sally ''Jimmy and Sally'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by James Tinling and written by Paul Schofield and Marguerite Roberts with additional dialogue by William Conselman. Starring James Dunn, Claire Trevor, Harvey Stephen ...

'' (1933) - Furniture Mover (uncredited) *'' Gallant Lady'' (1933) - Policeman in Park (uncredited) *'' Lady Killer'' (1933) - Panhandler (uncredited) *'' Queen Christina'' (1933) - the Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited) *''

It's a Gift ''It's a Gift'' is a 1934 American comedy film starring W.C. Fields. It was Fields's 16th sound film, and his fifth in 1934 alone. It was directed by Norman McLeod, who had directed Fields in his cameo as Humpty Dumpty in ''Alice in Wonderlan ...

'' (1934) *'' Fugitive Lovers'' (1934) - Joe Cobb (uncredited) *'' All of Me'' (1934) - Welfare Island Guard (uncredited) *''

Six of a Kind ''Six of a Kind'' is an American 1934 pre-Code comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Ruggles, Mary Boland, W.C. Fields, George Burns, and Gracie Allen. It is a whimsical and often absurd road movie about two couples who decid ...

'' (1934) - Detective (uncredited) *''

It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite (Claudette Colbert) tries ...

'' (1934) - Detective (uncredited) *'' Gambling Lady'' (1934) - Detective Making Raid (uncredited) *'' Wharf Angel'' (1934) - Brooklyn Jack *''

Good Dame ''Good Dame'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Marion Gering and written by Sam Hellman, Vincent Lawrence and William R. Lipman. The film stars Sylvia Sidney, Fredric March, Jack La Rue, Noel Francis, Russell Hopton, Bradley P ...

'' (1934) - Cop (uncredited) *''

City Limits City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...

'' (1934) - King *''

Sisters Under the Skin ''Sisters Under the Skin'', later renamed ''The Romantic Age'', is a 1934 American drama film directed by David Burton and starring Elissa Landi, Frank Morgan, and Joseph Schildkraut. It was the first film Landi made for Columbia Pictures. Plot ...

'' (1934) - Conroy *'' A Very Honorable Guy'' (1934) - Sergeant (uncredited) *''

Twentieth Century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 (1901, MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 (2000, MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu, Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and ...

'' (1934) - Sheriff (uncredited) *''

Sadie McKee ''Sadie McKee'' is a 1934 American pre-Code, romantic-drama film directed by Clarence Brown, starring Joan Crawford, and featuring Gene Raymond, Franchot Tone, Edward Arnold, and Esther Ralston. The film is based on the 1933 short story "Pretty ...

'' (1934) - First Motorcycle Cop (uncredited) *''

The Scarlet Empress ''The Scarlet Empress'' is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and John Lodge about the life of Catherine the Great. It was directed and produced by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Eleanor McGeary, loosely ba ...

'' (1934) - Guard (uncredited) *''

The Merry Frinks ''The Merry Frinks'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Aline MacMahon, Guy Kibbee and Hugh Herbert. It is also known by the alternative title of ''Happy Family''. Synopsis A put-upon mother inherits a fortu ...

'' (1934) - 3rd Expressman (uncredited) *'' Little Miss Marker'' (1934) - Detective Reardon (uncredited) *'' Such Women Are Dangerous'' (1934) - Detective *'' Friends of Mr. Sweeney'' (1934) - Policeman Arresting Wynn (uncredited) *''

The Cat's-Paw ''The Cat's-Paw'' (1934) is a comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Sam Taylor. It was Lloyd's seventh and final collaboration with Taylor and the fourth of his seven starring roles in sound. ''The Cat’s Paw'', a novel by Clarence ...

'' (1934) - Gargan (uncredited) *''

The Girl from Missouri ''The Girl from Missouri'' (originally called ''Born to Be Kissed'') is a 1934 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Jean Harlow and Franchot Tone. The movie was written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway. Plot Eadie (Jean Ha ...

'' (1934) - Policeman at Cousins' Suicide (uncredited) *''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...

'' (1934) - Pirate of the Spanish Main *''

The Lemon Drop Kid ''The Lemon Drop Kid'' is a 1951 American comedy film based on the short story of the same name by Damon Runyon, starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. Although Sidney Lanfield is credited as the director, Frank Tashlin reportedly was hired, u ...

'' (1934) - First Tramp (uncredited) *'' Happiness Ahead'' (1934) - Policeman (uncredited) *''

Lady by Choice ''Lady by Choice'' is a 1934 American romantic drama film released by Columbia Pictures starring Carole Lombard as a fan dancer and May Robson as a homeless drunk asked to pose as the dancer's mother for a publicity stunt, with unexpected conse ...

'' (1934) - Brannigan *'' Love Time'' (1934) - Emperor Francis I *''

Ticket to a Crime ''Ticket to a Crime'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Ralph Graves, Lois Wilson and Lola Lane.Langman & Finn p.270 A private detective and his assistant solve a murder at a country club. Cast * Ralph G ...

'' (1934) - Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis *''

The Secret Bride ''The Secret Bride'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by William Dieterle and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Warren William. Based on the play ''Concealment'' by Leonard Ide, the film is about governor's daughter and a state attorney genera ...

'' (1934) - Diner Counterman (uncredited) *''

Rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba ...

'' (1935) - Reporter (uncredited) *'' The Mystery Man'' (1935) - Managing Editor Marvin *''

'' (1935) - Jeff Tuttle *''

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

'' (1935) - Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House (uncredited) *'' Princess O'Hara'' (1935) - A Detective (uncredited) *''

Dinky Dinky may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Dinky Toys, a brand of die-cast toy vehicles * Dinky (film), a 1935 film starring Jackie Cooper * Dinky Bossetti, protagonist of the 1990 film '' Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael'', played by Winona Ryde ...

'' (1935) - Truck Driver *''

So Red the Rose ''So Red the Rose'' is the only studio album by the Duran Duran-spinoff group Arcadia, released in 1985. It included the singles "Election Day", " Goodbye Is Forever" and " The Flame". The album peaked at #23 on the Billboard 200 in January ...

'' (1935) - Major Rushton *'' Make a Million'' (1935) - Pete *'' After the Dance'' (1935) - Police Lieutenant (uncredited) *''

Broadway Gondolier ''Broadway Gondolier '' ( 1935) is a musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon. The film was released by Warner Bros., and featured Dick Powell, Joan Blondell and Adolphe Menjou. Plot Richard "Dick" Purcell ( Dick Powell), a taxi driver, aspires to ...

'' (1935) - Uncle Andy *'' The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (1935) - Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets (uncredited) *''

Man on the Flying Trapeze ''Man on the Flying Trapeze'' (UK title: ''The Memory Expert'') is a 1935 comedy film starring W. C. Fields as a henpecked husband who experiences a series of misadventures while taking a day off from work to attend a wrestling match. As with his ...

'' (1935) - Patrolman No.2 *'' Welcome Home'' (1935) - Michael Shaughnessy *'' Call of the Wild'' (1935) - Ole *''

The Affair of Susan ''The Affair of Susan'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Zasu Pitts, Hugh O'Connell and Walter Catlett.Lowe p.1968 It is a remake of the 1928 silent film '' Lonesome''. Two lonely people meet at an amusemen ...

'' (1935) - Hogan *''

Here Comes Cookie ''Here Comes Cookie'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod, written by Don Hartman, and starring George Burns, Gracie Allen, George Barbier, Betty Furness, Andrew Tombes and Rafael Storm. The picture was released on Augus ...

'' (1935) - Broken-Nose Reilly *''

Case of the Missing Man ''The Case of the Missing Man'' is a 1935 American mystery crime film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Roger Pryor, Joan Perry and Thurston Hall. Synopsis A newspaper photographer is persuaded by his girlfriend to quit his job and ...

'' (1935) - Police Sergeant Rorty *'' Remember Last Night?'' (1935) - Motorcycle Cop (uncredited) *'' Music Is Magic'' (1935) - Mickey (uncredited) *''

Coronado Coronado may refer to: People * Coronado (surname) * Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1510–1554), Spanish explorer often referred to simply as "Coronado" * Coronado Chávez (1807–1881), President of Honduras from 1845 to 1847 Places United ...

'' (1935) - Slug Moran *''

Frisco Waterfront ''Frisco Waterfront'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and Joseph Santley and starring Ben Lyon, Helen Twelvetrees and Rod La Rocque. Plot Gubernatorial candidate Glen Burton hates newspaper editor Dan Elliott, who married ...

'' (1935) - Corrigan *'' Dancing Feet'' (1936) - Phil Moore *''

It Had to Happen ''It Had to Happen'' is a 1936 American drama film starring George Raft and Rosalind Russell. The movie was written by Kathryn Scola, and Howard Ellis Smith, and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It is based on the 1909 short story "Canavan, the Man Wh ...

'' (1936) - Foreman (uncredited) *''

The Leathernecks Have Landed ''The Leathernecks Have Landed'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Seton I. Miller. The film stars Lew Ayres, Isabel Jewell, James Ellison, James Burke, J. Carrol Naish and Clay Clement. The film wa ...

'' (1936) - Corrigan *'' The Trail of the Lonesome Pine'' (1936) - Leader (uncredited) *''

Klondike Annie ''Klondike Annie'' is a 1936 American Western film starring Mae West and Victor McLaglen. The film was co-written by West from her play ''Frisco Kate'', which she wrote in 1921 and a story written by the duo Marion Morgan and George Brendan Dowe ...

'' (1936) - Bartender (uncredited) *'' Song and Dance Man'' (1936) - Lt. Mike Boyle *'' Forgotten Faces'' (1936) - Sgt. Johnny Donovan *''

Rhythm on the Range ''Rhythm on the Range'' is a 1936 American Western musical film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, and Bob Burns. Based on a story by Mervin J. Houser, the film is about a cowboy who meets a beautiful young wom ...

'' (1936) - Wabash *''

36 Hours to Kill ''36 Hours to Kill'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Eugene Forde, written by Lou Breslow and John Patrick, and starring Brian Donlevy, Gloria Stuart, Douglas Fowley, Isabel Jewell, Stepin Fetchit and Julius Tannen. It is based on the ...

'' (1936) - Doyle *''

Pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...

'' (1936) - Hamburger Man (uncredited) *''

Old Hutch ''Old Hutch'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by J. Walter Ruben and starring Wallace Beery as a man who finds $100,000 in the depths of the Depression. It is a remake of the 1920 Will Rogers film '' Honest Hutch.'' Cast *Wall ...

'' (1936) - Bank Teller (scenes deleted) *''

Can This Be Dixie? ''Can This Be Dixie?'' is a 1936 American musical comedy film directed by George Marshall and featuring child star Jane Withers along with Slim Summerville and Helen Wood. In 1937 and 1938, Withers became one of the top 10 box-office stars i ...

'' (1936) - Sheriff N.B.F. Rider *''

Laughing at Trouble ''Laughing at Trouble'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and written by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. The film stars Jane Darwell, Brook Byron, Allan Lane, Sara Haden, Lois Wilson, and Margaret Hamilton. The film wa ...

'' (1936) - Sheriff Bill Norton *''

Great Guy ''Great Guy'' is a 1936 American crime film noir directed by John G. Blystone and starring James Cagney. In the film, an honest inspector for the New York Department of Weights and Measures takes on corrupt merchants and politicians. Plot After ...

'' (1936) - Pat Haley *'' Champagne Waltz'' (1937) - Mr. Scribner *'' Pick a Star'' (1937) - Detective Nolan (uncredited) *''

High, Wide and Handsome ''High, Wide and Handsome'' is a 1937 American musical Western film starring Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, Alan Hale, Sr., Charles Bickford and Dorothy Lamour. The film was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and written by Oscar Hammerstein II and G ...

'' (1937) - Stackpole *''

Dead End Dead End or dead end may refer to: * Dead end (street), a street connected only at one end with other streets, called by many other official names, including ''cul-de-sac''. Film and television * ''The Dead End'' (1914 film), directed by Davi ...

'' (1937) - Officer Mulligan *''

Life Begins with Love ''Life Begins with Love'' is a 1937 American romantic drama film, directed by Ray McCarey. It stars Jean Parker, Douglass Montgomery, and Edith Fellows. References External links''Life Begins with Love''at the Internet Movie Database IM ...

'' (1937) - Darby McGraw *''

The Perfect Specimen ''The Perfect Specimen'' is a 1937 film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Joan Blondell. The picture is based on a novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams. It was Flynn's first comedy. Plot Gerald Wicks, the heir to a large fortune, ...

'' (1937) - Sheriff Bill Snodgrass *'' The Buccaneer'' (1938) - Pirate (uncredited) *''

Flight into Nowhere ''Flight Into Nowhere'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis D. Collins, and produced by Larry Darmour for Columbia Pictures. The film stars Jack Holt, Jacqueline Wells and Dick Purcell. In the low-budget action film, the locale ...

'' (1938) - Ike Matthews *''

Joy of Living ''Joy of Living'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with supporting performances from Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, Eric Blore and Lucille Ball. It features ...

'' (1938) - Mac *'' Men with Wings'' (1938) - J.A. Nolan *'' You Can't Take It with You'' (1938) - Chief Detective (uncredited) *''

The Affairs of Annabel ''The Affairs of Annabel'' is a 1938 comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie. The film was followed by the sequel ''Annabel Takes a Tour'' the same year, also starring Oakie, Ball and Donnelly. Plot Wond ...

'' (1938) - Muldoon *''

The Mad Miss Manton ''The Mad Miss Manton'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy-mystery film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Barbara Stanwyck as fun-loving socialite Melsa Manton and Henry Fonda as newspaper editor Peter Ames. Melsa and her debutante friends h ...

'' (1938) - Sullivan *''

Little Orphan Annie ''Little Orphan Annie'' is a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and it made its debut on Aug ...

'' (1938) - Mike Moriarty *''

Orphans of the Street ''Orphans of the Street'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by John H. Auer and written by Eric Taylor, Jack Townley and Olive Cooper. The film stars Tommy Ryan, Robert Livingston, June Storey, Ralph Morgan, Harry Davenport and James Bur ...

'' (1938) - Police Officer Lou Manning *'' The Dawn Patrol'' (1938) - Flaherty *''

The Saint Strikes Back ''The Saint Strikes Back'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by John Farrow. It marks the second cinematic incarnation of the antihero crimefighting character Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". George Sanders replaced Louis Hayward, who h ...

'' (1939) - Headquarters Police Officer *'' Within the Law'' (1939) - 'Red' *''

I'm from Missouri ''I'm from Missouri'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Theodore Reed and written by Duke Atteberry and Jack Moffitt. The film stars Bob Burns, Gladys George, Gene Lockhart, Judith Barrett, William "Bill" Henry and Patricia Morison. Th ...

'' (1939) - Walt Bliss *'' The Family Next Door'' (1939) - Policeman (uncredited) *''

Sudden Money ''Sudden Money'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Nick Grinde, written by Lewis R. Foster, and starring Charlie Ruggles, Marjorie Rambeau, Charley Grapewin, Broderick Crawford, Billy Lee and Evelyn Keyes Evelyn Louise Keyes (Novemb ...

'' (1939) - McPherson *''

Dodge City Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States, named after nearby Fort Dodge. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. The city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town ...

'' (1939) - Cattle Auctioneer (uncredited) *''

On Borrowed Time ''On Borrowed Time'' is a 1939 film about the role death plays in life, and how humanity cannot live without it. It is adapted from Paul Osborn's 1938 Broadway hit play. The play, based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin, has been revived twi ...

'' (1939) - Sheriff Burlingame *''

Beau Geste ''Beau Geste'' is an adventure novel by British writer P. C. Wren, which details the adventures of three English brothers who enlist separately in the French Foreign Legion following the theft of a valuable jewel from the country house of a rel ...

'' (1939) - Lieutenant Dufour *''

Fast and Furious ''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, a ...

'' (1939) - Clancy *''

At the Circus ''At the Circus'' is a 1939 comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which they help save a circus from bankruptcy. The film contains Groucho Marx's classic rendition of ...

'' (1939) - John Carter *'' The Cisco Kid and the Lady'' (1939) - Pop Saunders *'' Double Alibi'' (1940) - Police Captain Orr *''

Buck Benny Rides Again ''Buck Benny Rides Again'' is a 1940 American Western comedy film from Paramount Pictures starring Jack Benny and Ellen Drew. The film featured regulars from Benny's radio show including Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Andy Devine, Phil Harris, and D ...

'' (1940) - Taxi Driver *''

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise ''Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise'' is a 1940 murder mystery film starring Sidney Toler in his fifth of many performances as Charlie Chan. It is based on the Earl Derr Biggers 1930 novel '' Charlie Chan Carries On''. Plot The famed detective seeks ...

'' (1940) - Wilkie *''

Opened by Mistake ''Opened by Mistake'' is a 1940 film starring Charlie Ruggles and Janice Logan. Plot Journalist buddies Jimmie Daniels and Buzz Nelson have decided to spend their vacation together at the Latonia horse race track on Yucatán, Mexico. Their plans ...

'' (1940) - Police Sergeant Wilkins *''

The Saint Takes Over ''The Saint Takes Over'', released in 1940 by RKO Pictures, was the fifth of eight films in RKO's film series about Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the Robin Hood-inspired crimefighter created by Leslie Charteris. George Sanders played ...

'' (1940) - Patrolman Mike *''

The Way of All Flesh ''The Way of All Flesh'' (sometimes called ''Ernest Pontifex, or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...

'' (1940) - Frisco *'' The Golden Fleecing'' (1940) - Sibley - Motorcycle Cop *''

No Time for Comedy ''No Time for Comedy'' is a 1940 American comedy-drama film based on the play of the same name by S. N. Behrman, starring James Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Genevieve Tobin and Charlie Ruggles. Plot summary Gaylord Esterbrook (Stewart), a reporte ...

'' (1940) - Police Sergeant (uncredited) *''

Little Nellie Kelly ''Little Nellie Kelly'' is a 1940 American musical-comedy film based on the stage musical of the same title by George M. Cohan which was a hit on Broadway in 1922 and 1923. The film was written by Jack McGowan and directed by Norman Taurog. It ...

'' (1940) - Sergeant McGowan *''

Ellery Queen, Master Detective ''Ellery Queen, Master Detective'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by Kurt Neumann (director), Kurt Neumann and written by Eric Taylor (screenwriter), Eric Taylor. The film stars Ralph Bellamy, Margaret Lindsay, Charley Grapewin, James Bu ...

'' (1940) - Sgt. Velle *''

Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery ''Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery'' is a 1941 American mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Eric Taylor. It is based on the 1939 play ''The Three Scratches'' by Ellery Queen. The film stars Ralph Bellamy, Margaret Lindsay, Ch ...

'' (1941) - Police Sergeant Velie *'' Pot o' Gold'' (1941) - Lt. Grady *''

Reaching for the Sun ''Reaching for the Sun'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by William A. Wellman and written by W.L. River. The film stars Joel McCrea, Ellen Drew, Eddie Bracken, Albert Dekker, Billy Gilbert, George Chandler and Bodil Ann Rosing. The f ...

'' (1941) - Norm *'' Million Dollar Baby'' (1941) - Callahan *''

Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime ''Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime'' is a 1941 American mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Eric Taylor. The film was loosely based on the 1938 novel '' The Devil to Pay'' by Ellery Queen. It stars Ralph Bellamy, Margaret L ...

'' (1941) - Sgt. Velie *'' The Maltese Falcon'' (1941) - Luke *'' Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring'' (1941) - Sgt. Velie *'' All Through the Night'' (1942) - Lieutenant Forbes *''

A Close Call for Ellery Queen ''A Close Call for Ellery Queen'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Eric Taylor and Gertrude Purcell. It is based on the 1939 novel ''The Dragon's Teeth: A Problem in Deduction'' by Ellery Queen. The film ...

'' (1942) - Police Sgt. Velle *''

My Favorite Blonde ''My Favorite Blonde'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Bob Hope and Madeleine Carroll. Based on a story by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, the film is about a vaudeville performer who gets mixed up with Bri ...

'' (1942) - Union Secretary *'' A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen'' (1942) - Sgt. Velie *''

It Happened in Flatbush ''It Happened in Flatbush'' is a 1942 American sports film directed by Ray McCarey and starring Lloyd Nolan, Carole Landis and Sara Allgood. The film is a baseball comedy inspired by the 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers' pennant win. This film's sets we ...

'' (1942) - Umpire Shaunnessy *'' Are Husbands Necessary?'' (1942) - Tough Mugg (uncredited) *''

Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen ''Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen'' is a 1942 black-and-white thriller film, directed by James P. Hogan and written by Ellery Queen, the duo of Manfred Lee and Frederic Dannay. The film was the final entry in the Ellery Queen film series. Plot ...

'' (1942) - Police Sgt. Velie *'' Army Surgeon'' (1942) - Brooklyn *'' A Night to Remember'' (1942) - Pat Murphy *''

No Place for a Lady ''No Place for a Lady'' is a 1943 black and white mystery film, directed by James P. Hogan. Plot At a warehouse in Los Angeles, trucks are loaded with stacks of tires to be delivered to a San Francisco warehouse. On a country road under cover ...

'' (1943) - Moriarity *''

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

'' (1943) - Riverboat Captain (uncredited) *'' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) - Bill - the Intern Guard (uncredited) *'' Riding High'' (1943) - Pete Brown (uncredited) *'' 3 Men in White'' (1944) - First Policeman (uncredited) *''

Casanova Brown ''Casanova Brown'' is a 1944 American comedy romantic film directed by Sam Wood, written by Nunnally Johnson, and starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Frank Morgan. The film had its world premiere in western France after the Allies had li ...

'' (1944) - O'Leary (uncredited) *''

The Horn Blows at Midnight ''The Horn Blows at Midnight'' is a 1945 comedy fantasy film directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Jack Benny. Following its poor box-office, Benny often exploited the film's failure for laughs over the next 20 years in his radio and television c ...

'' (1945) - Cliffside Park Policeman (uncredited) *''

Anchors Aweigh "Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and unofficial march song of the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. When he composed "Anchors Aweigh", Zim ...

'' (1945) - Studio Cop *''

Guest Wife ''Guest Wife'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Sam Wood, written by Bruce Manning and John Klorer, and starring Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche, and Dick Foran John Nicholas "Dick" Foran (June 18, 1910 – August 10, 1979) was ...

'' (1945) - Waiter (uncredited) *'' Shady Lady'' (1945) - Crane *''

I Love a Bandleader ''I Love a Bandleader'' is a 1945 American musical comedy film directed by Del Lord and starring Phil Harris, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson and Leslie Brooks.Foster p.184 Main cast * Phil Harris as Phil Burton * Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson as Newt ...

'' (1945) - Charles Gibley *''How DOooo You Do'' (1945) - Detective *''

Young Widow ''Young Widow'' is a 1946 drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Jane Russell and Louis Hayward. It focuses on Joan Kenwood, a young journalist who cannot get over her husband's death in World War II. Kenwood is reminded in large ways ...

'' (1946) - Motorcycle Cop (uncredited) *'' The Virginian'' (1946) - Andy Jones (uncredited) *''

Bowery Bombshell ''Bowery Bombshell'' is a 1946 film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. It is the third film in the series. Plot Sweet Shop owner Louie needs to raise $300. The Boys try to sell their jalopy to raise the money, but are unable to becaus ...

'' (1946) - Detective O'Malley *''

Two Years Before the Mast ''Two Years Before the Mast'' is a memoir by the American author Richard Henry Dana Jr., published in 1840, having been written after a two-year sea voyage from Boston to California on a merchant ship starting in 1834. A film adaptation under the ...

'' (1946) - Carrick *''

Sister Kenny ''Sister Kenny'' is a 1946 American biographical film about Sister Elizabeth Kenny, an Australian bush nurse, who fought to help people who suffered from polio, despite opposition from the medical establishment. The film stars Rosalind Russell, ...

'' (1946) - Minor Role (scenes deleted) *''

'' (1947) - Pokey *'' Easy Come, Easy Go'' (1947) - Harry Weston *''

Lost Honeymoon ''Lost Honeymoon'' is a 1947 American screwball comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Franchot Tone, Ann Richards and Tom Conway. The working title of the film was ''Amy Comes Across''.''AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the ...

'' (1947) - Bartender (uncredited) * ''

Philo Vance's Gamble ''Philo Vance's Gamble'' is a 1947 American mystery film directed by Basil Wrangell and starring Alan Curtis, Vivian Austin and Tala Birell. It was the first of three films featuring the detective Philo Vance made by the Producers Releasing Corpo ...

'' (1947) - Lt. Burke *'' Blaze of Noon'' (1947) - Farmer (uncredited) *''

Living in a Big Way ''Living in a Big Way'' (1947) is an American musical comedy film starring Gene Kelly and Marie McDonald as a couple who marry during World War II after only knowing each other a short time. This was director Gregory La Cava's final film. P ...

'' (1947) - Murphy (uncredited) *'' Down to Earth'' (1947) - Detective Kelly *''

Gas House Kids in Hollywood Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

'' (1947) - Police Lt. Burke *''

Song of the Thin Man ''Song of the Thin Man'' is a 1947 murder mystery-comedy directed by Edward Buzzell. The sixth and final film in MGM's '' Thin Man'' series, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by Dashiell Hammett ...

'' (1947) - Michael Callahan - Police Officer (uncredited) *'' Nightmare Alley'' (1947) - Rural Marshal (uncredited) *'' Body and Soul'' (1947) - Arnold (uncredited) *''

The Big Clock ''The Big Clock'' is a 1946 novel by Kenneth Fearing. Published by Harcourt Brace, the thriller was Fearing's fourth novel, following three for Random House (''The Hospital'', ''Dagger of the Mind'', ''Clark Gifford's Body'') and five collections ...

'' (1948) - O'Brien *''

The Timber Trail ''The Timber Trail'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Philip Ford, written by Robert Creighton Williams, and starring Monte Hale, Lynne Roberts, James Burke, Roy Barcroft, Francis Ford, and Robert Emmett Keane. It was released o ...

'' (1948) - Jed Baker *''

Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven ''Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven'' is a 1948 American black-and-white romantic comedy film directed by William Castle and starring Guy Madison, Diana Lynn, James Dunn, and Florence Bates. A reporter in Dallas, Texas, goes to New York with the dre ...

'' (1948) - Cop (uncredited) *''

Beyond Glory ''Beyond Glory'' is a 1948 American drama film directed by John Farrow and starring Alan Ladd and Donna Reed. Written by William Wister Haines, Jonathan Latimer, and Charles Marquis Warren, the film is about a former soldier who thinks he may have ...

'' (1948) - Jim, the Bartender (uncredited) *''Night Wind'' (1948) - Sheriff Hamilton *''

June Bride ''June Bride'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Bretaigne Windust. The screenplay, which was based on the unproduced play ''Feature for June'' by Eileen Tighe and Graeme Lorimer, was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for ...

'' (1948) - Luke Potter * '' Shamrock Hill'' (1949) - Michael Rogan *'' Alias Nick Beal'' (1949) - Bum (uncredited) *''

Take Me Out to the Ball Game "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of North American baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song ...

'' (1949) - Policeman (uncredited) *'' Mighty Joe Young'' (1949) - Producer (uncredited) *''

Red, Hot and Blue ''Red, Hot and Blue'' is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It premiered on Broadway in 1936 and introduced the popular song " It's De-Lovely," sung by Ethel Merman and Bob Hope. ...

'' (1949) - Joe, Doorman (uncredited) *''

The Kid from Texas ''The Kid from Texas'' is a 1950 American Western film that was Audie Murphy's first Technicolor Western and the first feature film on Murphy's Universal-International Pictures contract. It was directed by Kurt Neumann and featured Gale Storm ...

'' (1950) - Blacksmith (uncredited) *'' Let's Dance'' (1950) - George (uncredited) *''

Copper Canyon Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers tha ...

'' (1950) - Jeb Bassett *''

Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone ''Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone'' is a 1950 comedy/murder mystery film set on board a train. It stars Marjorie Main and James Whitmore. It is based on the short story "Once Upon a Train (The Loco Motive)" by Stuart Palmer and Craig Rice. Plot M ...

'' (1950) - The Train Conductor *'' Valentino'' (1951) - Policeman in Park (uncredited) *'' The Last Outpost'' (1951) - Stagecoach Driver (uncredited) *''

Raton Pass Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, New ...

'' (1951) - Hank *'' Excuse My Dust'' (1951) - MSgt. Nuckols (uncredited) *'' His Kind of Woman'' (1951) - Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited) *''

Warpath Warpath may refer to: *Great Indian Warpath, a network of trails in eastern North America used by Native Americans Games * ''Warpath'' (video game), a 2006 FPS video game by Digital Extremes for the PC and Xbox *'' Warpath: Jurassic Park'', a 199 ...

'' (1951) - Oldtimer *''

Here Comes the Groom ''Here Comes the Groom'' is a 1951 American musical romantic comedy film produced and directed by Frank Capra and starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman. Based on a story by Robert Riskin and Liam O'Brien, the film is about a foreign correspondent w ...

'' (1951) - O'Neill, Policeman *'' Lone Star'' (1952) - Luther Kilgore *''

Denver and Rio Grande The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge line running south from De ...

'' (1952) - Sheriff Ed Johnson *''

We're Not Married! ''We're Not Married!'' is a 1952 American anthology romantic comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25 ...

'' (1952) - Willie's Sergeant (uncredited) *'' Toughest Man in Arizona'' (1952) - George Ryan (uncredited) *'' Lucky Me'' (1954) - Mahoney *''

You're Never Too Young ''You’re Never Too Young'' is a 1955 American semi- musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring the team of Martin and Lewis and co-starring Diana Lynn, Nina Foch, and Raymond Burr. It was released on August 25, 1955 by Paramoun ...

'' (1955) - Pullman Conductor (uncredited) *''

The Birds and the Bees The talk about sex, often colloquially referred to as "the birds and the bees" or "the facts of life", is generally the occasion in most children's lives when their parents explain what sex is and how to do it. According to tradition, "the bird ...

'' (1956) - Steward (uncredited) *''

Back from Eternity ''Back from Eternity'' is a 1956 American drama film about a planeload of people stranded in the South American jungle and subsequently menaced by headhunters. The film stars Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger, Anita Ekberg and Gene Barry. The film is a ...

'' (1956) - Grimsby, Airline Manager (uncredited) *''

Public Pigeon No. 1 ''Public Pigeon No. 1'' is a 1957 comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod. It stars Red Skelton and Vivian Blaine. It is the theatrical feature-length remake of the ''Climax!'' television episode "Public Pigeon #1" that also starred Red Skelton, ...

'' (1957) - Harrigan *''

The Unholy Wife ''The Unholy Wife'' is a 1957 Technicolor film noir crime film produced and directed by John Farrow at RKO Radio Pictures, but released by Universal Pictures as RKO was in the process of ceasing its film activities. The film features Diana Dors, ...

'' (1957) - Sheriff Tom Watling *''

Alias Jesse James ''Alias Jesse James'' is a 1959 American Western comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; March 21, 1959, page 46. Based on a story by Robert St. Aubrey and Bert Lawre ...

'' (1959) - Charlie (uncredited) *''

The Young Philadelphians ''The Young Philadelphians'' is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel ''The Philadelphian'', by Richard P. Powell. ...

'' (1959) - Police Officer Barney Flanagan (uncredited) • Stagecoach West - TV (1960/61) - Zeke Bonner (recurring character)

References and notes

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Burke, James Male actors from New York City American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors 1886 births 1968 deaths