Discover
James Burke 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 between 1932 and 1964. He was often cast as a police officer, usually a none-too-bright one, such as his role as Sergeant Velie in Columbia Pictures' Ellery Queen crime dramas in the early 1940s. Burke can also be seen in The Maltese Falcon, At the Circus, 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.
Born
Friday, 24 September 1886
Died
Thursday, 23 May 1968
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Inside the Marx Brothers | John Carter (clip from At the Circus (1939)) | 2003 |
| Classified X | Self | 1998 |
| Connections | 1978 | |
| Brother Can You Spare a Dime | (archive footage) | 1975 |
| The Law and Mr. Jones | Carney | 1960 |
| Stagecoach West | Zeke Bonner | 1960 |
| The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Policeman | 1959 |
| The Young Philadelphians | Police Officer Barney Flanagan | 1959 |
| Alias Jesse James | Charlie | 1959 |
| Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Penson | 1958 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Inside the Marx Brothers | John Carter (clip from At the Circus (1939)) | 2003 |
| Classified X | Self | 1998 |
| Connections | 1978 | |
| Brother Can You Spare a Dime | (archive footage) | 1975 |
| The Law and Mr. Jones | Carney | 1960 |
| Stagecoach West | Zeke Bonner | 1960 |
| The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Policeman | 1959 |
| The Young Philadelphians | Police Officer Barney Flanagan | 1959 |
| Alias Jesse James | Charlie | 1959 |
| Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Penson | 1958 |
| Wanted: Dead or Alive | Sheriff Blore, Sheriff John Tatum, Sheriff M. Comstock | 1958 |
| The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour | Horse Handler | 1957 |
| Trackdown | Levi Benson | 1957 |
| Wagon Train | Ance Beal, Mr. Harrison | 1957 |
| The Unholy Wife | Sheriff Tom Watling | 1957 |
| Public Pigeon No. 1 | Harrigan | 1957 |
| Tales of Wells Fargo | Billy Knapp, Silver Logan | 1957 |
| Playhouse 90 | The Janitor | 1956 |
| Hey, Jeannie! | Sheriff | 1956 |
| Back from Eternity | Grimsby, Airline Manager | 1956 |
| The Birds and the Bees | Steward | 1956 |
| The 20th Century-Fox Hour | Mr. Tuttle | 1955 |
| Cheyenne | Buckshot | 1955 |
| You're Never Too Young | Pullman Conductor | 1955 |
| Shower of Stars | Self | 1954 |
| Lassie | Mr. Jensen | 1954 |
| Duffy's Tavern | Clancy | 1954 |
| Lucky Me | Mahoney | 1954 |
| The Life of Riley | Duke, Officer Dooley | 1953 |
| My Hero | Jeff Fingers - Pickpocket, Jefferson Smith | 1952 |
| Toughest Man in Arizona | George Ryan | 1952 |
| We're Not Married! | Willie's Sergeant | 1952 |
| My Little Margie | Policeman | 1952 |
| Denver & Rio Grande | Sheriff Ed Johnson | 1952 |
| Lone Star | Luther Kilgore | 1952 |
| Warpath | Oldtimer | 1951 |
| I Love Lucy | Mr. Watson | 1951 |
| Mark Saber | Sgt. Tim Maloney, Det. Sgt. Tim Maloney, Det. Sgt. Tim Malony | 1951 |
| The Red Skelton Hour | 2nd Policeman, Bob Appleby - George's Father, Captain in U.S. Navy, Captain, Clancy the Cop, Second Policeman, Ship's Captain | 1951 |
| Here Comes the Groom | O'Neill, Policeman | 1951 |
| His Kind of Woman | Barkeeper in Nogales | 1951 |
| Excuse My Dust | MSgt. Nuckols | 1951 |
| Raton Pass | Hank | 1951 |
| The Last Outpost | 1951 | |
| Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone | The Train Conductor | 1950 |
| Let's Dance | George | 1950 |
| The Kid from Texas | Blacksmith | 1950 |
| Copper Canyon | Jeb Bassett | 1950 |
| Red, Hot and Blue | Joe, Doorman | 1949 |
| Mighty Joe Young | Producer | 1949 |
| Take Me Out to the Ball Game | Policeman | 1949 |
| Alias Nick Beal | Bum | 1949 |
| June Bride | Luke Potter | 1948 |
| Night Wind | Sheriff Hamilton | 1948 |
| Beyond Glory | Jim, the Bartender | 1948 |
| Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven | Cop | 1948 |
| The Timber Trail | Jed Baker | 1948 |
| The Big Clock | O'Brien | 1948 |
| Body and Soul | Arnold | 1947 |
| Nightmare Alley | Rural Marshal | 1947 |
| Song of the Thin Man | Callahan | 1947 |
| The Gas House Kids in Hollywood | Police Lt. Burke | 1947 |
| Down to Earth | Detective Kelly | 1947 |
| Living in a Big Way | Murphy | 1947 |
| Blaze of Noon | Farmer | 1947 |
| Philo Vance's Gamble | Lt. Burke | 1947 |
| Lost Honeymoon | Bartender | 1947 |
| Easy Come, Easy Go | Harry Weston | 1947 |
| California | Pokey | 1947 |
| Sister Kenny | Undetermined Minor Role | 1946 |
| Bowery Bombshell | Detective O'Malley | 1946 |
| The Virginian | Andy Jones | 1946 |
| Young Widow | Motorcycle Cop / Motorcycle Cop (Uncredited) | 1946 |
| Two Years Before the Mast | Carrick | 1946 |
| How DOooo You Do | Detective | 1945 |
| I Love a Bandleader | Charles Gibley | 1945 |
| Shady Lady | Crane | 1945 |
| Guest Wife | Waiter | 1945 |
| Anchors Aweigh | Studio Cop | 1945 |
| The Horn Blows at Midnight | Cliffside Park Policeman | 1945 |
| Casanova Brown | O'Leary | 1944 |
| 3 Men in White | First Policeman | 1944 |
| Riding High | Pete Brown / Pete | 1943 |
| Thank Your Lucky Stars | Bill - the Intern Guard | 1943 |
| Dixie | Riverboat Captain | 1943 |
| No Place for a Lady | Moriarity / Police Substation Chief Moriarty | 1943 |
| A Night to Remember | Pat Murphy | 1942 |
| Army Surgeon | Brooklyn | 1942 |
| Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen | Police Sgt. Velie / Police Sergeant Velie | 1942 |
| Are Husbands Necessary? | Tough Mugg | 1942 |
| It Happened in Flatbush | Umpire Shaunnessy | 1942 |
| A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen | Sgt. Velie | 1942 |
| My Favorite Blonde | Union Secretary | 1942 |
| A Close Call for Ellery Queen | Police Sgt. Velle / Sgt. Velie | 1942 |
| All Through the Night | Forbes / Police Lt. Forbes | 1942 |
| Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring | Sgt. Velie / Police Sgt. Velie | 1941 |
| The Maltese Falcon | Luke | 1941 |
| Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime | Sgt. Velie | 1941 |
| Million Dollar Baby | Callahan | 1941 |
| Reaching for the Sun | Norm | 1941 |
| Pot o' Gold | Lt. Grady | 1941 |
| Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery | Police Sergeant Velie / Sgt. Velie | 1941 |
| Ellery Queen, Master Detective | Sgt. Velle | 1940 |
| Little Nellie Kelly | Sergeant McGowan | 1940 |
| No Time for Comedy | Police Sergeant | 1940 |
| The Golden Fleecing | Sibley - Motorcycle Cop / Sibley | 1940 |
| The Way of All Flesh | Frisco | 1940 |
| The Saint Takes Over | Patrolman Mike | 1940 |
| Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise | Wilkie | 1940 |
| Opened by Mistake | Police Sergeant Wilkins | 1940 |
| Buck Benny Rides Again | Taxi Driver | 1940 |
| Double Alibi | Police Captain Orr | 1940 |
| The Cisco Kid and the Lady | Pop Saunders | 1939 |
| At the Circus | John Carter | 1939 |
| Fast and Furious | Clancy | 1939 |
| Beau Geste | Lieutenant Dufour | 1939 |
| On Borrowed Time | Sheriff Burlingame | 1939 |
| Dodge City | Cattle Auctioneer | 1939 |
| The Family Next Door | Policeman | 1939 |
| Sudden Money | McPherson | 1939 |
| I'm from Missouri | Walt Bliss | 1939 |
| Within the Law | 'Red' | 1939 |
| The Saint Strikes Back | Headquarters Police Officer | 1939 |
| The Dawn Patrol | Flaherty / Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver | 1938 |
| Orphans of the Street | Police Officer Lou Manning | 1938 |
| Little Orphan Annie | Mike Moriarty | 1938 |
| Spring Madness | Policeman | 1938 |
| Men with Wings | J.A. Nolan | 1938 |
| The Mad Miss Manton | Sullivan | 1938 |
| The Affairs of Annabel | Muldoon | 1938 |
| You Can't Take It with You | Chief Detective | 1938 |
| Joy of Living | Mac | 1938 |
| The Buccaneer | Pirate | 1938 |
| The Perfect Specimen | Sheriff Bill Snodgrass / Constable Snodgrass | 1937 |
| Life Begins with Love | Darby McGraw | 1937 |
| Dead End | Mulligan / Police Officer Mulligan | 1937 |
| High, Wide and Handsome | Stackpole | 1937 |
| Pick a Star | Detective Nolan | 1937 |
| Champagne Waltz | Mr. Scribner | 1937 |
| Laughing at Trouble | Sheriff Bill Norton / Bill Norton | 1936 |
| Great Guy | Pat Haley / Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley | 1936 |
| Old Hutch | Bank Teller | 1936 |
| Pepper | Hamburger Man | 1936 |
| 36 Hours to Kill | Doyle / Doyle - Process Server | 1936 |
| Rhythm on the Range | Wabash | 1936 |
| Song and Dance Man | Lt. Mike Boyle | 1936 |
| Klondike Annie | Bartender | 1936 |
| The Trail of the Lonesome Pine | Leader | 1936 |
| The Leathernecks Have Landed | Corrigan | 1936 |
| It Had to Happen | Foreman | 1936 |
| Dancing Feet | Phil Moore | 1936 |
| Frisco Waterfront | Corrigan | 1935 |
| Coronado | Slug Moran | 1935 |
| Hot Money | Police Sgt. Burke | 1935 |
| Music Is Magic | Mickey | 1935 |
| Remember Last Night? | Motorcycle Cop | 1935 |
| Case of the Missing Man | Police Sergeant Rorty | 1935 |
| Here Comes Cookie | Broken-Nose Reilly | 1935 |
| The Affair of Susan | Hogan | 1935 |
| Welcome Home | Michael Shaughnessy | 1935 |
| Call of the Wild | Ole | 1935 |
| Man on the Flying Trapeze | Patrolman No.2 / Patrolman | 1935 |
| The Farmer Takes a Wife | Man Hauling Rifles and Bullets | 1935 |
| Broadway Gondolier | Uncle Andy | 1935 |
| After the Dance | Police Lieutenant | 1935 |
| Make a Million | Pete | 1935 |
| So Red the Rose | Major Rushton | 1935 |
| Dinky | Truck Driver | 1935 |
| Princess O'Hara | A Detective | 1935 |
| Mississippi | Skeptical Passenger in Pilot House | 1935 |
| Ruggles of Red Gap | Jeff Tuttle | 1935 |
| The Mystery Man | Managing Editor Marvin | 1935 |
| Rumba | Reporter | 1935 |
| The Secret Bride | Diner Counterman | 1934 |
| Ticket to a Crime | Detective Lt. John Aloysius McGinnis | 1934 |
| Lady by Choice | Brannigan | 1934 |
| Happiness Ahead | Policeman | 1934 |
| Treasure Island | Pirate of the Spanish Main | 1934 |
| The Cat's-Paw | Gargan | 1934 |
| The Girl from Missouri | Policeman at Cousins' Suicide | 1934 |
| Friends of Mr. Sweeney | Policeman Arresting Wynn | 1934 |
| The Scarlet Empress | Guard | 1934 |
| Little Miss Marker | Detective Reardon | 1934 |
| The Merry Frinks | 3rd Expressman | 1934 |
| Sadie McKee | First Motorcycle Cop | 1934 |
| Twentieth Century | Sheriff | 1934 |
| A Very Honorable Guy | Sergeant | 1934 |
| Sisters Under the Skin | Conroy | 1934 |
| City Limits | King / King, a Hobo | 1934 |
| Good Dame | Cop | 1934 |
| Wharf Angel | Brooklyn Jack | 1934 |
| Gambling Lady | Detective Making Raid | 1934 |
| It Happened One Night | Detective | 1934 |
| Six of a Kind | Detective | 1934 |
| Queen Christina | Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser | 1934 |
| All of Me | Welfare Island Guard | 1934 |
| Gallant Lady | Policeman in Park | 1934 |
| Fugitive Lovers | Joe Cobb | 1934 |
| Lady Killer | Panhandler | 1933 |
| Blood Money | Pool Hall Detective | 1933 |
| The Kennel Murder Case | Policeman Who Lets Philo's Dog Out | 1933 |
| Tillie and Gus | Juror | 1933 |
| Bombshell | First Immigration Officer | 1933 |
| The Bowery | Recruiting Sergeant | 1933 |
| The Power and the Glory | Gateman | 1933 |
| To the Last Man | Kentucky Sheriff | 1933 |
| Torch Singer | Taxicab Driver / Taxi Driver | 1933 |
| College Humor | Cromwell Dexter | 1933 |
| The Man Who Dared | Registrar of Voters | 1933 |
| The Girl in 419 | Detective Jackson | 1933 |
| A Lady's Profession | Mulroy | 1933 |
| Face in the Sky | Cop | 1933 |
| The Painted Woman | Sailor, Yank's Pal | 1932 |
| The Hollywood Handicap | Character | 1932 |
