James Burke

Biography

James Burke was an Irish-American character actor who began on the New York stage around 1912 before heading to Hollywood in 1933. Across a screen career that stretched from 1932 to 1964 he appeared in more than 200 films, some of them unbilled, and was frequently cast as a police officer, often a not very bright one, notably Sergeant Velie in Columbia's Ellery Queen crime dramas of the early 1940s. Among his pictures were The Maltese Falcon (1941), At the Circus (1939) and Lone Star (1952), and one of his notable roles was a rowdy rancher in the comedy Ruggles of Red Gap (1935). In the early 1950s he co-starred with Tom Conway on television in the ABC detective series Inspector Mark Saber, which later moved to NBC as Saber of London. He also turned up in westerns, playing Buckshot on Cheyenne in 1955 and Sheriff John Tatum on Wanted: Dead or Alive in 1958.

81years old at death

Born September 24, 1886New York City
Died May 23, 1968Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Also credited as James Michael Burke

Movie Career

Films: 31
Career span: 26 years1933 to 1959

Genres

Comedy42%, 13 films
Drama42%, 13 films
Crime23%, 7 films
Romance23%, 7 films
Western23%, 7 films

First and latest

James Burke movies on Netflix

Alias Jesse James1959IMDb rating 6.4as Charlie
The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6as Sheriff Tom Watling
Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2as Luther Kilgore
The Last Outpost1951IMDb rating 5.9as Stagecoach driver
Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2as Jeb Bassett
Alias Nick Beal1949IMDb rating 7.1as Bum
Body and Soul1947IMDb rating 7.6as Arnold
California1947IMDb rating 6.1as Pokey
Down to Earth1947IMDb rating 6.1as Detective Kelly
Nightmare Alley1947IMDb rating 7.7as Rural Marshal
Song of the Thin Man1947IMDb rating 6.9as Policeman Callahan
Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0as Studio Cop
Dixie1943IMDb rating 6.0as Riverboat Captain
All Through the Night1942IMDb rating 7.1as Police Lt. Forbes
It Happened in Flatbush1942IMDb rating 6.0as Umpire Shaunnessy
My Favorite Blonde1942IMDb rating 7.0as Union Secretary
The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9as Luke
At the Circus1939IMDb rating 6.8as John Carter
Beau Geste1939IMDb rating 7.5as Lieutenant Dufour
On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7as Sheriff Burlingame
The Dawn Patrol1938IMDb rating 7.5as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
The Mad Miss Manton1938IMDb rating 6.7as Sullivan
Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2as Mulligan
Great Guy1936IMDb rating 6.3as Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
Call of the Wild1935IMDb rating 6.8as Ole
Ruggles of Red Gap1935IMDb rating 7.5as Jeff Tuttle
Little Miss Marker1934IMDb rating 6.9as Detective Reardon
Treasure Island1934IMDb rating 7.1as Pirate of the Spanish Main
Twentieth Century1934IMDb rating 7.2as Sheriff
Queen Christina1933IMDb rating 7.5as Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser
To the Last Man1933IMDb rating 6.2as Kentucky Sheriff

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Maltese Falcon1941 Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Romanceas Luke
IMDb rating 7.9175K votes
Great Guy1936 Crime, Drama, Mysteryas Patrick James Aloysius 'Pat' Haley
IMDb rating 6.31.3K votes
At the Circus1939as John Carter
IMDb rating 6.86.9K votes
Call of the Wild1935as Ole
IMDb rating 6.82.9K votes
Ruggles of Red Gap1935as Jeff Tuttle
IMDb rating 7.54.9K votes
Beau Geste1939as Lieutenant Dufour
IMDb rating 7.57.2K votes
Nightmare Alley1947as Rural Marshal
IMDb rating 7.715K votes
Lone Star1952as Luther Kilgore
IMDb rating 6.21.5K votes

Most often with

John Farrow directed four of these films, Edmund Goulding two and Edward Buzzell two. Ray Milland appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Ray Milland

Humphrey Bogart

Barton MacLane

Lionel Barrymore

Beulah Bondi

Willie BestJohn FarrowDirector, 4 films Edmund GouldingDirector, 2 films Edward BuzzellDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ray Milland4 films together, 1939 to 1950
Ray Milland's page
- Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2Burke as Jeb BassettMilland as Johnny Carter
- Alias Nick Beal1949IMDb rating 7.1Burke as BumMilland as Nick Beal
- California1947IMDb rating 6.1Burke as PokeyMilland as Jonathan Trumbo
- Beau Geste1939IMDb rating 7.5Burke as Lieutenant DufourMilland as John Geste
Humphrey Bogart3 films together, 1937 to 1942
Humphrey Bogart's page
- All Through the Night1942IMDb rating 7.1Burke as Police Lt. ForbesBogart as 'Gloves' Donahue
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Burke as LukeBogart as Samuel Spade
- Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2Burke as MulliganBogart as "Baby Face" Martin
Barton MacLane3 films together, 1933 to 1942
Barton MacLane's page
- All Through the Night1942IMDb rating 7.1Burke as Police Lt. ForbesMacLane as Marty Callahan
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Burke as LukeMacLane as Lt. of Detectives Dundy
- To the Last Man1933IMDb rating 6.2Burke as Kentucky SheriffMacLane as Neil Stanley
Lionel Barrymore3 films together, 1934 to 1952
Lionel Barrymore's page
- Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2Burke as Luther KilgoreBarrymore as Andrew Jackson
- On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7Burke as Sheriff BurlingameBarrymore as Julian Northrup - Gramps
- Treasure Island1934IMDb rating 7.1Burke as Pirate of the Spanish MainBarrymore as Billy Bones
Beulah Bondi3 films together, 1939 to 1957
Beulah Bondi's page
- The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6Burke as Sheriff Tom WatlingBondi as Emma Hochen
- Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2Burke as Luther KilgoreBondi as Minniver Bryan
- On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7Burke as Sheriff BurlingameBondi as Nellie - Granny
Willie Best3 films together, 1934 to 1943
Willie Best's page
- Dixie1943IMDb rating 6.0Burke as Riverboat CaptainBest as Steward
- At the Circus1939IMDb rating 6.8Burke as John CarterBest as Redcap
- Little Miss Marker1934IMDb rating 6.9Burke as Detective ReardonBest as Dizzy Memphis
John FarrowDirector, 4 films, 1947 to 1957
All films by John Farrow
- The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6Burke as Sheriff Tom Watling
- Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2Burke as Jeb Bassett
- Alias Nick Beal1949IMDb rating 7.1Burke as Bum
- California1947IMDb rating 6.1Burke as Pokey
Edmund GouldingDirector, 2 films, 1938 to 1947
All films by Edmund Goulding
- Nightmare Alley1947IMDb rating 7.7Burke as Rural Marshal
- The Dawn Patrol1938IMDb rating 7.5Burke as Flaherty - Motorcycle Driver
Edward BuzzellDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1947
All films by Edward Buzzell
- Song of the Thin Man1947IMDb rating 6.9Burke as Policeman Callahan
- At the Circus1939IMDb rating 6.8Burke as John Carter

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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