Walter Burke
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2008-05-18T15:03:38Z
Saratoga Sam
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/* Broadway stage credits */ stage credit
{{Infobox Actor
| name = Walter Burke
| image = Walter Burke 1959.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Burke on a 1959 episode of ''[[Peter Gunn]]''
| birthname = Walter Lawrence Burke
| birthdate = {{birth date|1908|8|25|mf=y}}
| birthplace = [[Brooklyn, New York]]<br>{{USA}}
| deathdate = {{death date and age|1984|8|4|1908|8|25}}
| deathplace = [[Woodland Hills, California]]<br>{{USA}}
| spouse =
| yearsactive = 1925 - [[1980 in television|1980]]
| imdb_id = 0121900
}}
'''Walter Burke''' ([[August 25]], [[1908]]–[[August 4]], [[1984]]) was a prolific [[Irish American|Irish-American]] [[character actor]], of stage, film, and television. His small stature, and distinctive voice and face, made him easily recognizable in even the most minor of roles.
== Early life ==
Walter Lawrence Burke was born in [[Brooklyn, New York]] to Irish immigrant parents Patrick Burke and Bessie McNamara. His father worked as a tanner in a shoe factory. Burke had three step-brothers and one step-sister from his father's first marriage, as well as three sisters and three brothers of his own. At least two other siblings died in infancy.
== Career ==
Walter Burke began acting on stage as a teenager, making his Broadway debut in ''[[Dearest Enemy]]'' at the [[Knickerbocker Theatre]] during 1925-1926. The following year he performed in a musical revue, ''Padlocks of 1927'' at the [[Shubert Theatre]]. He joind the [[American Opera Company]]'s troupe in January 1928, performing a non-singing role in an English-language adaption of ''[[Faust]]''.<ref>“A New Version of 'Faust'” in the ''New York Times'', January 11, 1928, pg 26. </ref> He continued with that company through January 1930, taking part in adaptions of ''[[Madame Butterfly]]'' and ''Yolanda of Cyprus'' at the [[Casino Theatre]].<ref>“'Yolanda' Sung by Americans” in the ''New York Times'', January 9, 1930, pg 28. </ref> He next appeared on Broadway with ''Help Yourself'' in 1936, and over the next ten years appeared in as many plays.
Burke debuted in [[Hollywood]] films in [[1948 in film|1948]], with ''[[The Naked City]]'', and the following year had a memorable role in the [[Academy Awards|Oscar-winning]] film ''[[All the King's Men (1949 film)|All the King's Men]]''. Burke would appear in twenty-two more films, and three more Broadway productions, but both film and the stage would soon take a backseat to his television work.
In 1951, Burke played a jockey in the early television series ''[[Martin Kane, Private Eye|Martin Kane]]''. From then until [[1980 in television|1980]], he would appear in episodes of 103 different television series, as well as three made for TV movies. Though never a series regular, he often played different roles in multiple episodes of the same shows.
== Personal life ==
Burke split most of his later life between [[Hollywood]], where he worked, and his horse ranch in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. While back east, he would sometimes teach dramatics at a local college. A lifelong heavy smoker, he would succumb to [[emphysema]] in 1984, while living at the [[Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital]] in [[Woodland Hills]], [[California]].
== Broadway stage credits ==
* ''[[Dearest Enemy]]'', [[Knickerbocker Theatre]], (1925-1926) ...as ensemble
* ''Padlocks of 1927'', [[Shubert Theatre (Broadway)|Shubert Theatre]], (1927) ...as performer
* ''[[Faust]]'', Gallo Theatre, (1928) ...as A Soldier
* ''[[Madame Butterfly]]'', [[Casino Theatre]], (1930) ...as Registrar
* ''Yolanda of Cyprus'', [[Casino Theatre]], (1930) ...as Tremitus
* ''Help Yourself'', Manhattan Theatre, (1936) ...as Frederick Bittlesby
* ''Red Harvest'', National Theatre, (1937) ...as Courier Rockman
* ''A Hero Is Born'', [[Adelphi Theater]], (1937) ...as William/A Gentleman of Uncertain Age
* ''The Old Foolishness'', Windsor Theatre, (1940) ...as Dan Dorian
* ''Not in Our Stars'', [[Biltmore Theatre]], (1941) ...as Kevlin Hoolihan
* ''Under This Roof'', Windsor Theatre, (1942) ...as Shawn O'Shaughnessy
* ''The Eve of St. Mark'', [[Cort Theatre]], (1942-1943) ...as Private Thomas Mulveroy
* ''The World's Full of Girls'', [[Royale Theatre]], (1943) ...as Nick
* ''[[Sadie Thompson]]'', [[Alvin Theater]], (1944-1945) ...as Quartermaster Bates
* ''Up in Central Park'', [[New Century Theatre]] (1945-1946) ...as Danny O'Cahane
* ''[[Billy Budd (play)|Billy Budd]]'', [[Biltmore Theatre]], (1951) ...as O'Daniel
* ''[[Three Wishes for Jamie]]'', [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]], (1952) ...as Power O'Malley
* ''[[Major Barbara]]'', [[Martin Beck Theatre]], (1956-1957) ...as Snobby Price
== Filmography ==
* ''[[The Naked City]]'' (1948) ...as Pete Backalis
* ''[[All the King's Men (1949 film)|All the King's Men]]'' (1949) ...as Sugar Boy
* ''[[Mystery Street]]'' (1950) ...as Ornithologist
* ''[[Dark City]]'' (1950) ...as George the Bartender
* ''[[The Killer That Stalked New York]]'' (1950) ...as Danny the bellhop
* ''[[Double Deal]]'' (1950) ...as Wally, Karne's thug
* ''[[M (1951 film)|M]]'' (1951) ...as MacMahan
* ''[[The Guy Who Came Back]]'' (1951) ...as O'Mara
* ''[[Never Love a Stranger]]'' (1958) ...as Jimmy Keough
* ''[[The Crimson Kimono]]'' (1959) ...as Ziggy
* ''[[Let No Man Write My Epitaph]]'' (1960) ...as Wart
* ''[[Jack the Giant Killer]]'' (1962) ...as Garna
* ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1962 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' (1962) ...as Grimaldi
* ''[[How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]]'' (1962) ...as poker player in wagon
* ''[[The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze]]'' (1963) ...as Lory Fich
* ''[[The Wheeler Dealers]]'' (1963) ...as Billy Joe
* ''[[My Fair Lady (film)|My Fair Lady]]'' (1964) ...as bystander
* ''[[The Plainsman (1966 film)|The Plainsman]]'' (1966) ...as Abe Ireland
* ''[[Double Trouble (1967 film)|Double Trouble]]'' (1967) ...as Mate
* ''[[The President's Analyst]]'' (1967) ...as Henry Lux, FBR Chief
* ''[[Support Your Local Sheriff!]]'' (1969) ...as Fred Johnson
* ''[[Support Your Local Gunfighter]]'' (1970) ...as Morris
* ''[[Chandler (1971 film)|Chandler]]'' (1971) ...as Zeno
* ''[[The Stone Killer]]'' (1973) ...as JD, marijuana dealer
== Television credits (partial) ==
* ''[[Martin Kane, Private Eye|Martin Kane]]:'' "A Jockey Is Murdered" (1951) ....as Eddie Stevens
* ''[[Peter Gunn]]:'' "The Torch" (1959) ....as Ditto
* ''[[Perry Mason (TV series)|Perry Mason]]:'' "The Jaded Joker" (1959) ....as Eddie Green
* ''[[Hawaiian Eye]]:'' "Talk and You're Dead" (1961) ....as Kilgore
== References ==
{{commons|Walter Burke}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{imdb name|id=0121900|name=Walter Burke}}
*{{ibdb name|ID=33700|name=Walter Burke}}
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6719023 Find-A-Grave profile for Walter Burke]
{{DEFAULTSORT: Burke, Walter}}
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]