Paul Burke (actor)

Life and career

Burke was born in New Orleans, the son of Santa Maria (née Palermo) and Martin Joseph "Marty" Burke, a boxer who twice fought Gene Tunney and later owned a restaurant and nightclub known as Marty Burke's in the New Orleans French Quarter.

After training at the Pasadena Playhouse, Burke's film career began with a small role in the movie Golden Girl. Early in his career, Burke guest-starred in the syndicated series Highway Patrol and Men of Annapolis. In 1956–57, Burke was cast as Dr. Noah McCann in Noah's Ark, a weekly program produced by Jack Webb which aired on NBC, the story of a pair of dedicated veterinarians. Victor Rodman played the older colleague, Dr. Sam Rinehart.

After Five Fingers Burke was cast in the lead role of the police show Naked City, in which he appeared as Adam Flint from 1960 to 1963. Burke then appeared in the starring role of Captain (later Maj., then Col.) Joe Gallagher on 12 O'Clock High between 1964 and 1967, during which time he met his wife, Lyn. The 12 O'Clock High role was Burke's last lead television role.

In 1967, Burke starred in the film Valley of the Dolls as Lyon Burke, the young lawyer who befriended all three female stars and had a tempestuous relationship with Anne Welles. He also played a police officer who pursued a bank robber played by Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. He appeared in supporting roles in a number of television series, including recurring roles in Dynasty from 1982 to 1988 and in Tom Selleck's Magnum, P.I., from 1981 to 1985 as Rear Admiral Hawkes. Burke also served as a television commercial spokesman for the electronics retailer RadioShack, and for Buick Division, General Motors Corporation in the early 1970's. At the end of each Buick commercial, Burke would state Buick's then current motto: "Buick, something to believe in."

Later years and death

Burke is the grandfather of actress Alia Shawkat, whose mother is Burke's daughter, Dina. He retired from acting in the early 1990s. Suffering from leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, he died in 2009 at his home in Palm Springs, California, aged 83. His second wife, Lyn Peters, died in Palm Springs on September 10, 2013, at the age of 72.

Filmography

References

References

1. ''U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947''
2. (September 13, 2009). "Paul Burke, New Orleans-born actor, dies". The Times-Picayune.
3. "Naked City actor Paul Burke dies", ''[[Laredo Morning Times]]'', Laredo, Texas, September 14, 2009, p. 9A
4. Dennis, McLellan. (September 15, 2009). "Paul Burke dies at 83; actor starred in gritty TV show 'Naked City'". [[Los Angeles Times]].
5. "Lyn Burke". [[New Orleans Times-Picayune]].
6. "Lieutenant Schuster's Wife". Rotten Tomatoes.