Paul Burke

Paul Raymond Burke (July 21, 1926 – September 13, 2009) was an American actor, best known for his lead roles in two 1960s ABC television series, Naked City and 12 O'Clock High. He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of New York Police Department detective Adam Flint in Naked City.

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.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1951 Call Me Mister Soldier Uncredited 1951 Golden Girl Bandit Uncredited 1951 Fixed Bayonets! Doggie Uncredited 1952 Francis Goes to West Point Sergeant Swazey Uncredited 1952 Fearless Fagan Pvt. Hawkins Uncredited 1953 South Sea Woman Ensign at court-martial 1953 Three Sailors and a Girl Actor Uncredited 1954 Return from the Sea Gunnery Officer 1955 Spy Chasers Michael Uncredited 1955 Francis in the Navy Tate 1956 Screaming Eagles Cpl. Dreef 1957 The Disembodied Tom Maxwell 1964 Della Barney Stafford Alternative title: Fatal Confinement 1967 Valley of the Dolls Lyon Burke 1968 The Thomas Crown Affair Lt. Eddy Malone 1969 Daddy's Gone A-Hunting Jack Byrnes 1969 Once You Kiss a Stranger Jerry Marshall 1975 Psychic Killer Lt. Jeff Morgan 1987 Maharlika Bob Reynolds Completed in 1970International title: Guerilla Strike Force Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 Big Town Gardiner Episode: "The Blood Profiteer" Navy Log Sparks Episode: "Sky Pilot" Highway Patrol Patrolman Halsey Episode: "Prison Break" Stage 7 Tommy Episode: "Fox Hunt" 1955-1956 Adventures of Superman Moxy Episode: “Superman Week and The Phantom Ring’’ 1957 Men of Annapolis Wesley Edmont Episode: "Seawall" 1958 Tales of Wells Fargo Bud Crawford Episode: "The Killer" 1959 The Millionaire Bill Nellis Episode: "The Karl Miller Story"1960 Hawaiian Eye Brad Finley Episode: "Second Fiddle" Hotel de Paree Tad Frisbee Episode: "Sundance and the Long Trek" Wanted: Dead or Alive Daniel Trenner Episode: "The Trial" 1960-1963 Naked City Detective Adam Flint 99 episodes 1963 The Lieutenant Captain Kenneth Thomson Episode: "Captain Thomson"1964 The Great Adventure Captain Richard Pratt Episode: "The Special Courage of Captain Pratt" Combat! Sgt. O'Neill Episode: "Point of View" Slattery's People Dr. Robert Harrison Episode: "Question: What is a Genius Worth This Week?" 1964-1967 12 O'Clock High Colonel Joseph Anson Gallagher 48 episodes 1970 Crowhaven Farm Ben Porter Television movie 1972 The Rookies Neil Montgomery Television movieLieutenant Schuster's WifeLt. Lou Schuster Television movie 1973Police StoryAnthology series—different character in each episode.4 episodes—S01E03, S02E05, S03E10, S03E21 Thriller Brad Hunter Episode: “An Echo of Theresa”The New Perry Mason Herbert Newton Episode: "The Case of the Murdered Murderer" Shaft Elliot Williamson Episode: "The Kidnapping"1974 Hawkins Fred Hyatt Episode: "Candidate for Murder" Police Woman Joe Fenner Episode: "The End Game" Harry O Philip Ballinger Episode: "Ballinger's Choice" Mannix Penn Anderson Episode: "The Survivor Who Wasn't" 1975 McMillan & Wife Les Walker Episode: "Night Train to L.A."1976 Petrocelli John Fleming Episode: "Any Number Can Die" Starsky & Hutch Lt. Ted Cameron Episodes: "The Las Vegas Strangler" (Parts 1 & 2) 1977 Little Ladies of the Night Frank Atkins Television movie1978 Wild and Wooly Tobias Singleton Television movie What Really Happened to the Class of '65? McDonald Episode: "Mr. Potential" Fantasy Island Bill Fredricks Episode: Lady Of The Evening/The Racer The Love Boat Brian Sherwood Season 1 Episode 18: The Inspector/A Very Special Girl/Until The Last Goodbye 1979 Beach Patrol Wes Dobbs Television movie The Littlest Hobo Andy McClelland Episode: "The Defector"1980 Charlie's Angels Clifford Burke Episode: "Of Ghosts and Angels" Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Malcolm Episode: "Hot Line" 1981 Vega$ Curtis Green Episode: "The Killing" 1982-1988 Dynasty Neal McVane 23 episodes 1983 T. J. Hooker Capt. Frank Medavoy Episode: "Blue Murder"1984 The Red-Light Sting Brockelhurst Television movie Santa Barbara C.C. Capwell 21 episodes1985 Finder of Lost Loves Richard Foster Episode: "Deadly Silence" Murder, She Wrote Herbert Upton Episode: "Murder in the Afternoon" 1986 Hot Shots Nicholas Broderick 13 episodes 1988 Cagney & Lacey Winston Prentiss Episode: "Yup" 1990 Columbo Horace Sherwin Episode: "Uneasy Lies the Crown" (final appearance)