Jump to content

Robert John Burke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 100.2.42.126 (talk) at 01:43, 29 November 2022 (→Film). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Robert John Burke
Born (1960-09-12) September 12, 1960 (age 64)
New York City, New York U.S.
EducationState University of New York, Purchase (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, Firefighter[1]
Years active1981–present
Children2

Robert John Burke (born September 12, 1960) is an American actor known for his roles in RoboCop 3 (1993), Tombstone (1993), and Thinner (1996). During the 2000s Burke became well known for his portrayal of Mickey Gavin on Rescue Me (2004–11), Bart Bass in Gossip Girl (2007–12), Ed Tucker in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (2002–20), and a number of other film and television roles including Netflix Intrusion (2021).

Early life and education

Burke was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan, the son of immigrants from Galway, Ireland. He graduated from Northport High School and attended the Acting Conservatory at State University of New York at Purchase.[2]

Career

Burke's television roles include Mickey Gavin on Rescue Me, Bart Bass on Gossip Girl, Kidnapped, Six Degrees, Law & Order and IAB Captain Ed Tucker on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Officer Patrick Simmons on Person of Interest, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos.

Burke's film work began as a regular performer in fellow Purchase alumnus Hal Hartley's indie films, such as 1989's The Unbelievable Truth.[2] Burke appeared opposite Laura Dern's Academy Award nominated performance in the 1991 feature Rambling Rose. He returned to work with Hartley again in 1992 in the Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or nominated Simple Men.[2] He also appeared in Hartley's 1995 film Flirt.[2] Burke took over the lead from Peter Weller in RoboCop 3.[2] He starred in Richard Stanley's 1993 film Dust Devil,[3] and in 2001's No Such Thing.[3] In 1996, he played the lead role in the film adaptation of Stephen King's Thinner.[2] In 2004, Burke played the role of Mr. Neck in the independent film Speak. In 2005, Burke had a role in Hide and Seek,[3] a psychological thriller. He had roles in the Academy Award-nominated films Munich[3] directed by Steven Spielberg and Good Night, and Good Luck,[3] directed by George Clooney. In 2008, he portrayed James Mattis, Commanding General of 1st Marine Division in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. Burke also portrayed General Ned Almond, commanding general of the 92nd Division, Buffalo Soldiers, in the 2008 Spike Lee film Miracle at St. Anna.[3] He appeared in the 2012 film Safe.[3] He played the Colorado Springs chief of police in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman (2018).

In 2015 and 2017, he appeared in three episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, once parodying his role on Law & Order.[4] Burke is seen opposite Frieda Pinto in the Netflix thriller "Intrusion". Currently, Robert John Burke has entered the Marvel Universe portraying CIA agent Smitty in Black Panther 2 : Wankanda Forever. 2023 will see Burke opposite Kiera Knightly in The Boston Strangler.

Personal life

Burke holds a second degree black belt in Matsubayashi, Shorin-ryu Okinawa karate. He is a certified and active New York State firefighter, currently captain of an engine. Burke is also active with foundation work including VETHACK, Leary Firefighter Foundation (LFF), FDNY Foundation, FDNY Fire Family Transport Foundation, Lt. Joseph DiBernardo Foundation for Fire Fighter Survival.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989 The Unbelievable Truth Josh
1991 Rambling Rose Dave Wilkie
1992 Dust Devil Dust Devil
Simple Men Bill McCabe
1993 A Far Off Place Paul Parker
RoboCop 3 Alex Murphy / RoboCop Credited as Robert Burke
Heaven & Earth G.I. Paul
Tombstone Frank McLaury
1995 Flirt Men's Room Man #
Killer: A Journal of Murder R.G. Greiser
1996 If Lucy Fell Handsome Man
Fled U.S. Marshal Pat Schiller
Thinner Billy Halleck
1997 May day – Flag in den Tod Tom Hutton
Cop Land Officer B
First Love, Last Rites Henry
1998 Somewhere in the City Frankie
2001 No Such Thing Monster
2002 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Inspector Jenks
2003 Tea Time with Roy & Sylvia Roy Short film
Piggie Dad
2004 Speak Mr. Neck
Connie and Carla Rudy
2005 Hide and Seek Steven
Good Night, and Good Luck. Charlie Mack Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (shared with cast)
Munich Belligerent American
2006 The Oh in Ohio Binky Taylor
Jack's Law Det. Ron Banks
The Ex Colonel Previously titled Fast Track
2008 Miracle at St. Anna General Ned Almond
2010 Brooklyn's Finest State Trooper #1
2011 Limitless Pierce
2012 Safe Captain Wolf
2013 2 Guns Jessup
2015 True Story Detective Greg Ganley
2017 Future '38 General Sportwood
2018 BlacKkKlansman Chief Bridges
Boarding School Mr. Holcomb
2021 Intrusion Detective Stephen Morse
2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Smitty
TBA Boston Strangler

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 The Equalizer O'Toole Episode: "Torn"
1995 Crazy for a Kiss Steve Television film
1995–2004 Law & Order Arthur "Buzz" Palley, FBI Agent Ron Innes, Lt. Colonel Milton Danbury 3 episodes
1998 Homicide: Life on the Street Jeffrey Andrews Episode: "Abduction"
From the Earth to the Moon William Anders 2 episodes
A Bright Shining Lie Frank Drummond Television film
Midnight Flight Paul Bacon Television film
2000 Falcone Jules Weller Episode: "Windows"
2000–2003 Oz Special Agent Pierce Taylor 8 episodes
2002 Witchblade Det. Dean Gorner Episode: "Agape"
Sex and the City Walker Lewis 2 episodes
2002 CSI: Miami FBI Agent Jim Resdon 1 episode
2002–2020 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit IAB Captain Ed Tucker 30 episodes
2004 The Sopranos Officer Zmunda Episode: "Two Tonys"
2004–2011 Rescue Me Mickey Gavin 54 episodes
2006 Six Degrees David 2 episodes
2006–2007 Kidnapped Bellows 10 episodes
2007 Queens Supreme Special Agent Jeff Donaldson Episode: "Permanent Markers"
2007–2012 Gossip Girl Bart Bass 27 episodes
2008 Generation Kill Major General James "Chaos" Mattis 3 episodes
2010 Blue Bloods Jyle Hogan
2011 White Collar Patrick O'Leary Episode: "The Dentist of Detroit"
2011–2013 Person of Interest Officer Patrick Simmons 16 episodes
2012 NYC 22 Deputy Inspector Dennis McClaren Episode: "Thugs and Lovers"
2012–2013 Army Wives Major General Kevin Clarke 16 episodes
2013 Golden Boy Andrew Lightstone Episode: "Next Question"
2014 Nurse Jackie Dick Richards 2 episodes
2015 Allegiance Special Agent Brock 8 episodes
2015–2017 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Forensic Scientist, Cop 2 episodes
2019 Project Blue Book William Fairchild

References

  1. ^ "The Hill Files: An Interview with Actor Robert John Burke". 22 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lucia Bozzola (2015). "Robert John Burke Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-09-16.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Robert John Burke Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07.
  4. ^ Bradley, Laura (September 14, 2015). "John Oliver Tells us How an Accurate Law & Order About the Public Defender System Would Look".
  5. ^ "The Hill Files: An Interview with Actor Robert John Burke". 22 September 2015.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_John_Burke&oldid=1124494839"