David Burke (British actor)

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David Burke
Born (1934-05-25) 25 May 1934 (age 91)
Liverpool, Lancashire, England
OccupationActor
Years active1963–present
Spouse Anna Calder-Marshall
Children Tom Burke

David Burke (born 25 May 1934) [1] is an English actor, known for playing Dr. John Watson in the initial series of Granada Television's 1980s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , which starred Jeremy Brett in the title role. [2] He also starred as Joseph Stalin in the last two episodes of Reilly, Ace of Spies . [3]

Contents

Early life

Burke was born on 25 May 1934 in Liverpool, England, and trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. [4]

Career

In the theatre, Burke originated the part of Niels Bohr in Michael Frayn's Copenhagen . [5]

Burke played Dr. Watson in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes for the initial series and then left the programme after receiving an invitation to join the Royal Shakespeare Company along with his wife, Anna. [6] They both considered the joint work to be the best idea for their young son, Tom, who was around 3 years old at the time. [7] [8] He was thought by many to portray Dr. Watson with an excellent style. [9] [10] He was replaced by Edward Hardwicke, whom he had recommended as his successor. [11] Burke had earlier experience with Holmes having played the villain in an adaptation of "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet" for the 1965 BBC series [12] starring Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock.

Other notable TV appearances include his turn as Joseph Stalin in the British serial Reilly, Ace of Spies and the John Wyndham science fiction story Random Quest . [13] He also played William Morris in the 1975 series The Love School . [14] Burke frequently portrays Johannes Coenradus Klene in the Dutch commercials for Klene liquorice. He was also in the "Midsomer Rhapsody" episode of Midsomer Murders in 2005. He appeared with his son, Tom Burke, in the 2006 BBC adaptation of the M.R. James ghost story, Number 13 . He appeared with his wife, Anna Calder-Marshall, in the 2018 short film Only the Lonely.

Personal life

Burke is married to Anna Calder-Marshall. [15] Their son Tom Burke is also an actor. [16] Burke is an Everton supporter.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1964 Rattle of a Simple Man JackUncredited
2005The Trial of the King KillersHugh Peters
2009The Summer HouseFreddieShort
2010 Love & Distrust FreddieVideo
2012 The Woman in Black PC Collins
2016 The Young Messiah The Blind Rabbi
2018Only the LonelyGeorgeShort

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963 The Avengers John James WrightsonEpisode: "Death of a Batman"
The Sentimental Agent Civic GuardEpisode: "May the Saints Preserve Us"
1963–1966 Coronation Street John Benjamin / Schoolmaster5 episodes
1963–1967 ITV Play of the Week Major Digby/Ken Wickes2 episodes
1963–1969 Z Cars Ernie Franks / Dannyboy / Johnny Oulton5 episodes
1965 Sherlock Holmes Sir George BurnwellEpisode: "The Beryl Coronet"
1965-1966 Redcap Private Burroughs/Corproral Bond2 episodes
1965-1968 Dixon of Dock Green Various3 episodes
1966 Softly, Softly SwaineEpisode: "Best Out of Three"
The Baron WhetlorEpisode: "You Can't Win Them All"
1968 Dr. Finlay's Casebook Dr. RawlingsEpisode: "'Is Anybod There?' Said the Traveller"
The Champions Roger CarsonEpisode: "The Fanatics"
1969 The Wednesday Play LenEpisode: "There is Also Tomorrow"
1970 The Woodlanders Giles Winterborne4 episodes
1971 ITV Sunday Night Theatre DanEpisode: "The Hotel in Amsterdam"
Hine George Dyson MPEpisode: "The Old School Noose"
The Guardians Dr. Frank Benedict8 episodes
1971-1979 Play for Today Various3 episodes
1972 Villains EricEpisode: "Billy Boy
1973 Barlow at Large Bill WalkerEpisode: "Informant"
1975 The Love School William Morris 4 episodes
Rooms Alan2 episodes
1975-1979 Crown Court Dr Boyd4 serials
1977 Esther Waters Fred Parsons2 episodes
1978 Armchair Thriller Tom Amyas MPSerial: "Quiet as a Nun"
1981-1983 BBC Television Shakespeare Various1983
1982-1983 Nanny Sam Tavener5 episodes
1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Joseph Stalin 2 episodes
1984–1985 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Dr John Watson 13 episodes
1988 Screen Two GarethEpisode: "Run for the Lifeboat"
1993–2002 Casualty James / Ron Fisher2 episodes
1994 In Suspicious Circumstances James MaybrickSegment: "Poisoned Whispers"
The House of Eliott Sir John Coworough2 episodes
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales NarratorEpisode: As You Like It
Space Precinct VachelEpisode: "Seek and Destroy"
1995 Agatha Christie’s Poirot Sir Arthur StanleyEpisode: "Hickory Dickory Dock"
1996 Testament: The Bible in Animation GodEpisode: "Creation and the Flood"
1998 Performance KentEpisode: King Lear
The Bill Ch.Supt.Golding / Chief Supt. Golding2 episodes
2002 Animated Tales of the World Goat-Kneed CommanderEpisode: "The Sheppardess and the Chimney Sweep: A Story from Denmark"
Bertie and Elizabeth Lord ReithTV movie
Waking the Dead Philip Bryant2 episodes
2003 Doctors Martin ShepleyEpisode: "The Long and Winding Road"
2004 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries DSI Webberley2 episodes
2005 The Afternoon Play JudgeEpisode: The Trouble With George"
A View from a Hill PattenTV movie
Dalziel and Pascoe Paul Boddison2 episodes
Spooks Fiona's FatherEpisode: "The Russian"
2005-2006 A Ghost Story for Christmas Pattene/Gunton2 episodes
2005–2016 Midsomer Murders John “Hedge” Farrow / Fred Messenger
2006 Number 13 Gunton, Hotel LandlordTV movie
2007 Holby City Bernie MooreEpisode: "The Reckoning"
2014 The Musketeers Father DuvalEpisode: "The Reckoning"
2015Harry Price: Ghost HunterLeonard ThorntonTV movie
2016 Heartbeat Dr. David2 episodes

References

  1. ↑ Redmond 2011, p. 249.
  2. ↑ "Obituary - Edward Hardwicke". The Daily Telegraph . 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Angelini, Sergio. "Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983)". BFI Screenonline. British Film Institute . Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  4. ↑ McMullen 2012.
  5. ↑ Law 2011, p. 126.
  6. ↑ Davies 2007.
  7. ↑ Haining 1994, p. 172.
  8. ↑ Barnes 2002, p. 118.
  9. ↑ Haining 1994, p. 169.
  10. ↑ Hulse, Stephen R. (2000). "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)". Television Heaven. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  11. ↑ Barnes 2002.
  12. ↑ Smith 2009, pp. 81, 108.
  13. ↑ "BBC Four - Random Quest". BBC . Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "The Love School: The Artisan". BBC Genome Project. BBC . Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  15. ↑ Cotter 2013, p. 36.
  16. ↑ Amer, Matthew (26 July 2012). "My Place: Tom Burke". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

Bibliography

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