Paul Burke, actor starred in ‘Naked City’, dies 83

Paul 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 Twelve 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.

Career
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 Major, then Colonel) 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 an art thief played by Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair

During the 1970s, he appeared in three episodes each of ABC’s The Love Boat and CBS’s Medical Center. In 1984, he appeared as C.C. Capwell in twenty-one episodes of the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara. He appeared in supporting roles in a number of television series, including recurring roles in Dynasty from 1982-1988 and in Tom Selleck’s Magnum, P.I. from 1981-1985 as Rear Admiral Hawkes.

Later years and death
Burke retired from acting in the early 1990s. He was the grandfather of actress Alia Shawkat. He died at his home in Palm Springs, California. He had leukemia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Paul Burke in 12 O’Clock High

Paul Burke’s filmography continues next page

Selected filmography

Film
Year Film Role
1951 Fixed Bayonets! Doggie
1952 Francis Goes to West Point Sergeant Swazey
1953 South Sea Woman Ensign at court-martial
1955 Francis in the Navy Tate
1956 Screaming Eagles Cpl. Dreef
1957 The Disembodied Tom Maxwell
1964 Della Barney Stafford
1967 Valley of the Dolls Lyon Burke
1968 The Thomas Crown Affair Lt. Eddy Malone
1969 Once You Kiss a Stranger… Jerry
1970 Guerilla Strike Force Bob Reynolds
1990 The Fool Paul Brooke
Television
Year Title Role
1955 Big Town Gardiner
Navy Log Sparks
Stage 7 Tommy
1957 Men of Annapolis Wesley Edmont
1958 Tales of Wells Fargo Bud Crawford
1959 The Millionaire Nellis
1960 Hawaiian Eye Brad Finley
Hotel de Paree Tad Frisbee
Wanted: Dead or Alive Daniel Trenner
1960-1963 Naked City Detective Adam Flint
1963 The Lieutenant Captain Thomson
1964 The Great Adventure Captain Richard Pratt
Combat! Sgt. O’Neill
Slattery’s People Dr. Robert Harrison
1964-1967 12 O’Clock High Colonel Joseph Anson Gallagher
1970 Crowhaven Farm Ben Porter
1972 The Rookies Neil Montgomery
1973 The New Adventures of Perry Mason Herbert Newton
Shaft Elliot Williamson
1974 Police Woman Joe Fenner
Harry O Philip Ballinger
Mannix Anderson
1975 McMillan and Wife Les Walker
1976 Petrocelli John Fleming
Starsky and Hutch Lt. Ted Cameron
1977 Little Ladies of the Night Frank Atkins
1978 What Really Happened to the Class of ’65? McDonald
1979 The Littlest Hobo Andy McClelland
1980 Charlie’s Angels Clifford Burke
Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Malcolm
1981 Vega$ Raymond Green
1983 T. J. Hooker Capt. Frank Medavoy
1984 The Red-Light Sting Brockelhurst
1985 Finder of Lost Loves Richard Foster
Murder, She Wrote Herbert Upton
1986 Hot Shots Nicholas Broderick
1988 Cagney & Lacey Winston Prentiss
1990 Columbo Horace Sherwin
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