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Frankie Burke is a Actor American born on 6 june 1915 at Brooklyn (USA)
Frankie Burke (June 6, 1915 in Brooklyn, New York – April 7, 1983 in Chapman, Kansas) was a Hollywood actor.
Born in Brooklyn with the name Francis Vaselle Aiello, Frankie Burke changed his name to sound more Anglo. He went to P.S. 25 on Lafayette and Throop streets before going on to Alexander Hamilton (vocation) High School, now known as Paul Robeson HS, at 150 Albany Avenue. He grew up watching James Cagney on film in local theaters and, having been told many times how much he resembled him, figured if Cagney could become famous, so could he. Frankie sold newspapers on the street corners before deciding to hitchhike to Hollywood in 1937 to meet Cagney, but when the first attempt failed, he went back to Brooklyn.
This is where he was discovered by a Warner Brothers talent scout, out searching for young men who resembled Cagney for a role in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). Apparently, the resemblance was so astounding that Frankie was hired on the spot. Frankie went on to do an estimated sixteen more films (a lot of his roles were uncredited) before disappearing altogether after his last role in Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).
After a divorce in the 1940s, Burke returned to Nevada to work and then on to the east coast to stay with family. In the early 1960s, he opted to become a hobo and travel across the United States in freight trains.
Burke died of lung cancer in 1983. He is survived by one son.
Source : Wikidata
Frankie Burke
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Birth name Francis Vaselle Aiello
Nationality USA
Birth 6 june 1915 at Brooklyn (USA)
Death 7 april 1983 (at 67 years) at Chapman (USA)
Nationality USA
Birth 6 june 1915 at Brooklyn (USA)
Death 7 april 1983 (at 67 years) at Chapman (USA)
Born in Brooklyn with the name Francis Vaselle Aiello, Frankie Burke changed his name to sound more Anglo. He went to P.S. 25 on Lafayette and Throop streets before going on to Alexander Hamilton (vocation) High School, now known as Paul Robeson HS, at 150 Albany Avenue. He grew up watching James Cagney on film in local theaters and, having been told many times how much he resembled him, figured if Cagney could become famous, so could he. Frankie sold newspapers on the street corners before deciding to hitchhike to Hollywood in 1937 to meet Cagney, but when the first attempt failed, he went back to Brooklyn.
This is where he was discovered by a Warner Brothers talent scout, out searching for young men who resembled Cagney for a role in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). Apparently, the resemblance was so astounding that Frankie was hired on the spot. Frankie went on to do an estimated sixteen more films (a lot of his roles were uncredited) before disappearing altogether after his last role in Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).
After a divorce in the 1940s, Burke returned to Nevada to work and then on to the east coast to stay with family. In the early 1960s, he opted to become a hobo and travel across the United States in freight trains.
Burke died of lung cancer in 1983. He is survived by one son.
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Filmography of Frankie Burke (7 films)
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Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
, 1h37Directed by W. S. Van Dyke
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Comedy thriller, Crime, Romance
Actors William Powell, Myrna Loy, Barry Nelson, Donna Reed, Sam Levene, Henry O'Neill
Roles Jockey at the races (uncredited)
Rating71%
Nick and Nora Charles are looking forward to a relaxing day at a racetrack, but when a jockey accused of throwing a race is found shot to death, Police Lieutenant Abrams requests Nick's help. The trail leads to a gambling syndicate that operates out of a wrestling arena, a murdered reporter, and a pretty secretary whose boyfriend has been framed. Along the way, Nick and Nora must contend with a wild wrestling match, a dizzying day at a merry-go-round (accompanied by Nick, Jr.), and a table-clearing restaurant brawl.
Boys of the City (1940)
, 1h8Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
Genres Thriller, Comedy
Themes Ghost films
Actors Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Hal E. Chester, Frankie Burke, Ernie Morrison, Donald Haines
Roles Skinny
Rating56%
To escape the heat of the city and a court sentence for malicious mischief, the East Side kids agree to visit a summer camp in the Adirondacks. En route, their car breaks down and they are reluctantly given accommodations in the home of Judge Malcolm Parker (Forrest Taylor). The Judge, under indictment for bribery, has much to fear. His life, as well as that of his niece Louise (Inna Gest) has been threatened by a gang of racketeers; his companion, Giles (Dennis Moore), has accused him of embezzling Louise's fortune; and his sinister housekeeper, Agnes, blames him for the death of her mistress, Leonora. The Judge's fears are compounded when he meets Knuckles Dolan (Dave O'Brien), the boys' guardian, whom he had unjustly sentenced to death, only to have his verdict reversed and Knuckles exonerated. Later that night, when Louise is kidnapped and the Judge found strangled, Giles and Simp (Vince Barnett), the Judge's bodyguard, accuse Knuckles of the murder, but the boys capture Simp and Giles and determine to find the murderer themselves. Muggs (Leo Gorcey) and Danny (Bobby Jordan) discover a secret panel in the library wall and enter a passage where they find Louise's unconscious body and glimpse the figure of a fleeing man. Knuckles captures the man, who identifies himself as Jim Harrison (Alden 'Stephen' Chase) of the district attorney's office. Amid the confusion, the real killer takes Louise captive, but the boys track him down and unmask Simp. Harrison then identifies the bodyguard as the triggerman seeking revenge on the Judge. With the crime solved, the boys can finally leave for their summer camp.
East Side Kids (1940)
, 1h2Directed by Robert Hill
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Actors Leon Ames, Dennis Moore, Hal E. Chester, Frankie Burke, Sonny Muslim, Abby Rakic-Platt
Roles Skinny
Rating55%
Police officer Pat O'Day (Leon Ames), a former child of the tenements, tries to reform a gang of street kids by involving them in a boys' police club. When club member Danny Dolan (Harris Berger)'s brother Knuckles (Dave O'Brien) is sentenced to death row for killing a treasury agent, Pat vows to help Danny clear his brother, whom he believes is innocent, but before he can begin his investigation, the police commissioner demotes him to walking a beat. Meanwhile, a counterfeiting ring composed of Mileaway Harris(Dennis Moore), a former tenement kid, Morris, and his girl friend May (Maxine Leslie) sets up shop in shopkeeper's Schmidt (Ted Adams)'s, basement. Feeling threatened by Pat, Morris schemes to discredit the policeman by posing as a businessman who wants to hire Pat's boys to distribute advertising leaflets. Unknown to Pat, Morris places bogus five dollar bills in the pay envelopes, and when the boys are caught passing fake money, Pat is implicated in the counterfeiting scheme. To prove his innocence, Pat takes to the streets, and Danny, still unaware of Morris' involvement in the counterfeiting ring, agrees to deliver a suitcase for him to May. A policeman follows Danny to May's apartment, where they are greeted by Mileaway, who kills the policeman and takes Danny hostage. As they drive across town, Danny learns that it was Mileaway who killed the treasury agent and framed Knuckles. Pat tracks down Mileaway's car, and in the ensuing chase, Mileaway escapes and kills Schmidt. Pat and the kids chase Mileaway to a rooftop, where Dutch (Hal E. Chester), Danny's friend, struggles with Mileaway. When they both fall to the sidewalk, Dutch is killed; but Mileaway lives to confess to the agent's murder, and all ends happily as both Knuckles and Pat are exonerated.
Hell's Kitchen (1939)
, 1h22Directed by Ewald André Dupont, Lewis Seiler
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Ronald Reagan, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell
Roles Soap
Rating63%
Buck Caesar (Stanley Fields) is a paroled convict who makes a contribution to a reform school on the advice of his nephew, Jim Donahue (Ronald Reagan), a lawyer. Jim feels that the boys in the reform school, including Tony (Billy Halop), Gyp (Leo Gorcey), Joey (Bobby Jordan), Bongo (Huntz Hall), Ace (Gabriel Dell), and "Ouch" (Bernard Punsly), could benefit from the contribution and he believes the publicity from it will help his uncle.
Sweepstakes Winner (1939)
, 59minutesDirected by William C. McGann
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors Marie Wilson, Johnnie Davis, Allen Jenkins, Jerry Colonna, Vera Lewis, Frankie Burke
Roles Chalky Williams
Rating50%
Women in the Wind (1939)
, 1h5Directed by John Farrow
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure
Themes Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Kay Francis, William Gargan, Victor Jory, Eddie Foy, Jr., Sheila Bromley, Eve Arden
Roles Johnnie
Rating60%
The women's air derby from Los Angeles to Cleveland means a lot to young aviator Janet Steele (Kay Francis), who uses every trick in the book to try to persuade record-setting pilot Ace Boreman (William Gargan) to lend her his very fast aircraft. Ace is reluctant, but Janet steals his craft to demonstrate her skill. He also learns that she is the sister of Bill Steele (Charles Anthony Hughes), a pilot friend of his who crashed and is bedridden. When Ace discovers that Janet needs the money to pay for an operation for Bill, he has no further objections to Janet flying his airplane.
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
, 1h37Directed by Michael Curtiz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about religion, Films about capital punishment, Gangster films
Actors James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, George Bancroft, Billy Halop
Roles William "Rocky" Sullivan,
Rating78%
Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) and Jerry Connolly (Pat O'Brien) are childhood friends who robbed a railroad car as kids. Rocky saved Jerry's life during the chase by pulling him out of the way of a steam train while running from the guards that saw them. Rocky was then caught by the police, but Jerry—who could run faster—escaped. Rocky, after being sent to reform school, grew up to become a notorious gangster, while Jerry became a religious priest who mentored at-risk youth.