Alfred Burke was born on February 28, 1918 in Peckham, London, England. He was an actor and writer, known for Public Eye (1965), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Enemy at the Door (1978). He was married to Barbara Bonelle. He died on February 16, 2011 in Barnes, London.
February 28, 1918, Peckham, London, United Kingdom
Died
February 16, 2011, Barnes, London, United Kingdom
Place Of Birth
Peckham, London, England, UK
Height
6' 1" (1.85 m)
Profession
Actor, Writer, Soundtrack
Spouse
Barbara Bonelle (m. ?–2011)
Children
Jacob Burke, Louisa Burke, Harriet Burke, Kelly Burke
Parents
William Burke, Sarah Ann O'Leary
Star Sign
Pisces
#
Quote
1
In weekly rep of course you had to learn a new act every day, every night, after the show. You'd go home and you'd go to bed and start learning your lines for the following day so you'd rehearse an act a day and you had to learn all the lines for one act in one fell swoop. That really was hard work but somehow you know everybody did it. I don't think people would do it now.
2
What makes people a good director, it's a mystery. I mean, I did a lot of directing in my day, at Farnham, I've no idea what sort of director I was but these were people, they were good organizers, they were well read, cultured used to be the word, they knew what they were doing, they knew their history of the theatre.
3
I think nowadays you're more responsible for yourself as an actor. You are expected to take more responsibility for yourself and you do. And your own opinions for instance, nowadays would be much more important than they were in my time when your own opinion didn't count for much. You did what you were told or what was suggested to you. The sort of thing you did was imitate older actors actually.
#
Fact
1
The sixth Harry Potter film series cast member to die.
2
Appearing at the National Theatre in London in 'Jonathan Kent' 's production of Oedipus. Burke, aged 90, is playing The Shepherd. [October 2008]
3
During the Second World War, he registered as a conscientious objector and was put to work as a rural labourer.
4
Made his professional stage debut in 1939 at the Barn Theatre in Shere, Surrey, in "The Universal Legacy".
5
Left his school in 1933 to work as an office boy for a company repairing railway carriages. Subsequently worked as a steward in a London businessmen's club, but had to move on after a dispute with a barmaid.
6
Gaunt, saturnine British character actor, best known on screen as seedy private detective Frank Marker in BBC's long-running series Public Eye (1965).
7
He and Barbara Bonelle had two sets of twins: Jacob and Harriet, and Kelly and Louisa.
8
Became involved with the Arts Council Tours after WWII. He was invalided out of serving during the war.
9
Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art starting in 1937.
10
Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in his late 60s and continued on for nearly two decades.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002
Professor Armando Dippet
Holby City
2002
TV Series
Derek Groombridge
Longitude
2000
TV Movie
Rear Admiral
The Bill
1997
TV Series
Walter Lilly
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1996
Egeus
Under the Hammer
1994
TV Series
Peter Pomfret
Sophia and Constance
1988
TV Series
Mr. Critchlow
Bergerac
1987
TV Series
Dr. Anderson
Unnatural Causes
1986
TV Series
Colonel Waley
Home to Roost
1985
TV Series
Thrasher Harris
The Glory Boys
1984
TV Mini-Series
Jones
Kim
1984
TV Movie
Lurgan
Pope John Paul II
1984
TV Movie
Karol Wojtyla Sr.
Storyboard
1983
TV Series
Colonel Bressingham
Shades of Darkness
1983
TV Series
Reverend Hibben
No Excuses
1983
TV Series
Max
Number 10
1983
TV Mini-Series
First Earl of Chatham
The Borgias
1981
TV Mini-Series
Giuliano della Rovere
Tales of the Unexpected
1980
TV Series
Herbert
A Question of Guilt
1980
TV Series
Mr. Blandy
ITV Playhouse
1980
TV Series
Harry
Enemy at the Door
1978-1980
TV Series
Major Richter
Oberst Richter
Minder
1979
TV Series
Kevin
The House on Garibaldi Street
1979
TV Movie
Eichmann
Oresteia
1979
TV Mini-Series
Leader of the Old Men
Treasure Island
1977
TV Mini-Series
Long John Silver
Centre Play
1977
TV Series
Snow
The Lady of the Camellias
1976
TV Series
Monsieur Duval
The Power of Dawn
1976
TV Movie
Leo Tolstoy
Public Eye
1965-1975
TV Series
Frank Marker
The Brontës of Haworth
1973
TV Mini-Series
Reverend Patrick Brontë
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
1970-1972
TV Series
Edgar / Leo Nottage
Crime of Passion
1972
TV Series
Paul Fayjac
Love Story
1972
TV Series
Kapek
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
1970
Alyosha
Big Brother
1970
TV Mini-Series
Max Hughes
My Partner the Ghost
1969
TV Series
Henry Foster
Guns in the Heather
1969
Kersner
Armchair Theatre
1959-1969
TV Series
Gland / John Kelly / Ross B. Melnichor
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1969
TV Series
Kersner
As You Like It: An Introduction
1969
Short
Jacques
The Gamblers
1968
TV Series
Harry Jarman
The Power Game
1966
TV Series
Joe Panton
The Avengers
1961-1966
TV Series
Gregorio Auntie / Brown / Saunders
Blood Beast from Outer Space
1965
Detective Supt. Hartley
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965
TV Series
First Man
The Nanny
1965
Dr. Wills
The Third Man
1959-1965
TV Series
Inspector Dugaine / Braun
ITV Play of the Week
1956-1964
TV Series
Supt. Ridout / Inspector Rideout / Dr. Smithson / ...
The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling
1964
TV Series
Naboth
Z Cars
1962-1964
TV Series
Arnie Winter / Harold Singleton
Children of the Damned
1964
Colin Webster
The Saint
1963-1964
TV Series
Harry Shannet / Jack Groom
Farewell Performance
1963
Marlon
The Man Who Finally Died
1963
Heinrich (uncredited)
Espionage
1963
TV Series
Gustave Kolstrom
Comedy Playhouse
1963
TV Series
Frank
Zero One
1963
TV Series
Jenkins
Drama 61-67
1963
TV Series
Mr Foley
The Odd Man
1963
TV Series
Brother Paul
The Human Jungle
1963
TV Series
Sgt. Major Bennett
The Plane Makers
1963
TV Series
Len Gower
The Small World of Sammy Lee
1963
Big Eddie
The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre
1961-1963
TV Series
Inspector Jimmy Waveney / Davison / Mitchell Logan / ...
On the Beat
1962
Trigger O'Flynn
Maigret
1962
TV Series
Police Officer Lecoeur
Man of the World
1962
TV Series
High lama
Mix Me a Person
1962
Lumley
BBC Sunday-Night Play
1962
TV Mini-Series
Zach Toombs
She Knows Y'Know
1962
Mr. Fox
Crooks Anonymous
1962
Caulfield
The Pot Carriers
1962
Lang
Backfire
1962
Mitchell Logan
Locker 69
1962
Davison
Sir Francis Drake
1961
TV Series
Sir Amyas Paulet
Top Secret
1961
TV Series
X
Ghost Squad
1961
TV Series
Kane
One Step Beyond
1961
TV Series
Scholl
Danger Man
1961
TV Series
Craven
The Man at the Carlton Tower
1961
Harry Stone
No Hiding Place
1960
TV Series
Alf Jenkins / Frank Baines
ITV Sunday Night Drama
1960
TV Series
Clay
Boyd Q.C.
1958-1960
TV Series
Prosecuting counsel
Dead Lucky
1960
Knocker Parsons
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
1960
Reporter
The Angry Silence
1960
Travers
Malaga
1960
Shapley
Interpol Calling
1959
TV Series
Martin Bekker
ITV Television Playhouse
1955-1959
TV Series
Tony Lack / Ginger
Probation Officer
1959
TV Series
Len Grantham / Grantham
The Invisible Man
1959
TV Series
Bob - Pilot
International Detective
1959
TV Series
Mr. Molinsky
Charlesworth
1959
TV Series
Stringer
Model for Murder
1959
Podd
Operation Amsterdam
1959
Dealer
William Tell
1958
TV Series
Captain Bolf
Pringle
1958
TV Movie
Mr. Byward
The Man Upstairs
1958
Mr. Barnes
The Man Inside
1958
Mr. Pritchard
The Royalty
1958
TV Series
Sam
Law and Disorder
1958
Willis Pugh - Poacher
The Adventures of Robin Hood
1956-1958
TV Series
Will Sharpe / Sir Simon
Tank Force
1958
Captain Ritter
You're a Long Time Dead
1958
TV Movie
Harry
High Flight
1957
Controller, Operations Room
Bitter Victory
1957
Lt. Colonel Callander
The Long Haul
1957
Drunk in Club (uncredited)
Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!
1957
TV Series
Inspector Maron
Confess, Killer
1957
Detective Sgt Wilson
Hour of Mystery
1957
TV Series
Det. Sgt. Wilson
The Buccaneers
1957
TV Series
Marsh / Pirate Mate
Let's Be Happy
1957
French Ticket Clerk
Battle Hell
1957
Petty Officer
Pickup Alley
1957
Vincent Cashling
Aggie
1957
TV Series
Paddy O'Rourke
Romantic Chapter
1957
TV Movie
Philip
Assignment Foreign Legion
1956-1957
TV Series
Major Lebeque / Corporal Lescaux
The New Adventures of Martin Kane
1957
TV Series
Greene
The Bowl of Ramayana
1956
TV Short
The Vizier
Without Love
1956
TV Movie
Hart
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
1951-1956
TV Series
Tom Mead / Bowden / PC Weems / ...
London Playhouse
1956
TV Series
Constable Lo Peng
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
1956
TV Series
Minister
Lilli Palmer Theatre
1956
TV Series
John
No Man's Land
1956
TV Movie
Private Schultz
The Seventh Dungeon
1955
TV Movie
Ranulf
The Adventures of Annabel
1955
TV Series
Neb
Touch and Go
1955
Man on the Bridge
Kathleen
1955
TV Movie
Seamus MacGomigal
Marriage a la Mode
1955
Porter (uncredited)
The Kid from Brooklyn
1946
Dancer (uncredited)
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
ITV Play of the Week
1964
TV Series 1 episode
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Tales of the Unexpected
1980
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The South Bank Show
1978
TV Series documentary
Himself
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1972
BAFTA TV Award
BAFTA Awards
Best Actor
Public Eye (1965)
Known for movies
Public Eye (1965-1975) as Frank Marker
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) as Professor Armando Dippet
Enemy at the Door (1978-1980) as Major Richter / Oberst Richter