Burke was born in
New Orleans, the son of Santa Maria (née Palermo) and Martin Joseph "Marty" Burke, a
boxer who twice fought
Gene Tunney and later owned a restaurant and
nightclub known as Marty Burke's in the New Orleans
French Quarter. After training at the
Pasadena Playhouse, Burke's film career began with a small role in the movie
Golden Girl. Early in his career, Burke guest-starred in the
syndicated series
Highway Patrol and
Men of Annapolis. In 1956–57, Burke was cast as Dr. Noah McCann in ''Noah's Ark,'' a weekly program produced by
Jack Webb which aired on
NBC, the story of a pair of dedicated
veterinarians.
Victor Rodman played the older colleague, Dr. Sam Rinehart. After
Five Fingers 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 Maj., then Col.) 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 a bank robber played by
Steve McQueen in
The Thomas Crown Affair. He appeared in supporting roles in a number of television series, including recurring roles in
Dynasty from 1982 to 1988 and in
Tom Selleck's
Magnum, P.I., from 1981 to 1985 as Rear Admiral Hawkes. Burke also served as a television commercial spokesman for the electronics retailer
RadioShack, and for Buick Division, General Motors Corporation in the early 1970's. At the end of each Buick commercial, Burke would state Buick's then current motto: "Buick, something to believe in." ==Later years and death==