Richard J. Burke was an Irish-American journalist, poet, and playwright. He was born in Buffalo, New York on October 9, 1915, the son of Joseph Raymond Burke and Josephine Catherine Keating. He was married on October 19, 1940, to Josephina Battaglia the daughter of Carmelo Battaglia of Montemaggiore Belsito, Palermo, Sicily, and Antonia Fasulo of Burgio, Agrigento, Sicily.