Person Details

Birthday: 1928-11-11 18:41:18

Death: 2002-06-07 18:41:18

Aliases: No known aliases

Gender: Male

Place of birth: New York City, New York

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 23

TV Involvements: 22


Most Famous Work

Biography

A native New Yorker, James Luisi attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights on a basketball scholarship. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He then played one season (1953-54) with the Baltimore Bullets in the National Basketball Association. His acting career began on the stage with early parts coming in the Broadway musicals "Sweet Charity" and "Zorba". His early movies were minor, though his "beefcake" appeal was evident in 1973's I Escaped from Devil's Island (1973) in which he rarely wore a shirt. Most of his later work was on TV. In 1976 he shared a "best actor" daytime Emmy for playing George Washington in a daytime drama special titled First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington (1975). Also in 1976 he started his four-season role as Jim Rockford's (James Garner) nemesis Lt. Chapman in The Rockford Files (1974). In 1983 he played the cop in charge of some street-gang-members-turned-undercover-agents in the short-lived series The Renegades (1983), which provided a boost for Patrick Swayze, who played one of the gang members. Along with guest spots on numerous TV shows, Luisi also appeared in the soap operas Days of Our Lives (1965) and Another World (1964). In the 1990s he returned to acting in and directing stage work in the Los Angeles area. Stricken with cancer he passed away on 7 June 2002 and is survived by his wife of 41 years, the former Georgia Phillips.

Most Famous Work

Adam-12
Average
7

Adam-12

(1968) Antonio Minetti
The A-Team
Average
7

The A-Team

(1983) Jimmy Durkee
The Rockford Files
Average
7

The Rockford Files

(1974) Burt Stryker
Knight Rider
Average
8

Knight Rider

(1982) D.G. Grebs
Naked City
Average
5

Naked City

(1958) Mark Andrew
Wonder Woman
Average
7

Wonder Woman

(1975) George
L.A. Law
Average
7

L.A. Law

(1986) Paul Viola
The F.B.I.
Average
5

The F.B.I.

(1965) Little Julio

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
1996 Capt. Doug Chapman
Capt. Doug Chapman
1995 Murray
1991 N/A
N/A
1989 Colonel Jerry Maxim
1988 Sperry
1987 Ferrari Salesman
1986 Paul Viola
Ed Reineke
N/A
1985 N/A
1984 N/A
Jordan Hollis
Renny Lucas
1983 Roy
Angel
Lt. Marciano
Jimmy Durkee
1982 N/A
D.G. Grebs
Lt. Joe Marciano
Vincent Hazzard / George Laszlo
1981 N/A
Frank
1980 N/A
Capt. M.L. Gallagher
N/A
1979 N/A
N/A
Hood
N/A
George Benson
1978 Dan Santini
Jimmy Karalla
N/A
N/A
N/A
Harry Foreman
Sgt. Vince De Carlo
Tony Lazzeri
1977 Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer
N/A
Alvin Blake
N/A
1976 N/A
N/A
Paterno
N/A
N/A
1975 George
N/A
N/A
1974 Lt. Doug Chapman
Burt Stryker
Benedetto
Blackie
Stranger
1973 Det. Kroger
Capt. Henry 'Hank' Rosseau
Det. Geno Alessi
Dazzas
N/A
Andy Tyler
Nick Gorman
Burt Logan
1972 N/A
Rick
N/A
Ed
1971 N/A
Spider Levinsky
1968 Antonio Minetti
1967 N/A
1965 Sam Kehoe
Little Julio
1964 N/A
1958 Mark Andrew
N/A
1955 Ivers
Year Character Movie/Tv

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