Marie Burke


Marie Burke was an English actress of cinema and television. She appeared in over 40 films between 1917 and 1971, and appeared in TV series between 1953 and 1969.

Biography

Burke was born in London in 1894 to Rosa and Ferdinand Altfuldisch/Altfieldisch. The family changed their name to Holt during World War I.

Career

Marie Burke was a British character comedian and trained as an operatic singer in Italy. She appeared in films in 1917, before making her stage debut in 1919.
As a member of the Katja Company she was touring Australia in 1926 when she and her colleague, the tenor Warde Morgan, were seriously injured in the Aberdeen Rail Disaster.
She met and married British operatic tenor Thomas Burke when they were both studying singing in Milan. They had one daughter, the actress and singer Patricia Burke, who was born in Milan.
In 1929, Burke was a founding member of Equity.

Selected filmography