profile

    James Luisi

    1928-11-11 (96 years old) in New York City, New York, USA

    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.

    Movies

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    The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play
    65 %|Apr 25, 1996
    Mystery, TV Movie, Crime
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    The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits...
    68 %|Jan 14, 1996
    Crime, TV Movie, Mystery
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    Lethal Woman
    32 %|Apr 30, 1989
    Action, Crime, Thriller
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    Feds
    58 %|Oct 28, 1988
    Comedy, Crime
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    The Hidden
    68.71000000000001 %|Oct 30, 1987
    Science Fiction, Thriller, Action, Horror
    poster
    Murphy's Law
    61 %|Apr 18, 1986
    Action, Thriller, Crime
    poster
    The Red-Light Sting
    25 %|Mar 5, 1984
    Thriller, TV Movie, Crime
    poster
    Star 80
    65 %|Nov 10, 1983
    Drama
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    Sunset Limousine
    40 %|Oct 12, 1983
    TV Movie, Comedy
    poster
    The Renegades
    76 %|Aug 11, 1982
    Drama, Crime, Action, TV Movie
    poster
    Our Family Business
    0 %|Sep 20, 1981
    Crime, Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Fade to Black
    56 %|Oct 14, 1980
    Drama, Horror, Thriller, Comedy
    poster
    Norma Rae
    71.69 %|Mar 2, 1979
    Drama
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    Moment by Moment
    33.18 %|Dec 22, 1978
    Drama, Romance
    poster
    One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
    55 %|Sep 26, 1978
    Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Love Is Not Enough
    0 %|Jun 12, 1978
    Comedy, Drama, TV Movie
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    Killer's Delight
    50 %|Apr 28, 1978
    Drama, Horror, Thriller
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    A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
    90 %|Jan 15, 1978
    Drama, TV Movie
    poster
    Contract on Cherry Street
    63 %|Nov 19, 1977
    Drama, Thriller, TV Movie
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    Stunts
    51 %|Jun 1, 1977
    Action, Drama, Thriller, Mystery
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    Future Cop
    50 %|May 1, 1976
    TV Movie, Action, Science Fiction
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    The Take
    63 %|May 1, 1974
    Action, Thriller
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    Honky Tonk
    0 %|Apr 1, 1974
    Western, TV Movie
    actor
    The Man from Independence
    0 %|Mar 11, 1974
    TV Movie, Drama
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    Cry Rape
    67 %|Nov 27, 1973
    Crime, Drama, TV Movie
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    I Escaped from Devil's Island
    47 %|Sep 1, 1973
    Action, Adventure, Crime
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    Ben
    58 %|Jun 23, 1972
    Horror, Thriller
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    Cat Ballou
    0 %|Sep 6, 1971
    Western, Comedy, TV Movie

    Series

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    Baywatch Nights
    57 %|Sep 30, 1995
    Drama, Crime, Mystery
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    Silk Stalkings
    59.85 %|Nov 7, 1991
    Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure
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    Dark Justice
    68 %|Apr 5, 1991
    Crime, Drama
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    L.A. Law
    70 %|Sep 15, 1986
    Drama, War & Politics
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    The Hogan Family
    70 %|Mar 1, 1986
    Comedy, Family
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    Hell Town
    50 %|Sep 11, 1985
    Drama
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    Partners in Crime
    62 %|Sep 27, 1984
    Crime, Drama
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    Finder of Lost Loves
    57 %|Sep 22, 1984
    Drama
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    The Renegades
    50 %|Mar 4, 1983
    Drama
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    The A-Team
    75 %|Jan 23, 1983
    Action & Adventure, Comedy, Crime
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    Knight Rider
    76 %|Sep 26, 1982
    Action & Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Crime
    poster
    Matt Houston
    62 %|Sep 26, 1982
    Drama
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    T. J. Hooker
    63 %|Mar 13, 1982
    Drama, Crime
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    The Fall Guy
    75 %|Nov 4, 1981
    Action & Adventure, Crime
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    Magnum, P.I.
    72.72999999999999 %|Dec 11, 1980
    Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery
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    Here's Boomer
    53 %|Mar 14, 1980
    Family, Action & Adventure, Drama
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    Knots Landing
    68 %|Dec 27, 1979
    Drama, Soap
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    Hart to Hart
    68 %|Sep 22, 1979
    Action & Adventure, Drama, Crime
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    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
    69 %|Sep 20, 1979
    Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    actor
    Harris and Company
    0 %|Mar 15, 1979
    Drama
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    Vega$
    70 %|Sep 20, 1978
    Drama, Crime
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    Sword of Justice
    55 %|Sep 10, 1978
    Action & Adventure
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    The Eddie Capra Mysteries
    50 %|Sep 8, 1978
    Mystery
    poster
    CHiPs
    68 %|Sep 15, 1977
    Drama, Action & Adventure
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    Hunter
    80 %|Feb 18, 1977
    Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama
    poster
    Quincy, M.E.
    75 %|Oct 3, 1976
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
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    Spencer's Pilots
    50 %|Sep 17, 1976
    Action & Adventure
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    Good Heavens
    55 %|Feb 29, 1976
    Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy
    poster
    City of Angels
    60 %|Feb 3, 1976
    Crime, Drama
    poster
    Wonder Woman
    70 %|Nov 7, 1975
    Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama
    poster
    Starsky & Hutch
    72.24000000000001 %|Sep 10, 1975
    Action & Adventure, Drama, Crime
    poster
    S.W.A.T.
    70 %|Feb 24, 1975
    Action & Adventure, Drama
    poster
    The Rockford Files
    75 %|Sep 13, 1974
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    The Rockford Files
    75 %|Sep 13, 1974
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    Kojak
    69.42 %|Oct 24, 1973
    Crime, Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    Kojak
    69.42 %|Oct 24, 1973
    Crime, Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    Police Story
    71 %|Mar 20, 1973
    Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama
    poster
    Hawkins
    72 %|Mar 13, 1973
    Mystery
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    Barnaby Jones
    69 %|Jan 28, 1973
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    Barnaby Jones
    69 %|Jan 28, 1973
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    The Streets of San Francisco
    70 %|Sep 23, 1972
    Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure
    poster
    Ghost Story
    71 %|Sep 15, 1972
    Drama, Mystery
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    The Rookies
    69 %|Sep 11, 1972
    Drama, Crime
    poster
    Cannon
    65 %|Sep 14, 1971
    Drama, Action & Adventure
    poster
    Adam-12
    71 %|Sep 21, 1968
    Crime, Drama
    poster
    Ironside
    69 %|Mar 28, 1967
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    The F.B.I.
    54 %|Sep 19, 1965
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    The F.B.I.
    54 %|Sep 19, 1965
    Crime, Drama, Mystery
    poster
    Another World
    52 %|May 4, 1964
    Soap
    poster
    Naked City
    53 %|Sep 30, 1958
    Drama, Crime, Action & Adventure
    poster
    The Rifleman
    70 %|Sep 30, 1958
    Action & Adventure, Western, Family
    poster
    Gunsmoke
    65 %|Sep 10, 1955
    Western, Action & Adventure, Drama