CineScope
James Luisi picture

James Luisi

Acting
Known For

73 Years Old

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.

Born

New York City, New York, USA on 11th November 1928

Died

7th June 2002

All Credits

The A-Team Image
The A-Team
Jimmy Durkee
The Fall Guy Image
The Fall Guy
Silk Stalkings Image
Silk Stalkings
The Rifleman Image
The Rifleman
The F.B.I. Image
The F.B.I.
Little Julio
The F.B.I. Image
The F.B.I.
Sam Kehoe
The Streets of San Francisco Image
The Streets of San Francisco
Knight Rider Image
Knight Rider
D.G. Grebs
The Rookies Image
The Rookies
Knots Landing Image
Knots Landing
Lieutenant Gilbert Garcia
Barnaby Jones Image
Barnaby Jones
Burt Logan
Barnaby Jones Image
Barnaby Jones
Nick Gorman
T. J. Hooker Image
T. J. Hooker
Vincent Hazzard
T. J. Hooker Image
T. J. Hooker
George Laszlo
Magnum, P.I. Image
Magnum, P.I.
John Walter Costa
The Rockford Files Image
The Rockford Files
Burt Stryker
The Rockford Files Image
The Rockford Files
Lt. Doug Chapman
The Hogan Family Image
The Hogan Family
Finder of Lost Loves Image
Finder of Lost Loves
Jordan Hollis
Hart to Hart Image
Hart to Hart
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Image
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Hood
Vega$ Image
Vega$
Cannon Image
Cannon
L.A. Law Image
L.A. Law
Paul Viola
Dark Justice Image
Dark Justice
Matt Houston Image
Matt Houston
Quincy, M.E. Image
Quincy, M.E.
CHiPs Image
CHiPs
Ironside Image
Ironside
Mike Purcell
The Eddie Capra Mysteries Image
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
Kojak Image
Kojak
Capt. Henry 'Hank' Rosseau
Kojak Image
Kojak
Det. Geno Alessi
Adam-12 Image
Adam-12
Antonio Minetti
Partners in Crime Image
Partners in Crime
Police Story Image
Police Story
Baywatch Nights Image
Baywatch Nights
Murray
Here's Boomer Image
Here's Boomer
Wonder Woman Image
Wonder Woman
George
Gunsmoke Image
Gunsmoke
Ivers
Hunter Image
Hunter
Hell Town Image
Hell Town
Sword of Justice Image
Sword of Justice
Another World Image
Another World
Starsky & Hutch Image
Starsky & Hutch
Naked City Image
Naked City
Mark Andrew
Ghost Story Image
Ghost Story
Rick
Spencer's Pilots Image
Spencer's Pilots
The Renegades Image
The Renegades
Lt. Marciano
S.W.A.T. Image
S.W.A.T.
Good Heavens Image
Good Heavens
Hawkins Image
Hawkins
Andy Tyler
City of Angels Image
City of Angels
The Hidden Image
The Hidden
Ferrari Salesman
Norma Rae Image
Norma Rae
George Benson
Ben Image
Ben
Ed
Murphy's Law Image
Murphy's Law
Ed Reineke
No Image
Harris and Company
Star 80 Image
Star 80
Roy
Stunts Image
Stunts
Alvin Blake
Feds Image
Feds
Sperry
I Escaped from Devil's Island Image
I Escaped from Devil's Island
Dazzas
Lethal Woman Image
Lethal Woman
Colonel Jerry Maxim
Fade to Black Image
Fade to Black
Capt. M.L. Gallagher
Cry Rape Image
Cry Rape
Det. Kroger
Killer's Delight Image
Killer's Delight
Sgt. Vince De Carlo
Future Cop Image
Future Cop
Paterno
Honky Tonk Image
Honky Tonk
Blackie
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story Image
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
Lazzeri
Moment by Moment Image
Moment by Moment
Dan Santini
Sunset Limousine Image
Sunset Limousine
Angel
The Take Image
The Take
Benedetto
Contract on Cherry Street Image
Contract on Cherry Street
Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer
The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits... Image
The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits...
Capt. Doug Chapman
The Red-Light Sting Image
The Red-Light Sting
Renny Lucas
The Renegades Image
The Renegades
Lt. Joe Marciano
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play Image
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play
Capt. Doug Chapman
Love Is Not Enough Image
Love Is Not Enough
Harry Foreman
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story Image
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Jimmy Karalla
Cat Ballou Image
Cat Ballou
Spider Levinsky
Our Family Business Image
Our Family Business
Frank
No Image
The Man from Independence
Stranger
No Image
First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington
George Washington