James Luisi
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- November 11, 1928
- Died
- June 7, 2002 (aged 73)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
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.
Known For
Filmography
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play
Movie · as Capt. Doug Chapman
The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits...
Movie · as Capt. Doug Chapman
Baywatch Nights
TV · as Murray · 1 ep
Silk Stalkings
TV · 1 ep
Dark Justice
TV · 1 ep
Lethal Woman
Movie · as Colonel Jerry Maxim
Feds!
Movie · as Sperry
The Hidden
Movie · as Ferrari Salesman
Murphy's Law
Movie · as Ed Reineke
L.A. Law
TV · as Paul Viola · 1 ep
The Hogan Family
TV · 3 eps
Hell Town
TV · 1 ep
The Red-Light Sting
Movie · as Renny Lucas
Partners in Crime
TV · 1 ep
Finder of Lost Loves
TV · as Jordan Hollis · 1 ep
Star 80
Movie · as Roy
Sunset Limousine
Movie · as Angel
China Lake
Movie · as Watch Commander
The A-Team
TV · as Jimmy Durkee · 1 ep
The Renegades
TV · as Lt. Marciano · 6 eps
The Renegades
Movie · as Lt. Joe Marciano
Knight Rider
TV · as D.G. Grebs · 1 ep
Matt Houston
TV · 2 eps
T. J. Hooker
TV · as George Laszlo, Vincent Hazzard · 1 ep
Our Family Business
Movie · as Frank
The Fall Guy
TV · 1 ep
Here's Boomer
TV · 1 ep
Fade to Black
Movie · as Capt. M.L. Gallagher
The Asphalt Cowboy
Movie · as Lt. Lassiter
Magnum, P.I.
TV · as John Walter Costa · 1 ep
Norma Rae
Movie · as George Benson
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
TV · as Hood · 1 ep
Knots Landing
TV · as Lieutenant Gilbert Garcia · 4 eps
Hart to Hart
TV · 2 eps
Harris and Company
TV · 4 eps
Killer's Delight
Movie · as Sgt. Vince De Carlo
Moment by Moment
Movie · as Dan Santini
Love Is Not Enough
Movie · as Harry Foreman
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Movie · as Jimmy Karalla
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
Movie · as Lazzeri
Vega$
TV · 2 eps
Sword of Justice
TV · 1 ep
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
TV · 1 ep
Fantasy Island
TV · as Arbogast · 1 ep
Contract on Cherry Street
Movie · as Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer
Stunts
Movie · as Alvin Blake
Hunter
TV · 2 eps
CHiPs
TV · 1 ep
Future Cop
Movie · as Paterno
Quincy, M.E.
TV · 1 ep
City of Angels
TV · 1 ep
Good Heavens
TV · 1 ep
Spencer's Pilots
TV · 1 ep
First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington
Movie · as George Washington
Starsky & Hutch
TV · 1 ep
Wonder Woman
TV · as George · 1 ep
S.W.A.T.
TV · 1 ep
The Man from Independence
Movie · as Stranger
The Take
Movie · as Benedetto
Honky Tonk
Movie · as Blackie
The Rockford Files
TV · as Doug Chapman, Burt Stryker · 22 eps
I Escaped from Devil's Island
Movie · as Dazzas
Cry Rape
Movie · as Det. Kroger
Hawkins
TV · as Andy Tyler · 1 ep
Kojak
TV · as Det. Geno Alessi, Capt. Henry 'Hank' Rosseau · 1 ep
Police Story
TV · 1 ep
Barnaby Jones
TV · as Nick Gorman, Burt Logan · 1 ep
Ben
Movie · as Ed
The Rookies
TV · 2 eps
The Streets of San Francisco
TV · 1 ep
Ghost Story
TV · as Rick · 1 ep
Cat Ballou
Movie · as Spider Levinsky
Cannon
TV · 1 ep
Adam-12
TV · as Antonio Minetti · 1 ep
Ironside
TV · as Mike Purcell · 1 ep
The F.B.I.
TV · as Sam Kehoe, Little Julio · 1 ep
Another World
TV · 1547 eps
Naked City
TV · as Mark Andrew · 1 ep
The Rifleman
TV · 1 ep
Gunsmoke
TV · as Ivers · 2 eps