James Luisi
Acting
Born: November 11, 1928 · New York City, New York, USA
Died: June 7, 2002 (aged 73)
Highest Rated
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
Knight Rider
1982
The A-Team
1983
The Hidden
1987
Wonder Woman
1975
Magnum, P.I.
1980
Norma Rae
1979
Starsky & Hutch
1975
Murphy's Law
1986
The Fall Guy
1981
CHiPs
1977
Ben
1972
Kojak
1973
Photos (1)
Movies (28)
The Hidden
Ferrari Salesman
Star 80
Roy
Norma Rae
George Benson
Murphy's Law
Ed Reineke
Ben
Ed
Feds!
Sperry
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
Lazzeri
The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits...
Capt. Doug Chapman
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play
Capt. Doug Chapman
Contract on Cherry Street
Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer
Fade to Black
Capt. M.L. Gallagher
The Red-Light Sting
Renny Lucas
Lethal Woman
Colonel Jerry Maxim
Moment by Moment
Dan Santini
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Jimmy Karalla
China Lake
Watch Commander
Love Is Not Enough
Harry Foreman
I Escaped from Devil's Island
Dazzas
Honky Tonk
Blackie
The Renegades
Lt. Joe Marciano
Stunts
Alvin Blake
Cry Rape
Det. Kroger
Sunset Limousine
Angel
Killer's Delight
Sgt. Vince De Carlo
The Take
Benedetto
Our Family Business
Frank
Future Cop
Paterno
Cat Ballou
Spider Levinsky
TV Shows (53)
Knots Landing
Lieutenant Gilbert Garcia · 4 eps
L.A. Law
Paul Viola · 1 eps
Adam-12
Antonio Minetti · 1 eps
Ironside
Mike Purcell · 1 eps
Knight Rider
D.G. Grebs · 1 eps
Magnum, P.I.
John Walter Costa · 1 eps
The A-Team
Jimmy Durkee · 1 eps
The Rockford Files
Doug Chapman · 22 eps
The Rockford Files
Burt Stryker · 1 eps
Quincy, M.E.
1 eps
The Rifleman
1 eps
The F.B.I.
Sam Kehoe · 1 eps
The F.B.I.
Little Julio · 1 eps
T. J. Hooker
George Laszlo · 1 eps
T. J. Hooker
Vincent Hazzard · 1 eps
Cannon
1 eps
Naked City
Mark Andrew · 1 eps
Hart to Hart
2 eps
Starsky & Hutch
1 eps
Fantasy Island
Arbogast · 1 eps
Silk Stalkings
1 eps
Barnaby Jones
Nick Gorman · 1 eps
Barnaby Jones
Burt Logan · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Ivers · 2 eps
Matt Houston
2 eps
Kojak
Det. Geno Alessi · 1 eps
Kojak
Capt. Henry 'Hank' Rosseau · 2 eps
The Fall Guy
1 eps
The Rookies
2 eps
The Streets of San Francisco
1 eps
Vega$
2 eps
Baywatch Nights
Murray · 1 eps
Police Story
1 eps
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Hood · 1 eps
Another World
1547 eps
Wonder Woman
George · 1 eps
Ghost Story
Rick · 1 eps
Finder of Lost Loves
Jordan Hollis · 1 eps
CHiPs
1 eps
The Hogan Family
3 eps
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
1 eps
Hawkins
Andy Tyler · 1 eps
Dark Justice
1 eps
S.W.A.T.
1 eps
Hunter
2 eps
Good Heavens
1 eps
Here's Boomer
1 eps
Hell Town
1 eps
Partners in Crime
1 eps
City of Angels
1 eps
Sword of Justice
1 eps
Spencer's Pilots
1 eps
The Renegades
Lt. Marciano · 6 eps