Movies List
TV Show List
The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play

as Capt. Doug Chapman

1996
Lethal Woman

as Colonel Jerry Maxim

1989
Feds

as Sperry

1988
Murphy's Law

as Ed Reineke

1986
The Red-Light Sting

as Renny Lucas

1984
The Renegades

as Lt. Joe Marciano

1982
Fade to Black

as Capt. M.L. Gallagher

1980
Killer's Delight

as Sgt. Vince De Carlo

1978
Moment by Moment

as Dan Santini

1978
Stunts

as Alvin Blake

1977
Contract on Cherry Street

as Al Palmini / Arnold Palmer

1977
The Take

as Benedetto

1974
Cry Rape

as Det. Kroger

1973
Ben

as Ed

1972
James Luisi James Luisi

Birthday

1928-11-11

Place of Birth

New York City, New York

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.
AD

WATCH FREE FOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime
Watch Now