Chris Burke (actor)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Burke (born August 26, 1965) is an American
actor
, living with Down syndrome
, who has become best known for his character Charles "Corky" Thacher on the television series Life Goes On
.
. Burke has Down syndrome
, and his parents were told to institutionalize him when he was born. Instead they decided to raise him at home and nurture his talents, with the help of his two older sisters and brother. From a young age, Burke enjoyed watching TV and movies and desperately wanted to be on television. He was encouraged by his supportive family to follow his career objectives no matter how unconventional they seemed, especially for a young man with Down syndrome
.
In the early 1970s public schools were not yet mainstreaming
students with disabilities into general education classes. Burke attended the Kennedy Child Studies Center in New York, New York from age five until graduating shortly before his eighth birthday. At that time there were no suitable private education programs for students with disabilities in the area, so, in the fall of 1973, Burke was sent to board at the Cardinal Cushing School and Training Center in Hanover, Massachusetts
. In 1978, Burke transferred to the Don Guanella School in Springfield, Pennsylvania
, to be closer to his brother, J.R., who lived close by. Burke graduated from Don Guanella in 1986. After graduation he worked as an elevator operator
and did volunteer work for programs for students with disabilities at New York City's Public School 138.
Burke's first acting performance was in a production of The Emperor's New Clothes
at the Cardinal Cushing School. This role inspired him to participate in a talent show after he transferred to Don Guanella, in which he acted as a zombie in a reenactment of Michael Jackson
's Thriller video. He continued to hone his talent by attending night classes, going to auditions, writing scripts, and voraciously reading books about his favorite actors.
TV movie Desperate. Network executives at ABC were impressed by his performance in Desperate and created Life Goes On
with Burke's character, Charles "Corky" Thacher, as the main role. Corky was the first character on a network television series with a disability. Burke's revolutionary role conveyed a realistic portrayal of people with Down syndrome and changed the way audiences viewed people with disabilities. Life Goes On propelled Burke into fame and wide recognition. The series ran from 1989-1993.
in the NBC
Movie of the Week Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted
.
In 2009 he co-directed a documentary, White Water Buddies, about a raft trip he took with his friend, Adam Madrid.
Some of his TV show and movie appearances include:
for the National Down Syndrome Society
since 1994. He has starred in the organization's acclaimed public service announcements; with Tracy Ullman in 1999 and, more recently, for the My Great Story public awareness campaign with Actor John C. McGinley
and TV Hosts Meredith Vieira
and Nancy O'Dell. As Goodwill Ambassador he travels the country attending Buddy Walks, making public appearances, speaking with the press and greeting fans. When he's not on the road, Burke is a valued member of the National Down Syndrome Society's staff, working in their New York City office.
Burke has delivered inspirational speeches around the world and continues to speak at schools, seminars, conferences and non-profit organizations. He also tours the U.S. with his 4-piece folk band, Forever Friends, for which he is the singer. Burke met his bandmates, twin brothers Joe and John DeMasi, when they were music counselors at the Town of Hempstead, New York's ANCHOR program for individuals with disabilities, when Burke was a teenager. The band has released several albums and has appeared on television performing their signature song, "Celebrate."
In 1991, Burke co-wrote his autobiography, A Special Kind of Hero, with Jo Beth McDaniel. From 1994-2005 he was the editor-in-chief of "News 'n Views" and "UpBeat", publications written by and for people with Down syndrome, and in 2009 he contributed to the National Down Syndrome Society's My Great Story campaign by writing his story, "Great Expectations".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, living with Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
, who has become best known for his character Charles "Corky" Thacher on the television series Life Goes On
Life Goes On (TV series)
Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thacher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky...
.
Early Years
Burke is the youngest of four children of Marian Burke, a retired trade-show manager, and Frank Burke, a retired NYPD inspectorInspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
. Burke has Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
, and his parents were told to institutionalize him when he was born. Instead they decided to raise him at home and nurture his talents, with the help of his two older sisters and brother. From a young age, Burke enjoyed watching TV and movies and desperately wanted to be on television. He was encouraged by his supportive family to follow his career objectives no matter how unconventional they seemed, especially for a young man with Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
.
In the early 1970s public schools were not yet mainstreaming
Mainstreaming in education
Mainstreaming in the context of education is a term that refers to the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes during specific time periods based on their skills. This means regular education classes are combined with special education classes...
students with disabilities into general education classes. Burke attended the Kennedy Child Studies Center in New York, New York from age five until graduating shortly before his eighth birthday. At that time there were no suitable private education programs for students with disabilities in the area, so, in the fall of 1973, Burke was sent to board at the Cardinal Cushing School and Training Center in Hanover, Massachusetts
Hanover, Massachusetts
Hanover is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 census.-History:The area of Hanover was first settled by English settlers in 1649 when William Barstow, a farmer, built a bridge along the North River at what is now Washington Street...
. In 1978, Burke transferred to the Don Guanella School in Springfield, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, or simply Springfield, is a township and a Census Designated Place in Delaware County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 23,677 at the 2000 census...
, to be closer to his brother, J.R., who lived close by. Burke graduated from Don Guanella in 1986. After graduation he worked as an elevator operator
Elevator operator
An elevator operator is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator...
and did volunteer work for programs for students with disabilities at New York City's Public School 138.
Burke's first acting performance was in a production of The Emperor's New Clothes
The Emperor's New Clothes
"The Emperor's New Clothes" is a short tale by Hans Christian Andersen about two weavers who promise an Emperor a new suit of clothes that is invisible to those unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent...
at the Cardinal Cushing School. This role inspired him to participate in a talent show after he transferred to Don Guanella, in which he acted as a zombie in a reenactment of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's Thriller video. He continued to hone his talent by attending night classes, going to auditions, writing scripts, and voraciously reading books about his favorite actors.
Early Acting Roles and Life Goes On
Burke got his first professional acting job in 1987 in the ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV movie Desperate. Network executives at ABC were impressed by his performance in Desperate and created Life Goes On
Life Goes On (TV series)
Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thacher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky...
with Burke's character, Charles "Corky" Thacher, as the main role. Corky was the first character on a network television series with a disability. Burke's revolutionary role conveyed a realistic portrayal of people with Down syndrome and changed the way audiences viewed people with disabilities. Life Goes On propelled Burke into fame and wide recognition. The series ran from 1989-1993.
Later Acting Roles
Since Life Goes On, Burke has made appearances on numerous TV shows and movies, most notably co-starring with JoBeth WilliamsJoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams is an American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.-Early life:...
in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Movie of the Week Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted
Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted
Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted, inspired by a true story concerning a landmark legal decision for rights of the disabled, is a 1992 NBC Movie of Week starring JoBeth Williams and Chris Burke...
.
In 2009 he co-directed a documentary, White Water Buddies, about a raft trip he took with his friend, Adam Madrid.
Some of his TV show and movie appearances include:
- Jonathan: The Boy Nobody WantedJonathan: The Boy Nobody WantedJonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted, inspired by a true story concerning a landmark legal decision for rights of the disabled, is a 1992 NBC Movie of Week starring JoBeth Williams and Chris Burke...
, TV movie, 1992 - Heaven & Hell, TV movie, 1994
- Commish TV series, 1994
- The Promised LandThe Promised LandThe Promised Land is a 1975 Polish film directed by Andrzej Wajda, based on a novel by Władysław Reymont. Set in the industrial city of Łódź, The Promised Land tells the story of a Pole, a German, and a Jew struggling to build a factory in the raw world of 19th century capitalism.Wajda presents a...
TV series, 1997 - Touched by an AngelTouched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
recurring as Taylor, an angel who has Down syndromeDown syndromeDown syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
, 1997 - The DivisionThe DivisionThe Division is an American Lifetime Television original series about a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.-Synopsis:...
, 2002 - ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, 2002
Awards
- Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
Nominee, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, 1990 - Golden Apple Awards Nominee, 1990
- Ten Outstanding Young AmericansTen Outstanding Young AmericansThe Ten Outstanding Young Americans program is an annual award given by The United States Junior Chamber organization. It is given to ten Americans between 18 and 40 years of age who "exemplify the best attributes of the nation’s young people."People considered for the award are often submitted...
, 1991 - National Rehabilitation HospitalNational Rehabilitation HospitalThe National Rehabilitation Hospital is located in Washington, D.C., and specializes in treating persons with physical disabilities, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, arthritis, amputation, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, orthopedic, and other neurological conditions.The...
Honoree, 1993 - Just One Break (JOB) Ability First Award, 1995
- Hall of Honor, AHRC, 1999
Down Syndrome Advocacy
Burke has been the Goodwill AmbassadorGoodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador is a collective term sometimes used as a substitute honorific title or a title of honor for an Ambassador of Goodwill; but, most appropriately for a generic recognition, it is a job position or description that is usually indicated following the name of the individual recognized...
for the National Down Syndrome Society
National Down Syndrome Society
The National Down Syndrome Society is an American organization which offers support to people and families with Down syndrome, as well as educating the general public about Down syndrome. The organization was founded in 1979...
since 1994. He has starred in the organization's acclaimed public service announcements; with Tracy Ullman in 1999 and, more recently, for the My Great Story public awareness campaign with Actor John C. McGinley
John C. McGinley
John Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
and TV Hosts Meredith Vieira
Meredith Vieira
Meredith Louise Vieira is an American journalist, television personality, and game show host. She is best known for her roles as the original moderator of the ABC talk program The View and co-host of the long-running NBC News morning news program, Today...
and Nancy O'Dell. As Goodwill Ambassador he travels the country attending Buddy Walks, making public appearances, speaking with the press and greeting fans. When he's not on the road, Burke is a valued member of the National Down Syndrome Society's staff, working in their New York City office.
Burke has delivered inspirational speeches around the world and continues to speak at schools, seminars, conferences and non-profit organizations. He also tours the U.S. with his 4-piece folk band, Forever Friends, for which he is the singer. Burke met his bandmates, twin brothers Joe and John DeMasi, when they were music counselors at the Town of Hempstead, New York's ANCHOR program for individuals with disabilities, when Burke was a teenager. The band has released several albums and has appeared on television performing their signature song, "Celebrate."
In 1991, Burke co-wrote his autobiography, A Special Kind of Hero, with Jo Beth McDaniel. From 1994-2005 he was the editor-in-chief of "News 'n Views" and "UpBeat", publications written by and for people with Down syndrome, and in 2009 he contributed to the National Down Syndrome Society's My Great Story campaign by writing his story, "Great Expectations".
External links
- Chris Burke Official Site
- http://www.ndss.org National Down Syndrome Society
- http://www.buddywalk.org Buddy Walk
- http://ndss.org/stories My Great Story
- Filmography
- The Scientific Aesthetic Quarterly
- The Ambassadors
- Milwaukee Catholic Herald (1993)
- Skiff News