- Chris Burke (actor)
-
Chris Burke 
Born Christopher Joseph Burke
August 26, 1965
Point Lookout, New York, U.S.Other names Chris Burke Years active 1987—present 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.
Contents
Early Years
Burke is the youngest of four children of Marian Burke, a retired trade-show manager, and Frank Burke, a retired NYPD inspector. Burke has Down syndrome, and his parents were told to institutionalize him when he was born.[citation needed] 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.[1]
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.[1] 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.[2]
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.[2]
Acting
Early Acting Roles and Life Goes On
Burke got his first professional acting job in 1987 in the ABC 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.
Later Acting Roles
Since Life Goes On, Burke has made appearances on numerous TV shows and movies, most notably co-starring with JoBeth Williams in the NBC Movie of the Week Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted.[3]
In 2009 he co-directed a documentary, White Water Buddies, about a raft trip he took with his friend, Adam Madrid.[4]Some of his TV show and movie appearances include:
- Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted, TV movie, 1992
- Heaven & Hell, TV movie, 1994
- Commish TV series, 1994
- The Promised Land TV series, 1997
- Touched by an Angel recurring as Taylor, an angel who has Down syndrome, 1997
- The Division, 2002
- ER, 2002
Awards
- Golden Globe Award 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 Americans, 1991
- National Rehabilitation Hospital Honoree, 1993
- Just One Break (JOB) Ability First Award, 1995
- Hall of Honor, AHRC, 1999
Down Syndrome Advocacy
Burke has been the Goodwill Ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society[5] 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.[6][7] As Goodwill Ambassador he travels the country attending Buddy Walks,[8] 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.[9]
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." [10]
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".[11]
References
- ^ a b McDaniel, Jo Beth; Burke, Chris. A Special Kind of Hero: Chris Burke’s Own Story. Doubleday, 1991.
- ^ a b Burke, Chris. Personal interview. 15 March 2011.
- ^ "'Life Goes On' star lands role in network movie". Rome News Tribune. October 16, 1992. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tlYwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aTwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4866,4433791&dq=jonathan+the+boy+nobody+wanted+jobeth+williams&hl=en.
- ^ "Q&A: Diesel vs. gas prices - St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1040483.ece. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ^ National Down Syndrome Society
- ^ NDSS Regal Cinema PSA: Chris Burke Video
- ^ NDSS Regal Entertainment Group PSA Video
- ^ Buddy Walk
- ^ NDSS Goodwill Ambassador Bio
- ^ "Corky From "Life Goes On" Rocks Out With His Band". Youtube.com. 2010-01-01. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aJFSpkxjtY&feature=related. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
- ^ My Great Story by Chris Burke
External links
- Chris Burke Official Site
- Chris Burke at the Internet Movie Database
- [1] National Down Syndrome Society
- [2] Buddy Walk
- [3] My Great Story
- Filmography
- The Scientific Aesthetic Quarterly
- The Ambassadors
- Milwaukee Catholic Herald (1993)
- Skiff News
Categories:- 1965 births
- Living people
- American television actors
- People with Down syndrome
- People from Nassau County, New York
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