Chris Burke
Chris Burke was born in Point Lookout, New York, United States on August 26th, 1965 and is the TV Actor. At the age of 58, Chris Burke biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 58 years old, Chris Burke has this physical status:
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Burke (born August 26, 1965) is a sufferer of American Down syndrome.
He began as an actor and folk singer.
On the television series Life Goes On, he is best known for his character Charles "Corky" Thatcher.
Early years
Burke is the youngest of four children of Marian Burke, a former trade-show boss, and Frank Burke, a retired NYPD inspector. Burke was born with Down syndrome at a time when little was known about the condition, and his parents were encouraged to institutionalize him. Rather, they decided to raise him at home and nurture his abilities with the support of his siblings. Burke loved television and movies as a child and wanted to be on television. Regardless of how odd they seemed, a young man with Down syndrome was encouraged by his loving family to pursue his career aspirations, especially for a young man with Down syndrome.
In the early 1970s, American public schools were not yet mainstreaming students with disabilities into general education classes. Burke attended the Kennedy Child Study Center in New York City from age five to graduating shortly before his eighth birthday. There were no suitable private education services for students with disabilities in the area at the time, so Burke was sent to board at the Cardinal Cushing School and Training Center in Hanover, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1973. Burke moved to Don Guanella School in Springfield, Pennsylvania, to be closer to his brother, J.R., who lived nearby. Burke graduated from Don Guanella in 1986. He worked as an elevator operator and did volunteer work with services for students with disabilities at New York City's Public School 138.
Burke's first acting appearance appeared in a version of "The Emperor's New Clothes" at the Cardinal Cushing School. His dramatic reading left a lasting impression on the audience, as well as Hollywood actor Robert Evans, who was in attendance at the time. After moving to Don Guanella, where he acted as a zombie in a reencounter to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" film, he was inspired to perform in a talent show. He continued to develop his craft by attending night classes, going to auditions, writing scripts, and avidly reading books about his favorite actors.