[3] Burleigh "was intended for the law" but commenced his acting career in a non-speaking role in a travelling theatre production.

[6] On 20 September 1912 Burleigh married Dorothy Margaret Green, who was an actress and dancer in Brentford, Middlesex.

[6][1] In about 1914 Burleigh was invited, by the author of the play in the West End in which he had a part, to appear in a film production.

[9][10] In January 1916 Burleigh commented that he "considers acting in pictures a higher art than on the stage because the story one has to tell must be told without the aid of the voice".

[4] In 1920 Burleigh played a lead role in The Great Day, the first film made by Paramount Pictures in England.

[11] During the 1915 post-Christmas pantomime season, Burleigh performed in Red Riding Hood at the Wimbledon Theatre, playing the role of Richard Coeur-de-Lion.

[12] In late May 1921 Burleigh and the actress Amy Verity travelled to Paris to appear in lead roles in the film L'Amour de Mort (A Dead Man's Love) produced by La Société d'Editions Cinématographiques.

[10] In December 1922 Burleigh contributed his services to a fair at the Hotel Cecil in London to raise funds for hospitals.

[14] In July 1928 Burleigh was appointed as the Midland Circuit manager for the Gaumont-British Corporation, with his headquarters at the Villa Gross Cinema in Handsworth, Birmingham.