During the 2000s Burke became well known for his portrayal of Mickey Gavin on Rescue Me (2004–11), Bart Bass in Gossip Girl (2007–12), Ed Tucker in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2002–20), and a number of other film and television roles including Intrusion (2021).
He graduated from Northport High School and attended the Acting Conservatory at State University of New York at Purchase.
[2] Burke's television roles include Mickey Gavin on Rescue Me, Bart Bass on Gossip Girl, Kidnapped, Six Degrees, Law & Order and IAB Captain Ed Tucker on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Officer Patrick Simmons on Person of Interest, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos.
[2] Burke appeared opposite Laura Dern's Academy Award nominated performance in the 1991 feature Rambling Rose.
He returned to work with Hartley again in 1992 in the Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or nominated Simple Men.
In 2008, he portrayed James Mattis, Commanding General of 1st Marine Division in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill.
In 2015 and 2017, he appeared in three episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, once parodying his role on Law & Order.