David Burke was notable to fans of detective dramas during the 1980s, with the actor, who died at the age of 91 on 10 May 2026, playing Dr Watson in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
However, the star only appeared in the first season of the popular show, which ran between 1984 and 1994, being replaced by the late Edward Hardwicke for the rest of the show’s duration.
David starred in various roles during his life, including playing Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in the final two episodes of Reilly, Ace of Spies. He also had credits in Coronation Street, Crown Court, Midsomer Murders, Heartbeat and the 2012 horror film, The Woman in Black, in which he starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe.
Away from the screen, David was happily married to actress Anna Calder-Marshall, with the pair welcoming a son, Tom Burke, who has since gone on to star in the highly successful crime series, Strike.
Here’s all you need to know about David’s famous family…
Wife Anna Calder-Marshall
Anna is 13 years David’s junior, and she also comes from a star pedigree, being the daughter of novelist Arthur Calder-Marshall.
Like her husband and son, Anna is an actress, and she’s even appeared in an episode of Strike alongside Tom. She has also appeared in the likes of Midsomer Murders, King Lear, Lovejoy and Last Christmas. Her latest appearance was in the 2026 drama film, Queen at Sea.
David and Anna first met back when they appeared onstage together in a production of The Wild Duck. Their contemporary, future Succession star Brian Cox, helped persuade the couple to start a relationship.
It was Anna who nudged David to accept his most iconic role, telling her partner that it took an “extraordinary” man to play such a character. However, she was also partly the reason that he left the role swiftly, with the pair deciding to work jointly together at the Royal Shakespeare Company in order to support their son.
Son Tom Burke
With such acting pedigree in his blood, it’s no surprise that Tom followed his parents into the entertainment industry, even though David had different hopes for his son. Speaking to The Times in 2014, he recalled how he didn’t want to push his son into becoming an actor, but after seeing him perform in local plays, “there just came a point where we knew he had an aptitude for it”.
© Dave Benett/Getty ImagesHe added: “Whenever we watch him now, I always end up turning to Annie and grinning like an idiot. ‘Darling, do you realise that’s our son!‘”
Tom is best known for playing Comoran Strike in the BBC’s Strike series, but he has also had major roles in the likes of The Musketeers, War & Peace, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Lazarus Project.
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