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Michael Balfour
Acting
Biography
Michael Creighton Balfour (11 February 1918 – 24 October 1997) was an English actor, working mainly in British films and TV, following his TV debut in the BBC's The Marvellous History of St Bernard, in 1938. He was a recognisable face, often in small character parts and supporting roles, in nearly two hundred films and TV shows, from the 1940s to the 1990s, often playing comical heavies or otherwise shady characters notable for their "loud" clothes, sometimes convincingly cast as an American.
He worked for a roll call of film directors, including Tony Richardson, Pete Walker, Billy Wilder, Lewis Gilbert, Roman Polanski, Leslie Norman, Tim Burton, John Frankenheimer, François Truffaut, John …
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Michael Creighton Balfour (11 February 1918 – 24 October 1997) was an English actor, working mainly in British films and TV, following his TV debut in the BBC's The Marvellous History of St Bernard, in 1938. He was a recognisable face, often in small character parts and supporting roles, in nearly two hundred films and TV shows, from the 1940s to the 1990s, often playing comical heavies or otherwise shady characters notable for their "loud" clothes, sometimes convincingly cast as an American. He worked for a roll call of film directors, including Tony Richardson, Pete Walker, Billy Wilder, Lewis Gilbert, Roman Polanski, Leslie Norman, Tim Burton, John Frankenheimer, François Truffaut, John Gilling, Stanley Donen, Ken Annakin, Cavalcanti, Lance Comfort, Terence Young, Gerald Thomas, Pasolini, John Paddy Carstairs, Terence Fisher, Val Guest, Frank Launder, John Huston, Basil Dearden and Howard Hawks. Balfour had parts in many popular TV shows of the era including Educated Evans, Mess Mates, Danger Man, The Avengers, Hancock's Half Hour, Dixon of Dock Green, Rogue's Gallery, Z-Cars, The Onedin Line, and the detective drama The Vise, playing Saber's assistant Barney O'Keefe. Balfour was also known as the passenger in a Jaguar XK120 car driven by actor Bonar Colleano when it crashed, killing Colleano. Balfour's injuries required him to have 98 stitches, but he was released from hospital in time to attend Colleano's funeral. As his screen career began to slow down in the late 1970s, Michael Balfour went on tour with European circuses, as a clown. He founded Circus Hazzard, and created his own clown character. His son later became a circus manager. As well as performing, Balfour was a dedicated painter and sculptor, and in later years turned increasingly to sculpture and the arts, even running his own gallery for a while. For his subjects, he frequently drew on his own family career as a circus clown
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BODY OF WORK
Michael Balfour's Filmography
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Revenge of Billy the Kid
as Gyles MacDonald
The Krays
as Referee
Batman
as Scientist
Casanova
The Holcroft Covenant
as Hard Hat
The Prisoner of Zenda
No Poster
Resting Rough
Candleshoe
as Mr. McCress
The Stick Up
as Sam
Joseph Andrews
as Ruffian
No Poster
The Copter Kids
as Benny Baker
The Canterbury Tales
as The Carpenter
All Coppers Are...
as Heart Attack Victim (uncredited)
Macbeth
as First Murderer
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
as Cabby
Man of Violence
as Cafe Owner
The Adventurers
as Detective
The Oblong Box
as Ruddock
No Poster
Hoverbug
as Mr. Gutteridge
Press for Time
as Sewerman
Fahrenheit 451
as Book Person: Machiavelli's 'The Prince' (uncredited)
Kaleidoscope
as Poker Player
Strangler's Web
as John Vichelski
Five Have a Mystery to Solve
as Emilio
The Rescue Squad
as Barrow-Boy
A Stitch in Time
as Workman with Mallet (uncredited)
Echo of Diana
as Newsagent
The Fast Lady
as Bandit
No Poster
Design for Loving
as Bernie
She Always Gets Their Man
as Runkle
Pit of Darkness
as Fisher
No Poster
The Ship That Couldn't Stop
as Mr. Bollanger
The Monster of Highgate Ponds
as Bert
Too Hot to Handle
as Tourist Guide
Surprise Package
as Oscar
Carry On Constable
as Matt
Sink the Bismarck!
as Able Seaman - Lookout on 'Suffolk' (uncredited)
The Flesh and the Fiends
as Drunken Sailor
Look Back in Anger
as Picky Shopper (uncredited)
Fiend Without a Face
as Sgt. Kasper
The Big Money
as 'Wilberforce'
The Steel Bayonet
as Pte. Thomas
Man from Tangier
as Spade
No Poster
Light Fingers
as The Major
Quatermass 2
as Harry
Breakaway
as Barney
No Poster
The Secret of the Forest
as Len
Secret Venture
as Stevens
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
as Stage Doorman
The Reluctant Bride
as Boxer
Barbados Quest
as Barney Wilson
One Good Turn
as Boxing Spectator (uncredited)
The Delavine Affair
as Sammy
It's a Great Day
as Charlie Mead's Mate
Devil's Point
as Bennett, short henchman
Delayed Action
as Honey
The Sea Shall Not Have Them
as Dray
Meet Mr. Callaghan
as Coffee Stallkeeper
Scarlet Web
as Barman
The Diamond Wizard
as Hoxie
River Beat
as Adams
Impulse
as uncredited
Small Town Story
as Turner
3 Steps to the Gallows
as Carter, boxing fan
Black 13
as Joe
Albert R.N.
as Hank
Love in Pawn
as Alaric
No Poster
Three's Company
as The Drunk
Park Plaza 605
as Ted Birston
The Red Beret
as American Sergeant
Recoil
as Parkes
Johnny on the Run
Genevieve
as Trumpeter (Uncredited)
The Steel Key
as 'The Mae McCleod' Captain
No Poster
Hot Ice
as Jacobson
Top Secret
as Jersey Sailor
Moulin Rouge
as Dodo (uncredited)
Venetian Bird
as Moretto
13 East Street
as Joey Long
A Case For P.C. 49
as Chubby Price
The Quiet Woman
as Lefty Brown
Her Favourite Husband
as Pete
Prelude to Fame
as Lucio
No Poster
Help Yourself
as Charlie
No Poster
Scrapbook for 1933
as (voice)
I Was a Male War Bride
as Male Billet Sergeant (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
as Barman (uncredited)
Obsession
as American Sailor Promoting Book
Don't Ever Leave Me
as Jim Kennedy
Melody Club
as Max
Stop Press Girl
as Crook (uncredited)
William Comes to Town
as Stall-holder
The Small Voice
as Frankie
Woman Hater
as Reporter (uncredited)
Sleeping Car to Trieste
as Spiegel
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
as Barney
Just William's Luck
as Tonks