Image of Michael Balfour

Michael Balfour

1918-02-11 Dover, Kent, England, UK

Image of Michael Balfour

Biografia

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

Películas

Revenge of Billy the Kid Gyles MacDonald 1992-01-01
The Krays Referee 1990-04-27
Batman Scientist 1989-06-21
The Holcroft Covenant Hard Hat 1985-09-20
The Prisoner of Zenda 1979-08-17
Resting Rough 1979-06-01
The Stick Up Sam 1977-04-10
Candleshoe Mr. McCress 1977-12-16
Joseph Andrews Ruffian 1977-03-09
The Copter Kids Benny Baker 1976-02-01
All Coppers Are... Heart Attack Victim (uncredited) 1972-01-24
I racconti di Canterbury The Carpenter 1972-09-02
Macbeth First Murderer 1971-12-20
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes Cabby 1970-10-29
Man of Violence Cafe Owner 1970-06-01
The Adventurers Detective 1970-03-25
Hoverbug Mr. Gutteridge 1969-06-01
The Oblong Box Ruddock 1969-06-11
Press for Time Sewerman 1966-01-01
Fahrenheit 451 Book Person: Machiavelli's 'The Prince' (uncredited) 1966-09-07
Kaleidoscope Poker Player 1966-07-01
Strangler's Web John Vichelski 1965-08-01
Five Have a Mystery to Solve Emilio 1964-05-01
The Rescue Squad Barrow-Boy 1963-01-01
Echo of Diana Newsagent 1963-05-01
Design for Loving Bernie 1962-03-01
She Always Gets Their Man Runkle 1962-01-01
The Fast Lady Bandit 1962-12-14
The Monster of Highgate Ponds Bert 1961-05-01
Pit of Darkness Fisher 1961-10-01
The Ship That Couldn't Stop Mr. Bollanger 1961-07-02
Carry On Constable Matt 1960-02-22
Sink the Bismarck! Able Seaman - Lookout on 'Suffolk' (uncredited) 1960-02-11
The Flesh and the Fiends Drunken Sailor 1960-02-02
Surprise Package Oscar 1960-09-29
Too Hot to Handle Tourist Guide 1960-12-01
Look Back in Anger Picky Shopper (uncredited) 1959-09-15
The Big Money 'Wilberforce' 1958-06-09
Fiend Without a Face Sgt. Kasper 1958-07-03
The Steel Bayonet Pte. Thomas 1958-02-01
Light Fingers The Major 1957-08-01
Quatermass 2 Harry 1957-05-24
Man from Tangier Spade 1957-11-25
Breakaway Barney 1956-07-16
The Secret of the Forest Len 1956-01-01
The Delavine Affair Sammy 1955-01-03
It's a Great Day Charlie Mead's Mate 1955-01-01
The Reluctant Bride Boxer 1955-08-01
Secret Venture Stevens 1955-11-10
Barbados Quest Barney Wilson 1955-07-01
River Beat Adams 1954-02-01
Devil's Point Bennett, short henchman 1954-12-07
Meet Mr. Callaghan Coffee Stallkeeper 1954-06-01
The Diamond Wizard Hoxie 1954-04-01
Scarlet Web Barman 1954-06-01
The Sea Shall Not Have Them Dray 1954-06-01
Impulse uncredited 1954-01-01
Delayed Action Honey 1954-07-01
3 Steps to the Gallows Carter, boxing fan 1953-12-01
Recoil Parkes 1953-08-01
Love in Pawn Alaric 1953-11-23
Park Plaza 605 Ted Birston 1953-09-11
The Steel Key 'The Mae McCleod' Captain 1953-05-01
Genevieve Trumpeter (Uncredited) 1953-05-28
Albert R.N. Hank 1953-11-23
The Red Beret American Sergeant 1953-08-11
Black 13 Joe 1953-11-30
Three's Company The Drunk 1953-10-26
Johnny on the Run 1953-06-01
Moulin Rouge Dodo (uncredited) 1952-12-23
13 East Street Joey Long 1952-03-01
Venetian Bird Moretto 1952-10-01
Top Secret Jersey Sailor 1952-11-10
The Quiet Woman Lefty Brown 1951-03-01
A Case For P.C. 49 Chubby Price 1951-08-01
Scrapbook for 1933 (voice) 1950-02-06
Help Yourself Charlie 1950-02-15
Quel bandito sono io Pete 1950-05-11
I Was a Male War Bride Male Billet Sergeant (uncredited) 1949-08-26
Melody Club Max 1949-07-01
Helter Skelter Barman 1949-01-07
Don't Ever Leave Me Jim Kennedy 1949-07-19
Obsession American Sailor Promoting Book 1949-08-03
Stop Press Girl Crook (uncredited) 1949-06-02
No Orchids for Miss Blandish Barney 1948-04-15
The Small Voice Frankie 1948-11-27
William Comes to Town Stall-holder 1948-12-31
Sleeping Car to Trieste Spiegel 1948-10-06
Woman Hater Reporter (uncredited) 1948-10-13
Just William's Luck Tonks 1947-12-17