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Michael Balfour
Actor
Born February 11, 1918Died October 24, 1997 (79 years)
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
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
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 1991 | Revenge of Billy the Kid · as Gyles Macdonald |
| 1990 | The Krays · as Referee |
| 1989 | Batman · as Scientist |
| 1987 | Casanova · as Jailer |
| 1985 | The Holcroft Covenant · as Hard Hat |
| 1985 | Dempsey and Makepeace (TV Series) · as Jim Kelly |
| 1982 | Tom, Dick and Harriet (TV Series) · as Bert |
| 1980 | Brendon Chase (TV Series) · as Rumbold |
| 1979 | Kelly Monteith (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1979 | |
| 1978 | The Nativity · as Cast |
| 1977 | Candleshoe · as Mr. Mccress |
| 1977 | Odd Man Out (1977) (TV Series) · as Fisherman |
| 1977 | Come Play with Me · as Nosher |
| 1977 | The Stick Up · as Sam |
| 1977 | Joseph Andrews · as Ruffian |
| 1976 | The Copter Kids · as Benny Baker |
| 1975 | Angels (TV Series) · as Bob Rawlings |
| 1975 | Kim & Co. (TV Series) · as Print Worker |
| 1972 | Wreck Raisers · as Mr. Trevor |
| 1972 | Madigan (TV Series) · as Joey Chapman |
| 1972 | The Canterbury Tales · as The Carpenter |
| 1972 | All Coppers Are... · as Heart Attack Victim (uncredited) |
| 1972 | New Scotland Yard (TV Series) · as Fred Larch |
| 1971 | Macbeth · as First Murderer |
| 1971 | The Onedin Line (TV Series) · as Bartholomew |
| 1971 | The Persuaders! (TV Series) · as Donkey Cart Driver |
| 1970 | The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes · as Cabby |
| 1970 | Moon · as Cafe Owner |
| 1970 | The Adventurers · as Detective |
| 1969 | The Flaxton Boys (TV Series) · as Seamus |
| 1969 | The Oblong Box · as Ruddock |
| 1969 | Pickwick · as Roker |
| 1969 | Hoverbug · as Mr. Gutteridge |
| 1969 | The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (TV Series) · as Albert |
| 1969 | Department S (TV Series) · as Eccles |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Tom Meatyard |
| 1968 | The Fixer · as Boatman |
| 1968 | The Ugliest Girl in Town (TV Series) · as Allen - Publicity Man |
| 1968 | Cold Comfort Farm (TV Series) · as Earl P Neck |
| 1967 | The Prisoner (1967) (TV Series) · as Will |
| 1966 | Press for Time · as Sewerman |
| 1966 | Fahrenheit 451 · as Book Person: Machiavelli's 'the Prince' (uncredited) |
| 1966 | Where the Bullets Fly · as Salvation Army Bandleader |
| 1966 | The Sandwich Man · as Workman |
| 1966 | Kaleidoscope · as Poker Player |
| 1965 | Strangler's Web · as John Vichelski |
| 1964 | Horizon (TV Series) · as Magic Lantern Showman |
| 1964 | Five Have a Mystery to Solve · as Emilio |
| 1964 | The Sicilians · as Stage Door Keeper |
| 1963 | A Stitch in Time · as Workman With Mallet |
| 1963 | Love Story (1963) (TV Series) · as Kravitz |
| 1963 | Echo of Diana · as Newsagent |
| 1963 | The Rescue Squad · as Barrow-Boy |
| 1962 | The Fast Lady · as Bandit |
| 1962 | Design for Loving · as Bernie |
| 1962 | Steptoe and Son (TV Series) · as Charlie Miller |
| 1962 | Z Cars (TV Series) · as Mervyn Ritchie |
| 1962 | She Always Gets Their Man · as Runkle |
| 1961 | Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cyril - Bus Driver |
| 1961 | Pit of Darkness · as Fisher |
| 1961 | The Secret of Monte Cristo · as Pepe |
| 1961 | The Monster of Highgate Ponds · as Bert |
| 1961 | The Hellfire Club · as John - Juggler |
| 1961 | The Avengers (TV Series) · as Tom |
| 1960 | The Cheaters (1960-62) (TV Series) · as Freddy |
| 1960 | Citizen James (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1960 | Surprise Package · as Oscar |
| 1960 | Here's Harry (TV Series) · as Coalman |
| 1960 | Danger Man (TV Series) · as Gaston |
| 1960 | Playgirl After Dark · as Tourist Guide |
| 1960 | Make Mine Mink · as Rowson's Butler |
| 1960 | Carry on Constable · as Matt |
| 1960 | Sink the Bismarck! · as Able Seaman - Lookout On 'suffolk' (uncredited) |
| 1960 | The Flesh and the Fiends · as Drunken Sailor |
| 1960 | Man from Interpol (TV Series) · as Barney |
| 1959 | Look Back in Anger · as Picky Shopper (uncredited) |
| 1959 | Interpol Calling (TV Series) · as Russ |
| 1959 | The Edgar Wallace Mysteries (TV Series) · as John Vichelski |
| 1958 | The Larkins (TV Series) · as Sharkey |
| 1958 | Dial 999 (TV Series) · as Allen |
| 1958 | Fiend Without a Face · as Sgt. Kasper |
| 1957 | Thunder Over Tangier · as Spade |
| 1957 | The Steel Bayonet · as Pte. Thomas |
| 1957 | The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (TV Series) · as Bert Conway |
| 1957 | Quatermass 2 · as Harry |
| 1957 | Hour of Decision · as Barman |
| 1956 | The Big Money · as 'wilberforce' |
| 1956 | Reach for the Sky · as Orderly |
| 1956 | Breakaway · as Barney |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatre (TV Series) · as Ward |
| 1956 | Hancock's Half Hour (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Gentlemen Marry Brunettes · as Stage Doorman |
| 1955 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) · as Bugsie |
| 1955 | Two Grooms for a Bride · as Boxer |
| 1955 | Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) · as Pip Rutley |
| 1955 | Murder on Approval · as Barney Wilson |
| 1955 | Track the Man Down · as Ahmed |
| 1955 | One Good Turn · as Boxing Booth Spectator |
| 1955 | The Gilded Cage · as Usaf Staff |
| 1955 | The Delavine Affair · as Sammy |
| 1955 | It's a Great Day! · as Charlie Mead's Mate |
| 1954 | The Belles of St. Trinian's · as Bus Driver |
| 1954 | The Vise (TV Series) · as Barney O'keefe |
| 1954 | Delayed Action · as Honey |
| 1954 | The Sea Shall Not Have Them · as Dray |
| 1954 | Meet Mr. Callaghan · as Coffee Stallkeeper |
| 1954 | The Scarlet Web · as Barman |
| 1954 | The Diamond Wizard · as Hoxie |
| 1954 | River Beat · as Adams |
| 1954 | Impulse · as Uncredited |
| 1953 | Small Town Story · as Turner, Nick Hammond's Assistant |
| 1953 | White Fire · as Carter, Boxing Fan |
| 1953 | Escape by Night · as Bearded Reporter |
| 1953 | Break to Freedom · as Hank |
| 1953 | Love in Pawn · as Alaric |
| 1953 | Paratrooper · as American Sergeant |
| 1953 | Norman Conquest · as Ted Birston |
| 1953 | Recoil · as Parkes |
| 1953 | The Captain's Paradise · as 2nd Customs Official |
| 1953 | |
| 1953 | The Steel Key · as 'the Mae Mccleod' Captain |
| 1953 | |
| 1953 | Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Presents (TV Series) · as Finch |
| 1952 | Moulin Rouge · as Dodo (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Mr. Potts Goes to Moscow · as Jersey Sailor |
| 1952 | The Assassin · as Moretto |
| 1952 | 13 East Street · as Joey Long |
| 1951 | A Case for PC 49 · as Chubby Price |
| 1951 | The Quiet Woman · as Lefty Brown |
| 1950 | Prelude to Fame · as Lucio |
| 1950 | Cage of Gold · as American Soldier |
| 1950 | Blackout · as Tom |
| 1950 | The Taming of Dorothy · as Pete |
| 1950 | Sunday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Bugsie |
| 1949 | I Was a Male War Bride · as Male Billet Sergeant (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Helter Skelter · as Barman |
| 1949 | The Hidden Room · as American Sailor Promoting Book |
| 1949 | Don't Ever Leave Me · as Jim Kennedy |
| 1949 | Melody Club · as Max |
| 1949 | Stop Press Girl · as Crook (uncredited) |
| 1948 | |
| 1948 | The Hideout · as Frankie |
| 1948 | Woman Hater · as Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Sleeping Car to Trieste · as Spiegel |
| 1948 | No Orchids for Miss Blandish · as Barney |
| 1948 | Just William's Luck · as Tonks |