Acting
Michael Balfour
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
Filmography
Revenge of Billy the Kid
Film · 1992
The Krays
Film · 1990
Batman
Film · 1989
Casanova
Film · 1987
The Holcroft Covenant
Film · 1985
Dempsey and Makepeace
Series · 1985
The Prisoner of Zenda
Film · 1979
Resting Rough
Film · 1979
Kelly Monteith
Series · 1979
The Stick Up
Film · 1977
Candleshoe
Film · 1977
Joseph Andrews
Film · 1977
The Copter Kids
Film · 1976
The Canterbury Tales
Film · 1972
All Coppers Are...
Film · 1972
New Scotland Yard
Series · 1972
Late Night Theatre
Series · 1972
Macbeth
Film · 1971
The Persuaders!
Series · 1971
Man of Violence
Film · 1970
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
Film · 1970
The Adventurers
Film · 1970
The Oblong Box
Film · 1969
Hoverbug
Film · 1969
The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder
Series · 1969
Department S
Series · 1969
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Series · 1969
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Series · 1969
Rogues' Gallery
Series · 1968
The Jazz Age
Series · 1968
Cold Comfort Farm
Series · 1968
The Prisoner
Series · 1967
Mickey Dunne
Series · 1967
Escape
Series · 1967
Press for Time
Film · 1966
Fahrenheit 451
Film · 1966
Kaleidoscope
Film · 1966
Strangler's Web
Film · 1965
Reluctant Bandit
Series · 1965
It's Not Me - It's Them!
Series · 1965
Five Have a Mystery to Solve
Film · 1964
Echo of Diana
Film · 1963
The Rescue Squad
Film · 1963
A Stitch in Time
Film · 1963
Design for Loving
Film · 1962
The Fast Lady
Film · 1962
She Always Gets Their Man
Film · 1962
Steptoe and Son
Series · 1962
The Monster of Highgate Ponds
Film · 1961
Pit of Darkness
Film · 1961
The Ship That Couldn't Stop
Film · 1961
The Avengers
Series · 1961
Carry On Constable
Film · 1960
Too Hot to Handle
Film · 1960
Sink the Bismarck!
Film · 1960
The Flesh and the Fiends
Film · 1960
Surprise Package
Film · 1960
Danger Man
Series · 1960
The Cheaters
Series · 1960
The Cheaters
Series · 1960
Theatre '70
Series · 1960
Look Back in Anger
Film · 1959
Interpol Calling
Series · 1959
Interpol Calling
Series · 1959
The Steel Bayonet
Film · 1958
Fiend Without a Face
Film · 1958
The Big Money
Film · 1958
The Larkins
Series · 1958
Man from Tangier
Film · 1957
Light Fingers
Film · 1957
Quatermass 2
Film · 1957
The Secret of the Forest
Film · 1956
Breakaway
Film · 1956
Hancock's Half Hour
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956
Secret Venture
Film · 1955
Barbados Quest
Film · 1955
The Delavine Affair
Film · 1955
The Reluctant Bride
Film · 1955
It's a Great Day
Film · 1955
One Good Turn
Film · 1955
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Film · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Dixon of Dock Green
Series · 1955
Strange Experiences
Series · 1955
Meet Mr. Callaghan
Film · 1954
Delayed Action
Film · 1954
The Diamond Wizard
Film · 1954
Impulse
Film · 1954
Scarlet Web
Film · 1954
River Beat
Film · 1954
Devil's Point
Film · 1954
The Sea Shall Not Have Them
Film · 1954
Recoil
Film · 1953
3 Steps to the Gallows
Film · 1953
Park Plaza 605
Film · 1953
Black 13
Film · 1953
Three's Company
Film · 1953
Johnny on the Run
Film · 1953
The Red Beret
Film · 1953
Albert R.N.
Film · 1953
Love in Pawn
Film · 1953
Genevieve
Film · 1953
The Steel Key
Film · 1953
Hot Ice
Film · 1953
Small Town Story
Film · 1953
Top Secret
Film · 1952
Moulin Rouge
Film · 1952
13 East Street
Film · 1952
Venetian Bird
Film · 1952
A Case For P.C. 49
Film · 1951
The Quiet Woman
Film · 1951
Scrapbook for 1933
Film · 1950
Help Yourself
Film · 1950
Her Favourite Husband
Film · 1950
Prelude to Fame
Film · 1950
Sunday Night Theatre
Series · 1950
Obsession
Film · 1949
Melody Club
Film · 1949
I Was a Male War Bride
Film · 1949
Don't Ever Leave Me
Film · 1949
Helter Skelter
Film · 1949
Stop Press Girl
Film · 1949
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
Film · 1948
The Small Voice
Film · 1948
William Comes to Town
Film · 1948
Sleeping Car to Trieste
Film · 1948
Woman Hater
Film · 1948
Just William's Luck
Film · 1947