Michael Balfour

Michael Balfour

Acting
Born 1918-02-11 - Died 1997-10-24Dover, Kent, England, UK

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 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 (96)

Batman
7.2

Batman

1989Movie7.2
The Prisoner of Zenda
5.7

The Prisoner of Zenda

1979Movie5.7
Fahrenheit 451
7.1

Fahrenheit 451

1966Movie7.1
Macbeth
7.1

Macbeth

1971Movie7.1
Quatermass 2
6.4

Quatermass 2

1957Movie6.4
Stop Press Girl
5.9

Stop Press Girl

1949Movie5.9
The Canterbury Tales
6.1

The Canterbury Tales

1972Movie6.1
Candleshoe
6.9

Candleshoe

1977Movie6.9
The Krays
6.0

The Krays

1990Movie6.0
The Adventurers
4.7

The Adventurers

1970Movie4.7
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
6.8

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

1970Movie6.8
Venetian Bird
6.2

Venetian Bird

1952Movie6.2
Moulin Rouge
6.6

Moulin Rouge

1952Movie6.6
The Oblong Box
5.8

The Oblong Box

1969Movie5.8
Sink the Bismarck!
6.8

Sink the Bismarck!

1960Movie6.8
Kaleidoscope
5.3

Kaleidoscope

1966Movie5.3
The Sea Shall Not Have Them
7.2

The Sea Shall Not Have Them

1954Movie7.2
Casanova
4.1

Casanova

1987Movie4.1
Fiend Without a Face
6.1

Fiend Without a Face

1958Movie6.1
Pit of Darkness
6.2

Pit of Darkness

1961Movie6.2
I Was a Male War Bride
6.9

I Was a Male War Bride

1949Movie6.9
The Holcroft Covenant
5.5

The Holcroft Covenant

1985Movie5.5
Joseph Andrews
5.1

Joseph Andrews

1977Movie5.1
One Good Turn
6.2

One Good Turn

1955Movie6.2
The Red Beret
6.7

The Red Beret

1953Movie6.7
Resting Rough
7.0

Resting Rough

1979Movie7.0
Barbados Quest
5.1

Barbados Quest

1955Movie5.1
Carry On Constable
6.3

Carry On Constable

1960Movie6.3
The Fast Lady
5.8

The Fast Lady

1962Movie5.8
Look Back in Anger
6.7

Look Back in Anger

1959Movie6.7
Her Favourite Husband
6.0

Her Favourite Husband

1950Movie6.0
Hot Ice
7.0

Hot Ice

1953Movie7.0
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
6.1

No Orchids for Miss Blandish

1948Movie6.1
Albert R.N.
7.3

Albert R.N.

1953Movie7.3
Breakaway
5.5

Breakaway

1956Movie5.5
Press for Time
5.9

Press for Time

1966Movie5.9
Helter Skelter
6.4

Helter Skelter

1949Movie6.4
Genevieve
6.7

Genevieve

1953Movie6.7
Small Town Story
5.9

Small Town Story

1953Movie5.9
Park Plaza 605
4.7

Park Plaza 605

1953Movie4.7
The Flesh and the Fiends
6.6

The Flesh and the Fiends

1960Movie6.6
Light Fingers
9.0

Light Fingers

1957Movie9.0
Obsession
6.8

Obsession

1949Movie6.8
Too Hot to Handle
4.8

Too Hot to Handle

1960Movie4.8
Prelude to Fame
6.8

Prelude to Fame

1950Movie6.8
Revenge of Billy the Kid
4.9

Revenge of Billy the Kid

1992Movie4.9
It's a Great Day
6.4

It's a Great Day

1955Movie6.4
The Reluctant Bride
6.3

The Reluctant Bride

1955Movie6.3
Three's Company
9.0

Three's Company

1953Movie9.0
Strangler's Web
7.7

Strangler's Web

1965Movie7.7
Woman Hater
7.7

Woman Hater

1948Movie7.7
All Coppers Are...
7.1

All Coppers Are...

1972Movie7.1
The Secret of the Forest
10.0

The Secret of the Forest

1956Movie10.0
Echo of Diana
5.8

Echo of Diana

1963Movie5.8
The Delavine Affair
5.5

The Delavine Affair

1955Movie5.5
A Stitch in Time
7.4

A Stitch in Time

1963Movie7.4
Just William's Luck
7.8

Just William's Luck

1947Movie7.8
Recoil
5.8

Recoil

1953Movie5.8
Love in Pawn
7.2

Love in Pawn

1953Movie7.2
The Rescue Squad
6.0

The Rescue Squad

1963Movie6.0
River Beat
6.3

River Beat

1954Movie6.3
Sleeping Car to Trieste
6.8

Sleeping Car to Trieste

1948Movie6.8
Top Secret
8.0

Top Secret

1952Movie8.0
Man of Violence
5.5

Man of Violence

1970Movie5.5
Meet Mr. Callaghan
6.5

Meet Mr. Callaghan

1954Movie6.5
The Steel Bayonet
5.7

The Steel Bayonet

1958Movie5.7
Surprise Package
6.6

Surprise Package

1960Movie6.6
Impulse
4.6

Impulse

1954Movie4.6
The Big Money
7.0

The Big Money

1958Movie7.0
The Copter Kids
10.0

The Copter Kids

1976Movie10.0
Devil's Point
7.0

Devil's Point

1954Movie7.0
Delayed Action
5.8

Delayed Action

1954Movie5.8
The Stick Up
5.6

The Stick Up

1977Movie5.6
The Steel Key
6.3

The Steel Key

1953Movie6.3
The Quiet Woman
6.2

The Quiet Woman

1951Movie6.2
Scarlet Web
5.7

Scarlet Web

1954Movie5.7
Black 13
7.0

Black 13

1953Movie7.0
13 East Street
6.0

13 East Street

1952Movie6.0
The Small Voice
6.4

The Small Voice

1948Movie6.4
A Case For P.C. 49
7.0

A Case For P.C. 49

1951Movie7.0
She Always Gets Their Man
6.0

She Always Gets Their Man

1962Movie6.0
The Ship That Couldn't Stop

The Ship That Couldn't Stop

1961Movie
Melody Club
7.3

Melody Club

1949Movie7.3
3 Steps to the Gallows
6.7

3 Steps to the Gallows

1953Movie6.7
Secret Venture
6.5

Secret Venture

1955Movie6.5
Man from Tangier
5.1

Man from Tangier

1957Movie5.1
Don't Ever Leave Me
7.7

Don't Ever Leave Me

1949Movie7.7
The Diamond Wizard
5.9

The Diamond Wizard

1954Movie5.9
Five Have a Mystery to Solve
7.0

Five Have a Mystery to Solve

1964Movie7.0
Design for Loving
6.7

Design for Loving

1962Movie6.7
Johnny on the Run
8.3

Johnny on the Run

1953Movie8.3
The Monster of Highgate Ponds
6.7

The Monster of Highgate Ponds

1961Movie6.7
William Comes to Town
9.0

William Comes to Town

1948Movie9.0
Scrapbook for 1933
6.0

Scrapbook for 1933

1950Movie6.0
Hoverbug
9.0

Hoverbug

1969Movie9.0
Help Yourself

Help Yourself

1950Movie

TV Shows (28)

The Avengers
7.8

The Avengers

1961Series7.8
Danger Man
7.3

Danger Man

1960Series7.3
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
7.0

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

1969Series7.0
The Persuaders!
7.7

The Persuaders!

1971Series7.7
The Prisoner
7.7

The Prisoner

1967Series7.7
Sunday Night Theatre
3.5

Sunday Night Theatre

1950Series3.5
Dempsey and Makepeace
6.8

Dempsey and Makepeace

1985Series6.8
New Scotland Yard
6.3

New Scotland Yard

1972Series6.3
Dixon of Dock Green
6.0

Dixon of Dock Green

1955Series6.0
Steptoe and Son
7.8

Steptoe and Son

1962Series7.8
Interpol Calling
7.3

Interpol Calling

1959Series7.3
Hancock's Half Hour
7.4

Hancock's Half Hour

1956Series7.4
Department S
5.5

Department S

1969Series5.5
The Cheaters
8.0

The Cheaters

1960Series8.0
The Larkins
7.6

The Larkins

1958Series7.6
Theatre '70

Theatre '70

1960Series
Late Night Theatre

Late Night Theatre

1972Series
The Jazz Age

The Jazz Age

1968Series
Strange Experiences

Strange Experiences

1955Series
The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder
5.0

The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder

1969Series5.0
Escape

Escape

1967Series
It's Not Me - It's Them!

It's Not Me - It's Them!

1965Series
Kelly Monteith
6.0

Kelly Monteith

1979Series6.0
Mickey Dunne

Mickey Dunne

1967Series
Reluctant Bandit
9.0

Reluctant Bandit

1965Series9.0
Armchair Theatre
6.0

Armchair Theatre

1956Series6.0
Cold Comfort Farm
8.0

Cold Comfort Farm

1968Series8.0
Rogues' Gallery
9.5

Rogues' Gallery

1968Series9.5