July 8, 1990

Twenty years ago today the world lost a wonderful actor and man... Whether you knew him as Sam Spade on radio from 1946 to 1951 or in the films Shakedown, Spy Hunt or Private Hell 36 one thing can't be denied----he completely embraced every role he played. Born on November 24, 1913 he also lent his voice to such radio programs as "Suspense", "Cavalcade of America" and "Hollywood Star Playhouse." He appeared in the film Woman in Hiding with actress Ida Lupino would later become his wife... Later on he got a second chance at film by appearing A Wedding and Kramer vs. Kramer... From 1957 to 1958 he starred in the television series "Mr. Adams and Eve", from 1960 to 1961 he appeared on "Dante" and from 1966 to 1969 he appeared on "Felony Squad." Television guest appearances were not something that were foreign to the great actor he appeared on "Climax!", "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", "Bonanza", "Combat!", "Ellery Queen", "The Twilight Zone", "The Ed Wynn Show", "Mannix", "The Virginian", "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", "Arrest and Trial", "Simon & Simon", "Magnum, P.I.", "Charlie's Angels", "Fantasy Island", "Police Story", "Scarecrow and Mrs. King", "St. Elsewhere", "Hotel", "Burke's Law", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show", "Batman", "Lou Grant", "Marcus Welby, M.D.", and "Lux Video Theatre." In the 1980's he had a series of roles on prime time dramas that found him playing a rather distasteful villain.... "Flamingo Road" from 1981 to 1982 he played the corrupt sheriff "Murder, She Wrote" - guest appearance in 1984 he played a cruel and unloving father "Knots Landing" from 1984 to 1985 and again in 1990 he was the dispicable Paul Galveston, father of Gregory Sumner (William Devane). His crimes included leaving Gary Ewing (Ted Shackelford) propery he knew was contaminated with toxic chemicals, knowing the location of Valene's (Joan Van Ark) stolen twins and keeping it a secret, impregnating his stepdaughter and ruining families with his crooked business deals. He gets his in the end though, while having a confrontation with Abby Ewing (Donna Mills) he begins to have a stroke...Abby leaves him without giving him his meds or calling 911 as he falls into his chair. He survies but falls into a coma. His wife Ruth (Ava Gardner) arrives in time to pull the plug... "Dallas" a few guest appearances in 1988 as the crooked Senator Henry Harrison O'Dell. He will help Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) get the Ewing Oil name back only if Bobby will buy him a castle overseas so he can retire. His guest appearance as an old flame of Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) on "The Golden Girls" would prove to be his final television appearance as it aired on March 31, 1990. He final film appearance was in Too Much Sun which wasn't released until a few months after his death. Twenty years after his passing... In Memoriam Remembers: Howard Duff