Howard Duff (November 24, 1913 - July 8, 1990)

Before I begin I would just like to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING! And I would also like to point out that this is my 200th post! Now down to business... This gentleman has always been a particular favorite of mine. He had a wonderful sense for comedy and drama. He played some of the funniest roles I've ever seen as well as the some of the most despicable. He began on the stage and in films in the 1940's. He became well known to radio audiences as the voice of the detective, Sam Spade. Television was right around the corner and shortly there after he was appearing on such shows as "The Ed Wynn Show", "Climax!", "I've Got a Secret", "Toast of the Town", "The Perry Como Show", "The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse", "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" and many others. In 1957 he and his then wife (film star Ida Lupino) teamed up to appear in the series "Mr. Adams and Eve." She show began in January 1957 and ended in September of 1958 producing 66 episodes. It would not be the only time the couple acted together...in addition to playing themselves on "The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" they also teamed up to be partners in crime in a 1968 epsiode of "Batman." From 1960 to 1961 he appeared on the series "Dante" and from 1966 to 1969 he played Sergeant Sam Stone on the series "Felony Squad." In 1979 he became known to a new generation of fans when he played Dustin Hoffman's attorney in the well received film Kramer vs. Kramer. In 1981 he joined the cast of the NBC night time drama "Flamingo Road" a series based on the 1940's film. He run as the corrupt Sheriff Titus Semple ended after only two seasons. In 1984 he returned to night time soaps when he was given the role of the monsterous Paul Galveston on "Knots Landing." Galveston was an absolutely horrible man and he made life miserable for everyone! Galveston was the biological father of character Gregory Sumner (William Devane). His character was recurring during the 1984-1985 season and made a guest appearance in 1990. Other notable guest appearances include his performance as Stephen Earl, an ecentric millionaire who is smitten with Jessica Fletcher on "Murder, She Wrote", the crooked Senator Henry Harrison O'Dell on "Dallas" in 1988 and as Thomas Magnum's grandfather on "Magnum P.I." also in the late 1980's. His final television role was as Giuseppe Mangiacavallo on "The Golden Girls." The episode originally aired on March 31, 1990 and featured the actor as a wealthy gentleman who had left Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) at the alter seventy years prior. His final film was Too Much Sun which was released seven months after the actor's death on January 25, 1991. Other television credits: (this list is incomplete) "The Hollywood Squares" "The Mike Douglas Show" "The Jonathan Winters Show" "The Whistler" "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" "Science Fiction Theatre" "Lux Video Theatre" "Studio 57" "Bonanza" "The Twilight Zone" "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" "Arrest and Trial" "Burke's Law" "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" "I Spy" "The Bold Ones: The New Doctors" "The Virginian" "Police Story" "Fantasy Island" "Lou Grant" "Charlie's Angels" "The Love Boat" "St. Elsewhere" "Hotel" "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" Certainly this is only a brief summary of all this actor's many wonderful accomplishments. Hollywood legends like this do not exist anymore and they never will again. And so, two days after what would've been his 96th birthday... In Memoriam Remembers: Howard Duff