# Michael Duffield

Michael Duffield (20 January 1915 – 16 June 1986) was an English-born character actor who worked in Australia for many decades.

## Career

Duffield's first acting role was in the 1939 television play French Without Tears, playing the part of Lieutenant Commander Rogers. He appeared in over 50 onscreen roles, including further televised live plays.
He was also a prominent theatre actor, his stage career beginning in 1950, in numerous productions with the Melbourne Theatre Company. He won awards in 1962 for his performance on stage in The Caretaker and also was notable for playing Winston Churchill in the production The Soldiers.
He was nominated for the 1979 AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Methuselah in The Last of the Knucklemen, a role he reprised from the original stage production.

## Death

Duffield died in June 1986, aged 71 and was survived by a wife and three children.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Dial 999 | Fingerprint Man (uncredited) | |
| 1957 | Bullet from the Past | Fingerprint Expert | Short film |
| 1957 | Rock You Sinners | Paul Selway | |
| 1969 | Two Thousand Weeks | Will's father | |
| 1971 | Stork | Judge | |
| 1977 | The Last Wave | Andrew Potter | |
| 1979 | The Last of the Knucklemen | Methuselah | |
| 1986 | Departure | Presley Swift | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1939 | French Without Tears | Lieutenant Commander Rogers | TV play |
| 1956 | The Gordon Honour | Guide | Season 2, episode 1: "The Prisoner's Candlestick" |
| 1957 | Bonehead | George | Pilot episode |
| 1958 | Emergency Ward 10 | George Henderson | Season 1, episode 46 |
| 1956–1958 | ITV Television Playhouse | Phillip Cook / Cody / Chief Petty Officer Thompson | 3 episodes |
| 1959 | Probation Officer | Maxwell | Season 1, episode 4 |
| 1961 | Night of the Ding-Dong | Colonel Beauchamp | TV play |
| 1961 | Quiet Night | Doctor Clayton | TV play |
| 1961 | Two-Headed Eagle | Felix Von Willenstein | TV play |
| 1962 | Fury in Petticoats | Reverend William Dill | TV play |
| 1962 | Suspect | Dr Rendle | TV play |
| 1962 | Fly by Night | Mr Dexter | TV play |
| 1962 | The Music Upstairs | | TV play |
| 1963 | The White Carnation | John Greenwood the ghost | TV play |
| 1963 | Barnstable | Reverend Wandsworth Tester | TV play |
| 1963 | The Prisoner | The Prisoner | TV play |
| 1964 | On Approval | Richard | TV play |
| 1964 | Barley Charlie | Inspector | Season 1, episode 4: "The Inspector Calls" |
| 1964 | Corruption in the Palace of Justice | Chief Judge Cross | TV play |
| 1964 | Luther | Staupitz | TV play |
| 1964 | A Provincial Lady | Alexi Stupendev | TV play |
| 1964 | Otherwise Engaged | Henry Williamson | TV play |
| 1965 | Macbeth | Seyton | TV play |
| 1965 | Photo Finish | The Father | TV play |
| 1965 | Campaign for One | | TV play |
| 1968 | Shadow on the Wall | Sam Ho | TV play |
| 1968 | Salome | Capradocian | TV play |
| 1968 | Cobwebs in Concrete | Sir Miles Parker | TV play |
| 1969 | The Cheerful Cuckold | Professor Garraway | TV play (episode of Australian Plays) |
| 1972 | I’m Damned if I Know | | TV play |
| 1974 | This Love Affair | Birdey Wilson | Anthology series |
| 1974 | Out of Love | | Anthology miniseries |
| 1971–1975 | Matlock Police | 6 roles | 6 episodes |
| 1975 | Cash and Company | PJ Clarke | Miniseries, episode 8: "A P.J. Clarke Original" |
| 1971–1975 | Division 4 | 9 roles | 9 episodes |
| 1969 –1976 | Homicide | 12 roles | 12 episodes |
| 1976 | Power Without Glory | Jock McNeil / Magistrate | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Bluey | Harry Silverman | Episode 28: "The Hydra" |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Captain | Season 1, episode 10: "J Is for Julie" |
| 1978 | Catspaw | Barton | |
| 1979 | Skyways | Sir Joseph Miles / Sir Godfrey Fox | Season 1, 9 episodes |
| 1980 | Lucinda Brayford | Arthur Brayford | Miniseries, episode 1: "The shoulder-knots of livery" |
| 1979–1980 | Prisoner | Charles Baldwin | Seasons 1–2, 7 episodes |
| 1981 | And Here Comes Bucknuckle | Colonel Aubrey Mannix | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 1978–1981 | Cop Shop | Albie Hinch / Digby / Dr. Penhurst | 4 episodes |
| 1978–1981 | The Sullivans | Arthur Johnson / Judge | 9 episodes |
| 1982 | Deadline | Air Vice Marshall | TV movie |
| 1982 | Sara Dane | Governor Bligh | Miniseries, episode 7 |
| 1982 | Women of the Sun | Muller | Miniseries, episode 2: "Maydina, the Shadow" |
| 1984 | Special Squad | Fulcher | Episode 41: "Mad Mountain Momma" |
| 1983–1984 | Carson's Law | Harry Armstrong / Judge / Doctor | 6 episodes |
| 1985 | Robbery Under Arms | Mr Falkland | TV movie |
| 1986 | The Anniversary | Wilbur | TV movie |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1940 | The Distaff Side | Toby Chegwidden | Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham |
| 1940 | The Ship | George Norwood | Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham |
| 1941 | The Ringer | John Lenley | Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham |
| 1941 | Eight Bells | Collister (2nd Mate) | Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham |
| 1941 | The Brontes of Haworth Parsonage | Branwell Bronte | Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham |
| 1944 | Happy Few | | Grand Theatre & Opera House, Leeds, Cambridge Theatre, London |
| 1944 | This Was a Woman | Terry | Theatre Royal, Bath, Coliseum Theatre, Harrow, Theatre Royal, Brighton, Prince's Theatre, Bradford, Hull New Theatre, Hippodrome Theatre, Preston, Pavilion Theatre, Torquay, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Prince of Wales Theatre, Cardiff |
| 1944 | See How They Run | The Intruder | Comedy Theatre, London, Q Theatre, London |
| 1950 | The Girl Who Couldn't Quite | | Palace Theatre, Sydney |
| 1950 | Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? | | Princess Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1950 | The Light of Heart | | National Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1951 | National Theatre Festival of the Arts 1951: Season Five | | Princess Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1951 | Deadlock | Dr Henderson | Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Hobart |
| 1951 | Worm's Eye View | | Crystal Theatre, Broken Hill with Ronald Fortt Productions |
| 1953 | For Better for Worse | | Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's |
| 1954 | Angelina Pantaloon | Walter Grundy Slazzard | Q Theatre, London |
| 1954 | Time on Their Hands | Bill Jones | Q Theatre, London |
| 1954 | The Green Bay Tree | | Q Theatre, London |
| 1955 | The Thursday Habit | Dr Lang | Q Theatre, London |
| 1956 | The End Begins | Sergeant Marks | Q Theatre, London |
| 1957 | It's the Geography That Counts | Parker | Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, King's Theatre, Glasgow, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, St James's Theatre, London |
| 1960 | Visit to a Small Planet | Kreton | University of Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1961 | The Dumb Waiter / The Room | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1961 | The Importance of Being Earnest | John Worthing | University of Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1961 | The Caretaker | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1962 | The Shifting Heart | Poppa Bianchi | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1962 | You Never Can Tell | The Waiter | University of Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1962 | The Season at Sarsaparilla | Clive Pogson | University of Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1963 | Richard II | | University of Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1963 | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Mr Stanley | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1963 | Goodnight Mrs. Puffin | Henry Fordyee | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's |
| 1963 | The Brides of March | Ken Scudamore | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1964 | Hamlet | Fransisco, Player, Fortinbras | University of Melbourne, Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1964 | Photo Finish | Sam at Sixty | University of Melbourne |
| 1965 | Poor Bitos | Bitos / Robespierre | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1965 | Entertaining Mr Sloane | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1965 | But for Whom Charlie | | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1965 | Simple Spymen | Percy Pringle | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1966 | The Representative | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1966 | War and Peace | Napoleon | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1966 | The Young Wife | Papadopilos | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's |
| 1966 | The Royal Hunt of the Sun | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1966 | Private Yuk Objects | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney with AET Trust |
| 1967 | The Devil’s Advocate | Monsignor Blaise Meredith | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1967 | A Flea in Her Ear | Dr Finache | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with AET Trust |
| 1967 | The Servant of Two Masters | Doctor Lombardi | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1967 | Incident at Vichy | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1967 | Moby Dick - Rehearsed | Old Pro / Pegleg / Carpenter | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1967 | The Heiress | Dr Austin Sloper | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1967 | Rhinoceros | The Logician | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1967 | Death of a Salesman | Charley | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with AET Trust |
| 1968 | The Magistrate | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Mildura Arts Centre, Broken Hill, King's Theatre, Mount Gambier, Adelaide Teachers College Theatre with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1968 | The Man in the Glass Booth | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1968 | The Crucible | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Tasmania with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1968 | Three Sisters | Chebutykin | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1969 | The Country Wife | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1969 | The Soldiers | Winston Churchill | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1969 | Six Characters in Search of an Author | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1969 | The Unknown Soldier and His Wife | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1970 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | Georgi Abashvili | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1970 | Day of Glory | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1970; 1971 | All's Well That Ends Well | Duke of Florence | Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Octagon Theatre, Perth with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1970 | Son of Man | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1971 | The Recruiting Officer | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1971 | The Trial of the Catonsville Nine | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1972; 1973 | The Cherry Orchard | | Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Perth, Canberra Theatre with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1972 | Tonight At 8.30: Shadow Play / Red Peppers / Family Album | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1972 | Danton’s Death | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1972 | Macquarie | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1972 | The Tavern | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1973 | An Ideal Husband | Vicomte de Nanjac | Playhouse, Perth with MTC |
| 1973 | Mother Courage | | Princess Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1973 | Paying the Piper | | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1973 | Design for Living | | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1973; 1974 | The Last of the Knucklemen | Methuselah | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra with MTC & AET Trust |
| 1974 | Ice Age | | Prince Alfred College Hall, Adelaide with Theatre 62 |
| 1975 | The Double Dealer | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1975 | The Lady from the Sea | | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1975 | The Freeway | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1975 | Thark | | St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1976 | What the Butler Saw | Dr Rance | Monash University, Melbourne with The Alexander Theatre Company |
| 1978 | Oh / Let Me In | Surgeon / Fred | Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation |
| 1979 | The Virgin: Miracles for Christmas | | Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation |
| 1982 | Sea Drift | Jason Richards | Playbox Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1983 | A Pair of Claws | Presley Swift | Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC |

## Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1953 | His Excellency | | 2BL-NC-CN & 4QR-1 radio play |
| 1962 | The General Motors Hour | Dr Rendle | Episode: "Suspect" |
| 1978 | Kind Hearts and Coronets | Rev Lord Henry | ABC Radio Melbourne |
| 1979 | Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime | Dean of Chichester | ABC Radio Melbourne |
| 1979 | Cymbeline | Philario | ABC Radio Melbourne |