# Archie Duncan (actor)

Archie Duncan (26 May 1914 – 24 July 1979) was a Scottish actor born in Glasgow.
Duncan's father was a regimental sergeant major in the army and his mother was a postmistress. He attended Glasgow's Govan High School and worked as a welder in Glasgow shipyards for a decade.
He began his career in repertory theatre and West End plays. His professional acting debut was in Juno and the Paycock in May 1944 at the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow.
Although he appeared in over 50 television series and movie roles, he is best remembered for Inspector Lestrade in the 1954 series Sherlock Holmes$^{:960}$ and Little John in The Adventures of Robin Hood from 1955 to 1959.
Duncan was replaced in the Little John role by Rufus Cruikshank for 10 episodes after Duncan was injured when a horse bolted toward spectators, mostly children, watching the location filming of the episode "Checkmate" on 20 April 1955. He grabbed the bridle, stopping the horse, but the cart it was pulling ran over him causing a fractured kneecap and cuts and bruises. He received the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct and £1,360 in damages from Sapphire films.
He also played the ditch digger in the 1969 film Ring of Bright Water who dispatched the star otter Mij with his spade, towards the end.
On 24 July 1979, aged 65, Duncan died at his London home.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1948 | Counterblast | Dr. McKegney | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Operation Diamond | McPherson | |
| 1949 | Floodtide | Charlie Campbell | |
| 1949 | The Bad Lord Byron | John Murray | |
| 1950 | The Gorbals Story | Bull | |
| 1950 | The Elusive Pimpernel | Man in bath | |
| 1951 | Happy Go Lovely | Police Inspector | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Flesh and Blood | Sergeant | |
| 1951 | Circle of Danger | Angus | Uncredited |
| 1951 | The Lavender Hill Mob | Chief Cashier | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Green Grow the Rushes | Constable Pettigrew | |
| 1952 | The Last Page | Police Constable | Uncredited |
| 1952 | The Story of Robin Hood | Red Gill | |
| 1952 | Home at Seven | Station Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1952 | Castle in the Air | Constable | |
| 1952 | You're Only Young Twice | | |
| 1952 | The Brave Don't Cry | Walter Hardie | |
| 1952 | Hot Ice | Wilson | |
| 1953 | Street Corner | Chief Inspector | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Laxdale Hall | Police Sergeant | |
| 1953 | Johnny on the Run | The Crofter | |
| 1953 | Twice Upon a Time | Doorman | |
| 1953 | Counterspy | Jim Fenton | |
| 1953 | The Master of Ballantrae | Messenger | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue | Dugal MacGregor | |
| 1954 | Trouble in the Glen | Nolly Dukes | |
| 1956 | X the Unknown | Sgt. Yeardye | Uncredited |
| 1957 | The Devil's Pass | George Jolly | |
| 1957 | Saint Joan | Robert de Baudricourt | |
| 1958 | Harry Black | Woolsey | |
| 1959 | John Paul Jones | Duncan MacBean | |
| 1960 | The Boy and the Pirates | Scoggins | |
| 1960 | Tess of the Storm Country | Hamish MacLean | |
| 1961 | Very Important Person | Scottish Captain | Uncredited |
| 1961 | What a Whopper | Macdonald | |
| 1962 | Postman's Knock | Inspector | |
| 1963 | The Mouse on the Moon | USAF General | |
| 1963 | Lancelot and Guinevere | Sir Lamorak | |
| 1964 | The Horror of It All | Muldoon Marley | |
| 1967 | The Man Outside | Supt. Barnes | |
| 1969 | Ring of Bright Water | Roadmender | |
| 1975 | The Wilby Conspiracy | Gordon | (final film role) |