Acting · Dover, Kent, England, UK · Born February 11, 1918
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
MovieRevenge of Billy the Kid
1992
as Gyles MacDonald
MovieThe Krays
1990
as Referee
MovieBatman
1989
as Scientist
MovieCasanova
1987
MovieThe Holcroft Covenant
1985
as Hard Hat
TVDempsey and Makepeace
1985
as Jim Kelly
Kelly Monteith
1979
MovieThe Prisoner of Zenda
1979
Resting Rough
1979
MovieCandleshoe
1977
as Mr. McCress
MovieThe Stick Up
1977
as Sam
MovieJoseph Andrews
1977
as Ruffian
The Copter Kids
1976
as Benny Baker
MovieThe Canterbury Tales
1972
as The Carpenter
TVNew Scotland Yard
1972
as Fred Larch
Late Night Theatre
1972
as Alf
MovieAll Coppers Are...
1972
as Heart Attack Victim (uncredited)
MovieMacbeth
1971
as First Murderer
TVThe Persuaders!
1971
as Donkey Cart Driver
MovieThe Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
1970
as Cabby
MovieMan of Violence
1970
as Cafe Owner
MovieThe Adventurers
1970
as Detective
TVDepartment S
1969
as Eccles
MovieThe Oblong Box
1969
as Ruddock
Hoverbug
1969
as Mr. Gutteridge
TVThe Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder
1969
as Albert
TVITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
as Tom Meatyard
The Jazz Age
1968
as Porky
TVCold Comfort Farm
1968
as Earl P. Neck
Rogues' Gallery
1968
as Tom Meatyard
TVThe Prisoner
1967
as Will
Escape
1967
as Beaver
TVMickey Dunne
1967
as Porridge
MoviePress for Time
1966
as Sewerman
MovieFahrenheit 451
1966
as Book Person: Machiavelli's 'The Prince' (uncredited)
MovieKaleidoscope
1966
as Poker Player
MovieStrangler's Web
1965
as John Vichelski
It's Not Me - It's Them!
1965
as Reginald
Reluctant Bandit
1965
as Luigi
MovieFive Have a Mystery to Solve
1964
as Emilio
MovieThe Rescue Squad
1963
as Barrow-Boy
MovieA Stitch in Time
1963
as Workman with Mallet (uncredited)
MovieEcho of Diana
1963
as Newsagent
MovieThe Fast Lady
1962
as Bandit
Design for Loving
1962
as Bernie
TVSteptoe and Son
1962
as Charlie Miller
MovieShe Always Gets Their Man
1962
as Runkle
MoviePit of Darkness
1961
as Fisher
The Ship That Couldn't Stop
1961
as Mr. Bollanger
MovieThe Monster of Highgate Ponds
1961
as Bert
TVThe Avengers
1961
as Tom
TVThe Cheaters
1960
as Harry
MovieToo Hot to Handle
1960
as Tourist Guide
MovieSurprise Package
1960
as Oscar
TVDanger Man
1960
as Gaston
Theatre '70
1960
as Chuck
MovieCarry On Constable
1960
as Matt
MovieSink the Bismarck!
1960
as Able Seaman - Lookout on 'Suffolk' (uncredited)
MovieThe Flesh and the Fiends
1960
as Drunken Sailor
MovieLook Back in Anger
1959
as Picky Shopper (uncredited)
TVInterpol Calling
1959
as Russ
TVThe Larkins
1958
as Sharkey
MovieFiend Without a Face
1958
as Sgt. Kasper
MovieThe Big Money
1958
as 'Wilberforce'
MovieThe Steel Bayonet
1958
as Pte. Thomas
MovieMan from Tangier
1957
as Spade
Light Fingers
1957
as The Major
MovieQuatermass 2
1957
as Harry
TVSailor of Fortune
1957
as Alphonso Italian Ship's Engineer
MovieBreakaway
1956
as Barney
TVArmchair Theatre
1956
TVHancock's Half Hour
1956
The Secret of the Forest
1956
as Len
MovieSecret Venture
1955
as Stevens
TVStrange Experiences
1955
as Man
MovieThe Reluctant Bride
1955
as Boxer
TVDixon of Dock Green
1955
as Joe Ward
MovieBarbados Quest
1955
as Barney Wilson
MovieOne Good Turn
1955
as Boxing Spectator (uncredited)
MovieThe Delavine Affair
1955
as Sammy
MovieIt's a Great Day
1955
as Charlie Mead's Mate
MovieDevil's Point
1954
as Bennett, short henchman
MovieDelayed Action
1954
as Honey
MovieMeet Mr. Callaghan
1954
as Coffee Stallkeeper
MovieScarlet Web
1954
as Barman
MovieThe Sea Shall Not Have Them
1954
as Dray
MovieThe Diamond Wizard
1954
as Hoxie
MovieRiver Beat
1954
as Adams
MovieImpulse
1954
as uncredited
MovieSmall Town Story
1953
as Turner
Movie3 Steps to the Gallows
1953
as Carter, boxing fan
MovieBlack 13
1953
as Joe
MovieAlbert R.N.
1953
as Hank
MovieLove in Pawn
1953
as Alaric
Three's Company
1953
as The Drunk
MoviePark Plaza 605
1953
as Ted Birston
MovieThe Red Beret
1953
as American Sergeant
MovieRecoil
1953
as Parkes
MovieJohnny on the Run
1953
MovieGenevieve
1953
as Trumpeter (Uncredited)
MovieThe Steel Key
1953
as 'The Mae McCleod' Captain
Hot Ice
1953
as Jacobson
MovieTop Secret
1952
as Jersey Sailor
MovieMoulin Rouge
1952
as Dodo (uncredited)
MovieVenetian Bird
1952
as Moretto
Movie13 East Street
1952
as Joey Long
MovieA Case For P.C. 49
1951
as Chubby Price
MovieThe Quiet Woman
1951
as Lefty Brown
MovieHer Favourite Husband
1950
as Pete
MoviePrelude to Fame
1950
as Lucio
Help Yourself
1950
as Charlie
Scrapbook for 1933
1950
as (voice)
TVSunday Night Theatre
1950
as Rudolfo
MovieI Was a Male War Bride
1949
as Male Billet Sergeant (uncredited)
MovieHelter Skelter
1949
as Barman (uncredited)
MovieObsession
1949
as American Sailor Promoting Book
MovieDon't Ever Leave Me
1949
as Jim Kennedy
MovieMelody Club
1949
as Max
MovieStop Press Girl
1949
as Crook (uncredited)
MovieWilliam Comes to Town
1948
as Stall-holder
MovieThe Small Voice
1948
as Frankie
MovieWoman Hater
1948
as Reporter (uncredited)
MovieSleeping Car to Trieste
1948
as Spiegel
MovieNo Orchids for Miss Blandish
1948
as Barney
MovieJust William's Luck
1947
as Tonks
