John Bowman Duncan (December 7, 1923 – February 8, 2016) was an American actor. In addition to managing several business ventures, he made appearances at comic book conventions and collectors' shows worldwide.
Biography
Career Johnny Duncan learned to dance Jitterbug as a teen and by the age of 19, he had made his first major appearance in a dance role in the "King of Swing" Benny Goodman camp classic musical The Gang's All Here. This kicked off Duncan's career as a movie swing dancer and actor and led to numerous appearances in other films, and a contract with 20th Century Fox, where he appeared in productions with Shirley Temple and Jane Withers. Notable roles include parts in The East Side Kids, The Bowery Boys, Mystery of the 13th Guest and the 1949 serial Batman and Robin as Dick Grayson / Robin, the Boy Wonder. He was so young looking that he was twenty-five years old when he was hired to play the Boy Wonder.
He later appeared in bit parts in a number of films including Plan 9 from Outer Space. He played a member of The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club in the classic Marlon Brando film The Wild One in 1952. His final film appearance was in the 1960 film Spartacus.
Personal life Duncan made occasional appearances at movie conventions, often signing photos from The East Side Kids and Batman and Robin until his death in February 2016 at the age of 92.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1939The Arizona WildcatTownsboyUncredited1942Call of the CanyonJitterbugUncredited1942Junior ArmyCadetUncredited1943Clancy Street BoysCherry StreeterUncredited1943Action in the North AtlanticSailorUncredited1943The Unknown GuestTeenager at CarnivalUncredited1943Teen AgeDan Murray1943Swing FeverDancer, USO SoldierUncredited1943The Mystery of the 13th GuestHarold Morganas John Morgan1943Campus RhythmFreshie1943Where Are Your Children?Jitterbug DancerUncredited1943Jive JunctionFrank1944Million Dollar KidRoy Cortlandas Johnnie Duncan1944Ghost CatchersJitterbugUncredited1944A Fig Leaf for EveBellboyUncredited1944Delinquent DaughtersRocky Webster1944Youth AflameJitterbuggerUncredited1944Irish Eyes are SmilingCall BoyUncredited1944Heavenly DaysTeenager Blowing NoisemakerUncredited1944Thirty Seconds Over TokyoJitterbuggerUncredited1945Salty O'RourkeRalphUncredited1945The Horn Blows at MidnightJitterbug DancerUncredited1945Twice BlessdTeenagerUncredited1945Mr. Muggs Rides AgainSqueegie Robinson1945Come Out FightingGilbert Mitchell1946Gay BladesBellboyUncredited1946From This Day Forward Young LieutenantUncredited1946Cinderella JonesNewsboyUncredited1946The Walls Came Tumbling DownBellboyUncredited1946Inside JobMessengerUncredited1946No Leave, No LoveHotel BellhopUncredited1947Johnny O'ClockNewsboyUncredited1947Trail to San AntoneTed Malloyas John Duncan1947Beat the BandJitterbugUncredited1947Mr. District AttorneyNewsboyUncredited1947Sport of KingsJockeyUncredited1947It Had to Be YouJohnScenes deleted1948Good SamJitterbugUncredited1948Street CornerHalJohn Duncan1949Fighting FoolsFighter in GymUncredited1949City Across the RiverStudent in Shop ClassUncredited1949Batman and RobinRobin / Dick GraysonJohn Duncan1949Take One False StepBellhopUncredited1949The Woman on Pier 13BellhopUncredited1950WhirlpoolSoldierUncredited1950When Willie Comes Marching HomeSoldierUncredited1950A Wonderful LifeCollege Boy at PartyShort, uncredited1950Summer StockStock Company MemberUncredited1950Walk Softly, StrangerOffice MessengerUncredited1951Bedtime for BonzoPaperboyUncredited1951The Harlem GlobetrottersAttendantUncredited1951He Ran All the WayBoy at the PoolUncredited1951David and BathshebaJessie's Third BoyUncredited1951Two Dollar BettorDancerUncredited1951The Big NightMotorcycle BoyUncredited1952With a Song in my HeartSoldierUncredited1952With the Pride of St. LouisWestern Union BoyUncredited1952Off LimitsSoldier in FatiguesUncredited1953So You Want to Be a MusicianJitterbuggerShort, uncredited1953All AshoreDancerUncredited1953Miss Sadie ThompsonMarineUncredited1953The Wild OneGang MemberUncredited1953The Flaming UrgeRalph Jarvis1954Highway DragnetMarineUncredited1954The Caine MutinySailorUncredited1955Running WildJitterbug DancerUncredited1956Rock Around the ClockProm DancerUncredited1957Plan 9 From Outer SpaceSecond Stretcher BearerUncredited1960SpartacusBeheaded ManUncredited1989Batmania from Comics to ScreenRobin / Dick GraysonDocumentary, archival footage
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1951The Stu Erwin ShowSelfEpisode: "The Big Game", as Johnnie Duncan1953The Ford Television TheatreEpisode: "To Any Soldier"1954Public DefenderBobEpisode: "Step Child", as John Duncan1956The Cisco KidMickey Doan / Mail Rider2 Episodes, as John B. Duncan1957WhirlybirdsEddie JamesEpisode: "Cycle of Terror", as John Duncan 1963 Rawhide Unnamed Cowboy
References
External links
Interview with Johnny Duncan NPR profile of Johnny Duncan