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

References

External links Michael Duffield at IMDb Michael Duffield at Ausstage