Howard Duff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Howard Duff
Duff in 1969
Born	Howard Green Duff (1913-11-24)November 24, 1913 Charleston, Washington, U.S.
Died	July 8, 1990(1990-07-08) (aged 76) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1943–1990
Spouse(s)	Ida Lupino ​ ​ (m. 1951; div. 1984)​ Judy Jenkinson ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	1

Duff and Eileen Ryan in "A World of Difference", an episode of The Twilight Zone, 1960

Howard Green Duff (born November 24, 1913 – died July 8, 1990) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in movies and on television. He also had a famous voice role on the radio.

Early Life and Start in Acting

Howard Duff was born in Charleston, Washington, in 1913. This area is now part of Bremerton, Washington. He went to Roosevelt High School in Seattle. He started acting in school plays after he didn't make the basketball team.

After high school, Duff worked in local theaters in Seattle. When World War II started, he joined the United States Army Air Corps. He worked for their radio service, which was called the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). He was an announcer for a drama show called Suspense in 1943.

Howard Duff's Acting Career

Howard Duff had a long and successful career in entertainment. He worked in radio, movies, and television.

Becoming the Voice of Sam Spade

One of Howard Duff's most famous roles was on the radio. He played the private detective Sam Spade in the show The Adventures of Sam Spade. This show ran from 1946 to 1950.

Duff left the show in 1950. At that time, his career in movies and TV was starting to grow.

First Steps in Movies

Howard Duff signed a long-term contract with Universal Pictures. This meant he would make many movies for them. His first movie was Brute Force in 1947. He acted alongside Burt Lancaster in this film.

He then got a bigger role in The Naked City (1948). He also worked with Burt Lancaster again in All My Sons (1948). This movie was based on a famous play.

Duff soon started getting lead roles in many Westerns and crime films. Some of these movies include:

• Illegal Entry (1949)
• Red Canyon (1949)
• Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
• Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (1949)

In 1950, he starred in Woman in Hiding. In this movie, he acted with Ida Lupino, who would later become his wife. They worked together in four more movies during the 1950s.

Working as a Freelance Actor

After leaving Universal, Duff became a "freelance" actor. This means he could choose which movies and shows to work on. He appeared in films like Spaceways (1953) and Roar of the Crowd (1953).

He continued to act with his wife, Ida Lupino, in several movies:

• Jennifer (1953)
• Private Hell 36 (1954)
• Women's Prison (1955)
• While the City Sleeps (1956)

Success on Television

Howard Duff also became very popular on television. In the 1950s, he appeared in shows like The Star and the Story and Climax!.

From 1957 to 1958, he starred with Ida Lupino in the TV show Mr. Adams and Eve. They played two movie stars who were married to each other. They also helped produce the show.

Duff appeared in many other TV series in the 1960s, including:

• Bonanza (where he played a young Mark Twain)
• The Twilight Zone (in the episode "A World of Difference")
• Batman (with Ida Lupino)
• The Virginian

Howard Duff working on the TV show Felony Squad

He had the main role in the short-lived show Dante (1960–61). He found more success as Detective Sergeant Sam Stone in the police drama Felony Squad. This show ran from 1966 to 1969. Duff was in all 73 episodes. He also directed one episode of the show. He also directed seven episodes of the TV show Camp Runamuck.

Later Career in TV and Film

In the 1970s, Duff continued to make guest appearances on TV shows. These included The Streets of San Francisco, Police Story, and The Rockford Files. He also appeared in TV movies like A Little Game (1971).

He was part of the cast in the comedy film A Wedding (1978). He also had an important role as a lawyer in the famous movie Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), which won an Academy Award.

In the 1980s, Duff continued to appear in TV series. He was in:

• Charlie's Angels (1980)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984)
• Magnum, P.I. (1988), where he played the main character's grandfather.
• Dallas (1988)

He also had a regular role in the show Knots Landing from 1984 to 1985.

One of his last big movie roles was in the thriller No Way Out (1987). He acted alongside Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman. Howard Duff's final acting roles were in 1990, shortly before he passed away. These included the TV shows Midnight Caller and The Golden Girls, and the movie Too Much Sun.

Personal Life

In October 1951, Howard Duff married actress Ida Lupino. They had a daughter named Bridget Duff, who was born in 1952. The couple separated in 1966 and later divorced in 1984. After that, he married Judy Jenkinson.

Death

Howard Duff passed away on July 8, 1990, at the age of 76. He died from a heart attack in Santa Barbara, California.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Howard Duff para niños