Jack Duffy

Jack Duffy (September 27, 1926 – May 19, 2008) was a Canadian actor, singer, and comedian.

Life and career Duffy was born in Montreal and raised in Toronto, and had one sister, Violet Duffy. He dropped out of Central Technical School to become a singer. At age 19, he was hired as a studio singer with CBC in Toronto and in 1948, he started a three-year affiliation with Tommy Dorsey, initially as a member of the vocal group Bob-O-Links. Duffy was performing as a member of the musical act the Town Criers in 1950 and would frequently appear on CBC-TV variety shows through the 1950s. In 1957, he was hired by Norman Jewison to appear as a comedian on the CBC series Showtime. Duffy had his own CBC variety show called Here's Duffy that ran from June 1958 through October 1959.

In 1961, he became a regular on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall, performing as one of the Kraft Music Hall Players, alongside Don Adams, Paul Lynde, Kaye Ballard and others. The show finished its run in 1963.

Duffy battled alcoholism after he started drinking while on the road with the Dorsey band. His first wife left him and he became destitute, living in a $10-a-week attic. He stopped drinking in 1967 and married dancer Marylyn Stuart later that year.

In 1970, he began an 11-year run as captain of the home team on the charades game show Party Game, produced by Hamilton, Ontario-based CHCH-TV. It was through this show that Duffy picked up the nickname "Captain Jack." In 1971, he also hosted the CBC-TV series In The Mood, featuring appearances from some of the biggest names in big band jazz, including Benny Goodman and Count Basie. Beginning in 1975, Duffy provided the voice of Boot, the cheerful, occasionally mischievous talking boot that hosted the children's educational show Readalong. Readalong was seen on TVO, PBS and other educational networks into the early 1990s.

Duffy died on May 19, 2008, from natural causes at age 81 in Toronto.

Filmography

Film

Theatrical 1978: The Silent Partner - Fogelman 1979: Title Shot - Mr. Green 1986: Killer Party - Security Guard 1988: Switching Channels - Emil, the Waiter 1989: The Dream Team - Bernie 1993: Ordinary Magic - Barbershop #1 1997: Double Take - Judge 1997: Men with Guns - Jimmy 1998: Strike! - School Guard 1999: Blackheart - Enger 2000: The Spreading Ground - Owen Rafferty 2002: Fancy Dancing - Stan 2002: The Tuxedo - Elderly Man 2003: The In-Laws - The Other Uncle 2005: Lie with Me 2006: It's a Boy Girl Thing - Old Man 2009: Gooby - Grocery Store Manager

Television 1980: Boo! - Dr. Frankenstein 1981: Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner - Santa 1986: Whodunit - Narrator / The Boss 1986: Spearfield's Daughter - Jake Lintus 1986: Doing Life (TV Movie) - Jury Foreman 1988: Biographies: The Enigma of Bobby Bittman (TV Short) - Sam Slansky 1988: Once Upon a Giant (TV Movie) - McDermot the Hermit 1993: Ghost Mom (TV Movie) - Al 1994: David's Mother (TV Movie) - Doorman 1994: Hostage for a Day (TV Movie) - SWAT Three 1994: Sodbusters (TV Movie) - Railroad Executive No. 1 1997: The Defenders: Payback (TV Movie) - Mr. Sanders 1998: Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business (TV Movie) - Dr. Gregor 1999: A Holiday Romance (TV Movie) - Irwin 2001: My Horrible Year! (TV Movie) - Mr. Birdwell 2001: Doc (TV Movie) - Oldest Father 2002: A Killing Spring (TV Movie) - Neighbour 2003: Death and the Maiden (TV Movie) - The grandfather

Television series 1955: The Wayne and Shuster Hour 1956: The Barris Beat - Regular 1958: Here's Duffy - Host 1961–1963: The Perry Como Show 1968: Upside Town - Eddie Power 1970–1981: Party Game 1971: In The Mood - Host 1972: Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour 1974: And That's the News, Goodnight 1975–1976: The Bobby Vinton Show - Regular Performer 1976: The Frankie Howerd Show - Wally Wheeler 1976: Readalong - Boot (voice) 1980: Curious George - Narrator (voice) 1980: Bizarre 2000: Robocop: Prime Directives (mini-series) - Dr. Hill 2005: Corner Gas - Mr.Baker