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

Life and career

Duffy was born in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

and raised in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, and had one sister, Violet Duffy. He dropped out of

Central Technical School Central Technical School is a Canadian composite high school in Toronto, Ontario. The school is run by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB); before 1998, it was run by the Toronto Board of Education (TBE). Central Tech is located in the H ...

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 Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

, 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 Norman Frederick Jewison (July 21, 1926 – January 20, 2024) was a Canadian filmmaker. He was known for directing films which addressed topical Social issue, social and political issues, often making controversial or complicated subjects acces ...

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 Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987 ...

Kraft Music Hall ''The Kraft Music Hall'' was a popular old-time radio variety show, variety program, featuring top show business entertainers, which aired first on NBC radio from 1933 to 1949. Radio ''The Kraft Program'' debuted June 26, 1933, as a musical- ...

'', performing as one of the Kraft Music Hall Players, alongside

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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."A sober Jack Duffy turns killer for TV," Frank Rasky, ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

'', March 12, 1977, p. H5. 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 Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillia ...

'', produced by

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

-based

CHCH-TV CHCH-DT (channel 11) is an independent television station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Channel Zero (company), Channel Zero, the station maintains studios on Innovation Drive in the west end of Hamilton; prior to 2021, it was located ...

. 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 Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

and

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

. 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 TVO (stylized in all lowercase as tvo), formerly known as TVOntario, is a Canadian publicly funded English-language educational television network and media organization serving the Canadian province of Ontario. It operates flagship station CI ...

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

and other educational networks into the early 1990s. Duffy died on May 19, 2008, from natural causes at age 81 in Toronto.

Filmography

Movies

Theatrical

*1978: '' The Silent Partner'' - Fogelman *1979: ''

Title Shot ''Title Shot'' is a Canadian crime drama film, directed by Les Rose and released in 1979.Gerald Pratley, ''A Century of Canadian Cinema''. Lynx Images, 2003. . p. 219. Rose's second collaboration with writer and actor Richard Gabourie following 19 ...

'' - Mr. Green *1986: ''

Killer Party ''Killer Party'' is a 1986 Canadian supernatural slasher film directed by William Fruet, and starring Martin Hewitt, Ralph Seymour, Elaine Wilkes, Joanna Johnson, Sherry Willis-Burch, and Paul Bartel. It follows a trio of female sorority pledge ...

'' - Security Guard *1988: ''

Switching Channels ''Switching Channels'' is a 1988 American comedy film that is a cable television newsroom-based retelling of newspaper-based 1928 play '' The Front Page'', the 1931 film of the same name, and the 1940 film ''His Girl Friday''. It stars Kathleen ...

'' - Emil, the Waiter *1989: '' The Dream Team'' - Bernie *1993: '' Ordinary Magic'' - Barbershop #1 *1997: '' Double Take'' - Judge *1997: ''

Men with Guns ''Men with Guns'' () is a 1997 American political drama film edited, written and directed by John Sayles, inspired by the 1992 novel ''The Long Night of White Chickens'' by Francisco Goldman. It stars Federico Luppi, Damián Delgado, Damián Alc ...

'' - Jimmy *1998: '' Strike!'' - School Guard *1999: ''Blackheart'' - Enger *2000: ''

The Spreading Ground ''The Spreading Ground'' is a 2000 Canadian crime film directed by Derek Vanlint and starring Dennis Hopper. It was entered into the 22nd Moscow International Film Festival. The film's score was composed by Wild Colonials guitarist, Shark. Ca ...

'' - Owen Rafferty *2002: ''Fancy Dancing'' - Stan *2002: ''

The Tuxedo ''The Tuxedo'' is a 2002 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Kevin Donovan and starring Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt. It is a spy parody that involves a special tuxedo that grants its wearer superhuman abilities. It al ...

'' - Elderly Man *2003: '' The In-Laws'' - The Other Uncle *2005: '' Lie with Me'' *2006: ''

It's a Boy Girl Thing ''It's a Boy Girl Thing'' is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Nick Hurran and written by Geoff Deane, starring Kevin Zegers and Samaire Armstrong and set in the United States but filmed and produced in Canada and the United Kingdom. The ...

'' - Old Man *2009: '' Gooby'' - Grocery Store Manager

Television

*1980: ''Boo!'' - Dr. Frankenstein *1981: ''

Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner Freddie or Freddy may refer to: Entertainment *Freddy (comic strip), a newspaper comic strip which ran from 1955 to 1980 * Freddie (Cromartie), a character from the Japanese manga series''Cromartie High School'' *Freddie (dance), a short-lived 19 ...

'' - Santa *1986: ''Whodunit'' - Narrator / The Boss *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! ''My Horrible Year!'' is a 2001 television movie produced for Showtime, starring Allison Mack, Caterina Scorsone, and Dan Petronijevic. The film was directed by Eric Stoltz, and includes a cameo by Bret Hart, the professional wrestler. This produ ...

'' (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 Wayne and Shuster were a Canadian comedy duo formed by Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. They were active professionally from the early 1940s until the late 1980s, first as a live act, then on radio, then as part of ''The Army Show'' that ente ...

Hour'' *1956: '' The Barris Beat'' - Regular *1958: '' Here's Duffy'' - Host *1961–1963: ''The

Show'' *1968: ''

Upside Town Upside can refer to: * ''The Upside'', a 2017 American film directed by Neil Burger * ''Upside'' (film), a 2010 American film directed by Ken Horstmann * ''Upside'' (magazine), a defunct San Francisco-based business and technology magazine * "U ...

'' - Eddie Power *1970–1981: ''

'' *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 ''The Bobby Vinton Show'' was a Canadian musical variety television series produced for the CTV Television Network between 1975 and 1978, with a total of 52 episodes broadcast. Featuring Bobby Vinton, a best-selling popular music singer since the ...

'' - Regular Performer *1976: ''

The Frankie Howerd Show ''The Frankie Howerd Show'' is a Canadian comedy television series which aired on CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast tel ...

'' - Wally Wheeler *1976: '' Readalong'' - (voice) *1980: ''

Curious George Curious George is a fictional monkey who is the title character of a series of popular children's picture books written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey. Various media, including films and TV shows, have been based upon the original ...

'' - Narrator (voice) *1980: '' Bizarre'' *2000: '' Robocop: Prime Directives'' (mini-series) - Dr. Hill *2005: ''

Corner Gas ''Corner Gas'' is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Reruns still air on CTV, CTV2, CTV Comedy Channel, Much, E! and are streaming on Crave and Amazon Prime. The series ...

'' - Mr.Baker

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duffy, Jack 1926 births 2008 deaths Male actors from Montreal Male actors from Toronto Canadian male film actors Canadian male stage actors Canadian male television actors Canadian male voice actors Canadian sketch comedians 20th-century Canadian comedians Comedians from Montreal Comedians from Toronto Canadian male comedians Anglophone Quebec people