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Howard Duff

Howard Duff

Actor · Died July 8, 1990, aged 76 · Bremerton, Washington, USA

Howard Green Duff (November 24, 1913 – July 8, 1990) was an American actor of film, television, stage, and radio. Duff was born in Charleston, Washington, now a part of Bremerton. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Seattle in 1932 where he began acting in school plays only after he was cut from the basketball team. His first film role was as an inmate in Brute Force. His other movies include The Naked City (1948), All My Sons (1948), Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (1949), Panic in the City (1968), In Search of America (1971), A Wedding (1978) and No Way Out (1987). He appeared in a number of films with his first wife, actress/director Ida Lupino. One of Duff's later performances was as Dustin Hoffman's attorney in the Academy Award-winning Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). On radio, Duff played Dashiell Hammett's private eye Sam Spade from 1946–1950, starring in The Adventures of Sam Spade on three different networks - ABC, CBS and NBC. In 1951 Steve Dunne took over the role of Sam Spade. Duff also appeared in an episode of Climax! entitled Escape From Fear in 1955. On television, Duff appeared with his then wife Ida Lupino in the CBS comedy Mr. Adams and Eve from January 1957 through September 1958, in which they played husband and wife film stars named Howard Adams and Eve Drake. He played the young Samuel Langhorne Clemens, in his early life in the West as a satirical and crusading journalist, in the TV series Bonanza ("Enter Mark Twain," season 1, episode 5, 1959). In 1960 he played the male main character in The Twilight Zone episode "A World of Difference" as Arthur Curtis/Jerry Raigan. From October 1960 through April 1961, Duff played Willie Dante, owner of the San Francisco nightclub, Dante's Inferno, in the NBC adventure/drama series Dante. In 1964, Duff guest starred as Harold Baker on the episode "Prodigy" of NBC's medical drama about psychiatry The Eleventh Hour, starring Jack Ging and Ralph Bellamy. In 1990, he guest starred on an episode of The Golden Girls (episode: The Mangiacavallo Curse Makes a Lousy Wedding Present). From September 1966 through January 1969, Duff portrayed Detective Sergeant Sam Stone in the ABC police drama Felony Squad with costar Dennis Cole. In the 1980s, he appeared on dramas such as NBC's Flamingo Road and Knots Landing, and Dallas, both on CBS.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 24, 1913
Died
July 8, 1990 (aged 76)
From
Bremerton, Washington, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
43 on MovieCove · 115 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Howard Duff's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Sci-Fi2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 14th percentile
: browse their Sci-Fi movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
31%
Bonds
19%
Self
18%
Society
12%
Power
10%
Survival
6%
Ideas
5%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 8 · Dark 9

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 10 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 12 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 14 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 14
Shadow
3 of 14
Ally
3 of 14
Mentor
2 of 14
Shapeshifter
1 of 14
Threshold guardian
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
8
Contemplative
8
Absurd
4
Warm
4
Other
18

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Howard Duff's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 43 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Howard Duff's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

115 credits, 43 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Too Much Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as O.M.

  • Settle the Score (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Cy Whately

  • War and Remembrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as William Tuttle

  • No Way Out(1987)

    as Senator William 'Billy' Duvall

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Roses Are for the Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Denton

  • Roses Are for the Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · as Denton

  • Monster in the Closet(1986)

    as Father Martin Finnegan

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Love on the Run(1985)

    as Lionel Rockland

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Girls(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Mangiacavallo

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Ralph Earl / Stephen Earl

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • This Girl for Hire(1983)

    as Wolfe Macready

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch(1982)

    as Col. Samuel Isaacs

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • St. Elsewhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Herbie

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Adam Korsak · as Byron Comstock

  • Lily for President? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as General

  • East of Eden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jules Edwards

  • Flamingo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 37 episodes · as Titus Semple

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · as Captain Thomas Sullivan Magnum I

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Night of the Juggler(1980)

    Props

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Double Negative(1980)

    as Lester Harlen

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Flamingo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Sheriff Titus Semple

  • The Dream Merchants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 3 episodes · as Charles Slade

  • Valentine Magic on Love Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as A.J. Morgan

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 10 episodes · as Paul Galveston

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Young Maverick - Dead Man's Hand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Herman Rusk

  • Kramer vs. Kramer(1979)

    as John Shaunessy

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • $weepstake$ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Wedding(1978)

    as Dr. Jules Meecham

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Battered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Bill Thompson

  • Ski Lift to Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Ben Forbes

  • Actor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Winfield Sheehan

  • Fantasy Island(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Douglas Shane

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Glen Leciter

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • A Little Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Dunlap

  • In the Glitter Palace(1977)

    as Raymond Dawson Travers

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Late Show(1977)

    as Harry Regan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Harrigan

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Matt Helm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Mallory

  • Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Switch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Ira Larkin

  • Medical Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Roger Graham

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward J. Marks

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Tight as a Drum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Hollister

  • Faraday and Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Clark Sanford

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 5 episodes · as Sergeant Al Butler

  • Snatched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Duncan Wood

  • The Heist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Lieutenant Nicholson

  • Kung Fu(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Jenkins · as Noah Fleck

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Search (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • In Search of America(1971)

    as Ray Chandler

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Alias Smith and Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Immortal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • D.A.: Murder One(1969)

    as Lynn D. Compton

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Panic in the City(1968)

    as Dave Pomeroy

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Wally Cook

  • Mannix(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Judd, for the Defense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Felony Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 73 episodes · Director · as Det. Sgt. Sam Stone

  • Batman(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cabala · as Det. Sgt. Sam Stone

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Camp Runamuck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

  • I Spy(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Sean

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • The Rogues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as G. Carter Huntington

  • Calhoun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Sid Rayner

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mr. Novak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Stillman

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Charlie January · as Lou Cole

  • Arrest and Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • War Gods of Babylon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Sardanapolo

  • Combat!(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Col. Hobey Jabko

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Harding

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed Frazer

  • Sam Benedict (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Boys' Night Out(1962)

    as Doug Jackson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Bus Stop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dante (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 26 episodes · as Willie Dante

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Arthur Curtis / Gerry Reagan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard Duff

  • Sierra Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Jess Collins

  • Mr. Adams and Eve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 65 episodes · Actor

  • While the City Sleeps(1956)

    as Lt. Burt Kaufman

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Blackjack Ketchum Desperado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Tom "Blackjack" Ketchum

  • The Broken Star(1956)

    as Deputy Marshal Frank Smeed

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Flame of the Islands(1955)

    as Doug Duryea

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Crossroads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Women's Prison(1955)

    as Dr. Crane

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Yellow Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Pete Menlo

  • Climax! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. John C. Clark

  • Studio 57 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Private Hell 36 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Police Sgt. Jack Farnham

  • The Whistler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Tanganyika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Dan Harder

  • Jennifer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Jim Hollis

  • Spaceways(1953)

    as Dr. Stephen Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Roar of the Crowd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Johnny Tracy

  • The Ford Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Abel

  • Models Inc. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Lennie Stone

  • Steel Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Jim Denko

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Terence Kerrigan

  • The Lady from Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Dan Mason

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim

  • Shakedown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Jack Early

  • Spy Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Steve Quain

  • Woman in Hiding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Keith Ramsey

  • Calamity Jane and Sam Bass(1949)

    as Sam Bass

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Illegal Entry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Bert Powers

  • Red Canyon(1949)

    as Lin Sloane

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Stool Pigeon(1949)

    as George Morton

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • All My Sons(1948)

    as George Deever

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Naked City(1948)

    as Frank Niles

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Brute Force(1947)

    as Robert 'Soldier' Becker

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Know Your Enemy - Japan(1945)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 115 titles from 1945 to 1991; peak year 1978.

Biggest box office

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

$106M worldwide

Highest rated

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19451991

Peak 1978 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting113 of 115: 112 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndDirecting2 of 115: 1 only directing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 115: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s8 · acting1950s28 · acting1960s24 · 23 acting · 2 crew1970s31 · acting1980s23 · 22 acting · 1 crew1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
4762

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Howard Duff's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 43 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 43 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982)

82nd percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Howard Duff's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Howard Duff work with?

People who share at least 2 of Howard Duff's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Aaron Rosenberg shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles