Howard Duff

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. His first film role was as an inmate in Brute Force. His other early movies include The Naked City (1948), All My Sons (1948), 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 best 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. He 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. From October 1960 through April 1961, Duff played Willie Dante, owner of the nightclub Dante's Inferno, in the NBC mystery adventure series Dante, and from September 1966 through January 1969, he 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.