Jack Duffy (September 27, 1926 â€" May 19, 2008) was a Canadian
singer, comedian and actor.Born in Montreal, Duffy grew up in Toronto,
dropping 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.
singer, comedian and actor.Born in Montreal, Duffy grew up in Toronto,
dropping 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.
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