Born: 26th May 1914, Glasgow.  Died: 24th July 1979, London.

Former shipyard welder, Archie Duncan spent his early acting career as a member of Glasgow’s Unity Theatre Company and then the Citizens Theatre Company, the latter alongside Gordon Jackson, amongst others. 1947 saw his London stage debut in ‘Dr. Angelus’ as Inspector McIver, alongside Alistair Sim and George Cole. Film roles started the following year before landing the role of Red Gill in Disney’s 1952 ‘The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men’, the murderer of Robin Hood’s father. Two years later saw the first of the two TV series which he is best remembered for, Sherlock Holmes, mostly as Inspector Lestrade. This series prepared Archie for the role that will always be associated with him, Little John in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’. However, his time in the series did not pass without mishap. During the making of one episode in season 1, a horse bolted and was heading straight for a crowd of spectators, most of them children. The problem was the horse was pulling a cart that was for show only. It could not be steered, as its shafts were not hinged and its axles were fixed. Archie grabbed the horse’s bridle, but the cart eventually ran over him. He sustained a fractured kneecap, plus cuts and bruises. Archie received the Queen’s Award for Bravery for his good deed. Fellow Scot Rufus Cruickshank played the role of Little John for 11 episodes during his absence. After the end of the series, Archie Duncan went on to make a number of films and television appearances. Throughout the 1960s until the early 1970s, he made a string of guest appearances in series such as ‘Dr. Finlay’s Casebook’, ‘Z Cars’ and ‘The Adventures of ‘Black Beauty’. Archie Duncan died in 1979, at the age of 65.

Operation Diamond (1948) ... McPherson

Counterblast (aka Devil’s Plot) (1948) ... Dr. McKegney

The Bad Lord Byron (1949) ... John Murray

Floodtide (1949) ... Charlie Campbell

The Gorbals Story (1950) ... Bull

The Elusive Pimpernel (aka The Fighting Pimpernel) (1950) ... Man in bath

Flesh and Blood (1951) ... Sergeant

Circle of Danger (1951) ... Angus

The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) ... Chief Cashier

Green Grow the Rushes (aka Brandy Ashore) (1951) ... Constable Pettigrew

The Last Page (1952) ... Police Constable Gibbons

Home at Seven (aka Murder on Monday) (1952) ... Station Sergeant

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) ... Red Gill

You're Only Young Twice (1952)

The Brave Don't Cry (1952) ... Walter Hardie

Castle in the Air (1952) ... Constable

Hot Ice (1952)

Street Corner (aka Both Sides of the Law) (1953) ... Chief Inspector

Laxdale Hall (aka Scotch on the Rocks)   (1953) ... Police Sergeant

Johnny on the Run (1953) ... The Crofter

Twice Upon a Time (1953) ... Doorman

Counterspy (aka Undercover Agent) (1953) ... Jim

Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue (1953) ...    Dugal MacGregor

Trouble in the Glen (1954) ... Nolly Dukes

Sherlock Holmes (1954-55) (TV Series) ...    33 episodes, 29 as Inspector Lestrade

Strike (1955) (TV)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-60)     (TV Series) ... 105 episodes as Little John

X: The Unknown (1956) ... Sergeant Yeardye

Saint Joan (1957) ... Robert de Baudricourt

The Devil's Pass (1957) ... George Jolley

Harry Black and the Tiger (1958) ... Woolsey

John Paul Jones (1959) ... Duncan        MacBean

The Boy and the Pirates (1960) ... Scoggins

Mess Mates (1960-62) (TV Series) ... Captain Biskett

Tess of the Storm Country (1960) ... Hamish MacLean

What a Whopper! (1961) ... MacDonald

Postman's Knock (1962) ... Inspector

The Mouse on the Moon (1963) ... American General

Lancelot and Guinevere (aka Sword of Lancelot) (1963) ... Sir Lamorak

The Horror of It All (1963) ... Muldoon Marley

The Man Outside (1967) ... Detective Superintendant Barnes

Ring of Bright Water (1969) ... Road Mender

The Wilby Conspiracy (1975) ... German

From 'Dead or Alive'

TV Guest Appearances: -

BBC Sunday Night Theatre - ‘The Life of King Henry V’ (1951) ... Jamy

Puck of Pook's Hill - ‘Weland's Sword’ (1951) ... Weland

Armchair Theatre - ‘Soundings’ (1959)

The Alaskans - 'Contest at Gold Bottom' (1959) ... Jake Bee

Johnny Ringo - 'The Cat' (1959) ... Bill Keating

Lawman - 'The Wolfer' (1960) ... Pike Reese

Colt .45 - 'Breakthrough' (1960) ... Jeff Kincaid

Rendezvous - ‘The Big Miracle’ (1960) ... Dr. Saunders

Black Saddle - 'End of the Line' (1960) ... Pat Cudahay

Unknown Scotland - ‘The Black Isle’ (1960) ... Commentator

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘What Money Can't Buy’ (1962) ... Angus McKellor

Television Playhouse - ‘The Ordeal of Dr. Shannon’ (1963) ... Reverend Law

Ghost Squad - 'Gertrude' (1963) ... Henry Cameron

Z Cars - ‘Caught by the Ears’ (1963) ... Mr. Carlson

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘A Test of Intelligence’ (1964) ... Mr. Murray

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘The Aristocrats’ (1964) ... Dugald Blount

HMS Paradise - ‘You’ll Get No Promotion This Side of the Ocean’ (1964) ... Commander Bellamy

Mike - ‘Oil...Black Gold!’ (1964) ... Mr. Patterson

Z Cars - ‘One Day in Spring Street’ (1964) ... Schofield

Alexander Graham Bell - ‘Journey in the Air’ (1965) ... Mr. Tweedie

Hereward the Wake (1965) ... Ironhook in episodes 3 and 4

Orlando - episode unknown (1965) ... Captain Dan

R3 - ‘Good Clean Fun’ (1965) ... Dromble

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘Crusade’ (1966) ... Mr. Douglas

The Dark Number - episode one (1966) ... Torquil MacIlvanney

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘Time Past - Time Future’ (1967) ... Sir Robert McDowell

Mystery and Imagination - ‘The Devil's Piper’ (1968)

Z Cars - ‘For Auld Lang Syne: Parts 1 & 2’ (1968) ... 2 episodes as Scotch Jim

Dr. Finlay's Casebook - ‘The Honours List’ (1969) ... Sir Alexander Jennings

The Borderers - ‘Survival Day’ (1970) ... Andrew Johnson

The Adventures of Black Beauty - ‘Warhorse’ (1972) ... McNeish

Sutherland's Law - ‘The Evidence’ (1974) ... Chief Constable Hendry

Bootsie and Snudge - ‘Wanna Bet?’ (1974) ... Scotsman