Val Dufour

Dufour was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.^[2] His parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Dufour,^[3] were of Parisian French descent.^{[citation needed]} He majored in education, music, and speech at Louisiana State University.^[3]

Dufour went to New York in 1949; there he acted in theaters and performed in minstrel shows and night clubs. He worked as an elevator operator and taught acting to supplement his income from entertaining.^[3]

Early in his career, Dufour acted in Best Foot Forward in summer stock theater in Guilford, Connecticut.^[1] On Broadway he portrayed the sheriff in The Grass Harp (1952) and Abraham Levy in Abie's Irish Rose (1954).^[2] He also performed in the Chicago company of Mr. Roberts.^[3]

Dufour first appeared on episodic television in 1952, and amassed appearances on over a dozen series. He was best known for his role as John Wyatt on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, which he played from 1972 to 1979. Dufour won a Daytime Emmy Award for his performance in 1977. Before his debut on Search for Tomorrow, Dufour was also noted for his role as Walter Curtin on Another World from 1967 to 1972 and for his role of Andre Lazar on The Edge of Night.

Dufour died in New York City on July 27, 2000,^[2] of cancer.^{[citation needed]}