He was known for his roles as Andrew McNair in the musical 1776, Jim Sefelt in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Johnny the Shoe Shine Guy on the 1982 crime comedy series Police Squad!.
Described as a short, odd-looking character actor with a Shakespearean background, he had many minor roles in plays, films, and TV series.
[2] Sometime in his youth, his mother legally changed his name to Darwin William Duell.
[3] He portrayed Congressional custodian Andrew McNair in the Broadway version of 1776, which made him the one actor who stayed throughout the entire run of the show and was never understudied; he also played the part in the 1972 film of the musical.
[4] In 2010, he appeared in a one-night only staged reading of Evening Primrose by Stephen Sondheim.