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James Hayter

Acting 75 (deceased) years old Lonavala, India ★ 0.6
Born: April 23, 1907
Died: March 27, 1983

Biography

James Hayter (23 April 1907 – 27 March 1983) was a British actor.

He was born in Lonavala, India, brought up in Scotland and died in Spain. His best remembered film roles include Friar Tuck in the 1952 film The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men and Samuel Pickwick in The Pickwick Papers of the same year. His rotund appearance and fruity voice made him a natural choice for such roles.

A pupil of Dollar Academy, he became a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, his film career began in 1936 in Sensation, but was interrupted by World War II during which he served in the Royal Armoured Corps. His later career included roles in TV series such as The Forsyte Saga (1967), The Onedin Line and Are You Being Served?. His 1946 television series Pinwright's Progress, shown on the BBC, is recognised as the first real example of the half-hour situation comedy format in the history of British television. He was also the original narrator of the UK television advertisements for Mr. Kipling cakes. In fact, these ads led to his departure from Are You Being Served?; the cake company paid him a significant bonus to withdraw from the series, as they felt his reputation lent an air of dignity to their snack advertisements.

In the film Oliver!, he played Mr Jessop the book shop owner. He appeared in scenes when Dodger steals a gentleman's wallet outside the book shop and also when Oliver is in court charged with the robbery.

Hayter used to have a tree house in his back garden where he would retire of an evening to learn and practise his lines from his current script.

Description above from the Wikipedia article James Hayter, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Friar Tuck 1952
Land of the Pharaohs
Land of the Pharaohs Mikka 1955
All Over the Town
All Over the Town Councillor Baines 1949
Murder in Soho
Murder in Soho Nick Green 1939
Oliver!
Oliver! Mr. Jessop 1968

Filmography

Acting Credits (103)

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy Mr. Percival Tebbs (archive footage) (uncredited) 2005
The World of Hammer
The World of Hammer Self (archive footage) 1994
The Light Princess
The Light Princess Owl (voice) 1978
The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones
The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones Briggs 1976
Father Brown
Father Brown 1974
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served? Mr. Tebbs 1972
Burke & Hare
Burke & Hare Dr. Selby 1972
The Onedin Line
The Onedin Line Captain Webster 1971
Not Tonight, Darling
Not Tonight, Darling Mr. Finlay / grocer owner 1971
The Blood on Satan's Claw
The Blood on Satan's Claw Squire Middleton 1971
The Firechasers
The Firechasers Inspector Herman 1971
The Horror of Frankenstein
The Horror of Frankenstein Bailiff 1970
Song of Norway
Song of Norway Butler to Berg 1970
The Adventures of Don Quick
The Adventures of Don Quick Hendenno 1970
David Copperfield
David Copperfield Porter 1969
The Flaxton Boys
The Flaxton Boys Nathan 1969
Oliver!
Oliver! Mr. Jessop 1968
A Challenge for Robin Hood
A Challenge for Robin Hood Friar Tuck 1967
Stranger in the House
Stranger in the House Harry Hawkins 1967
The World of Wodehouse
The World of Wodehouse Smithers 1967
Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia Sheik in Arab Council (uncredited) 1962
Out of the Fog
Out of the Fog Daniels 1962
Go to Blazes
Go to Blazes Pipe Smoker 1962
The Avengers
The Avengers Ticket Collector 1961
You'll Never See Me Again
You'll Never See Me Again Joe Alden 1959
The Boy and the Bridge
The Boy and the Bridge Tugboat Skipper 1959
The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps Mr Memory 1959
The Captain's Table
The Captain's Table Chief Engineer Earnshaw 1959
I Was Monty's Double
I Was Monty's Double Sgt. Adams 1958
Fair Game
Fair Game Mr Shaw 1958
The Big Money
The Big Money Mr Frith 1958
Gideon's Day
Gideon's Day Robert Mason 1958
Gideon's Day
Gideon's Day Mason 1958
Sail Into Danger
Sail Into Danger Monty 1957
The Heart Within
The Heart Within Grandfather Willard 1957
Huntingtower
Huntingtower Dickson McCunn 1957
Carry On Admiral
Carry On Admiral Sir Henry Tomkinson (uncredited) 1957
Mañana...
Mañana... Silvestre 1957
Seven Waves Away
Seven Waves Away 'Cookie' Morrow 1957
It's a Wonderful World
It's a Wonderful World Bert Fielding 1956
Port Afrique
Port Afrique Nino 1956
Keep It Clean
Keep It Clean Mr. Bouncenboy 1956
Touch and Go
Touch and Go Kimball 1955
Land of the Pharaohs
Land of the Pharaohs Mikka 1955
Beau Brummell
Beau Brummell Mortimer 1954
Mark Saber
Mark Saber Longhair Smith 1954
The Awakening
The Awakening The Chief 1954
For Better, for Worse
For Better, for Worse Plumber 1954
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember Fred Collins 1953
Will Any Gentleman...?
Will Any Gentleman...? Dr. Smith 1953
Always a Bride
Always a Bride Dutton 1953
Four Sided Triangle
Four Sided Triangle Dr. Harvey 1953
Royal Review
Royal Review Commentator (voice) 1953
The Great Game
The Great Game Joe Lawson 1953
The Pickwick Papers
The Pickwick Papers Samuel Pickwick 1952
The Crimson Pirate
The Crimson Pirate Prof. Prudence 1952
I'm A Stranger
I'm A Stranger Horatio Flowerdew 1952
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Friar Tuck 1952
Calling Bulldog Drummond
Calling Bulldog Drummond Bill 1951
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Tom Brown's Schooldays Old Thomas 1951
Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood Sir Douglas Manley 1951
The Woman with No Name
The Woman with No Name Captain Bradshawe 1950
Trio
Trio Albert Foreman (segment "The Verger") 1950
Waterfront
Waterfront Ship's Captain 1950
Night and the City
Night and the City Figler (uncredited) 1950
Your Witness
Your Witness Prouty 1950
Morning Departure
Morning Departure 1950
Scrapbook for 1933
Scrapbook for 1933 (voice) 1950
The Spider and the Fly
The Spider and the Fly Mayor 1949
Passport to Pimlico
Passport to Pimlico Commissionaire 1949
Dear Mr. Prohack
Dear Mr. Prohack Carrell Quire 1949
Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter Inn Landlord (uncredited) 1949
Don't Ever Leave Me
Don't Ever Leave Me Man with Summons 1949
All Over the Town
All Over the Town Councillor Baines 1949
For Them That Trespass
For Them That Trespass John Craigie 'Jocko' Glenn 1949
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon Dr Murdock 1949
Once a Jolly Swagman
Once a Jolly Swagman Pa Fox 1949
Silent Dust
Silent Dust Pringle 1949
No Room at the Inn
No Room at the Inn Councilor Trouncer 1948
Bonnie Prince Charlie
Bonnie Prince Charlie Kingsburgh 1948
Quartet
Quartet Foreman of the Jury (segment "The Alien Corn") 1948
Woman Hater
Woman Hater Mr. Burrell 1948
The Fallen Idol
The Fallen Idol Perry 1948
A Song for Tomorrow
A Song for Tomorrow Nicholas Klausmann 1948
My Brother Jonathan
My Brother Jonathan Tom Morse 1948
Vice Versa
Vice Versa Bandmaster 1948
The End of the River
The End of the River Chico 1947
The Ghosts of Berkeley Square
The Ghosts of Berkeley Square Capt. Dodds (uncredited) 1947
The October Man
The October Man Garage Man 1947
Captain Boycott
Captain Boycott Music Hall Comic (uncredited) 1947
The Mark of Cain
The Mark of Cain Dr. White 1947
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Ned and Charles Cheeryble 1947
School for Secrets
School for Secrets Warrant Officer 1946
The Laughing Lady
The Laughing Lady Ostler 1946
Sailors Three
Sailors Three Hans 1940
Band Waggon
Band Waggon (uncredited) 1940
Come on George!
Come on George! Barker 1939
Murder in Soho
Murder in Soho Nick Green 1939
The Moon in the Yellow River
The Moon in the Yellow River Captain Potts 1938
Marigold
Marigold Peter Gloag 1938
Big Fella
Big Fella Chuck 1938
Aren't Men Beasts!
Aren't Men Beasts! Minor Role 1937
Sensation
Sensation Jock 1936

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