1907-04-23 Lonavala, India
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.
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The Light Princess | Owl (voice) | 1978-12-24 |
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Burke & Hare | Dr. Selby | 1972-02-03 |
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The Firechasers | Inspector Herman | 1971-01-01 |
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The Blood on Satan's Claw | Squire Middleton | 1971-01-28 |
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Not Tonight, Darling | Mr. Finlay / grocer owner | 1971-09-23 |
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The Horror of Frankenstein | Bailiff | 1970-11-08 |
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Song of Norway | Butler to Berg | 1970-11-04 |
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David Copperfield | Porter | 1969-12-01 |
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Oliver! | Mr. Jessop | 1968-09-26 |
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A Challenge for Robin Hood | Friar Tuck | 1967-07-01 |
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Stranger in the House | Harry Hawkins | 1967-05-23 |
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Out of the Fog | Daniels | 1962-09-01 |
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Go to Blazes | Pipe Smoker | 1962-04-18 |
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Lawrence of Arabia | Sheik in Arab Council (uncredited) | 1962-12-11 |
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The Captain's Table | Chief Engineer Earnshaw | 1959-01-06 |
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The 39 Steps | Mr Memory | 1959-03-13 |
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The Boy and the Bridge | Tugboat Skipper | 1959-07-28 |
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You'll Never See Me Again | Joe Alden | 1959-08-16 |
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Gideon's Day | Robert Mason | 1958-03-25 |
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I Was Monty's Double | Sgt. Adams | 1958-10-21 |
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The Big Money | Mr Frith | 1958-06-09 |
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Gideon's Day | Mason | 1958-03-25 |
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El aventurero | Monty | 1957-11-01 |
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Abandon Ship | 'Cookie' Morrow | 1957-03-12 |
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The Heart Within | Grandfather Willard | 1957-07-01 |
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Mañana... | Silvestre | 1957-03-15 |
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Carry On Admiral | Sir Henry Tomkinson (uncredited) | 1957-05-14 |
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Port Afrique | Nino | 1956-06-18 |
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It's a Wonderful World | Bert Fielding | 1956-08-28 |
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Keep It Clean | Mr. Bouncenboy | 1956-05-01 |
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Touch and Go | Kimball | 1955-10-02 |
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Land of the Pharaohs | Mikka | 1955-07-24 |
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Beau Brummell | Mortimer | 1954-11-16 |
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The Awakening | The Chief | 1954-07-14 |
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For Better, for Worse | The Plumber | 1954-06-20 |
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Will Any Gentleman...? | Dr. Smith | 1953-08-25 |
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The Great Game | Joe Lawson | 1953-01-01 |
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A Day to Remember | Fred Collins | 1953-11-10 |
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Royal Review | Commentator (voice) | 1953-01-01 |
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Four Sided Triangle | Dr. Harvey | 1953-05-25 |
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Always a Bride | Dutton | 1953-08-12 |
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The Pickwick Papers | Samuel Pickwick | 1952-11-14 |
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The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men | Friar Tuck | 1952-05-26 |
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I'm A Stranger | Horatio Flowerdew | 1952-07-01 |
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The Crimson Pirate | Prof. Prudence | 1952-09-27 |
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Flesh and Blood | Sir Douglas Manley | 1951-03-06 |
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Tom Brown's Schooldays | Old Thomas | 1951-04-17 |
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Calling Bulldog Drummond | Bill | 1951-07-02 |
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Night and the City | Figler (uncredited) | 1950-06-15 |
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Trio | Albert Foreman (segment "The Verger") | 1950-10-10 |
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Waterfront | Ship's Captain | 1950-07-26 |
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Morning Departure | 1950-02-21 | |
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Your Witness | Prouty | 1950-03-06 |
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The Spider and the Fly | Mayor | 1949-12-01 |
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Helter Skelter | Inn Landlord (uncredited) | 1949-08-07 |
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All Over the Town | Councillor Baines | 1949-04-25 |
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Don't Ever Leave Me | Man with Summons | 1949-07-19 |
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Once a Jolly Swagman | Pa Fox | 1949-02-02 |
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The Blue Lagoon | Dr Murdock | 1949-03-01 |
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Passport to Pimlico | Commissionaire | 1949-10-26 |
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For Them That Trespass | John Craigie 'Jocko' Glenn | 1949-04-21 |
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Dear Mr. Prohack | Carrell Quire | 1949-09-07 |
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Silent Dust | Pringle | 1949-02-01 |
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Quartet | Foreman of the Jury (segment "The Alien Corn") | 1948-10-26 |
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A Song for Tomorrow | Nicholas Klausmann | 1948-06-08 |
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The Fallen Idol | Perry | 1948-09-30 |
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Woman Hater | Mr. Burrell | 1948-10-13 |
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No Room at the Inn | Councilor Trouncer | 1948-11-22 |
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Vice Versa | Bandmaster | 1948-01-28 |
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My Brother Jonathan | Tom Morse | 1948-02-05 |
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Bonnie Prince Charlie | Kingsburgh | 1948-10-26 |
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The End of the River | Chico | 1947-12-01 |
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The October Man | Garage Man | 1947-08-28 |
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The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby | Ned and Charles Cheeryble | 1947-03-12 |
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Captain Boycott | Music Hall Comic (uncredited) | 1947-08-26 |
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The Mark of Cain | Dr. White | 1947-03-14 |
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The Laughing Lady | Ostler | 1946-10-16 |
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School for Secrets | Warrant Officer | 1946-12-23 |
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Sailors Three | Hans | 1940-12-14 |
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Band Waggon | (uncredited) | 1940-03-23 |
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Come on George! | Barker | 1939-12-01 |
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Murder in Soho | Nick Green | 1939-02-01 |
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The Moon in the Yellow River | Captain Potts | 1938-12-28 |
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Marigold | Peter Gloag | 1938-11-03 |
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Big Fella | Chuck | 1938-01-03 |
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Aren't Men Beasts! | Minor Role | 1937-01-19 |
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Sensation | Jock | 1936-12-16 |