James Hayter
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1907-04-23
Day of Death
1983-03-27 (75 years old)
Place of Birth
Lonavala, India
James Hayter
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.
Known For
Acting
(1978)
The Light Princess
as Owl (voice)
(1972)
Burke & Hare
as Dr. Selby
(1971)
The Blood on Satan's Claw
as Squire Middleton
(1971)
The Firechasers
as Inspector Herman
(1971)
Not Tonight, Darling
as Mr. Finlay / grocer owner
(1970)
The Horror of Frankenstein
as Bailiff
(1970)
Song of Norway
as Butler to Berg
(1969)
David Copperfield
as Porter
(1968)
Oliver!
as Mr. Jessop
(1967)
Cop-Out
as Harry Hawkins
(1967)
A Challenge for Robin Hood
as Friar Tuck
(1962)
Lawrence of Arabia
as Sheik in Arab Council (uncredited)
(1962)
Out of the Fog
as Daniels
(1962)
Go to Blazes
as Pipe Smoker
(1959)
The 39 Steps
as Mr Memory
(1959)
The Captain's Table
as Earnshaw
(1959)
The Boy and the Bridge
as Tugboat Skipper
(1958)
I Was Monty's Double
as Sgt. Adams
(1958)
Gideon's Day
as Robert Mason
(1958)
Gideon's Day
as Mason
(1958)
The Big Money
as Mr Frith
(1957)
Abandon Ship
as 'Cookie' Morrow
(1957)
Mañana...
as Silvestre
(1957)
The Heart Within
as Grandfather Willard
(1957)
Sail Into Danger
as Monty
(1956)
Port Afrique
as Nino
(1956)
It's a Wonderful World
as Bert Fielding
(1956)
Keep It Clean
as Mr. Bouncenboy
(1955)
Land of the Pharaohs
as Mikka
(1955)
Touch and Go
as Kimball
(1954)
Beau Brummell
as Mortimer
(1954)
For Better, for Worse
as The Plumber
(1954)
The Awakening
as The Chief
(1953)
Four Sided Triangle
as Dr. Harvey
(1953)
Will Any Gentleman...?
as Dr. Smith
(1953)
Always a Bride
as Dutton
(1953)
The Great Game
as Joe Lawson
(1953)
A Day to Remember
as Fred Collins
(1953)
Royal Review
as Commentator (voice)
(1952)
The Crimson Pirate
as Prof. Prudence
(1952)
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
as Friar Tuck
(1952)
The Pickwick Papers
as Samuel Pickwick
(1952)
I'm A Stranger
as Horatio Flowerdew
(1951)
Calling Bulldog Drummond
as Bill
(1951)
Tom Brown's Schooldays
as Old Thomas
(1951)
Flesh and Blood
as Sir Douglas Manley
(1950)
Night and the City
as Figler (uncredited)
(1950)
Trio
as Albert Foreman (segment "The Verger")
(1950)
Waterfront
as Ship's Captain
(1950)
Your Witness
as Prouty
(1950)
(1949)
Passport to Pimlico
as Commissionaire
(1949)
The Blue Lagoon
as Dr Murdock
(1949)
The Spider and the Fly
as Mayor
(1949)
Helter Skelter
as Inn Landlord
(1949)
All Over the Town
as Councillor Baines
(1949)
Don't Ever Leave Me
as Man with Summons
(1949)
Silent Dust
as Pringle
(1949)
Dear Mr. Prohack
as Carrell Quire
(1949)
For Them That Trespass
as John Craigie 'Jocko' Glenn
(1949)
Once a Jolly Swagman
as Pa Fox
(1948)
The Fallen Idol
as Perry
(1948)
Quartet
as Foreman of the Jury (segment "The Alien Corn")
(1948)
Vice Versa
as Bandmaster
(1948)
Bonnie Prince Charlie
as Kingsburgh
(1948)
My Brother Jonathan
as Tom Morse
(1948)
A Song for Tomorrow
as Nicholas Klausmann
(1948)
Woman Hater
as Mr. Burrell
(1948)
No Room at the Inn
as Councilor Trouncer
(1947)
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
as Ned and Charles Cheeryble
(1947)
The October Man
as Garage Man
(1947)
Captain Boycott
as Music Hall Comic (uncredited)
(1947)
The End of the River
as Chico
(1947)
The Mark of Cain
as Dr. White
(1946)
School for Secrets
as Warrant Officer
(1946)
The Laughing Lady
as Ostler
(1940)
Band Waggon
as (uncredited)
(1940)
Sailors Three
as Hans
(1939)
Come on George!
as Barker
(1939)
Murder in Soho
as Nick Green
(1938)
Big Fella
as Chuck
(1938)
The Moon in the Yellow River
as Captain Potts
(1938)
Marigold
as Peter Gloag
(1937)
Aren't Men Beasts!
as Minor Role
(1936)
Sensation
as Jock