Jack Watson (actor)

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Jack Watson
Jack-watson-trailer.jpg
Watson in the trailer for The Devil's Brigade (1968)
Born(1915-05-14)14 May 1915
Thorney, Cambridgeshire, England
Died4 July 1999(1999-07-04) (aged 84)
Bath, Somerset, England
Years active1951–1994
Spouse(s)Betty Garland (1943–1999) (his death) (3 children)

Jack Watson (15 May 1915 – 4 July 1999) was an English actor who appeared in many British films and television dramas from the 1950s onwards.[1]

Early life[]

Watson was born in Thorney, Cambridgeshire.[2] He was the son of a Gaiety Girl, Barbara Hughes, and a music hall comedian, Nosmo King. Watson often appeared on stage with his father as straight man, where he was known simply as Hubert.[3]

Military service[]

During the Second World War he was a physical training instructor in the Royal Navy, and his physique was much in evidence in many of his subsequent screen roles.

Career[]

During the war Watson was resident compère of the BBC radio comedy The Navy Mixture.[4] After the war, his talent as an impersonator resulted in his becoming a regular on BBC radio programmes such as Take it from Here, Hancock's Half Hour and The Clitheroe Kid.[5][6] He gradually made the transition to television, where his first major role was in Coronation Street, in which he became Elsie Tanner's (Pat Phoenix) first lover.[7] Watson appeared in Coronation Street as Bill Gregory on and off between 1961 and 1984 ; his final episode in 1984 was also the final episode for Pat Phoenix who played his love interest Elsie Tanner in the series. He appeared as a powerful but shell-shocked ex-soldier in Dr. Finlay's Casebook, in an episode entitled "Not qualified" which formed part of the 8th series of the popular British programme. Probably his best-known television role was as Llud, Arthur's craggy sidekick in Arthur of the Britons.[8] His last major TV role was in the award-winning Edge of Darkness (1985).

Watson appeared in over 70 films, including Peeping Tom, This Sporting Life, Grand Prix, Tobruk, The McKenzie Break, The Devil's Brigade and The Wild Geese.[1][9]

Filmography[]

Personal life[]

Watson married Betty Garland, a BBC engineer, in 1943 and remained married until his death in 1999. They had two daughters and a son. He lived in Bath, England.

Death[]

He died on 4 July 1999, aged 84, of blood cancer.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Jack Watson". BFI.
  2. ^ III, Harris M. Lentz (24 October 2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. ISBN 9780786452040 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Jack Watson". The Independent. 9 July 1999.
  4. ^ Bergan, Ronald (9 July 1999). "Jack Watson". The Guardian.
  5. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra – Hancock's Half Hour, Series 6, The Impersonator". BBC.
  6. ^ "The Clitheroe Kid". 11 February 1965. p. 17 – via BBC Genome.
  7. ^ "Veteran actor Jack Watson dies". news.bbc.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Arthur Is Dead (1972)". BFI.
  9. ^ "Jack Watson - Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.

External links[]

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