Gordon Jackson (actor)
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Gordon Cameron Jackson, (19 December 1923 – 15 January 1990) was a Scottish actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and as George Cowley, the head of CI5, in '' The Professionals''. He also portrayed Capt Jimmy Cairns in ''
Tunes of Glory ''Tunes of Glory'' is a 1960 British drama film directed by Ronald Neame, based on the 1956 novel and screenplay by James Kennaway. The film is a "dark psychological drama" focusing on events in a wintry Scottish Highland regimental barracks i ...
'', and Flt. Lt. Andrew MacDonald, "Intelligence", in '' The Great Escape''.


Early life

Gordon Jackson was born in
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
in 1923, the youngest of five children. He attended
Hillhead High School Hillhead High School is a day school in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oakfield Avenue, neighbouring the University of Glasgow. Admissions It is one of the largest schools in Glasgow. History Grammar school Until 1972 it was a co-educational selectiv ...
, and in his youth he took part in
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...
shows including '' Children's Hour''. He left school aged 15 and became a draughtsman for
Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to: * Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct Automobiles * Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
.


Early career

His film career began in 1942, when
producers Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
from Ealing Studios were looking for a young Scot to act in '' The Foreman Went to France'' and he was suggested for the part. After this, he returned to his job at Rolls-Royce, but he was soon asked to do more films, and he decided to make acting his career. Jackson soon appeared in other films, including '' Millions Like Us'', '' San Demetrio London'', '' The Captive Heart'', '' Eureka Stockade'' and '' Whisky Galore!''. In the early years of his career, Jackson also worked in repertory theatre in
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Worthing and
Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
. In 1949, he starred in the film ''
Floodtide ''Floodtide'' is a 1949 British romantic drama film directed by Frederick Wilson and starring Gordon Jackson, Rona Anderson, John Laurie and Jimmy Logan. The film was one of the four of David Rawnsley's films that used his "independent frame ...
'', along with actress Rona Anderson. He and Anderson married two years later on 2 June 1951. They had two sons, Graham and Roddy. The same year, he made his
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
stage debut, appearing in the play ''
Seagulls Over Sorrento ''Seagulls Over Sorrento'' is a 1954 British war drama film made by the Boulting brothers based on the play of the same name by Hugh Hastings. The film stars Gene Kelly and was one of three made by Kelly in Europe over an 18-month period to m ...
'' by Hugh Hastings. In the 1950s and 1960s he appeared on television in programmes such as ''
The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia d ...
'', ''ABC of Britain'', ''
Gideon's Way ''Gideon's Way'' is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment and broadcast by ITV in 1964–1966, based on novels by John Creasey (writing as 'J. J. Marric'). The series was made at Elstree Studios in twin production with ' ...
'' and '' The Avengers''. In 1955 he had a small part in '' The Quatermass Xperiment'', the film version of the BBC TV serial. He later had supporting roles in the films '' The Great Escape'', '' The Bridal Path'' and ''
The Ipcress File ''The IPCRESS File'' is Len Deighton's first spy novel, published in 1962. The story involves Cold War brainwashing, includes scenes in Lebanon and on an atoll for a United States atomic weapon test, as well as information about Joe One, the ...
''. In 1969, he and his wife had important roles in '' The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie''. That year, he played Horatio in Tony Richardson's production of ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' and he won a
Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 Aug ...
for Best Supporting Actor, having also taken part in the film version.


Later career

Gordon Jackson became a household name playing the stern Scottish butler Angus Hudson in sixty episodes of the period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' from 1971 to 1975. In 1976, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor for the episode " The Beastly Hun". In 1974, he was named British Actor of the Year and in 1979 he was made an OBE. Jackson was cast opposite
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...
for the American television film ''
Madame Sin ''Madame Sin'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by David Greene and starring Bette Davis, Robert Wagner, Denholm Elliott and Gordon Jackson. The screenplay was written by Greene and Barry Oringer. Plot summary The title character is ...
'' (1972), which was released in overseas markets as a feature film. His next big television role was in the hard-hitting police drama '' The Professionals'' from 1977. He played George Cowley in all 57 episodes until the programme's end in 1983, although filming had finished in 1981. He played Noel Strachan in the Australian
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
drama ''
A Town Like Alice ''A Town Like Alice'' (United States title: ''The Legacy'') is a romance novel by Nevil Shute, published in 1950 when Shute had newly settled in Australia. Jean Paget, a young Englishwoman, becomes romantically interested in a fellow prisoner ...
'' (1981), winning a
Logie Award The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...
for his performance. After ''A Town Like Alice'' and ''The Professionals'', Gordon Jackson continued his television work with appearances in ''
Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...
'', '' Campion'' and ''
Shaka Zulu Shaka kaSenzangakhona ( – 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu () and Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu, he ordered wide-reaching reforms that ...
'' and the films ''
The Shooting Party ''The Shooting Party'' is a 1984 British drama film directed by Alan Bridges and based on the book of the same name by Isabel Colegate. The film is set in 1913, less than a year before the beginning of the First World War, and shows the soon-t ...
'' and '' The Whistle Blower.'' He also appeared in the theatre, appearing in ''
Cards on the Table ''Cards on the Table'' is a detective fiction novel by the English author Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 2 November 1936 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retail ...
'', adapted from the novel by Agatha Christie at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1981 and in '' Mass Appeal'' by Bill C. Davis at the
Lyric Hammersmith The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London.
in 1982. From 1985 to 1986, Jackson narrated two afternoon cookery shows in New Zealand for TVNZ called ''Fresh and Fancy Fare'' and its successor ''Country Fare''. His last role before his death was in ''Effie's Burning'', and this was broadcast posthumously.


Death

In December 1989, he was diagnosed with
bone cancer A bone tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in bone, traditionally classified as noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Cancerous bone tumors usually originate from a cancer in another part of the body such as from lung, breast, thy ...
; he died on 15 January 1990, aged 66, in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. He was cremated at
Golders Green Crematorium Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000 (the equivalent of £135,987 in 2021), ...
.


Selected filmography

* ''
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing ''One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (stylized onscreen as ''......one of our aircraft is missing'') is a 1942 British black-and-white war film, mainly set in the German-occupied Netherlands. It was the fourth collaboration between the British writ ...
'' (1942) (uncredited) * '' The Foreman Went to France'' (1942) as Alastair "Jock" MacFarlane * '' Women Aren't Angels'' (1943) as Man in small orchestra * '' Nine Men'' (1943) as the Young 'un * '' Millions Like Us'' (1943) as Fred * '' San Demetrio London'' (1943) as Messboy John Jamieson * '' Pink String and Sealing Wax'' (1945) as David * '' The Captive Heart'' (1946) as Lieut. Lennox * '' Against the Wind'' (1948) as Duncan * '' Eureka Stockade'' (1949) as Tom Kennedy * ''
Floodtide ''Floodtide'' is a 1949 British romantic drama film directed by Frederick Wilson and starring Gordon Jackson, Rona Anderson, John Laurie and Jimmy Logan. The film was one of the four of David Rawnsley's films that used his "independent frame ...
'' (1949) as David Shields * ''
Stop Press Girl ''Stop Press Girl'' is a 1949 British fantasy comedy film directed by Michael Barry and starring Sally Ann Howes, Gordon Jackson, Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne; the latter two appearing in several different roles in the film. The film was ...
'' (1949) as Jock Melville * '' Whisky Galore!'' (1949) as George Campbell * '' Bitter Springs'' (1950) as Mac * ''
Happy Go Lovely ''Happy Go Lovely'' is a 1951 British musical comedy film in Technicolor, directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Vera-Ellen, David Niven, and Cesar Romero. The film was made and first released in the UK, and distributed in the US by R ...
'' (1951) as Paul Tracy * '' The Lady with a Lamp'' (1951) * '' Castle in the Air'' (1951) as Hiker * '' Death Goes to School'' (1953) as Detective Inspector Campbell * ''Seagulls Over Sorrento'' (1953, TV Movie) as Able-Seaman Haggis Mcintosh * '' Malta Story'' (1953) as British Soldier (uncredited) * '' Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (1953) as Hector * ''
The Love Lottery ''The Love Lottery'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and starring David Niven, Peggy Cummins, Anne Vernon and Herbert Lom. Produced by Ealing Studios it was one of several Ealing Comedies that veered away from the stan ...
'' (1954) as Ralph * '' The Delavine Affair'' (1955) as Florian * '' Passage Home'' (1955) as Ted Burns * '' The Quatermass Xperiment'' (1955) as BBC TV producer * '' Windfall'' (1955) as Leonard * ''
Moby Dick—Rehearsed ''Moby Dick'' (sometimes referred to as ''Moby Dick—Rehearsed'') is a two-act drama by Orson Welles. The play was staged June 16–July 9, 1955, at the Duke of York's Theatre in London, in a production directed by Welles. The original cast inc ...
'' (1955 TV film) as A Young Actor / Ishmael * '' Women Without Men'' (1956) as Percy * '' Blonde Bait'' (1956) as Percy (re-edited version of ''Women Without Men'', with new scenes and actors and plot differences) * '' Pacific Destiny'' (1956) as District Officer * '' The Baby and the Battleship'' (1956) as Harry * '' Sailor Beware!'' (1956) as Carnoustie Bligh * '' Seven Waves Away'' (1957) as John Merritt * ''
Let's Be Happy ''Let's Be Happy'' is a Technicolor 1957 British musical film starring Tony Martin, Vera-Ellen and Robert Flemyng and directed by Henry Levin. It was written by Dorothy Cooper and Diana Morgan in CinemaScope. This film was an updated remak ...
'' (1957) as Dougal MacLean * '' Hell Drivers'' (1957) as Scottie * ''
The Hasty Heart ''The Hasty Heart'' is a 1949 war drama film, an Anglo-American co-production starring Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, and Richard Todd and directed by Vincent Sherman. The film is based on the 1945 play of the same name by John Patrick. ''Th ...
'' (1957 TV film) as Lachlen McLachlen * '' Man in the Shadow'' (1957) as Jimmy Norris * '' Blind Spot'' (1958) as "Chalky" White * ''Yesterday's Enemy'' (1958, TV Movie) as Sgt. Ian McKenzie (reprised role in 1959 movie) * ''
Rockets Galore! ''Rockets Galore!'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Michael Relph and starring Jeannie Carson, Donald Sinden and Roland Culver. The sequel to '' Whisky Galore!'', it was much less successful than its predecessor. It was based on the n ...
'' (1958) as George Campbell * ''
The Navy Lark ''The Navy Lark'' is a radio sitcom about life aboard a United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Frigate#Modern Age, frigate named HMS ''Troutbridge'' (a play on HMS Troubridge (R00), HMS ''Troubridge'', a Royal Navy destroyer) based in HMNB Portsm ...
'' (1959) as Leading Seaman Johnson * ''
Three Crooked Men ''Three Crooked Men'' is a 1958 British crime film directed by Ernest Morris and starring Gordon Jackson. Plot Three crooks break into a store hoping to gain access to the bank next door. The store keeper has remained in the rear of the stor ...
'' (1959) as Don Wescott * ''Meeting at Night'' (1959 TV film) as Hector Maclachlan * '' Yesterday's Enemy'' (1959) as Sgt. McKenzie * '' The Bridal Path'' (1959) as PC Alec * ''
Blind Date A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Structure A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...
'' (1959) as Sergeant * '' Devil's Bait'' (1959) as Sergeant Malcolm * ''Never Die'' (1959, TV Movie) as Ian "Jock" Bell * '' The Price of Silence'' (1960) as Roger Fenton * '' Cone of Silence'' (1960) as Capt. Jock Bateson * ''The Soldier's Tale'' (1960 TV film) as The Narrator * ''
Tunes of Glory ''Tunes of Glory'' is a 1960 British drama film directed by Ronald Neame, based on the 1956 novel and screenplay by James Kennaway. The film is a "dark psychological drama" focusing on events in a wintry Scottish Highland regimental barracks i ...
'' (1960) as Capt. Jimmy Cairns, M.C. * '' Snowball'' (1960) as Bill Donovan * '' Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog'' (1961) as Farmer * '' Two Wives at One Wedding'' (1961) as Tom * ''
Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...
'' (1962) as Seaman Edward Birkett * ''Hold My Hand, Soldier'' (1963, TV Movie) * '' The Great Escape'' (1963) as Flt. Lt. Andrew MacDonald, "Intelligence" * ''
The Long Ships ''The Long Ships'' or ''Red Orm'' (original Swedish: ''Röde Orm'' meaning ''Red Serpent'' or ''Red Snake'') is an adventure novel by the Swedish writer Frans G. Bengtsson. The narrative is set in the late 10th century and follows the advent ...
'' (1964) as Vahlin * ''Benbow Was His Name'' (1964, TV Movie) as Campbell * '' Daylight Robbery'' (1964) as Sergeant * ''
The Ipcress File ''The IPCRESS File'' is Len Deighton's first spy novel, published in 1962. The story involves Cold War brainwashing, includes scenes in Lebanon and on an atoll for a United States atomic weapon test, as well as information about Joe One, the ...
'' (1965) as Jock Carswell * ''
Operation Crossbow ''Crossbow'' was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. The main V-weapons were the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket – these were launched against Brita ...
'' (1965) as R.A.F. Pilot (scenes deleted) * '' Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'' (1965) as MacDougal * ''
Cast a Giant Shadow ''Cast a Giant Shadow'' is a 1966 big-budget action film based on the life of Colonel Mickey Marcus, and stars Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Angie Dickinson. Melville Shavelson adapted, produced and dire ...
'' (1966) as James MacAfee * '' The Fighting Prince of Donegal'' (1966) as Captain Leeds * '' Triple Cross'' (1966) as British Sergeant Questioning Chapman (uncredited) * ''
The Night of the Generals ''The Night of the Generals'' is a 1967 World War II mystery film directed by Anatole Litvak and produced by Sam Spiegel. It stars Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay, Donald Pleasence, Joanna Pettet and Philippe Noiret. The screenplay ...
'' (1967) as Captain Engel * '' Danger Route'' (1967) as Brian Stern * '' The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' (1969) as Gordon Lowther * ''
Run Wild, Run Free ''Run Wild, Run Free'' is a 1969 British drama film directed by Richard C. Sarafian and starring John Mills. The film was written by David Rook, based on his novel ''The White Colt'', and shot on location in Dartmoor, Devon, England. The film f ...
'' (1969) as Mr Ransome * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' (1969) as Horatio * '' The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens'' (1970, TV Movie) as The Narrator * '' Scrooge'' (1970) as Tom – Friend of Harry's * '' Kidnapped'' (1971) as Charles Stewart * ''On the Run'' (1971) as Mr. Mallory * ''
Madame Sin ''Madame Sin'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by David Greene and starring Bette Davis, Robert Wagner, Denholm Elliott and Gordon Jackson. The screenplay was written by Greene and Barry Oringer. Plot summary The title character is ...
'' (1972) as Commander Cavendish * '' Russian Roulette'' (1975) as Hardison * ''Sonntagsgeschichten'' (1976, TV Movie) as Mr. Dunner * '' Spectre'' (1977, TV Movie) as Inspector Cabell * ''
Golden Rendezvous ''Golden Rendezvous'' is a 1977 South African action thriller film directed by Ashley Lazarus and starring Richard Harris, Ann Turkel and David Janssen. It was based on the 1962 novel ''The Golden Rendezvous'' by Alistair MacLean. Plot The ''C ...
'' (1977) as Dr. Marston * '' The Medusa Touch'' (1978) as Dr. Johnson * ''The Last Giraffe'' (1979, TV Movie) as Fielding * '' The Masks of Death'' (1984, TV Movie) as Alec MacDonald * ''The Zaz'' (1985) as The Commander * ''
The Shooting Party ''The Shooting Party'' is a 1984 British drama film directed by Alan Bridges and based on the book of the same name by Isabel Colegate. The film is set in 1913, less than a year before the beginning of the First World War, and shows the soon-t ...
'' (1985) as Tom Harker * '' The Whistle Blower'' (1986) as Bruce * ''Gunpowder'' (1986) as Sir Anthony Phelps * '' The Lady and the Highwayman'' (1989, TV Movie) as Harry


Television credits

:''Note: TV films are listed in the filmography.'' * '' The Avengers'' (1965 episod
"Castle De'ath"
as Ian De'ath * '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1975 TV series) as Hudson * '' The Professionals'' (1977–1983 TV series) as George Cowley * ''
A Town Like Alice ''A Town Like Alice'' (United States title: ''The Legacy'') is a romance novel by Nevil Shute, published in 1950 when Shute had newly settled in Australia. Jean Paget, a young Englishwoman, becomes romantically interested in a fellow prisoner ...
'' (1981 TV miniseries) as Noel Strachan * ''
Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...
'' (1983 TV series) as Sir William Belgrave * '' My Brother Tom'' (1986 TV miniseries) as Lockie McGibbon * ''
Shaka Zulu Shaka kaSenzangakhona ( – 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu () and Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu, he ordered wide-reaching reforms that ...
'' (1986–1989 TV series) as Prof. Bramston * '' Noble House'' (1989 TV miniseries) as Supt. Armstrong * '' Campion'' (1989 TV series) as Professor Gardner Cairey


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Gordon 1923 births 1990 deaths 20th-century Scottish male actors Clarence Derwent Award winners Deaths from bone cancer Deaths from cancer in England Emmy Award winners Logie Award winners Male actors from Glasgow Officers of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Hillhead High School Scottish male film actors Scottish male radio actors Scottish male stage actors Scottish male television actors