Griffith Jones (born Harold Jones; 19 November 1909 – 30 January 2007) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

film, stage and television actor.

Early life

Born in

Notting Hill, London Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road Mar ...

, on 19 November 1909, Jones was the 5th child of William Thomas Jones and Harriet Eleanor J. Doughty (1878–1973), a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

-speaking dairy owner. In 1930, he was studying law at

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

when

Kenneth Barnes Sir Kenneth Ralph Barnes (11 September 1878 – 16 October 1957) was director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, from 1909-55. Born at Heavitree, near Exeter, the youngest of six children of Rev. Reginald Henry Barnes ...

, the Principal of the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

, noticed him in a student performance and offered him a career as an actor. His first professional engagement was in ''Carpet Slippers'' at the Embassy Theatre,

Swiss Cottage Swiss Cottage is an area of Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden, England. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and includes Swiss Cottage tube station. Swiss Cottage lies north-northwest of Charing Cross. Th ...

, in 1930, while still at RADA. He won the annual RADA Gold Medal in 1932.

Career

His first West End production was ''

Vile Bodies Vile may refer to: Characters * Vile (Mega Man X), a character from the Mega Man X game series * Doctor Vile (Dr. Weil), a character from the Mega Man Zero game series * V.I.L.E., a fictional villain group in the ''Carmen Sandiego'' franchise ...

'' at the

Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and '' Richard of Bordeaux'' (in which he appeared with

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Brit ...

) at the New Theatre. The following year he appeared with

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

in ''The Rats of Norway''. In 1932 he made his film debut, in ''The Faithful Heart'', and he continued to appear in British films throughout the 1930s. He achieved success on the London stage and on Broadway as "Caryl Sanger" in the play, '' Escape Me Never'', with Elizabeth Bergner, and also starred with her in the 1935 '' film version''. In 1940 he joined the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

, but spent most of the

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 ...

in a touring concert party, returning to the West End in 1945 to star in ''

Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband is ...

''. He then became a fairly big star of the British cinema in the late 1940s, showing a particular talent for comedies. He was the leading man in a number of films, including '' Miranda'' (1948), opposite

Glynis Johns Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (born 5 October 1923) is a South African-born British former actress, dancer, musician and singer. Recognised as a film and Broadway icon, Johns has a career spanning eight decades, in which she appeared in more than ...

and

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...

, and '' Once Upon a Dream'' (1949), opposite Withers again. He was mainly seen in supporting roles from the mid-1950s onwards, among the most prominent being in the film ''

The Sea Shall Not Have Them ''The Sea Shall Not Have Them'' is a 1954 British war film starring Michael Redgrave, Dirk Bogarde and Anthony Steel. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and is based on the 1953 novel by John Harris, about a North Sea rescue during the Second W ...

'' (1954). He still played occasional lead roles, notably as a man who is framed for murder in '' The Scarlet Web'' (1954) and as a husband who tries to have his wife murdered in the crime thriller ''

Kill Her Gently ''Kill Her Gently'' is a 1957 British thriller film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Griffith Jones, Maureen Connell and Marc Lawrence. Plot A motorist picks up two convicts who have just escaped from prison. He recognises the men fro ...

'' (1957).

Royal Shakespeare Company

He was a stalwart of the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

, appearing in 50 productions with the company between 1975 and 1999. His first season was in director

Buzz Goodbody Mary Ann "Buzz" Goodbody (25 June 1946 – 12 April 1975)Jennifer Uglow, et al. ''The Macmillan Dictionary of Women's Biography'', London: Macmillan Papermac, 1999, p.232. As the press/opening night of Buzz Goodbody's production of ''Hamlet'' was ...

's noted opening year at The Other Place theatre, playing the Ghost to

Ben Kingsley Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is an English actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and tw ...

's ''Hamlet'' and Sir William Stanley in ''

Perkin Warbeck Perkin Warbeck ( 1474 – 23 November 1499) was a pretender to the English throne claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, who was the second son of Edward IV and one of the so-called " Princes in the Tower". Richard, were he alive ...

''. His later roles included Duncan, opposite

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...

, in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', Antigonus in ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...

'', Aegeon in ''

A Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. It ...

'', Gower in ''

Pericles, Prince of Tyre ''Pericles, Prince of Tyre'' is a Jacobean play written at least in part by William Shakespeare and included in modern editions of his collected works despite questions over its authorship, as it was not included in the First Folio. It was p ...

'', ''

The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. It ...

'', Chebutiken and Ferrapont in separate productions of

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

's '' Three Sisters'' and Tim Linkinwater and Fluggers in ''

Nicholas Nickleby ''Nicholas Nickleby'' or ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' (or also ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Containing a Faithful Account of the Fortunes, Misfortunes, Uprisings, Downfallings, and Complete Career of the ...

''. His last role, at the age of 90, was Tubal in ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

''.

Personal life and death

Jones was married to actress Irene Isaac (known as "Robin") from 1932 until her death in 1985. They had two children, who both became actors:

Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...

(who was named after the main character in '' Escape Me Never'') and Nicholas Jones. Jones died in his sleep from natural causes at his home in London, England, on 30 January 2007 aged 97.

Selected filmography

* '' The Faithful Heart'' (1932) - (uncredited) * '' Money Talks'' (1932) - Jimmy Dale, the Kid's rival * ''

The Rise of Catherine the Great ''The Rise of Catherine the Great'' (also titled ''Catherine the Great'') is a 1934 British historical film about the rise to power of Catherine the Great. It was directed by Paul Czinner, and stars Elisabeth Bergner as Catherine, Douglas Fair ...

'' (1934) - Grigory Orlov * ''

Leave It to Blanche Leave may refer to: * Permission (disambiguation) ** Permitted absence from work *** Leave of absence, a period of time that one is to be away from one's primary job while maintaining the status of employee *** Annual leave, allowance of time awa ...

'' (1934) - Philip Amesbury * '' Escape Me Never'' (1935) - Caryl Sanger * '' First a Girl'' (1935) - Robert * ''

Line Engaged ''Line Engaged'' is a 1935 British, black-and-white, thriller directed by Bernard Mainwaring and starring Bramwell Fletcher, Jane Baxter and Arthur Wontner. It was produced by British Lion Film Corporation. Plot Eva Rutland (played by Jane ...

'' (1935) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Mill on the Floss ''The Mill on the Floss'' is a novel by George Eliot, first published in three volumes in 1860 by William Blackwood. The first American edition was published by Harper & Brothers, Publishers, New York. Plot summary Spanning a period of 10 to ...

'' (1936) - Stephen Guest * ''

The Wife of General Ling ''The Wife of General Ling'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Griffith Jones, Valéry Inkijinoff and Adrianne Renn. It was adapted from a novel by Dorothy Hope and Peter Cheyney. The film was made at Shepperto ...

'' (1937) - John Fenton * '' Return of a Stranger'' (1937) - James Martin * ''

A Yank at Oxford ''A Yank at Oxford'' is a 1938 comedy-drama film directed by Jack Conway and starring Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Vivien Leigh and Edmund Gwenn. The screenplay was written by John Monk Saunders and Leon Gordon. The ...

'' (1938) - Paul Beaumont * '' The Four Just Men'' (1939) - James Brodie * '' Young Man's Fancy'' (1939) - Lord Alban * '' Atlantic Ferry'' (1941) - David MacIver * ''

This Was Paris ''This Was Paris'' is a 1942 British Second World War spy film directed by John Harlow and starring Ann Dvorak, Ben Lyon and Griffith Jones. It was shot at Teddington Studios. Plot British Captain Bill Hamilton meets and is attracted to Ame ...

'' (1942) - Capt. Bill Hamilton, MI5 * ''

The Day Will Dawn ''The Day Will Dawn'', released in the US as ''The Avengers'', is a 1942 British war film set in Norway during World War II. It stars Ralph Richardson, Deborah Kerr, Hugh Williams and Griffith Jones, and was directed by Harold French from a sc ...

'' (1942) - Police Inspector Gunter * '' Uncensored'' (1942) - Father de Gruyte * ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

'' (1944) - Earl of Salisbury * ''

The Wicked Lady ''The Wicked Lady'' is a 1945 British costume drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Margaret Lockwood in the title role as a nobleman's wife who becomes a highwayman for the excitement. The film had one of the top audiences for a f ...

'' (1945) - Sir Ralph * ''

The Rake's Progress ''The Rake's Progress'' is an English-language opera from 1951 in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings '' A Rake's Prog ...

'' (1945) - Sandy Duncan * '' They Made Me a Fugitive'' (1947) - Narcy * '' Miranda'' (1948) - Dr. Paul Martin * ''

Good-Time Girl ''Good-Time Girl'' is a 1948 British film noir- crime drama film directed by David MacDonald. A homeless girl is asked to explain her bad behaviour in the juvenile court, and says she’s run away from home because she’s unhappy there. They ex ...

'' (1948) - Danny Martin * ''

Look Before You Love ''Look Before You Love'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold Huth and starring Margaret Lockwood, Griffith Jones and Maurice Denham. Plot summary A woman working in the British Embassy in Brazil falls in love and marries a man, bu ...

'' (1948) - Charles Kent * '' Once Upon a Dream'' (1949) - Jackson * '' Honeymoon Deferred'' (1951) - David Fry * ''

Star of My Night ''Star of My Night'' is a 1954 British romance film directed by Paul Dickson and starring Griffith Jones, Kathleen Byron and Hugh Williams. An adaptation of Paul Tabori's novel ''Le Soleil de ma Nuit'', it concerns a sculptor who becomes roman ...

'' (1954) - Michael Donovan * '' The Scarlet Web'' (1954) - Jake Winter * ''

'' (1954) - Group Capt. Todd * ''

Face in the Night ''Face in the Night'' is a 1957 British crime film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Griffith Jones, Lisa Gastoni and Vincent Ball. It was based on the novel ''Suspense'' by prolific crime writer Bruce Graeme. The film was released in th ...

'' (1957) - Rapson * '' Account Rendered'' (1957) - Robert Ainsworth * ''

The Truth About Women ''The Truth About Women'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Muriel Box and starring Laurence Harvey, Julie Harris, Mai Zetterling and Diane Cilento. Plot When his son-in-law comes to him with a woeful tale of an unhappy relationship and ...

'' (1957) - Sir Jeremy * ''

Not Wanted on Voyage ''Not Wanted on Voyage'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Ronald Shiner, Brian Rix and Catherine Boyle. The film was made at British National Studios. It is based on a play by Ken Attiwill and his wife ...

'' (1957) - Guy Harding * ''

'' (1957) - Jeff Martin * '' Hidden Homicide'' (1959) - Michael Cornforth * ''

The Crowning Touch ''The Crowning Touch'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by David Eady and starring Ted Ray, Irene Handl and Greta Gynt. Plot The "Crowning Touch" of the title is a fancy ladies hat. It has been ordered and specially set aside at a posh B ...

'' (1959) - Mark * ''Strangler's Web'' (1965) - Jackson Delacorte * '' Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher'' (1968) - Sir Humphrey Maltravers

Selected stage credits

* '' Gertie Maude'' by

John Van Druten John William Van Druten (1 June 190119 December 1957) was an English playwright and theatre director. He began his career in London, and later moved to America, becoming a U.S. citizen. He was known for his plays of witty and urbane observation ...

(1937) * ''

The Moonraker ''The Moonraker'' is a British swashbuckler film made in 1957 and released in 1958 and set in the English Civil War. It was directed by David MacDonald and starred George Baker, Sylvia Syms, Marius Goring, Gary Raymond, Peter Arne, John Le M ...

'' by Arthur Watkyn (1952)

References

Sources

Obituary in ''The Guardian''Performances with the RSC

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Griffith 1909 births 2007 deaths English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Male actors from London Royal Shakespeare Company members Alumni of University College London Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art English people of Welsh descent 20th-century English male actors British Army personnel of World War II