Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) 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 ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

Life and career

The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the

Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts is a performing arts conservatoire based in Woking, England. It was founded in 1911 by Italia Conti, an actress. The first production at Italia Conti Academy was the play '' Where the Rainbow Ends''. F ...

as a child; and made his stage debut in ''

Where the Rainbow Ends ''Where the Rainbow Ends'' is a children's play, originally written for Christmas 1911 by Clifford Mills and John Ramsey. The incidental music was composed by Roger Quilter. ''Where the Rainbow Ends'' is a fantasy story which follows the journe ...

'' at the

Holborn Empire Weston's Music Hall was a music hall and theatre that opened on 16 November 1857 at 242-245 High Holborn in London, England. In 1906, the theatre became known as the Holborn Empire. History Early years The theatre was constructed on the site of ...

in 1936. He made his first film appearances (all uncredited) in '' Sixty Glorious Years'', ''

Housemaster {{refimprove, date=September 2018 In British education, a housemaster is a schoolmaster in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school and especially at a public school. The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and care ...

'' (both 1938) and '' Goodbye, Mr Chips'' (1939).Anthony Haywar
Obituary: Jack Watling
''The Independent'', 24 May 2001. In 1941, he played Bill Hopkins in ''Once a Crook'' in his West End debut. He starred as

Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers, commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) RAF officer ranks, system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. I ...

Teddy Graham in the original 1942 production of

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's '' Flare Path''. Watling had a long career in low-key British films, originally in easy-going boyish roles. His early appearances were in '' Cottage to Let'' (1941). ''

We Dive at Dawn ''We Dive at Dawn'' is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Fra ...

'' (1943), ''

The Demi-Paradise ''The Demi-Paradise'' (also known as ''Adventure for Two'') is a 1943 British comedy film made by Two Cities Films. It stars Laurence Olivier as a Soviet Russian inventor who travels to England to have his revolutionary propeller manufactured, a ...

'' (1943) opposite

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 ...

, '' The Way Ahead'' (1944) with

David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...

, ''

The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...

'' (1948), '' Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (1953) and in

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

' ''

Mr. Arkadin ''Mr. Arkadin'' (first released in Spain, 1955), known in Britain as ''Confidential Report'', is a French-Spanish-Swiss coproduction film, written and directed by Orson Welles and shot in several Spanish locations, including Costa Brava, Segovi ...

'' (aka, ''Confidential Report'', 1955). In the account of the sinking of the Titantic, the film '' A Night To Remember'' (1958), he played Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall and in ''

Sink the Bismarck! ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book '' The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H ...

'' (1960) as the Signals officer who reports "HMS ''Hood''...has blown up!"

Television

His reputation as an effective and reliable television actor took root in the early 1960s. Between 1964–69 he was Don Henderson, the troubled conscience to tough businessman John Wilder ( Patrick Wymark) in '' The Plane Makers'' and its sequel '' The Power Game''. Watling also appeared as Doc Saxon in the 1970s series '' Pathfinders''. He played

Professor Edward Travers Professor Edward Travers, played by Jack Watling, is a fictional anthropologist and explorer who appears in two serials of the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' and a spin-off TV movie. Character history Professor Travers first appears in '' ...

in the BBC

science-fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

television series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

'' in the serials ''

The Abominable Snowmen ''The Abominable Snowmen'' is the mostly missing second serial of the fifth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which originally aired in six weekly parts from 30 September to 4 November 1967. In this seri ...

'' (1967) and '' The Web of Fear'' (1968), both of which also featuring his daughter Deborah Watling as the

Second Doctor The Second Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Patrick Troughton. While the Troughton era of ''Doctor Who'' is well-remembered by fans an ...

's companion Victoria Waterfield. He reprised the role decades later in the independent ''Doctor Who'' spin-off video ''

Downtime The term downtime is used to refer to periods when a system is unavailable. The unavailability is the proportion of a time-span that a system is unavailable or offline. This is usually a result of the system failing to function because of an un ...

'' (1995). He also took over the role of Arthur Bourne in the final series of

The Cedar Tree ''The Cedar Tree'' was a television serial that ran from 1976 to 1979 on ITV in the United Kingdom. It involved the story of the upper class Bourne family before the turn of the Second World War. The main setting is Larkfield Manor, the famil ...

in 1979 His final roles were all on television, in series such as '' Bergerac'' 4 episodes 1989-1991 as Frank Blakemore and '' Heartbeat'' as The Colonel 1994 in Lost and Found.

Personal life

Watling was married to former actress Patricia Hicks. He was the father of actress Deborah Watling, actor/politician Giles Watling, sculptor Nicky Matthews, and a fourth child, Adam, who died in infancy. Watling was also the stepfather of actress

Dilys Watling Dilys Rhys Watling (''née'' Jones, 5 May 1942 – 10 August 2021) was an English actress, best known for appearing on British television ('' Coronation Street'', ''The Benny Hill Show'' and ''The Two Ronnies''). Early life and education Watli ...

, Hicks's daughter from a previous marriage. The Watlings were long-term residents at Alderton Hall,

Loughton Loughton () is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Part of the metropolitan and urban area of London, the town borders Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill, and is northeast of Chari ...

Selected filmography

* '' Sixty Glorious Years'' (1938) – Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

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) – Lieutenant (uncredited) * '' Flying Fortress'' (1942) – Rear Gunner (uncredited) * '' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) – Atkinson (uncredited) * ''

'' (1943) – Navigating Officer – Lt. Gordon, R.N. * ''

'' (1943) – Tom * '' The Way Ahead'' (1944) – Buster – Marjorie's boyfriend * '' Journey Together'' (1945) – John Aynesworth * ''

The Courtneys of Curzon Street ''The Courtneys of Curzon Street'' (also titled ''The Courtney Affair'' or Kathy's Love Affair, in the U.S.) is a 1947 British drama film starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding. It is a study of class division and snobbery in Britain in the la ...

'' (1947) – Teddy Courtney * '' Easy Money'' (1948) – Dennis Stafford * ''

Quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

'' (1948) – Nicky (segment "The Facts of Life") * ''

'' (1948) – Dickie Winslow * '' Under Capricorn'' (1949) – Winter * '' Once a Sinner'' (1950) – John Ross * ''

The Naked Heart ''The Naked Heart'' (French title: ''Maria Chapdelaine'') is a 1950 British-French historical drama film directed by Marc Allégret, based on the novel '' Maria Chapdelaine'' by Louis Hémon. The film stars Michèle Morgan, Kieron Moore and Fra ...

'' (1950) – Robert Gagnon * '' White Corridors'' (1951) – Dick Groom * ''

Private Information Privacy (, ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of a ...

'' (1952) – Hugh * '' Father's Doing Fine'' (1952) – Clifford Magill * '' Flannelfoot'' (1953) – Frank Mitchell * '' Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (1953) – Jim * ''

Stryker of the Yard ''Stryker of the Yard'' (also known as ''Stryker of Scotland Yard'' and ''Scotland Yard Cases'' ) is a 1953 British crime film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Clifford Evans, Susan Stephen, Jack Watling and Eliot Makeham. A second ...

'' (1953) – Tony Ashworth * ''

Dangerous Cargo ''Dangerous Cargo'' is a 1954 British second feature crime film directed by John Harlow starring Jack Watling, Susan Stephen and Karel Stepanek. The film was produced by Stanley Haynes for ACT Films. '' Daily Express'' crime reporter Percy Ho ...

'' (1954) – Tim Matthews * ''

Trouble in the Glen ''Trouble in the Glen'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Margaret Lockwood, Orson Welles, Forrest Tucker and Victor McLaglen. It is loosely based on Maurice Walsh's 1950 novel of the same name. It was filmed i ...

'' (1954) – Sammy Weller * ''

The Golden Link ''The Golden Link'' is a 1954 British police drama film directed by Charles Saunders, starring André Morell, Patrick Holt, Thea Gregory and Jack Watling. It was produced by Guido Coen under his Kenilworth Film Productions, featuring a screenp ...

'' (1954) – Bill Howard * ''

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) – Flying Officer Harding * ''

Tale of Three Women ''Adventure Theater'' is a dramatic anthology series that aired on NBC from June 16, 1956, through September 1, 1956. The series was produced in England in 1953, but was never broadcast there as a series. It was also known as ''Calling Scotland ...

'' (1954) – Dick (segment "Thief of London" story) * ''

'' (1955) – Marquis of Rutleigh * '' A Time to Kill'' (1955) – Dennis Willows * '' Windfall'' (1955) – John Lee * ''

Reach for the Sky ''Reach for the Sky'' is a 1956 British biographical film about aviator Douglas Bader, based on the 1954 biography of the same name by Paul Brickhill. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award fo ...

'' (1956) – Peel * ''

That Woman Opposite ''That Woman Opposite'' (U.S. ''City After Midnight'') is a 1957 British crime drama, directed by Compton Bennett and starring Phyllis Kirk, Dan O'Herlihy and William Franklyn. The screenplay, also by Bennett, was adapted from John Dickson Carr ...

'' (1957) – Toby Lawes * ''

The Admirable Crichton ''The Admirable Crichton'' is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. Origins Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th-century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving Ernest is p ...

'' (1957) – Treherne * ''

The Birthday Present ''The Birthday Present'' is a 1957 British drama film directed by Pat Jackson. The film also featured Thorley Walters and Ian Bannen in small roles. Plot Simon Scott, a top toy salesman, returns from a business trip to Germany with a watch hid ...

'' (1957) – Bill Thompson * ''

Gideon's Day ''Gideon's Day'' is the first in a series of police procedural novels by John Creasey writing as J.J. Marric. Published in 1955, it features a day in the professional life of Detective Superintendent George Gideon of the C.I.D., Scotland Y ...

'' (1958) – Reverend Small * '' A Night To Remember'' (1958) – Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall * '' Chain of Events'' (1958) – Freddie * ''

Links of Justice ''Links of Justice'' is a 1958 British film. Plot Edgar Mills and his mistress Stella plot to murder Edgar's wealthy wife Clare. But best laid go awry, and Edgar ends up dead. Clare becomes prime suspect, but is able to prove she acted in self-d ...

'' (1958) – Edgar Mills * ''The Solitary Child'' (1958) – Cyril * ''

'' (1960) – Signals Officer * '' Nearly a Nasty Accident'' (1961) – Flight Lt. Grogan * '' Three on a Spree'' (1961) – Michael Brewster * '' Mary Had a Little...'' (1961) – Scott Raymond * ''

Nothing Barred ''Nothing Barred'' is a 1961 British black and white comedy film directed by Darcy Conyers and starring Brian Rix, Leo Franklyn and Naunton Wayne. Plot Penniless Lord Whitebait (Naunton Wayne) plans to save his dwindling fortunes by opening ...

'' (1961) – Peter Brewster * '' The Queen's Guards'' (1961) – Capt. Shergold * ''

Never Back Losers ''Never Back Losers'' is a 1961 British crime film directed by Robert Tronson and starring Jack Hedley, Jacqueline Ellis and Patrick Magee. The film is based on '' The Green Ribbon'' (1929) by Edgar Wallace. It was one of the Edgar Wallace ...

'' (1961) * ''Flat Two'' (''

Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The E ...

'') (1962) – Frank Leamington * ''Who Was Maddox?'' (''

'') (1964) – Jack Heath * '' The Nanny'' (1965) – Dr. Medman * '' Follow Me!'' (1972) – Wealthy Client (uncredited) * '' The Adventures of Barry McKenzie'' (1972) – TV Director * ''

Father, Dear Father ''Father, Dear Father'' is a British television sitcom produced by Thames Television for ITV from 1968 to 1973 starring Patrick Cargill. It was subsequently made into a spin-off film of the same title released in 1973. An Australian sequel ...

'' (1973) – Bill Mossman * ''

11 Harrowhouse ''11 Harrowhouse'' is a 1974 British heist comedy thriller film directed by Aram Avakian and starring Charles Grodin, Candice Bergen, James Mason, Trevor Howard, and John Gielgud in Panavision. It was adapted by Charles Grodin based upon the ...

'' (1974) – Fitzmaurice * The Cedar Tree (1978-9) - Captain Palmer, and then Cdr. Bourne * ''

Slip-Up ''Slip-Up'' is a 1986 British television film directed by James Cellan Jones and starring Jeremy Kemp, George Costigan and Larry Lamb.Singer p.577 the film recounts the unsuccessful attempts of Jack Slipper to extradite the Great Train Robbery (196 ...

'' (1986, TV film) – Champion

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Watling, Jack 1923 births 2001 deaths Deaths from cancer in England English male television actors English male film actors People from Chingford 20th-century English male actors Male actors from Essex Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts English male stage actors