Abraham John Hastings Batson (8 November 1841 – 18 April 1921), usually credited as J. Hastings Batson, was an English stage actor of the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

and

Edwardian era The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...

who went on to become a

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to ...

silent movies A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

Biography

Batson was born in Clerkenwell, London, in 1841. In October 1881 he played Iago in

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

, at Kilburn Town Hall, and was credited as John Hastings Batson. In 1908 and 1909 he was a member of the executive committee of the Actors' Union, founded in 1907. Batson played the leading role in ''The German Spy Peril'' (1914), a silent war propaganda film based loosely on the

Guy Fawkes Guy Fawkes (; 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educated ...

plot of 1605, with German spies planning to blow up the Houses of Parliament.Paul M. Edwards, ''World War I on Film: English Language Releases through 2014'' (2016)
p. 93
/ref> He died in the

West Middlesex Hospital West Middlesex University Hospital (WMUH) is an acute NHS hospital in Isleworth, West London, operated by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It is a teaching hospital of Imperial College School of Medicine and a designated ac ...

Isleworth Isleworth ( ) is a town located within the London Borough of Hounslow in West London, England. It lies immediately east of the town of Hounslow and west of the River Thames and its tributary the River Crane. Isleworth's original area of settl ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbourin ...

, on 18 April 1921, aged 79, leaving effects worth £50. At the time of his death his address was 26, Mountfield Road,

Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was hi ...

Filmography

*'' In the Hands of London Crooks'' (1913) : Sir James Linley *''

Sixty Years a Queen ''Sixty Years a Queen'' is a 1913 British silent historical film directed by Bert Haldane and starring Blanche Forsythe, Louie Henri and Fred Paul. Outline The film portrays the six decade-long reign of Queen Victoria, serving as a wider dep ...

'' (1913) *'' Lights of London'' (1914) *''

The German Spy Peril ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...

'' (1914) *''

Jack Tar Jack Tar (also Jacktar, Jack-tar or Tar) is a common English term originally used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy, particularly during the period of the British Empire. By World War I the term was used as a nickname for those in ...

'' (1915) : Sir Michael Westwood *'' The Scorpion's Sting'' (1915) : Bishop of Lowden *''

She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...

'' (1916) *''

On the Banks of Allan Water ''On the Banks of Allan Water'' is a 1916 British silent film directed by Wilfred Noy.Low p.297 Cast * Basil Gill as Richard Warden * J. Hastings Batson Abraham John Hastings Batson (8 November 1841 – 18 April 1921), usually credited as J ...

'' (1916) : Sir John Warden *'' The Little Damozel'' (1916) : Admiral Craven *''

The House Opposite The House Opposite may refer to: * ''The House Opposite'' (play), a play by Perceval Landon Perceval Landon (1869–1927) was an English writer, traveller and journalist, now best remembered for his classic and much reprinted ghost story "Thurnl ...

'' (1917) *''

Just a Girl "Just a Girl" is a song by American band No Doubt for their third studio album, '' Tragic Kingdom'' (1995). Released as the record's lead single in the United States on September 21, 1995, it was written by Gwen Stefani and Tom Dumont, and pr ...

'' (1917) : The DukeRobert Connelly, Jay Robert Nash, Stanley Ralph Ross, ''Motion Picture Guide Silent Film 1910-1936'' (1988), p. 132: "JUST A GIRL** (1916, Brit.)... J. Hastings Batson (The Duke)" *''

A Gamble for Love ''A Gamble for Love'' is a 1917 British silent sports film directed by Frank Wilson and starring Gerald Ames, James Lindsay and George Foley.Low p.182 It was based on the 1914 novel of the same title by Nat Gould, set in the horseracing ...

'' (1917) *''

The Woman Wins ''The Woman Wins'' is a 1918 British silent crime film directed by Frank Wilson and starring Violet Hopson, Trevor Bland and Cameron Carr. It was based on a novel by Cecil Bullivant. Cast * Violet Hopson - Brenda Marsh * Trevor Bland - Hugh ...

'' (1918) : Admiral Fraser *''

Consequences Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determ ...

'' (1918) : Guardian *'' Because'' (1918) *'' God's Clay'' (1919) *''

The Soul of Guilda Lois ''The Soul of Guilda Lois'' is a 1919 British silent drama film directed by Frank Wilson and starring Violet Hopson, Basil Gill and Cameron Carr.Low p.455 It is based on a novel by Newman Flower and is often known by the alternative title of ' ...

'' (1919) : Gregoire *''

With All Her Heart ''With All Her Heart'' is a 1920 British silent drama film directed by Frank Wilson and starring Milton Rosmer, Mary Odette and Jack Vincent. It was based on the 1901 novel by the popular writer Charles Garvice. Many reviewers recommended the ...

'' (1920) : Earl of Stanborough

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Baston, J Hastings 1841 births 1921 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors English male silent film actors 19th-century English male actors 20th-century English male actors Male actors from London People from Clerkenwell