Jack Watson (14 May 1915 – 4 July 1999) was an English actor who appeared in many British films and television dramas from the 1950s onwards.

Early life

Watson was born in Thorney,

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfor ...

. He was the son of a Gaiety Girl, Barbara Hughes, and a

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

comedian, Nosmo King. Watson often appeared on stage with his father as straight man, where he was known simply as Hubert.

Military service

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Watson was a

physical training instructor Physical training instructor (PTI) is a term used primarily in the British Armed Forces and British police, as well as some other Commonwealth countries, for an instructor in physical fitness. United Kingdom In the British Army, specialist Physi ...

in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

, 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''. After the war, his talent as an impersonator resulted in his becoming a regular on

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

radio programmes such as '' Take it from Here'', ''

Hancock's Half Hour ''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The radio series starred Tony Hancock, with Sidney James, Bill Kerr and,at various ...

'' and '' The Clitheroe Kid''. He gradually made the transition to television, where his first major role was in ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'', in which he became

Elsie Tanner Elsie Tanner (also Howard) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Pat Phoenix from the series' inception in 1960 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was one of the original c ...

's (

Pat Phoenix Patricia Phoenix (born Patricia Frederica Manfield; 26 November 1923 – 17 September 1986) was an English actress who became one of the first sex symbols of British television through her role as Elsie Tanner, an original cast member of '' ...

) first lover. 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 was one of the villains in the 1966 episode of ''The Avengers'' entitled 'Silent Dust' ', chasing Diana Rigg on horseback with a whip. He also appeared as the publican in the 1967 episode of the same series entitled 'The Living Dead'. He appeared as a powerful but shell-shocked ex-soldier in ''

Dr. Finlay's Casebook ''Dr. Finlay's Casebook'' is a television drama series that was produced and broadcast by the BBC from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin's 1935 novella ''Country Doctor'', the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fiction ...

'', 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''. Other television roles included appearances in STV's ''

Redgauntlet ''Redgauntlet'' (1824) is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, one of the Waverley novels, set primarily in Dumfriesshire, southwest Scotland, in 1765, and described by Magnus Magnusson (a point first made by Andrew Lang) as "in a sense, ...

'' (1970) and BBC's '' The Changes'' (1975). 1975 also saw a memorable performance as a deceitful Head Ghillie in an episode of '' Upstairs Downstairs'' entitled '' Will Ye No Come Back Again''. His last major TV role was in the award-winning ''

Edge of Darkness ''Edge of Darkness'' is a British television drama serial produced by BBC Television in association with Lionheart Television International and originally broadcast in six 50 to 55-minute episodes in late 1985. A mixture of crime drama and pol ...

'' (1985). Watson appeared in over 70 films, including: '' On the Beat'' (1962) in which he played a police sergeant, ''

Peeping Tom Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. She is mainly remembere ...

'', ''

This Sporting Life ''This Sporting Life'' is a 1963 British kitchen sink realism, kitchen sink drama (film and television), drama film directed by Lindsay Anderson. Based on the This Sporting Life (novel), 1960 novel of the same name by David Storey, which won th ...

'', '' Grand Prix'', ''

Tobruk Tobruk ( ; ; ) is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District (formerly Tobruk District) and has a population of 120,000 (2011 est.)."Tobruk" (history), ''Encyclop� ...

'', '' The McKenzie Break'', '' The Devil's Brigade'' and '' The Wild Geese'' (1978), plus in the Music video of Intaferon - Steam Hammer Sam (published 1983).

Filmography

* ''

Captain Horatio Hornblower ''Captain Horatio Hornblower'' is a 1951 British naval swashbuckling war film in Technicolor from Warner Bros., produced by Gerry Mitchell, directed by Raoul Walsh, that stars Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty and Terence Morgan. ...

'' (1951) – Capt. Sylvester (uncredited) * ''

'' (1960) – Chief Insp. Gregg * '' The Man Who Was Nobody'' (1960) - * '' Konga'' (1961) – Supt. Brown * '' Fate Takes a Hand'' (1961) – Bulldog * '' The Queen's Guards'' (1961) – Sergeant Johnson * ''

Time to Remember ''Time to Remember'' is a 1962 British crime film directed by Charles Jarrott and starring Yvonne Monlaur, Harry H. Corbett and Robert Rietty. It was written by Arthur La Bern, loosely based on the 1915 Edgar Wallace novel '' The Man Who Bough ...

'' (1962) – Insp. Bolam * ''Out of the Fog'' (1962) – Sgt. Harry Tracey * '' On the Beat'' (1962) – Police Sergeant * '' Master Spy'' (1963) – Capt. Foster * '' Five to One'' (1963) – Insp. Davis * ''

'' (1963) – Len Miller * '' The Gorgon'' (1964) – Ratoff * '' The Hill'' (1965) – Jock McGrath * '' Night Caller from Outer Space'' (1965) – Sgt. Hawkins * '' The Idol'' (1966) – Police Inspector * '' Grand Prix'' (1966) – Jeff Jordan * ''

'' (1967) – Sgt. Maj. Tyne * '' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968) – Cpl. Peacock * '' The Strange Affair'' (1968) – Quince * '' Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher'' (1968) – Gallery Warder * ‘’

Take Three Girls ''Take Three Girls'' is a British comedy-drama television series that aired on BBC1 from 17 November 1969 to 1 January 1971. It follows three young women sharing a flat in "Swinging London" (located at 17 Glazbury Road, West Kensington, W14). I ...

1969 tv drama.(ep2) * ''

Every Home Should Have One ''Every Home Should Have One'' (U.S. title: ''Think Dirty '') is a 1970 British comedy film directed by Jim Clark and starring Marty Feldman. The screenplay was by Marty Feldman, Barry Took and Denis Norden, based on a story by Herbert Kretzme ...

'' (1970) – McLaughlin * '' The McKenzie Break'' (1970) – Gen. Kerr * '' Kidnapped'' (1971) – James Stewart * '' Tower of Evil'' (1972) – Hamp * ''

From Beyond the Grave ''From Beyond the Grave'' (also known as ''The Creatures from beyond the Grave'') is a 1974 British anthology horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by Kevin Connor, produced by Milton Subotsky and based on short stories by R. Chetwynd ...

'' (1974) – Sir Michael Sinclair (segment 4 "The Door") * '' 11 Harrowhouse'' (1974) – Miller, 11 Harrowhouse Security * ''

Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originates in the mid-nineteenth century. ''Juggernaut'' is the early rendering in English ...

'' (1974) – Chief Engineer Mallicent * '' The Four Musketeers'' (1974) – Busigny * '' Schizo'' (1976) – William Haskin * ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure a ...

'' (1977) – Capt.

Billy Bones Billy Bones is a fictional character appearing in the first section of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel ''Treasure Island''.''Treasure Island.'' In The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English (2000).Stevenson, Robert Louis. 1883 994The Old S ...

* '' The Purple Taxi'' (1977) – Sean * '' The Wild Geese'' (1978) – R.S.M. Sandy Young * '' North Sea Hijack'' (1980) – Olafsen * '' The Sea Wolves'' (1980) – Maclean * ''

Masada Masada ( ', 'fortress'; ) is a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert, overlooking the western shore of the Dead Sea in southeastern Israel. The fort, built in the first century BCE, was constructed atop a natural plateau rising ov ...

'' (1981) – Decurion * ''

Marco Polo Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known a ...

'' (1982) – Old Sailor * '' Diana'' (1984) – Uncle Mark * ''

Tangiers Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Morocco. Many c ...

'' (1982) – Donovan * ''

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

'' (1985) – Father Marchena

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 Bath ( RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, west of London and southeast of Bristol. The city becam ...

Death

Watson died on 4 July 1999, aged 84, of

blood cancer Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (American English) or tumours of the haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (British English) are tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system. Because these tissues are al ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Jack 1915 births 1999 deaths English male film actors English male television actors People from Fenland District Royal Navy personnel of World War II Male actors from Cambridgeshire 20th-century English male actors Royal Navy sailors Deaths from blood cancer in England Military personnel from Cambridgeshire