Robert Guy Newton (1 June 1905 – 25 March 1956) was an English actor. Along with

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

, Newton was one of the more popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys. Known for his hard-living life, he was cited as a role model by the actor Oliver Reed and

the Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

's drummer Keith Moon.Angus Konstam (2008
"Piracy: The Complete History"
p.313. Osprey Publishing, Retrieved 11 October 2011 Beginning his career in theatre in the 1920s, Newton appeared in numerous plays in the West End, including '' Bitter Sweet'' by

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

. In 1939 he was Horatio in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' at the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

theatre opposite

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

Prince Hamlet Prince Hamlet is the title character and protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Hamlet'' (1599–1601). He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew of the usurping King Claudius, Claudius, and son of King Hamlet, the previous King of Denmark. At ...

. After serving 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 ...

during the Second World War, he had his major break on screen playing the lead in '' This Happy Breed'' (1944) and starring in Olivier's version of '' Henry V'' (1944). These appearances saw British exhibitors vote him the 10th most popular British film star of 1944. Newton is best remembered for his portrayal of the feverish-eyed

Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1883 novel '' Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing leg ...

in the 1950 RKO-Disney British adaptation of '' Treasure Island'', the film that became the standard for screen portrayals of historical

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

s. He starred as Edward Teach ( Blackbeard) in '' Blackbeard the Pirate'' in 1952 and Long John Silver again in the 1954 film of the same title, which spawned a miniseries in the mid-1950s. Born in Dorset in the West Country of England and growing up in Cornwall near Land's End, his exaggeration of his West Country accent is credited with popularising the stereotypical " pirate speech". Newton has become the "

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

" of the annual International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Early life

Robert Guy Newton was born on 1 June 1905 in

Shaftesbury Shaftesbury () is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is on the A30 road, west of Salisbury, Wiltshire, Salisbury and north-northeast of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester, near the border with Wiltshire. It is the only significant hi ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

, a son of the landscape painter Algernon Newton, R.A. He lived with his family in Lamorna near

Penzance Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

, from 1912 to 1918. He attended St. Petroc's preparatory school in

Bude Bude (, locally or ; Cornish language, Cornish ) is a seaside town in north Cornwall, England, in the civil parish of Bude-Stratton and at the mouth of the River Neet (also known locally as the River Strat). It was sometimes formerly known as ...

, where he won a shooting competition in 1916, and then Exeter School and St. Bartholomew's School in

Newbury, Berkshire Newbury is a market town in West Berkshire, England, in the valley of the River Kennet. It is south of Oxford, north of Winchester, southeast of Swindon and west of Reading, Berkshire, Reading. It is also where West Berkshire Council is hea ...

Early career

His acting career began at the age of 16 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1921. He appeared in many repertory shows until he went to Canada where he worked on a cattle ranch for a year. He returned to England and performed in many plays in the

West End of London The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, Central London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster. It is west of the City of London an ...

, including '' Bitter Sweet'' by

, ''The Letter'' with Gladys Cooper, and ''Cardboard Lover'' with Tallulah Bankhead. He also appeared in '' Private Lives'' on Broadway, taking over the role from his friend

. From 1932 to 1934, he was the manager of the Shilling Theatre in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...

, London. He had a small role in the film '' Reunion'' (1932). Newton was put under contract to

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; ; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)

who cast him in small roles in the cinema films '' Fire Over England'' (1937), '' Dark Journey'' (1937), '' Farewell Again'' (1937) and '' The Squeaker'' (1937). He also had a part as Cassius in the abandoned version of '' I, Claudius'' and in ''

21 Days ''21 Days'' (also known as ''21 Days Together'', ''The First and the Last'' and ''Three Weeks Together'') is a 1940 British drama film based on the short 1919 play ''The First and the Last (play), The First and the Last'' by John Galsworthy. It ...

'' (shot in 1937, released 1940). Newton was borrowed by 20th Century Fox for '' The Green Cockatoo'' (1937). Newton had a good role supporting Charles Laughton in '' Vessel of Wrath'' (1938). He had another strong part in '' Yellow Sands'' (1939) and had his first film lead in '' Dead Men are Dangerous'' (1939). He made another with Laughton, '' Jamaica Inn'' (1939), playing the romantic male lead, directed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

. In 1939, he played Horatio to

's ''

'' at the

, in a production that included

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...

and Michael Redgrave. Newton kept busy as a film actor, appearing in '' Poison Pen'' (1939) and '' Hell's Cargo'' (1939). Newton continued primarily as a supporting actor in films, appearing in '' Gaslight'' (1940), '' Busman's Honeymoon'' (1940), '' Bulldog Sees It Through'' (1940), '' Channel Incident'' (1940) and ''

Major Barbara ''Major Barbara'' is a three-act English play by George Bernard Shaw, written and premiered in 1905 and first published in 1907. The story concerns an idealistic young woman, Barbara Undershaft, who is engaged in helping the poor as a Major in ...

'' (1941), directed by

Gabriel Pascal Gabriel Pascal (born Gábor Lehel; 4 June 1894 – 6 July 1954) was a Hungarian film producer and director whose best-known films were made in the United Kingdom. Pascal was the first film producer to successfully bring the plays of Georg ...

from the play by

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

. Newton got another chance as a star in '' Hatter's Castle'' (1942), opposite Deborah Kerr and James Mason. He consolidated his status by playing opposite Anna Neagle in the Amy Johnson biopic '' They Flew Alone'' (1942), playing Jim Mollison.

Military service

Newton enlisted in the

and saw active service in the rank of an Able Seaman on board , which fought as an escort ship on several Russian convoys during

World War II 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 ...

. After two and a half years in the Royal Navy he was medically discharged in 1943.

Return to acting

On resuming his film career, Newton played the lead in '' This Happy Breed'' (1944), a role played on stage by

. Directed by

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of Cinema of the United Kingdom, British cinema. He directed the large-scale epi ...

, it was a huge hit. So too was the

version of '' Henry V'' (1944), in which Newton played

Ancient Pistol Ancient Pistol is a swaggering soldier who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. Although full of grandiose boasts about his prowess, he is essentially a coward. The character is introduced in ''Henry IV, Part 2,'' and reappears in ''T ...

. These appearances helped British exhibitors vote him the 10th most popular British film star of 1944. During the war, he starred in the West End in '' No Orchids for Miss Blandish'', which was a hit. Newton had the star role in a thriller '' Night Boat to Dublin'' (1946), then had a showy cameo role in '' Odd Man Out'' (1947); this performance later was immortalised in

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...

's play '' Old Times''. He stayed in leads for '' Temptation Harbour'' (1947) and '' Snowbound'' (1948). Lean cast him as

Bill Sikes William Sikes is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists (alongside Monks) in the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. Sikes is a malicious criminal in Fagin's gang, and a vicious robber and murderer. Throughout much o ...

in '' Oliver Twist'' (1948), a huge success critically and commercially.

Hollywood

He then made a series of films with Hollywood stars and/or financing: '' Kiss the Blood Off My Hands'' (1948), a ''film noir'' with Joan Fontaine and

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor. Initially known for playing tough characters with tender hearts, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-year caree ...

; '' Obsession'' (1949), a thriller directed by

Edward Dmytryk Edward Dmytryk (September 4, 1908 – July 1, 1999) was a Canadian-born American film director and editor. He was known for his 1940s films noir, noir films and received an Academy Award for Best Director, Oscar nomination for Best Director for ...

, playing a cuckolded husband who exacts revenge on his wife. He played

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

's version of '' Treasure Island'' (1950), shot in the UK, with

Bobby Driscoll Robert Cletus Driscoll (March 3, 1937 – March 30, 1968) was an American actor who performed on film and television from 1943 to 1960. He starred in some of the The Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pict ...

and directed by

Byron Haskin Byron Conrad Haskin (April 22, 1899 – April 16, 1984) was an American film and television director, special effects creator and cinematographer. He is best known for directing '' The War of the Worlds'' (1953), one of many films where he ...

. Less well known is '' Waterfront'' (1950) in which

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s and gave a memor ...

appeared in his third film. His final performance on stage was in the 1950 production of ''Gaslight'' with Rosamund John at the Vaudeville Theatre. ''Treasure Island''s success prompted Newton to return to Hollywood. He was one of several British actors in '' Soldiers Three'' (1951), an Imperial adventure tale. He returned to Britain for '' Tom Brown's Schooldays'' (1951) to play Thomas Arnold, then was cast by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

as Javert in their version of '' Les Misérables'' (1952). In 1951, he was voted the sixth most popular British star in Britain.

gave him the role of Ferrovius in '' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952), another Shaw adaptation. It was made by RKO who cast Newton in the title role of '' Blackbeard the Pirate'' (1952). Fox asked him back for '' The Desert Rats'' (1953) opposite Richard Burton and James Mason, playing a drunken school teacher who discovers bravery during World War II. He was one of several names in an airplane disaster movie '' The High and the Mighty'' (1954). He was in an episode of ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' playing a tramp blackmailing a business man. Back in Britain, Newton was given the lead in '' The Beachcomber'' (1954), a remake of ''Vessels of Wrath'', this time in the part originally played by Charles Laughton. He again played Long John Silver in an Australian-made film, ''

'' (1954). It was shot at Pagewood Studios,

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, and directed by

, who had directed ''Treasure Island''. The company went on to make a 26-episode 1955 TV series, '' The Adventures of Long John Silver'', in which Newton also starred. Earlier in 1954, he quit the film '' Svengali'' for personal reasons to be replaced by Sir Donald Wolfit which left him open to a legal action while filming in Australia in 1954. His last screen appearance was as Inspector Fix in '' Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956) opposite David Niven, Shirley MacLaine and the Mexican star

Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely accomplished Mexican comedian and is well ...

. It won the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for the Best Picture in 1956.

Personal life

Newton married four times and had three children. He was accused of kidnapping his son, Nicholas, when he took him to Hollywood in 1951, the year his third marriage ended. After a court battle, Newton's elder son was placed in the custody of his aunt and uncle. He married his fourth wife, Vera Budnik, in June 1952. They had a son.

Death

Newton suffered in the latter part of his life from chronic

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

and died on 25 March 1956 at age 50, following a heart attack in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

. His body was cremated, and there is a plaque in

Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary is a cemetery and Morgue, mortuary located in the Westwood, Los Angeles, Westwood area of Los Angeles. It includes a crematory for cremation services. Its location is at 1218 Glendon Av ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in his memory. Years later his ashes were scattered into the south coast of Cornwall in Mount's Bay, near Lamorna in Cornwall, where his father had spent his childhood.

Filmography

* ''The Tremarne Case'' (1924) * '' Reunion'' (1932) * '' Fire Over England'' (1937) as Don Pedro * '' Dark Journey'' (1937) as Officer of U-boat * '' Farewell Again'' (1937) as Jim Carter * '' The Squeaker'' (1937) as Larry Graeme * '' The Green Cockatoo'' (1937) as Dave Connor * '' I, Claudius'' (1937) as Cassius, Captain of Caligula's Guard * '' Vessel of Wrath'' (1938) as the Controleur * '' Yellow Sands'' (1938) as Joe Varwell * '' Dead Men are Dangerous'' (1939) as Aylmer Franklyn * '' Jamaica Inn'' (1939) as James 'Jem' Trehearne - Sir Humphrey's Gang * '' Poison Pen'' (1939) as Sam Hurrin * '' Hell's Cargo'' (1939) as Commander Tomasou * ''

'' (1940) as Tolley * '' Gaslight'' (1940) as Vincent Ullswater * '' Busman's Honeymoon'' (1940) as Frank Crutchley * '' Bulldog Sees It Through'' (1940) as Watkins * '' Channel Incident'' (1940, Short) as Tanner * ''

'' (1941) as Bill Walker * '' Hatter's Castle'' (1942) as James Brodie * '' They Flew Alone'' (1942) as Jim Mollison * ''A Battle for a Bottle'' (1942, Short) * '' This Happy Breed'' (1944) as Frank Gibbons * '' Henry V'' (1944) as Ancient Pistol * '' Night Boat to Dublin'' (1946) as Captain David Grant * '' Odd Man Out'' (1947) as Lukey * '' Temptation Harbour'' (1947) as Bert Mallison * '' Snowbound'' (1948) as Derek Engles * '' Oliver Twist'' (1948) as Bill Sikes * '' Kiss the Blood Off My Hands'' (1948) as Harry Carter * '' Obsession'' (1949) as Dr. Clive Riordan * '' Treasure Island'' (1950) as

* '' Waterfront'' (1950) as Peter McCabe * '' Soldiers Three'' (1951) as Private Bill Sykes * '' Tom Brown's Schooldays'' (1951) as Dr. Thomas Arnold * '' Les Misérables'' (1952) as Etienne Javert * '' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952) as Ferrovius * '' Blackbeard the Pirate'' (1952) as Edward Teach / Blackbeard * '' The Desert Rats'' (1953) as Tom Bartlett * '' The High and the Mighty'' (1954) as Gustave Pardee * '' The Beachcomber'' (1954) as Edward 'Honorable Ted' Wilson * ''

'' (1954) as Long John Silver * '' The Adventures of Long John Silver'' (1954, TV Series) as Long John Silver * ''

'' (1956) (Season 1 Episode 19: "The Derelicts") as Peter J. Goodfellow * '' Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956) as Inspector Fix

Box-office rankings

For several years, Newton was voted by exhibitors as among the most popular British stars at the local box office: * 9th most popular British star in 1947 * 5th most popular British star in 1950 (10th most popular star overall) * 7th most popular British star in 1951

Radio appearances

References

External links

*
A Tribute to Robert Newton
includes biography
Britmovie article

Short biography of Newton's artist father
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Robert 1905 births 1956 deaths 20th-century English male actors English expatriate male actors in the United States English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors People educated at Exeter School People educated at St. Bartholomew's School People from Shaftesbury Royal Navy personnel of World War II Royal Navy sailors