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Jack Douglas (actor)

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Occupation
  
Name
  
Jack Douglas


Role
  
Actor

Siblings
  
Bill Roberton

Jack Douglas (actor) httpsbornonthesamedayfileswordpresscom2012

Full Name
  
John Douglas Roberton

Born
  
26 April 1927 (
1927-04-26
)
Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Books
  
The "Wu-hey" to Better Cooking

Movies
  

Died
  
18 December 2008 (aged 81) Isle of Wight, England

Similar
  
Peter Butterworth, Patsy Rowlands, Kenneth Connor

Jack douglas


Jack Douglas, born John Douglas Roberton (26 April 1927 – 18 December 2008) was an English actor most famous for his roles in the Carry On films.

Contents

Jack Douglas (actor) Carry On actor Jack Douglas dies aged 81 Telegraph

Jack douglas interview carry on actor


Career

Jack Douglas (actor) Ciaran Brown meets comedian and actor Jack Douglas

Douglas was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, into a theatrical family; his father was a theatre producer and his brother, Bill Roberton, became a theatre director. His mother was so keen that he be a Geordie that, according to Douglas, although they had settled in London,

Jack Douglas (actor) carryonorgukgalleryalbumsuserpics10001norma

"she jumped on a train and came to Newcastle. I was born in my grandfather’s house near the Swing Bridge. She did the same with my brother."

Jack Douglas (actor) Jack Douglas Swanee River Call Me Alf Why Do Girls Pass Me By

He spent his early years on a farm in Meriden. and the family later moved to Blackpool to get away from the bombing in the Second World War.

Jack Douglas (actor) JACK DOUGLAS INTERVIEW CARRY ON ACTOR YouTube

Like his father, Jack wanted to work in theatre but his father forbade him, so at age 14, he got his things together and moved out into a place of his own. Going to the local Feldman's Theatre, he asked if they wanted a Line Boy, and they did since so many men had gone off to war. He was hired as an "Opposite Prompt Line Boy" for £1.5s a week and paid for his "digs" and everything out of that, even saving some money.

His father found out where he was working and asked them to give him all the dirty jobs to try and discourage him but Jack did them all without any complaint, so come his fifteenth birthday, his father gave him a present. A script for a Cinderella pantomime, which he was to direct. Having seen his father direct 3 or 4 pantomimes, Jack knew what to do, and did 22 weeks at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland.

Later at the Kingston Empire, he was to direct a show only to have a lead character taken to hospital with a heart attack on the opening night before the show started. Joe Baker, who was also playing a lead, suggested he take over the role as he was the only other person who knew the lines (as he did all the lines of all the characters, being the director.) He so impressed a top agent in the audience that night that he visited Douglas and Baker afterwards. He was surprised to learn that they had only been a double act for two hours and thirty five minutes and immediately signed them up as such.

Jack Douglas and Joe Baker spent ten years touring the world, playing in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa amongst other places. Coming back to Britain again, they did a season at a Butlin's holiday camp and not liking the food served there, Jack cooked in their chalet (which was forbidden) for both of them and another. One evening there was a knock on the door and Billy Butlin was standing there. He noticed the smell and asked if they had enough for four. They did and he ate with them.

Afterwards, they started up the popular children's TV show, Crackerjack, with Eamonn Andrews. They found themselves working on that from 9:30am to 2:30pm each day and their agent fitted in another two jobs, so that the pair made £100 a week (minus his 10%), a huge amount of money then.

From there they went on to the Windmill Theatre and later at the Glasgow Empire, where they found they could get laughs by merely putting on American accents (English actors "died" there.) After that, Joe Baker went off to America to try his luck there. On his own for the first time in so many years, Jack told his agent, Leslie Grade, that he wanted to be a comedian. Grade told him no chance as he did not have a funny face, so Jack left show business and as he loved cooking, he opened up a restaurant in Blackpool. It turned out to be too successful and he found he personally had nothing to do there, the staff doing everything.

One night he got a call as he was going up to his flat above the restaurant. It was Des O'Connor who had a contract with ATV for 13 shows, and he wanted Jack Douglas to star with him. Jack readily agreed, and Des O'Connor pretty much let him do what he liked. They did a Royal Variety Show together, with Des insisting to Bernard Delfont that Jack went with him, as he later insisted that after the show, they meet the Queen Mother together, or Des would not do so himself.

He worked with Des O'Connor for several years and in the theatre, developing a nervous character "Alf Ippititimus", notable for his "phwaay!" catchphrase and his apparent muscular tics. "Alf" was created one night at Butlin's, Clacton, when Douglas's co-star, Joe Baker failed to appear having been locked out of the theatre, and Douglas began to improvise based on a band leader he knew.

His agent later phoned him and said he had a part in a "Carry On" film, but the bad news was that he would not be paid (Peter Rodgers it was said would give his actors anything but money). He accepted the small part and in return, a black Rolls Royce pulled up outside his house one morning and there was a box from Peter Rodgers. It contained a dozen bottles of Dom Perignon champagne. His payment for the film.

Jack Douglas appeared in the last seven Carry On films of the original series, Carry On Matron, Carry On Abroad, Carry On Girls, Carry On Dick, Carry On Behind, Carry On England and Carry On Emmannuelle. His Carry On roles progressed from a cameo with one line of dialogue in Matron to a slightly larger but still inconspicuous cameo appearance in Abroad, after which he appeared in increasingly larger supporting roles, and ultimately a leading role in Emmanuelle. During this period he also appeared in the Carry on Christmas specials in 1972, and 1973 and the Carry On Laughing television series. He appeared in the revival film Carry On Columbus (1992).

After the "Carry On" films, the cast with Jack went to the Victoria Palace Theatre where they played to packed houses for the next 12 months in the stage show: "Carry On London".

He also guest starred in The Goodies episode "Goodies in the Nick" and appeared in The Shillingbury Blowers and its associated series Shillingbury Tales in the early 1980s.

In December 2001, he appeared on the BBC radio show "That Reminds Me" (Series 3, episode 4, repeated 27 May 2014 on BBC Radio 4 Extra) where he talked about his life. Much of the information for this article comes from his own words in that show.

On 26 April 2007, Douglas celebrated his 80th birthday. There was a special celebration arranged at Pinewood Studios, to coincide with his anniversary, which was attended by his family and friends. These included actors that Douglas had worked with, amongst them were Fenella Fielding, Jacki Piper, Lance Percival and Valerie Leon.

Jack Douglas died of pneumonia on 18 December 2008.

Filmography

Actor
1992
Carry on Columbus as
Marco the Cereal Killer
1989
Sir Norbert Smith, a Life (TV Movie) as
Greenham guard
1987
The Second Victory as
Anaesthetist
1983
Jim Davidson's Special (TV Series)
- Episode #2.1 (1983)
1983
Cuffy (TV Series) as
Jake / Jake Smith
- Cuffy and a Green Eye (1983) - Jake
- Cuffy and the Status Quo (1983) - Jake
- Cuffy and a Downpour (1983) - Jake
- Cuffy and a Fashion Show (1983) - Jake
- Cuffy and a Holiday (1983) - Jake
- Cuffy and a Carpetbagger (1983) - Jake Smith
1983
The Boys in Blue as
Chief Superintendent
1980
Shillingbury Tales (TV Series) as
Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Daydream (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Miracle (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Legend (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Cloudburst (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Melon (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Tinker (1981) - Jake Smith
- The Shillingbury Blowers (1980) - Jake Smith
1981
The End of the End of the Pier Show (TV Movie) as
Mr. Pumphrey
1980
Spooner's Patch (TV Series) as
Man in Car
- Psycho on the Roof (1980) - Man in Car
1980
Bloody Kids (TV Movie) as
Senior Police Officer
1980
...And the Band Played On (TV Movie) as
Jake
1979
The Allan Stewart Tapes (TV Series)
1978
Carry on Emmannuelle as
Lyons
1977
What's Up Nurse! as
Constable
1977
Emu's Christmas Adventure (TV Movie) as
Jasper
1977
Clipjoint (TV Movie) as
Alfred
1976
Carry on England as
Bombardier Ready
1975
Carry on Behind as
Ernie Bragg
1975
Carry on Laughing! (TV Series) as
Lord Peter Flimsy / Clodson / Sir Gay / ...
- Lamp-Posts of the Empire (1975) - Dick Darcy
- Who Needs Kitchener? (1975) - Clodson
- The Case of the Coughing Parrot (1975) - Lord Peter Flimsy
- Short Knight, Long Daze (1975) - Sir Gay
- And in My Lady's Chamber (1975) - Clodson
- The Case of the Screaming Winkles (1975) - Lord Peter Flimsy
- Under the Round Table (1975) - Sir Gay
- The Nine Old Cobblers (1975) - Lord Peter Flimsy
- One in the Eye for Harold (1975) - Ethelred
- Orgy and Bess (1975) - Master of the Rolls / Lord Essex
- The Sobbing Cavalier (1975) - Sir Jethro
- The Prisoner of Spenda (1975) - Colonel Yackoff
1975
Not on Your Nellie (TV Series) as
Stanley Pickersgill / Alf Pickersgill
- Called to the Bar (1975) - Stanley Pickersgill / Alf Pickersgill
- The French Correction (1975) - Stanley Pickersgill
- A-Haunting We Will Go (1975) - Stanley Pickersgill
- Be Prepared (1975) - Stanley Pickersgill
1974
Carry on Dick as
Sergeant Jock Strapp
1974
Des O'Connor Entertains (TV Series)
- Episode dated 12 March 1974 (1974)
1974
The Goodies (TV Series) as
Police Sergeant
- Goodies in the Nick (1974) - Police Sergeant
1973
The Bob Monkhouse Offensive (TV Movie)
1973
Carry on Christmas (TV Movie) as
2nd Singing Caveman / Crapper / 2nd German / ...
1973
The Sooty Show (TV Series)
- Episode #10.13 (1973)
- Episode #10.4 (1973)
1973
Carry on Girls as
William
1972
The Edwardians (TV Mini Series) as
Alfred
- The Reluctant Juggler (1972) - Alfred
1972
Carry on Christmas: Carry on Stuffing (TV Movie) as
Mr. Firkin / Adam / Ringworm the Butler / ...
1972
Carry on Abroad as
Harry
1972
Carry on Matron as
Twitching Father
1971
David Nixon's Magic Box (TV Series) as
Alf Ippititimus
- Episode #3.8 (1971) - Alf Ippititimus
1970
Kraft Music Hall Presents: The Des O'Connor Show (TV Series) as
Alf
- Episode dated 26 June 1971 (1971)
- Episode #7.6 (1970) - Alf
1970
The ITV Play (TV Series) as
Baron Stoneybroke
- Cinderella (1970) - Baron Stoneybroke
1965
The Bruce Forsyth Show (TV Series)
- Episode dated 11 June 1969 (1969)
- Pilot (1965)
1968
Don't Tell the Wife (TV Movie)
1966
The Ken Dodd Show (TV Series)
- Episode #4.8 (1966)
- Episode #4.3 (1966)
1966
David Nixon's Comedy Bandbox (TV Series) as
Guest. / Guest
- Episode #1.8 (1966) - Guest.
- Episode #1.7 (1966) - Guest
1965
The Des O'Connor Show (TV Series)
- Episode #2.1 (1965)
1964
Dave's Kingdom (TV Series) as
Various roles
- Episode #1.8 (1964) - Various roles
- Episode #1.7 (1964) - Various roles
- Episode #1.6 (1964) - Various roles
- Episode #1.3 (1964) - Various roles
- Episode #1.2 (1964) - Various roles
1962
The Arthur Haynes Show (TV Series)
- Episode #12.5 (1964)
- Episode #9.1 (1962)
1963
Kindly Leave the Stage (TV Movie)
1961
Nearly a Nasty Accident as
Balmer
1959
New Look (TV Series)
- Episode dated 12 March 1959 (1959)
- Episode dated 19 February 1959 (1959)
- Episode dated 29 January 1959 (1959)
Writer
1987
Tricks of the Trade (TV Series documentary) (based on an idea by - 10 episodes)
- Episode #1.10 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.9 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.8 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.7 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.6 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.5 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.4 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.3 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.2 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
- Episode #1.1 (1987) - (based on an idea by)
1968
Don't Tell the Wife (TV Movie) (additional material)
1963
Kindly Leave the Stage (TV Movie) (script)
1956
Crackerjack! (TV Series) (sketch - 1 episode)
- Episode #2.7 (1956) - (sketch)
1956
Bold Journey (TV Series) (creator)
Director
1990
A Tribute to Terry Thomas (TV Movie) (theatre director)
Producer
1957
Bold Journey (TV Series) (producer - 1 episode)
- Conquest of the Congo (1957) - (producer)
Soundtrack
2003
Rugrats Go Wild (producer: "Lizard Love")
Thanks
1996
Stop Messin' About!: The Very Best of Kenneth Williams (Video documentary) (special thanks)
Self
2005
Carry on Christmas Memories: Jack Douglas (Video documentary short) as
Self
2002
When Louis Met... Keith Harris & Orville in Panto (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
2000
The Unforgettable Sid James (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - Co-Star, Carry On Films
1980
This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- The Night of 1000 Lives (2000) - Self
- Barbara Windsor (1992) - Self
- Jack Douglas (1985) - Self
- Diane Keen (1982) - Self
- Michael Aspel (1980) - Self
1999
This Morning (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 27 May 1999 (1999) - Self
1998
What's a Carry On? (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - Interviewee / Various Characters
1998
Best of British (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Barbara Windsor (1998) - Self
1998
A Perfect Carry On (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1998
Carry on Darkly (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1996
Stop Messin' About!: The Very Best of Kenneth Williams (Video documentary) as
Self / Various
1996
The Very Best of Sid James (Video documentary) as
Self
1994
That's Showbusiness (TV Series) as
Self - Panelist
- Episode #6.20 (1994) - Self - Panelist
1990
A Tribute to Terry Thomas (TV Movie) as
Self (uncredited)
1987
Des O'Connor Tonight (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #11.6 (1987) - Self
1979
Blankety Blank (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #9.19 (1986) - Self
- Episode #5.2 (1982) - Self
- Episode #4.7 (1981) - Self
- Episode #3.10 (1980) - Self
- Episode #2.15 (1979) - Self
- Episode #2.2 (1979) - Self
- Episode #1.16 (1979) - Self
- Episode #1.3 (1979) - Self
1984
No 73 (TV Series) as
Self
- Variety (1984) - Self
1984
Surprise! Surprise! (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.4 (1984) - Self
1983
Family Fortunes (TV Series) as
Self
- Famous Family Fortunes (1983) - Self
1964
The Good Old Days (TV Series) as
Self - Performer
- Episode #30.3 (1982) - Self - Performer
- Episode #28.2 (1980) - Self - Performer
- Episode #19.11 (1971) - Self - Performer
- Episode #16.3 (1968) - Self - Performer
- Episode #15.3 (1967) - Self - Performer
- Episode #14.7 (1966) - Self - Performer
- Episode #13.9 (1965) - Self - Performer
- Episode #12.13 (1964) - Self - Performer
- Episode #12.5 (1964) - Self - Performer
1973
Looks Familiar (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- Episode dated 6 May 1982 (1982) - Self - Guest
- Episode dated 10 January 1980 (1980) - Self - Guest
- Episode #4.15 (1975) - Self - Guest
- Episode #4.11 (1974) - Self - Guest
- Episode #3.1 (1973) - Self - Guest
1982
3-2-1 (TV Series) as
Self - Guest Star
- Far East (1982) - Self - Guest Star
1981
Punchlines (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.7 (1981) - Self
- Episode #2.3 (1981) - Self
1980
Give Us a Clue (TV Series) as
Self - Panellist
- Episode #3.7 (1980) - Self - Panellist
1976
Those Wonderful TV Times (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 27 December 1977 (1977) - Self
- Episode #2.10 (1977) - Self
- Episode #1.3 (1976) - Self
1977
Seaside Special (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.12 (1977) - Self
1977
Whose Baby? (TV Series) as
Self - Panellist
- Episode dated 23 March 1977 (1977) - Self - Panellist
- Episode dated 16 March 1977 (1977) - Self - Panellist
1975
Celebrity Squares (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.27 (1977) - Self
- Episode #2.5 (1976) - Self
- Episode #1.3 (1975) - Self
1975
Look Who's Talking (TV Series) as
Self - Interviewee
- Jack Douglas (1975) - Self - Interviewee
1973
Sez Les (TV Series) as
Self - Christmas Guest
- That's Christmas Sez Les! (1973) - Self - Christmas Guest
1973
What a Carry On! (TV Movie documentary) as
Self / Various Characters
1973
The Coal Hole Club (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- Episode #1.7 (1973) - Self - Guest
1970
Jokers Wild (TV Series) as
Self / Self - Panellist
- Episode #8.16 (1973) - Self
- Episode #8.15 (1973) - Self
- Episode #8.2 (1972) - Self
- Episode #7.5 (1972) - Self
- Episode #5.1 (1971) - Self
- Episode #2.6 (1970) - Self - Panellist
- Episode #2.5 (1970) - Self - Panellist
1967
The Golden Shot (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #4.47 (1972) - Self
- Episode #3.67 (1971) - Self
- Episode #3.13 (1970) - Self
- Episode #1.24 (1967) - Self
1972
The David Nixon Show (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- Episode #1.1 (1972) - Self - Guest
1970
Kraft Music Hall Presents: The Des O'Connor Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 9 June 1971 (1971) - Self
- Phil Harris, Martha Raye, Jack Douglas, The MacGregor Brothers, Sandie Shaw (1970) - Self
- Episode #1.4 (1970) - Self
- Episode #1.2 (1970) - Self
1971
Anything You Can Do (TV Series) as
Self - Judge
- HTV v Grampian (1971) - Self - Judge
1969
Sandler and Young's Kraft Music Hall (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 19 October 1969 (1969) - Self
- Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Douglas, Norman Wisdom (1969) - Self
1969
The Roy Castle Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.6 (1969) - Self
- Episode #3.3 (1969) - Self
1969
Des O'Connor on Stage (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.4 (1969) - Self
1968
BBC Show of the Week (TV Series) as
Self
- The Cotton Club (1968) - Self
1966
Billy Cotton Band Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #17.12 (1968) - Self
- Episode #17.1 (1968) - Self
- Episode #15.2 (1966) - Self
1968
The Rolf Harris Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.12 (1968) - Self
1966
The Des O'Connor Show (TV Series) as
Self
1966
The London Palladium Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 22 January 1967 (1967) - Self
- Episode #1.10 (1966) - Self
1966
The Royal Variety Performance 1966 (TV Special) as
Self
1966
Chan Canasta (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #4.2 (1966) - Self
1964
Get the Message (TV Series) as
Self
- Jack Douglas/Selma Diamond/Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1964) - Self
1959
Saturday Spectacular (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 29 April 1961 (1961) - Self
- The Hugh O' Brien Show (1959) - Self
1958
New Look (TV Series) as
Self
- A Revue for Television (1959) - Self
- Christmas Edition (1958) - Self
1958
The Children's Television Caravan (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.4 (1958) - Self
1955
Crackerjack! (TV Series) as
Self / Self - Regular
1954
Show Case (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.1 (1954) - Self
Archive Footage
2005
Carry on Christmas Memories: Peter Rogers (Video documentary short) as
Various Characters
2005
Carry on Christmas Memories: Wendy Richard (Video documentary short) as
Various Characters
2002
Heroes of Comedy (TV Series documentary)
- Sidney James (2002)
1984
What a Carry On (TV Series) as
Bombardier Ready / William
- Episode #1.13 (1986) - Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.11 (1986) - Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.10 (1986) - William
- Episode #1.9 (1986) - Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.7 (1985) - Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.6 (1985) - William / Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.5 (1985) - Bombardier Ready / William
- Episode #1.4 (1984) - William
- Episode #1.3 (1984) - Bombardier Ready
- Episode #1.2 (1984) - William / Bombardier Ready
1983
Carry on Laughing's Christmas Classics (TV Special short) as
Various Characters
1981
Carry on Laughing (TV Series) as
Ernie Bragg / Sergeant Jock Strapp / Harry / ...
- Episode #1.13 (1981) - Harry / Ernie Bragg / William
- Episode #1.12 (1981) - Captain Jock Strapp
- Episode #1.9 (1981) - Ernie Bragg
- Episode #1.7 (1981) - Sergeant Jock Strapp
- Episode #1.6 (1981) - Sergeant Jock Strapp
- Episode #1.5 (1981) - Sergeant Jock Strapp
- Episode #1.3 (1981) - Sergeant Jock Strapp
- Episode #1.2 (1981) - Ernie Bragg
- Episode #1.1 (1981) - Harry / Ernie Bragg
1977
That's Carry On! as
Various Characters

References

Jack Douglas (actor) Wikipedia


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