Peter Jones (actor)

2022-06-26T10:04:54Z

2A00:23C8:8E90:AE01:8458:983:E499:236E: /* Personal life and death */Non-notable

{{Short description|English actor}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| occupation = Actor, screenwriter, broadcaster
| name = Peter Jones
| image = PeterJones.jpg
| image_size = 150px
| birth_name = Peter Geoffrey Francis Jones
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|6|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Wem]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|4|10|1920|6|12|df=y}}
| death_place = [[London]], England
| other_names =
| years_active = 1936–2000
| spouse = {{Nowrap|Jeri Sauvinet (? – 1999) (her death)}}
| children = 3
}}

'''Peter Geoffrey Francis Jones''' (12 June 1920 – 10 April 2000)<ref name="Stevens">{{cite book
|last= Stevens
|first= Christopher
|title= Born Brilliant: The Life of Kenneth Williams
|publisher= John Murray
|year= 2010
|isbn = 1-84854-195-3
|page=407
}}</ref> was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster.

==Early life and early career==
Peter Jones, born in [[Wem]], [[Shropshire]],<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|title=Peter Jones|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/apr/11/guardianobituaries1|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|author=Dennis Barker|author-link=Dennis Barker|access-date=2014-01-21|date=2000-04-11}}</ref><ref>GRO Register of Births: JUN 1920 6a(?) 1433(?) WEM – Peter G. F. Jones, mmn = Francis</ref> was educated at [[Thomas Adams School|Wem Grammar School]] and [[Ellesmere College]], making his first appearance as an actor in [[Wolverhampton]] at the age of 16 and then appeared in repertory theatre in [[East Anglia]]. In 1942 he acted on the West End stage in ''[[The Doctor's Dilemma (play)|The Doctor's Dilemma]]'' and in 1942 he made an uncredited film appearance in ''[[Fanny by Gaslight (film)|Fanny by Gaslight]]''. An early film credit was as a Xenobian trade delegate in ''[[Chance of a Lifetime (1950 film)|Chance of a Lifetime]]'' (1950).

He appeared in the 1949 comedy ''[[Love in Albania]]'' by [[Eric Linklater]]. He co-wrote the 1954 play ''[[The Party Spirit]]'' which ran in the West End with [[Ralph Lynn]] and [[Robertson Hare]].

==Radio==
Between 1952 and 1955 Jones starred alongside [[Peter Ustinov]] in the BBC radio comedy ''In All Directions''. The show featured Jones and Ustinov as themselves in a car in London perpetually searching for Copthorne Avenue. The comedy derived from the characters they met along the way, often also played by themselves. The show was unusual for the time in that it was largely improvised—with the tape subsequently edited for broadcast by [[Frank Muir]] and [[Denis Norden]], who also sometimes took part. Two of the more popular characters were Morris and Dudley Grosvenor, two rather stupid [[East End of London|East End]] [[spiv]]s whose sketches always ended with the phrase "Run for it Dudley" (or Morry as appropriate). Three recordings survive in the [[BBC Sound Archive]]. The Grosvenor character was revived for a later radio series ''We're in Business'', co-starring [[Harry Worth]]. Another notable radio role was as [[Mervyn Bunter]] in the [[Lord Peter Wimsey (radio series)|BBC Radio 4 adaptations]] of [[Dorothy L. Sayers]]' [[Lord Peter Wimsey]] stories. He was for 29 years a regular contestant on the panel game ''[[Just A Minute]]'', becoming much-loved for his dry, acid wit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/708353.stm|title=ENTERTAINMENT | Comedy veteran Peter Jones dies|publisher=BBC News|date=10 April 2000|access-date=2012-06-11}}</ref>

He was the voice of [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (fictional)|The Book]] in [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series)|the original radio series]] of [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''. The creators had wanted someone with a "Peter Jonesy sort of voice" and after several rejections asked Jones himself.<ref name="AdamsPerkins1987">{{cite book|last1=Adams|first1=Douglas|last2=Perkins|first2=Geoffrey|title=The original Hitchhiker radio scripts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpkgAQAAIAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Harmony Books|isbn=978-0-517-55950-5|page=32}}</ref> He reprised the role for [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#LP album adaptations|the LP]] and [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (TV series)|the TV series]]. Jones narrated Douglas Adams's later radio series ''[[Last Chance to See]]'', in a style similar to the earlier series.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Following his death, clips of the actor were used for a third radio show known as the "Tertiary Phase". The clips were electronically distorted, and the reason was given that the Book was undergoing an upgrade which caused its voice to change.

Jones had a role in Patrick Barlow's ''[[The Patrick and Maureen Maybe Music Experience]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

He wrote and narrated ''J Kingston Platt's Showbiz Handbook'' in the 1980s for BBC Radio 4. These comic monologues are the fictional memoirs of an actor and producer working in British theatre and film from the 1940s to the 1980s; the stories being partially based on his own career.<ref>According to the BBC website, there were two series, in 1986 (10 episodes) and 1993 (five episodes). The programmes are regularly re-broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4 Extra]], and a selection of six episodes is available as an audiobook ({{cite web|url=http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fiction/J-Kingston-Platt-Audiobook/B004EW2VFW|title=J. Kingston Platt: The Unexpurgated Memoirs of a Showbiz Phenomenon|publisher=Audible|access-date=2020-08-23}}).</ref>

Jones starred as the lead character Julius Hutch, in two series of four episodes of ''Risk Capital'' in 1995 and 1997 for BBC Radio 4.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

==Television==

On television, Jones was best known for his lead role as Mr Fenner in the comedy series ''[[The Rag Trade]]'' (BBC TV 1961–63, LWT 1977–78), but he also had acting roles in the British comedy series ''[[Beggar My Neighbour (TV series)|Beggar My Neighbour]]'', ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]'', the courtroom drama ''[[Rumpole of the Bailey]]'', ''[[Holby City]]'', ''[[Whoops Apocalypse]]'', ''[[The Bill]]'', ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'', ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' and two episodes of ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''.

He also starred in the filmed comedy series ''[[From a Bird's Eye View]]'' (1970), a vehicle for [[Millicent Martin]], in an attempt to break into the American market. He also appeared as Maurice Morris in Season 5 (Episode 3) of the British comedy series ''[[Man About The House]]'' (1975).

From 1969 to 1971, Jones starred opposite [[Sheila Hancock]] in a sitcom (for ITV, by [[Yorkshire Television#Comedy/Sitcom|Yorkshire Television]]) called ''[[Mr. Digby Darling|Mr Digby, Darling]]'', lasting for three series (and 19 episodes). An occasional scriptwriter, Jones co-wrote and starred in the sitcom ''Mr Big'' (1977), with [[Ian Lavender]], [[Prunella Scales]] and [[Carol Hawkins]].<ref name="Stevens"/>

He did various other television work, including starring in the 1984 ITV sitcom ''I Thought You'd Gone'' with [[Pat Heywood]].<ref>{{cite web|title=I Thought You'd Gone (1984)|website=bfi.org|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b887d02c8|access-date=4 March 2020}}</ref> He also appeared as former [[Detective Inspector]] Henry Keys in the 1994 ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' episode ''[[List of Minder episodes#Series 10|The Great Depression of 1994]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0648710/fullcredits|title="Minder" The Great Depression of 1994 (TV Episode 1994) – IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> One of his last broadcasts before his death was narrating the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' documentary ''Adventures in Space and Time''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Doctor Who: Adventures in Space and Time (1999)|website=bfi.org|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b83e9aa98|access-date=4 March 2020}}</ref>

==Film==
Jones featured in a number of films, including ''[[Private's Progress]]'' (1956), ''[[School for Scoundrels (1960 film)|School for Scoundrels]]'' (1960, reprising his Dudley Grosvenor character as a used-car salesman with [[Dennis Price]]), ''[[Just like a Woman (1967 film)|Just like a Woman]]'' (1967) alongside [[Wendy Craig]], ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' (1975) and ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'' (1981).

==Personal life and death==
Jones died of natural causes, aged 79, in 2000 at [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], [[London]].<ref>GRO Register of Deaths: APR 2000 A43C 263 WESTMINSTER – Peter Geoffrey F Jones, DoB = 12 Jun 1920, aged 79</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/2615|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116092756/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/2615|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-16|title=Peter Jones profile|website=[[British Film Institute|BFI]]|access-date=2014-01-21}}</ref> His wife, Jeri Sauvinet, was an American theatre actress who pre-deceased him in 1999.<ref name="Guardian"/> She played Miss Rufford in ''[[Lady Windermere's Fan]]'', the comedy play by [[Oscar Wilde]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/Whos_who/3574/36007/Lady-Windermeres-Fan|title=Inside the Playbill: Lady Windermere's Fan – November 25, 1946 at Cort Theatre|website=[[Playbill]]|page=2|access-date=2014-01-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202203844/http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/Whos_who/3574/36007/Lady-Windermeres-Fan|archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref> They had three children together; a daughter, Selena, and two sons Charles and [[Bill Dare|Bill]].

==Selected filmography==
{{div col}}
* ''[[Fanny by Gaslight (film)|Fanny by Gaslight]]'' (1944) – Young Client At 'The Shades' (uncredited)
* ''[[Dead of Night]]'' (1945) – Fred – Barman (segment "Golfing Story") (uncredited)
* ''[[I See a Dark Stranger]]'' (1946) – Soldier in Pub (uncredited)
* ''[[Vice Versa (1948 film)|Vice Versa]]'' (1948) – Chawner
* ''[[Forbidden (1949 film)|Forbidden]]'' (1949) – Pete
* ''[[Private Angelo (film)|Private Angelo]]'' (1949) – (uncredited)
* ''[[Chance of a Lifetime (1950 film)|Chance of a Lifetime]]'' (1950) – Xenobian
* ''[[Last Holiday (1950 film)|Last Holiday]]'' – Travel Agent (uncredited)
* ''[[Cairo Road (film)|Cairo Road]]'' (1950) – Ship's Lieutenant
* ''[[The Franchise Affair (film)|The Franchise Affair]]'' (1951) – Bernard Chadwick
* ''[[The Browning Version (1951 film)|The Browning Version]]'' (1951) – Carstairs
* ''[[Home to Danger]]'' (1951) – Lips Leonard
* ''[[High Treason (1951 film)|High Treason]]'' (1951) – Announcer at Music Club (uncredited)
* ''[[The Magic Box]]'' (1951)<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043769/releaseinfo Release date for The Magic Box], in IMDb.</ref> – Industry Man
* ''[[Angels One Five]]'' (1952) – Sentry
* ''[[Time Gentlemen, Please!]]'' (1952) – Lionel Batts
* ''[[24 Hours of a Woman's Life]]'' (1952) – Bill
* ''[[Miss Robin Hood]]'' (1952) – Cyril Lidstone
* ''[[The Long Memory]]'' (1952) – Fisher
* ''[[The Yellow Balloon (film)|The Yellow Balloon]]'' (1953) – Spiv
* ''[[Innocents in Paris]]'' (1953) – Langton
* ''[[The Good Beginning]]'' (1953) – Furrier
* ''[[A Day to Remember (1953 film)|A Day to Remember]]'' (1953) – Percy Goodall
* ''[[Albert R.N.]]'' (1953) – Schoolie
* ''[[For Better, for Worse (1954 film)|For Better, for Worse]]'' (1954) – Car Salesman
* ''[[John and Julie]]'' (1955) – Jeremy
* ''[[On Such a Night (1956 film)|On Such a Night]]'' (1955) – 2nd gentleman
* ''[[Private's Progress]]'' (1956) – Arthur Egan
* ''[[Charley Moon]]'' (1956) – Stewart
* ''[[Blue Murder at St Trinian's]]'' (1957) – Prestwick
* ''[[Danger Within]]'' (1959) – Capt. Alfred Piker
* ''[[Operation Bullshine]]'' (1959) – Gunner Perkins
* ''[[School for Scoundrels (1960 film)|School for Scoundrels]]'' (1960) – Dudley
* ''[[Never Let Go]]'' (1960) – Alec Berger
* ''[[The Bulldog Breed]]'' (1960) – Diving Instructor
* ''[[Nearly a Nasty Accident]]'' (1961) – Flight Lt. Winters
* ''[[Romanoff and Juliet (1961 film)|Romanoff and Juliet]]'' (1961) – Otto
* ''[[A Stitch in Time (film)|A Stitch in Time]]'' (1963) – Capt. Russell, St. John's Ambulance Brigade
* ''[[Father Came Too!]]'' (1964) – Charles II
* ''[[The Sandwich Man (1966 film)|The Sandwich Man]]'' (1966) – Manfred the Magnificent – Escapologist
* ''[[Press for Time]]'' (1966) – Robin Willobey (photographer)
* ''[[Just like a Woman (1967 film)|Just like a Woman]]'' (1967) – Saul Alexander
* ''[[Smashing Time]]'' (1967) – Dominic
* ''[[Carry On Doctor]]'' (1967) – Chaplain
* ''[[Hot Millions]]'' (1968) – Prison Governor (uncredited)
* ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' (1975) – Psychiatrist
* ''[[Confessions of a Pop Performer]]'' (1975) – Maxy Naus
* ''[[Seven Nights in Japan]]'' (1976) – Capt. Balcon
* ''[[Carry On England]]'' (1976) – Brigadier
* ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'' (1981) – Leonard Mullen
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0429012|name=Peter Jones}}
* {{Screenonline name|572305}}
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000412/ai_n14299823/ ''Obituary'' by Denis Gifford, ''The Independent'', 12 April 2000]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/apr/11/guardianobituaries1/ ''Obituary'' by Dennis Barker, ''The Guardian'', 11 April 2000]
*{{Find a Grave|21000|Peter Jones}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Peter}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Wem]]
[[Category:People educated at Ellesmere College]]
[[Category:People educated at Wem Grammar School]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male radio actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English male voice actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]

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Peter Jones (actor)