Jack Watson (actor)

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.^[1]

Watson was born in Thorney, Cambridgeshire.^[2] He was the son of a Gaiety Girl, Barbara Hughes, and a music hall comedian, Nosmo King. Watson often appeared on stage with his father as straight man, where he was known simply as Hubert.^[3]

During the Second World War Watson was a physical training instructor in the Royal Navy, and his impressive bearing and powerful physique was much in evidence in many of his subsequent screen roles.

During the war Watson was resident compère of the BBC radio comedy The Navy Mixture.^[4] After the war, his talent as an impersonator resulted in his becoming a regular on BBC radio programmes such as Take it from Here, Hancock's Half Hour and The Clitheroe Kid.^[5][6] He gradually made the transition to television, where his first major role was in Coronation Street, in which he became Elsie Tanner's (Pat Phoenix) first lover.^[7] 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, 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.^[8] Other television roles included appearances in STV's Redgauntlet (1970) and BBC's The Changes (1975), that year 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 as the Labour MP James Godbolt in the award-winning Edge of Darkness (1985).

Watson appeared in over 70 films, including: On the Beat (1962) in which he played a police sergeant, Peeping Tom, This Sporting Life, Grand Prix, Tobruk, The McKenzie Break, The Devil's Brigade and The Wild Geese (1978), plus in the Music video of Intaferon - Steam Hammer Sam (published 1983).^[1][9]

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.

Watson died on 4 July 1999, aged 84, of blood cancer.

• Jack Watson at IMDb