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James Hayter

James Hayter

Known For Acting
Birthday Apr 23, 1907
Died Mar 27, 1983 (75)
Birthplace Lonavala, India
Popularity 0.3 (history)
Updated Jul 30, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

James Hayter (23 April 1907 – 27 March 1983) was a British actor. He was born in Lonavala, India, brought up in Scotland and died in Spain. His best remembered film roles include Friar Tuck in the 1952 film The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men and Samuel Pickwick in The Pickwick Papers of t ... he same year. His rotund appearance and fruity voice made him a natural choice for such roles. A pupil of Dollar Academy, he became a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, his film career began in 1936 in Sensation, but was interrupted by World War II during which he served in the Royal Armoured Corps. His later career included roles in TV series such as The Forsyte Saga (1967), The Onedin Line and Are You Being Served?. His 1946 television series Pinwright's Progress, shown on the BBC, is recognised as the first real example of the half-hour situation comedy format in the history of British television. He was also the original narrator of the UK television advertisements for Mr. Kipling cakes. In fact, these ads led to his departure from Are You Being Served?; the cake company paid him a significant bonus to withdraw from the series, as they felt his reputation lent an air of dignity to their snack advertisements. In the film Oliver!, he played Mr Jessop the book shop owner. He appeared in scenes when Dodger steals a gentleman's wallet outside the book shop and also when Oliver is in court charged with the robbery. Hayter used to have a tree house in his back garden where he would retire of an evening to learn and practise his lines from his current script. Description above from the Wikipedia article James Hayter, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

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Filmography

The Light Princess

The Light Princess

1978

as Owl (voice)

Burke & Hare

Burke & Hare

1972

as Dr. Selby

The Firechasers

The Firechasers

1971

as Inspector Herman

Not Tonight, Darling

Not Tonight, Darling

1971

as Mr. Finlay / grocer owner

The Blood on Satan's Claw

The Blood on Satan's Claw

1971

as Squire Middleton

The Horror of Frankenstein

The Horror of Frankenstein

1970

as Bailiff

Song of Norway

Song of Norway

1970

as Butler to Berg

David Copperfield

David Copperfield

1969

as Porter

Oliver!

Oliver!

1968

as Mr. Jessop

A Challenge for Robin Hood

A Challenge for Robin Hood

1967

as Friar Tuck

Cop-Out

Cop-Out

1967

as Harry Hawkins

Out of the Fog

Out of the Fog

1962

as Daniels

Go to Blazes

Go to Blazes

1962

as Pipe Smoker

Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

1962

as Sheik in Arab Council (uncredited)

The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps

1959

as Mr Memory

The Captain's Table

The Captain's Table

1959

as Earnshaw

The Big Money

The Big Money

1958

as Mr Frith

Gideon's Day

Gideon's Day

1958

as Robert Mason

I Was Monty's Double

I Was Monty's Double

1958

as Sgt. Adams

Gideon's Day

Gideon's Day

1958

as Mason

The Heart Within

The Heart Within

1957

as Grandfather Willard

Abandon Ship

Abandon Ship

1957

as 'Cookie' Morrow

Keep It Clean

Keep It Clean

1956

as Mr. Bouncenboy

It's a Wonderful World

It's a Wonderful World

1956

as Bert Fielding

Port Afrique

Port Afrique

1956

as Nino

Touch and Go

Touch and Go

1955

as Kimball

Land of the Pharaohs

Land of the Pharaohs

1955

as Mikka

The Awakening

The Awakening

1954

as The Chief

Beau Brummell

Beau Brummell

1954

as Mortimer

The Great Game

The Great Game

1953

as Joe Lawson

Four Sided Triangle

Four Sided Triangle

1953

as Dr. Harvey

Always a Bride

Always a Bride

1953

as Dutton

A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember

1953

as Fred Collins

Will Any Gentleman...?

Will Any Gentleman...?

1953

as Dr. Smith

The Pickwick Papers

The Pickwick Papers

1952

as Samuel Pickwick

I'm A Stranger

I'm A Stranger

1952

as Horatio Flowerdew

The Crimson Pirate

The Crimson Pirate

1952

as Prof. Prudence

Tom Brown's Schooldays

Tom Brown's Schooldays

1951

as Old Thomas

Flesh and Blood

Flesh and Blood

1951

as Sir Douglas Manley

Trio

Trio

1950

as Albert Foreman (segment "The Verger")

Waterfront

Waterfront

1950

as Ship's Captain

Your Witness

Your Witness

1950

as Prouty

Night and the City

Night and the City

1950

as Figler (uncredited)

The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon

1949

as Dr Murdock

All Over the Town

All Over the Town

1949

as Councillor Baines

Once a Jolly Swagman

Once a Jolly Swagman

1949

as Pa Fox

For Them That Trespass

For Them That Trespass

1949

as John Craigie 'Jocko' Glenn

Silent Dust

Silent Dust

1949

as Pringle

Dear Mr. Prohack

Dear Mr. Prohack

1949

as Carrell Quire

The Spider and the Fly

The Spider and the Fly

1949

as Mayor

Don't Ever Leave Me

Don't Ever Leave Me

1949

as Man with Summons

Passport to Pimlico

Passport to Pimlico

1949

as Commissionaire

Helter Skelter

Helter Skelter

1949

as Inn Landlord

A Song for Tomorrow

A Song for Tomorrow

1948

as Nicholas Klausmann

My Brother Jonathan

My Brother Jonathan

1948

as Tom Morse

No Room at the Inn

No Room at the Inn

1948

as Councilor Trouncer

The Fallen Idol

The Fallen Idol

1948

as Perry

Woman Hater

Woman Hater

1948

as Mr. Burrell

Vice Versa

Vice Versa

1948

as Bandmaster

Quartet

Quartet

1948

as Foreman of the Jury

Bonnie Prince Charlie

Bonnie Prince Charlie

1948

as Kingsburgh

The End of the River

The End of the River

1947

as Chico

The Mark of Cain

The Mark of Cain

1947

as Dr. White

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

1947

as Ned and Charles Cheeryble

The October Man

The October Man

1947

as Garage Man

Captain Boycott

Captain Boycott

1947

as Music Hall Comic (uncredited)

School for Secrets

School for Secrets

1946

as Warrant Officer

The Laughing Lady

The Laughing Lady

1946

as Ostler

Sailors Three

Sailors Three

1940

as Hans

Band Waggon

Band Waggon

1940

as (uncredited)

Murder in Soho

Murder in Soho

1939

as Nick Green

Come on George!

Come on George!

1939

as Barker

Big Fella

Big Fella

1938

as Chuck

The Moon in the Yellow River

The Moon in the Yellow River

1938

as Captain Potts

Marigold

Marigold

1938

as Peter Gloag

Aren't Men Beasts!

Aren't Men Beasts!

1937

as Minor Role

Sensation

Sensation

1936

as Jock

No data available

No data available

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

The Flaxton Boys

as Nathan

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Sep 21, 1969

The Onedin Line

as Captain Webster

Episodes: 10

First Aired: Oct 15, 1971

Are You Being Served?

as Mr. Tebbs

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Sep 08, 1972

The Avengers

as Ticket Collector

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 07, 1961

Fair Game

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 05, 1958

Father Brown

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 26, 1974

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 4 10 2
2024 7 10 19 2
2024 8 10 21 4
2024 9 6 10 2
2024 10 3 7 1
2024 11 2 3 1
2024 12 3 6 1
2025 1 5 10 2
2025 2 2 7 1
2025 3 2 4 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 1 2 0

Trending Rank


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