Jack Warner (actor)

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Jack Warner (center) with his wife and some friends at the Granville Hotel, Ramsgate

Jack Warner (born October 24, 1895 in London as Horace John Waters , † May 24, 1981 ibid) was a British actor.

life and career

Jack Warner was born under the name Horace John Waters. His sisters Elsie (1893–1990) and Doris (1904–1978) together formed the comedian duo "Gert and Daisy", which was particularly successful during the Second World War. He attended the Coopers' Company and Coborn School in Mile End . Jack Warner and his sisters also worked as choristers in a church during their childhood. During the First World War, he fought as a driver for the Royal Flying Corps and at times made a living as a car mechanic in Paris . Finally he turned to acting. Like his sisters, Warner began his career as an actor and cabaret artist in vaudeville and radio . During the Second World War he had a role in the famous radio show Garrison Theater . At the same time he made his film debut.

Despite being 48 years old when he made his film debut, he quickly became a popular actor. Between 1948 and 1953 he was voted one of the ten most popular British actors five times. He achieved great success with four light comedies about the Huggett family, which were written between 1948 and 1949. Even more frequently, however, he played the role of the righteous policeman in crime films, for example in the film The Quatermass Xperiment from Hammer Studios or in a supporting role as police chief in the black comedy Ladykillers , where he does not believe the stories of old Mrs. Wimmerforce, but she does nevertheless treated politely. He made a total of 36 films.

Warner's most famous role, however, was the dutiful and paternal police officer George Dixon, whom he played for the first time in the 1949 crime film The Blue Lamp . His character was shot in the film, but revived six years later for the television series Dixon of Dock Green . The series ran until 1976 with a total of 432 episodes. Warner played George Dixon until he was 80 and started every episode with the sentence: "Good Evening, All". The series aired on prime-time Saturday evenings, which is why Warner was known as "England's most famous cop." After the series ended, Warner still worked on the theater stage and as a cabaret artist.

In 1965 Warner was awarded the Order of the British Empire and eight years later he was made honorary citizenship of the City of London. Warner, who was married to Muriel Winifred from 1933 until his death, died of pneumonia in 1981 at the age of 85. Police officers from Paddington Green Police Station carried Warner's coffin to the funeral. He is buried in East London Cemetery.

Filmography (selection)

  • 1943: The Dummy Talks
  • 1946: The Captive Heart (The Captive Heart)
  • 1946: The Little Detectives (Hue and Cry)
  • 1947: The Perfect Murderer (Dear Murderer)
  • 1947: Have fun (Holiday Camp)
  • 1947: Escape from Scotland Yard (It Always Rains On Sunday)
  • 1948: Toto-Glück (Easy Money)
  • 1948: Against the Wind
  • 1948: The Man Without a Conscience (My Brother's Keeper)
  • 1948: Here Come the Huggetts
  • 1949: Vote for Huggett
  • 1949: The Huggetts Abroad
  • 1949: Train of Events
  • 1949: Boys in Brown
  • 1950: The Center Show (TV series)
  • 1950: The Blue Lamp
  • 1951: Talk of a Millian
  • 1951: Wolves in the Night (Valley of Eagles)
  • 1951: A Christmas Story (Scrooge)
  • 1952: The Monster of Killoon
  • 1952: Only five days (emergency call)
  • 1952: Meet Me Tonight
  • 1953: Those People Next Door
  • 1953: The Square Ring
  • 1953: Albert RN
  • 1954: The Final Test
  • 1954: Bang! You're dead!
  • 1954: Forbidden Cargo
  • 1955: Shock (The Quatermass Xperiment)
  • 1955: Ladykillers (The Ladykillers)
  • 1955–1976: Dixon of Dock Green (TV series, 432 episodes)
  • 1956: Now and Forever
  • 1956: Home and Away
  • 1958: Carve Her Name With Pride
  • 1962: Jigsaw
  • 1979: Dominique

literature

  • Jack Warner: Jack of All Trades: The Autobiography of Jack Warner. (1975). London: WH Allen. ISBN 0-491-01952-1
  • Susan Sydney-Smith: Beyond Dixon of Dock Green: Early British Police Series. (2002). London: IB Tauris. ISBN 1-86064-790-1

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Warner, Jack
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Waters, Horace John (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actor
DATE OF BIRTH October 24, 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH London
DATE OF DEATH May 24, 1981
Place of death London