Robert Newton

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Robert Newton (born June 1, 1905 in Shaftesbury , Dorset , † March 25, 1956 in Beverly Hills , California ) was a British actor . He achieved fame primarily in pirate films such as Treasure Island from 1950 and has shaped the popular cultural image of the pirate with his representations to this day.

Life

family

Robert Newton's parents were the painter Algernon Newton, a member of the Royal Academy of Arts , and a writer . His great-grandfather was one of the founders of the Winsor & Newton Art-Supply Company. Like their father, his brother and one of his sisters also became painters. Sally, his daughter, emulated Robert Newton and, like her father, became an actress. His two sons also learned "decent" trades. His eldest son became a theater writer in London's posh West End and the younger son became a photojournalist .

Beginnings

After finishing school, which he spent in Lamorna , Cornwall , Robert Newton became assistant director at the Birmingham Repertory Company, where Barry Jackson , later knighted, was the first director. Within a few months he became a sought-after actor in Birmingham . He played in over 40 pieces during his time in Birmingham. One reason for his great success was probably the very good training at the Birmingham Repertory Company. In 1923 Newton went to South Africa to gain further experience. A year later, in 1924, on his return, he became director of a play in the West End in London. In 1928 one of the greats of the then London theater, Noël Coward , noticed that Robert Newton was very talented. Newton was sponsored by Coward and his career began. In 1931 Newton was the leading actor in Noël Coward's play Bitter Sweet . In the same year he was offered by his teacher to take over the production of Private Lies in New York . Newton accepted and moved to America .

In the summer of 1931 Robert Newton was hit by the Great Depression. The theater he was employed in had to close and Newton found himself on the street. Now he was trying to get to Hollywood . This also succeeded, but there Newton was not hired for any film. In the following time he worked as a rancher in Canada to keep himself halfway afloat. In 1932 Newton returned to London, where he again worked in the West End. He was able to open his own theater in Fulham , which he called the Schilling Theater, as the entrance fee was one shilling (10  cents ). This theater opened in 1933. The theater was a great success and earned Robert Newton a lot of recognition. In 1934 the theater closed and Newton went back to the West End, where he received numerous offers.

Success as a pirate

Probably Robert Newton's best-known role was that of Long John Silver in the legendary 1950s film adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic Treasure Island . There Newton played alongside the then child star Bobby Driscoll , who, like Robert Newton, would later fall victim to addiction to alcohol and other drugs .

Previously, Newton played in Reef Pirates ( Jamaica Inn ) in 1939 . Jamaica Inn was the film adaptation of the novel by Daphne du Maurier from 1936. In the film by Alfred Hitchcock , Robert Newton played a government agent who makes the coasts of Cornwall unsafe as a beach robber . Between 1939 and 1950, when Treasure Island was filmed, Robert Newton also starred in other well-known films. Directed by Laurence Olivier , he had a supporting role in 1944's classic V. Heinrich Three years later, Newton was for the lead role in Outcast ( Out One Odd ) on the side of James Mason engaged.

1948 also played a leading role as the unscrupulous criminal Bill Sikes in David Lean's film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist , in which Alec Guinness also participated.

1950 Robert Newton had reached the pinnacle of his career when he was in the adventure film The Treasure Island by Byron Haskin took over the lead role, the first feature film, the Walt Disney produced. The film is now considered an absolute Disney classic and is still often shown on television.

Last years

After the success of Treasure Island , Robert Newton initially only went downhill. He stopped getting good roles and many of his films flopped. Robert Newton became more and more addicted to alcohol . He had been a tolerant person in earlier years, but now the occasional alcohol consumption became an addiction. Robert Newton was not seen in films for two years after It always goes back and forth before he starred alongside David Niven in the 1956 film adaptation of Jules Verne's novel Journey around the Earth in 80 Days . In the 184-minute spectacle, he played the role of Mr. Fix, the detective who is supposed to arrest Phileas Fogg. Around the World in 80 Days was Robert Newton's last film. He died in the same year at the age of 50 as a result of many years of heavy alcohol consumption. As exact cause of death for his death in the luxury district Beverly Hills one has heart attack detected. His grave is in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery .

Awards

Filmography (selection)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Oliver Twist. In: Follow-me-now. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010 ; accessed on August 11, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Information on "Around the World in 80 Days"

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Newton, Robert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actor
DATE OF BIRTH June 1, 1905
PLACE OF BIRTH Shaftesbury (Dorset)
DATE OF DEATH March 25, 1956
Place of death Beverly Hills