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James Ottaway

May 02, 2024

William Cecil James Ottaway (25 July 1908 – 16 June 1999) was a British film, television and stage actor whose career spanned seven decades.[1]

James Ottaway

Family background edit

Born in 1908 in Chertsey in Surrey, Ottaway was the son of William Henry Ottaway, an enthusiastic amateur actor with the St Pancras People's Theatre and the Superintendent of the School of Handicrafts for Poor Boys in Chertsey, and his wife Mary Ellen, the School's Matron. Their oldest son was Andrew Kenneth Cosway Ottaway (1905-1980), a lecturer in Education at the University of Leeds. A younger son was Christopher Wyndham Ottaway (1910-1978), Research Professor of Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol from 1973 to 1975.

Early career and first theatre roles edit

James Ottaway graduated from Imperial College London in 1929 and became a teacher. However, having become interested in acting while appearing in amateur dramatics, he left teaching to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Leaving in 1937, he made his stage debut in The Island at the Q Theatre. Also in 1937 he appeared in an early television production, Capital Punishment, broadcast by the BBC from Alexandra Palace.[1]

Further theatre roles edit

He made his stage debut in 1937 as the Club Waiter in The Island at the Q Theatre, reprising the role at the Comedy Theatre in 1938. Later in 1937 Tyrone Guthrie, the director of The Old Vic, cast Ottaway as a Messenger alongside a young Laurence Olivier in the title role in Macbeth. Ottaway subsequently toured with the Old Vic company during 1940 and 1941.

After service in the British Army during World War II, Ottaway was demobbed in 1947 and resumed his theatrical career, playing Joseph Taft in Four Hours to Kill (Saville Theatre, 1948); Mr Wingate in Top of the Ladder (St James's Theatre, 1950); Dr Jadin in The Madwoman of Chaillot (St James's Theatre, 1951); Forshaw in His House in Order (New Theatre, 1951). From 1951 to 1955 he again appeared with Tyrone Guthrie and The Old Vic company, joining tours of South Africa in 1952 and Australia in 1955.

He acted for several seasons at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, playing Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1962, 1967); Sir Nathaniel in Love's Labour's Lost (1962); Dr Welling in Kill Two Birds (St Martin's Theatre, 1962); Verges in Much Ado About Nothing (1963); The Gentleman in The Devil May Care (Strand Theatre, 1963); in the pantomime The Man in the Moon with Charlie Drake (London Palladium, 1963); Murchison in The Waiting Game (Arts Theatre, 1966), and Chaucer in the musical The Canterbury Tales (Phoenix Theatre, 1968) and Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac (1967). Ottaway played four roles in A Voyage Round My Father at the Greenwich Theatre (1970), played Kemp in Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Royal Court Theatre, which later transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre (both 1975), and appeared as Polonius in Hamlet at the Thorndike Theatre in Leatherhead (1970).[1]

Television and film edit

His television appearances included The Soldier in Capital Punishment (1937); Peter in Romeo and Juliet (1947); Soldier in Edward II (1947); Mr Brudenell in The Devil's Disciple (1949); Cibber in Whirligig (1950); The Passing Show (1951); Rev. Ambrose Wistons in The Cathedral (1952); Sunday Night Theatre (1952); Bates in The Commonplace Heart (1953); Dr Pennington in Emergency – Ward 10 (1958); Second Doctor in The Blood Donor episode of Hancock's Half Hour (1961); Dr Cranston in The Saint (1963); Mr Roberts/Allan in No Hiding Place (1960-1965); Mr Martin/Frank Meek in Dixon of Dock Green (1956-1969); Thomas Anthem in The Fellows (Late of Room 17) (1967); Scrophulus in Up Pompeii! (1970); Mr. Stone, in the 'Ride, Ride' episode of Tales of Unease, (1970); Member of Parliament in Dad's Army (1972); Thompson in Softly, Softly: Taskforce (1973); Bill Chadwick in Follyfoot (1973); Maxie in The Changes (1975); Jack King in Z-Cars (1977); Uncle Billy in The Sweeney (1978); Dick Fawcett/Pub Customer in All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1988); Arthur in Quatermass (1979); George Taylor in The Gentle Touch (1980-1984); Percy/Vickery in Minder (1980-1991); Reverend Fulljames in Hi-de-Hi! (1983); Bob Hilton in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1984); Vicar in Shine on Harvey Moon (1984); Mr Light in Grange Hill (1985); three different roles in Casualty (1987-1993); Mr North in Boon (1988); Mr Russell in Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989); Mr Oxley in Keeping Up Appearances (1990); Mourner in The Widowmaker (1990); Mr Burwash in Jeeves and Wooster (1993); Jack Coverly in Pie in the Sky (1995); Mr Adams in A Touch of Frost (1995); Mr Wellington in As Time Goes By (1998); and three different roles in The Bill (1992-1998).

Film appearances included Johnson in In the Wake of a Stranger (1959); Grandad in That'll Be the Day (1973); Father Matthews in Absolution 1978) and Commissionaire in The Long Good Friday (1980), as well as appearing in Room 43 (1958), The Man Who Liked Funerals (1959) and Rahn in The Man Who Finally Died (1962).[1]

Personal life edit

Ottaway first met his wife Anne Pichon when they were both members of the St Pancras People's Theatre, but they did not marry until 1965 after meeting again later in life. One nephew, Sir Richard Ottaway, was the Conservative MP for Croydon South, while another, Mark Ottaway, was chief travel writer on The Sunday Times.

James Ottaway died on 16 June 1999 in London at the age of 90.

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
1958 Passport to Shame Assistant Registrar
1959 The Man Who Liked Funerals Butler
1959 In the Wake of a Stranger Johnson
1963 The Man Who Finally Died Rahn-Hotel Manager Uncredited
1965 You Must Be Joking! Army Officer Uncredited
1968 Inadmissible Evidence Watson's Guest
1973 That'll Be the Day Granddad
1978 Absolution Father Matthews
1979 The Quatermass Conclusion Arthur
1980 The Long Good Friday Commissionaire

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Ottaway's obituary in The Independent - 7 July 1999

External links edit

  • James Ottaway at IMDb

May 02, 2024
james, ottaway, william, cecil, july, 1908, june, 1999, british, film, television, stage, actor, whose, career, spanned, seven, decades, contents, family, background, early, career, first, theatre, roles, further, theatre, roles, television, film, personal, li. William Cecil James Ottaway 25 July 1908 16 June 1999 was a British film television and stage actor whose career spanned seven decades 1 James Ottaway Contents 1 Family background 2 Early career and first theatre roles 3 Further theatre roles 4 Television and film 5 Personal life 6 Filmography 7 References 8 External linksFamily background editBorn in 1908 in Chertsey in Surrey Ottaway was the son of William Henry Ottaway an enthusiastic amateur actor with the St Pancras People s Theatre and the Superintendent of the School of Handicrafts for Poor Boys in Chertsey and his wife Mary Ellen the School s Matron Their oldest son was Andrew Kenneth Cosway Ottaway 1905 1980 a lecturer in Education at the University of Leeds A younger son was Christopher Wyndham Ottaway 1910 1978 Research Professor of Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol from 1973 to 1975 Early career and first theatre roles editJames Ottaway graduated from Imperial College London in 1929 and became a teacher However having become interested in acting while appearing in amateur dramatics he left teaching to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama Leaving in 1937 he made his stage debut in The Island at the Q Theatre Also in 1937 he appeared in an early television production Capital Punishment broadcast by the BBC from Alexandra Palace 1 Further theatre roles editHe made his stage debut in 1937 as the Club Waiter in The Island at the Q Theatre reprising the role at the Comedy Theatre in 1938 Later in 1937 Tyrone Guthrie the director of The Old Vic cast Ottaway as a Messenger alongside a young Laurence Olivier in the title role in Macbeth Ottaway subsequently toured with the Old Vic company during 1940 and 1941 After service in the British Army during World War II Ottaway was demobbed in 1947 and resumed his theatrical career playing Joseph Taft in Four Hours to Kill Saville Theatre 1948 Mr Wingate in Top of the Ladder St James s Theatre 1950 Dr Jadin in The Madwoman of Chaillot St James s Theatre 1951 Forshaw in His House in Order New Theatre 1951 From 1951 to 1955 he again appeared with Tyrone Guthrie and The Old Vic company joining tours of South Africa in 1952 and Australia in 1955 He acted for several seasons at the Open Air Theatre Regent s Park playing Quince in A Midsummer Night s Dream 1962 1967 Sir Nathaniel in Love s Labour s Lost 1962 Dr Welling in Kill Two Birds St Martin s Theatre 1962 Verges in Much Ado About Nothing 1963 The Gentleman in The Devil May Care Strand Theatre 1963 in the pantomime The Man in the Moon with Charlie Drake London Palladium 1963 Murchison in The Waiting Game Arts Theatre 1966 and Chaucer in the musical The Canterbury Tales Phoenix Theatre 1968 and Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac 1967 Ottaway played four roles in A Voyage Round My Father at the Greenwich Theatre 1970 played Kemp in Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Royal Court Theatre which later transferred to the Duke of York s Theatre both 1975 and appeared as Polonius in Hamlet at the Thorndike Theatre in Leatherhead 1970 1 Television and film editHis television appearances included The Soldier in Capital Punishment 1937 Peter in Romeo and Juliet 1947 Soldier in Edward II 1947 Mr Brudenell in The Devil s Disciple 1949 Cibber in Whirligig 1950 The Passing Show 1951 Rev Ambrose Wistons in The Cathedral 1952 Sunday Night Theatre 1952 Bates in The Commonplace Heart 1953 Dr Pennington in Emergency Ward 10 1958 Second Doctor in The Blood Donor episode of Hancock s Half Hour 1961 Dr Cranston in The Saint 1963 Mr Roberts Allan in No Hiding Place 1960 1965 Mr Martin Frank Meek in Dixon of Dock Green 1956 1969 Thomas Anthem in The Fellows Late of Room 17 1967 Scrophulus in Up Pompeii 1970 Mr Stone in the Ride Ride episode of Tales of Unease 1970 Member of Parliament in Dad s Army 1972 Thompson in Softly Softly Taskforce 1973 Bill Chadwick in Follyfoot 1973 Maxie in The Changes 1975 Jack King in Z Cars 1977 Uncle Billy in The Sweeney 1978 Dick Fawcett Pub Customer in All Creatures Great and Small 1978 1988 Arthur in Quatermass 1979 George Taylor in The Gentle Touch 1980 1984 Percy Vickery in Minder 1980 1991 Reverend Fulljames in Hi de Hi 1983 Bob Hilton in Auf Wiedersehen Pet 1984 Vicar in Shine on Harvey Moon 1984 Mr Light in Grange Hill 1985 three different roles in Casualty 1987 1993 Mr North in Boon 1988 Mr Russell in Agatha Christie s Poirot 1989 Mr Oxley in Keeping Up Appearances 1990 Mourner in The Widowmaker 1990 Mr Burwash in Jeeves and Wooster 1993 Jack Coverly in Pie in the Sky 1995 Mr Adams in A Touch of Frost 1995 Mr Wellington in As Time Goes By 1998 and three different roles in The Bill 1992 1998 Film appearances included Johnson in In the Wake of a Stranger 1959 Grandad in That ll Be the Day 1973 Father Matthews in Absolution 1978 and Commissionaire in The Long Good Friday 1980 as well as appearing in Room 43 1958 The Man Who Liked Funerals 1959 and Rahn in The Man Who Finally Died 1962 1 Personal life editOttaway first met his wife Anne Pichon when they were both members of the St Pancras People s Theatre but they did not marry until 1965 after meeting again later in life One nephew Sir Richard Ottaway was the Conservative MP for Croydon South while another Mark Ottaway was chief travel writer on The Sunday Times James Ottaway died on 16 June 1999 in London at the age of 90 Filmography editYear Title Role Notes 1958 Passport to Shame Assistant Registrar 1959 The Man Who Liked Funerals Butler 1959 In the Wake of a Stranger Johnson 1963 The Man Who Finally Died Rahn Hotel Manager Uncredited 1965 You Must Be Joking Army Officer Uncredited 1968 Inadmissible Evidence Watson s Guest 1973 That ll Be the Day Granddad 1978 Absolution Father Matthews 1979 The Quatermass Conclusion Arthur 1980 The Long Good Friday CommissionaireReferences edit a b c d Ottaway s obituary in The Independent 7 July 1999External links editJames Ottaway at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Ottaway amp oldid 1189515329, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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