Tony Britton Passes On

Tony Britton, who starred on such television shows as Robin's Nest and Don't Wait Up as well as such films as Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) and The Day of the Jackal (1973), died on December 22 2019 at the age of 95.

Tony Britton was born on June 9 1924 in Birmingham, Warwickshire. He attended Edgbaston Collegiate School in Birmingham and Thornbury Grammar School in Alveston, Gloucestershire. Upon leaving school he two amateur acting companies in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. At the same time he apprenticed as an estate agent and worked in an aircraft factory. He made his professional acting debut in the play Quiet Weekend at the Knightstone Pavilion Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.


During World War II he was drafted into the British Army and served in the Royal Artillery. He was demobilised in 1946 and joined the Liberty Theatre in Manchester for nine months and then moved to a repertory company in Edinburgh. In 1952 he had his breakthrough rough as the Pharaoh Ramses in The Firstborn at the Winter Garden in London. That same year, at the Edinburgh festival, he appeared in The Player King. Afterwards he had a two year stint at at Stratford-upon-Avon, after which he returned to the West End.

Tony Britton made his film debut in an uncredited role in Waterfront (1950). His first credited role came in 1952 in the film Salute the Toff. In the Fifties he appeared in the films Loser Takes All (1956), The Birthday Present (1957), Behind the Mask (1958), Operation Amsterdam (1959), The Heart of the Man (1959), The Rough and the Smooth (1959), Upgreen---And at 'Em (1960), Den sidste vinter (1960), and  Suspect (1960). He made his television debut in an episode of the TV series Back to Methuselah in 1952. He starred in the TV series The Other Man. He appeared on episodes of the shows BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, The World Our Stage, Television World Theatre, Saturday Playhouse, and World Theatre. He also appeared in several TV movies.

In the Sixties Mr. Britton starred on the TV series The Six Proud Walkers. He starred on in the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Colour mini-series The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. He appeared in mini-series Melissa. He guest starred on the TV shows Somerset Maugham Hour, ITV Television Playhouse, Armchair Theatre,. Comedy Playhouse, BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, Miss Adventure, ITV Play of the Week, The Saint, The Wednesday Play, Special Branch, Happily Ever After, and Kate. He appeared in the movies The Break (1962), Stork Talk (1962), and There's a Girl in My Soup (1970).

In the Seventies Tony Britton starred on the TV shows Father, Dear Father; The Nearly Man, and Robin's Nest. He appeared on the shows Ooh La La!, Marked Personal, And Mother Makes Five, Play for Today, Raffles, and Scorpion Tales. He appeared in the films Sunday, Bloody Sunday (1971), Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971), The Day of the Jackal (1973), Night Watch (1973), The People That Time Forgot (1977), and Agatha (1979).

In the Eighties Mr. Britton starred on the show Don't Wait Up He guest starred on the show Strangers and Brothers. In the Nineties he starred on the TV series Don't Tell Father. He appeared in the mini-series The Way We Live Now. In the Naughts he guest starred on My Dad's the Prime Minister, Doctors, The Royal, and Holby City. His final appearance was in the film Run for Your Wife (2012).