David Jason | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jason in 2012 | |
| Born | David John White (1940-02-02)2 February 1940 (age 85) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Partner | Myfanwy Talog (1977–1995; her death)[2] |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Arthur White (brother) |
Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940[3][4]), known professionally asDavid Jason, is an English actor. He has playedDerek "Del Boy" Trotter in the sitcomOnly Fools and Horses, Detective InspectorJack Frost in the drama seriesA Touch of Frost,Granville in the sitcomsOpen All Hours andStill Open All Hours, and Pop Larkin in the comedy drama seriesThe Darling Buds of May, as well as voicing several cartoon characters, includingMr. Toad inThe Wind in the Willows, theBFG in the1989 film of the same name, and the title characters ofDanger Mouse andCount Duckula.
In September 2006, Jason had topped the poll to findTV's 50 Greatest Stars, as part ofITV's50th anniversary celebrations.[5] He wasknighted in 2005 for services to acting and comedy. Jason has won fourBritish Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs), (1988, 1991, 1997, 2003), fourBritish Comedy Awards (1990, 1992, 1997, 2001) and sevenNational Television Awards (1996 twice, 1997, 2001 twice, 2002 and 2011).
Jason's father, Arthur Robert White, was a porter atBillingsgate Fish Market, and his mother, Olwen Jones, was fromMerthyr Tydfil,Glamorgan, Wales, and worked as acharwoman. She gave birth to twin boys atNorth Middlesex Hospital inEdmonton, London, on 2 February 1940, but Jason's twin brother died during childbirth, and making him atwinless twin. He chose the stage name Jason because he likedJason and the Argonauts, as the stage name "David White" was already taken, and not in tribute to his dead twin as has sometimes been claimed.[6]
Jason lived at Lodge Lane,North Finchley, and attended Northfield Secondary Modern school after failing the11-plus in 1951.[7] Upon leaving school, Jason wanted to be an actor, influenced by his elder brother (Arthur White), but their father advised that he first learn a trade. He trained as anelectrician for six years, before retiring and becoming a struggling actor.
Jason's elder brother is the actorArthur White, born in 1933. The two appeared together in the crime dramaA Touch of Frost, with Arthur playing police archivist Ernie Trigg; and again in 2008, in thecomic fantasyThe Colour of Magic, where Arthur played a character called "Rerpf". He also appeared briefly with his brother in two episodes ofThe Darling Buds of May.
When Jason was 15, he spent a year working as a mechanic's assistant. When he turned 16, he was eligible to register for an apprenticeship, but decided against it.[8]
Jason started his television career in the made-for-TV filmMother Goose (1965). He played Bert Bradshaw inCrossroads in 1966. In the following year, he played spoof super-heroCaptain Fantastic, among other roles, in the children's comedy seriesDo Not Adjust Your Set (Rediffusion London/ITV) withEric Idle,Terry Jones,Denise Coffey, andMichael Palin.Humphrey Barclay, who recruited Jason to appear inDo Not Adjust Your Set (partly to counter the morehighbrow style of Idle, Jones, and Palin),[9] admired his sense of timing. The programme ended in 1969, and the character then appeared for a time in theThames Television children's programmeMagpie. Jason appeared in the BBC comedy seriesHugh and I in 1967, which starredHugh Lloyd andTerry Scott as two friends who lived together inSouth London. He appeared in theRandall and Hopkirk (Deceased) episode "That's How Murder Snowballs" (1969) as Abel, a framed performer in a major London theatre.
In 1968, Jason was initially cast in the role ofLance Corporal Jones in theJimmy Perry andDavid Croft BBC comedyDad's Army. Croft had been very impressed with Jason and believed that he had the talent to play a man much older than his real age (though he was only 28 at the time) but BBC executiveBill Cotton overruled him, castingClive Dunn because he was better known. According to Jason, "I was cast at 12 o'clock and sacked by three."[10] Jason also missed out on the starring role of Frank Spencer inSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em in 1973 because BBC executives at the time believed that he lacked "star quality".[11]
In the 1970s, he also acted in radio comedies, including the weekly topicalsatireWeek Ending (in which he regularly played such figures as then UK Foreign SecretaryDr David Owen) andThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (as the "B Ark Captain" in the sixth episode). Jason also appeared inThe Next Programme Follows Almost Immediately and made appearances on panel games such asThe Impressionists as well as his own series,The Jason Explanation. In the early 1970s, he appeared inMostly Monkhouse.
Jason appeared on stage in theWest End in thefarceNo Sex Please, We're British playing Brian Runnicles for 18 months in 1973. He also starred with Valerie Leon in a stage comedy "Darling Mr London" which toured in 1975.
Jason appeared in variety shows as the supporting act ofDick Emery and his performances caught the attention ofRonnie Barker. Jason was recruited to appear inHark at Barker (LWT, 1969), starring opposite Barker's Lord Rustless, as Dithers, the 100-year old gardener. There was also a sequel,His Lordship Entertains (1972) for theBBC. Jason playedidealistic employeeGranville in the first programme of the comedy anthologySeven of One (1973), calledOpen All Hours (BBC) and starring Barker as the curmudgeonly proprietor of a corner shop.
Four series ofOpen All Hours were made from 1976 to 1985. He featured in Barker'sPorridge (BBC), a prison comedy, as the elderlyBlanco in three episodes. Jason also appeared with Barker in various disguises inThe Two Ronnies, including providing the "raspberry" sound effect forThe Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.
Jason starred inLondon Weekend Television'sLucky Feller (1975–76), written byTerence Frisby and produced byHumphrey Barclay. About two brothers in south-east London, the series was in many ways a forerunner toOnly Fools And Horses.[12] He played the lead role of Peter Barnes in theATV sitcomA Sharp Intake of Breath (1977–81), alongsideAlun Armstrong andRichard Wilson. In 1979, he appeared asButtons in thepantomimeCinderella atNewcastle'sTheatre Royal, starring Leah Bell andBobby Thompson, produced by Michael Grayson and directed by John Blackmore.
In the 1980s, Jason developed a working partnership withCosgrove Hall, and was avoice-over artist for a number of children's television productions. This included voices forDanger Mouse,The BFG,Count Duckula, Hugo fromVictor and Hugo, and Toad fromThe Wind in the Willows, all produced by Cosgrove Hall forThames Television/ITV. He provided the voice of Father Christmas inFather Christmas and the Missing Reindeer, Rola Polar inThe Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey,Angelmouse, and did voices in animated films includingWombling Free andThe Water Babies.[13]
In 1981, Jason was cast asDel Boy Trotter in the BBC situation comedyOnly Fools and Horses, created byJohn Sullivan. Del is awide boy who makes a dishonest living inPeckham, south London, trading in broken, stolen, andcounterfeit goods. He is assisted by his brother Rodney (played byNicholas Lyndhurst) andGrandad (played byLennard Pearce) and, in later episodes, Uncle Albert (played byBuster Merryfield).
In 1989, Jason starred as Ted Simcock in the ITV drama seriesA Bit of a Do, aired from January to December.
In 1999, Jason starred as CaptainFrank Beck in BBC's feature-length dramaAll the King's Men about the Sandringham regiment lost inWorld War I. He earned acclaim for a string of serious roles. These includeSkullion inPorterhouse Blue (forChannel 4), Sidney "Pop" Larkin in the rural idyllThe Darling Buds of May (Yorkshire Television/ITV), based on theH. E. Bates novel, which also featuredCatherine Zeta-Jones.
In 1992, he signed agolden handcuffs deal with ITV to star asDetective Inspector Jack Frost in the long-running TV seriesA Touch of Frost (Yorkshire Television/ITV). In September 2006, he was voted by the general public as No. 1 in ITV's poll ofTV's Greatest Stars.[14] In December 2006, he starred inTerry Pratchett's Hogfather onSky1 asAlbert. In early 2007, he starred inDiamond Geezer (Granada Television/ITV). This series ran for 3 episodes of 90 minutes each. There was a pilot in 2005. In March 2008, he starred asRincewind inTerry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic, and in the two part ITV dramaGhostboat.
On 16 September 2008, Jason announced that he would step down from his role as Jack Frost after 16 years.[15] Three new episodes of the show were shown in autumn 2008, and were followed by a two-part finale in 2010. Approached byBBC1 controllerDanny Cohen in early 2011, he read three scripts and agreed to shoot a pilot forThe Royal Bodyguard, which was shown at theEdinburgh Film Festival. The pilot episode aired on the BBC onBoxing Day but received a poor critical response. The series was axed after six episodes. In 2010, Jason starred in a made-for-TV movieCome Rain Come Shine withAlison Steadman forITV about an elderlyMillwall supporter.[16]
Since 2013, he has starred inStill Open All Hours. It features many original cast members (and a portrait ofRonnie Barker asArkwright) and is still written byRoy Clarke, the original writer and creator of the show. He has also starred as Captain Skipper, a sea captain, sea dog and Pip's uncle in the animated seriesPip Ahoy!.
In December 2021, Jason made a surprise cameo appearance on the Christmas Special ofStrictly Come Dancing in the role of Del Boy to pass on a special message toThe Repair Shop'sJay Blades, who was performing to theOnly Fools and Horses theme tune.[17]
In1993, Jason was made anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Twelve years later, in theQueen's Birthday Honours List of 2005, he wasknighted for services to acting and comedy.[18] Upon receiving the knighthood fromQueen Elizabeth II atBuckingham Palace on 1 December 2005, he said he was "humbled" by the "fantastic tribute".[19][20]
Jason lived with his long-term girlfriend, Welsh actressMyfanwy Talog, for 18 years and nursed her throughbreast cancer until she died in 1995.[21]
On 26 February 2001, Jason became a father at the age of 61 when his girlfriend, 41-year-old Gill Hinchcliffe, gave birth to a girl inStoke Mandeville Hospital,Aylesbury.[22] Jason and Hinchcliffe married in 2005 and live inEllesborough,Buckinghamshire.
In 2022, Jason discovered that he had another daughter, of whom he had been previously unaware, who was born in 1970 following a brief relationship with actress Jennifer Hill.[23][24]
Jason is a patron of the Shark Trust,[25] a United Kingdom registered charity working to advance the worldwide conservation of sharks through science, education, influence and action. He has also been Honorary Vice Patron of theRoyal International Air Tattoo since 1999, and on 29 May 2014, presented a cheque on behalf of theFairford-basedRAF Charitable Trust for £125,000 to theRAF Air Cadet Organisation, to fund flight simulators for Air Cadets.[26] Jason is a qualifiedhelicopter pilot.[27]
Jason has expressed a negative opinion of theEuropean Union (EU), being quoted in a 2012 interview with "theGermans want to runEurope. The irony is that here we are, the world has changed, and the Germans want to run Europe. They failed to do it by war, twice. What is it? Is this theFourth Reich?"[28]
In October 2013, he released hisautobiography calledDavid Jason: My Life.[29] It was shortlisted for the 2013Specsavers National Book Awards "Best Book of the Year".[30] A second volume,Only Fools and Stories: From Del Boy to Granville, Pop Larkin to Frost, was published in October 2017. Penguin Books announcedA Del Of A Life, which is Jason's third autobiography and was published in October 2020.[31]
In September 2017, it was reported that a "credible threat was made to his life", although it is not known why Jason had been targeted.[32]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Mother Goose | King Goose | Television film |
| 1966 | Softly, Softly | Smith | Episode: "Over Take..." |
| Crossroads | Bert Bradshaw | 18 episodes | |
| 1967 | Hugh and I | Unknown | Episode: "Chinese Crackers" |
| 1967–1969 | Do Not Adjust Your Set | Various | 21 episodes |
| 1967–1979 | The Dick Emery Show | Unknown | 2 episodes |
| 1968 | Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) | Abel | Episode: "That's How Murder Snowballs" |
| 1969 | Galton and Simpson Comedy | Gordon | Episode: "Don't Dilly Dally on the Way" |
| Counterstrike | Taffy Sadler | Episode: "On Ice" | |
| Canada Goose | Unknown | Television film | |
| 1969–1970 | Hark at Barker | Various characters | 11 episodes |
| 1970 | Doctor in the House | Mr. Drobnic | Episode: "What Seems to be the Trouble?" |
| Two D's and a Dog | Dingle Bell | 6 episodes | |
| 1971 | Six Dates With Barker | Clive | Episode: "The Odd Job" |
| Doctor at Large | Victor Bligh The Toad | 2 episodes | |
| 1972 | His Lordship Entertains | Dithers | 7 episodes |
| 1973 | Seven of One | Granville | Episode: "Open All Hours" |
| 1974 | Doctor at Sea | Manuel Sanchez | Episode: "Go Away Stowaway!" |
| Comedy Playhouse | Quentin | Episode: "It's Only Me: Whoever I Am" | |
| The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs | Edgar Briggs | 13 episodes | |
| 1975–1976 | Lucky Feller | Shorty Mopstead | 14 episodes |
| 1975–1977 | Porridge | Blanco | 3 episodes[33] |
| 1976–1985 | Open All Hours | Granville | 25 episodes |
| 1977 | The Sound of Laughter | Peter Barnes | Episode: "A Sharp Intake of Breath" |
| 1977–1981 | A Sharp Intake of Breath | Peter Barnes | 22 episodes |
| 1978 | The Les Dawson Show | Various | Episode: #1.1 |
| 1981–2003 | Only Fools and Horses | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter Don Vincenzo Occhetti | 64 episodes |
| 1982 | Only Fools and Horses: "Christmas Trees" | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter | TV short |
| The Funny Side of Christmas | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter Granville | Television film | |
| 1984 | Dramarama | Mr. Stabs | Episode: "Mr. Stabs" |
| 1987 | Porterhouse Blue | Skullion | 4 episodes |
| 1988 | Ariel Liquid (advertisement) | Mrs B | With his co-star,Nicholas Lyndhurst, as Mr H |
| 1989 | Jackanory | Storyteller | 4 episodes |
| A Bit of a Do | Ted Simcock | 13 episodes | |
| 1990 | Single Voices | The Chemist | Episode: "The Chemist" |
| ScreenPlay | George | Episode: "Amongst Barbarians" | |
| 1991–1993 | The Darling Buds of May | Pop Larkin | 20 episodes |
| 1992–2010 | A Touch of Frost | DI Jack Frost | 42 episodes |
| 1993 | Screen One | Billy Mac | Episode: "The Bullion Boys" |
| 1997 | Only Fools and Horses: "Only Fools Cutaway" | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter | TV short |
| 1998 | March in Windy City | Steven March | Television film |
| 1999 | All the King's Men | Captain Frank Beck | Television film |
| 2001–2002 | Micawber | Wilkins Micawber | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | The Quest | Dave | |
| 2004 | The Second Quest | Dave | Television film |
| The Final Quest | Dave | Television film | |
| 2005–2007 | Diamond Geezer | Des | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Ghostboat | Jack Hardy | Television film |
| Prehistoric Park | Narrator | 6 episodes | |
| Terry Pratchett's Hogfather | Alberto Malich | Television film | |
| 2008 | Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic | Rincewind | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Albert's Memorial | Harry | Television film |
| 2010 | Come Rain Come Shine | Don | Television film |
| David Jason: The Battle of Britain | Presenter | ||
| 2011 | David Jason's Greatest Escapes | Himself | |
| 2011–2012 | The Royal Bodyguard | Captain Guy Hubble | 6 episodes |
| 2013–2019 | Still Open All Hours | Granville | 41 episodes; A revival of the original series, featuring original cast membersLynda Baron andMaggie Ollerenshaw. |
| 2014 | Only Fools and Horses: "Beckham in Peckham" | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter | TV short |
| Porridge: Inside Out | Narrator | ||
| 2017 | The Story of Only Fools and Horses | Himself | Six-part documentary series about the sitcomOnly Fools and Horses. |
| David Jason: My Life On Screen | Himself | Three-part documentary series where Sir David Jason embarks on a journey across Britain to explore his career in television. | |
| David Jason's Secret Service | Himself | ||
| 2019 | David Jason: Planes, Trains and Automobiles | Himself | Five-part documentary series about motor vehicles. |
| 2020 | David Jason's Great British Inventions | Himself | Four-part documentary series exploring his favourite British inventions. |
| Flying For Britain with David Jason | Himself | 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain documentary. | |
| David Jason: Britain's Favourite TV Star | Himself | Channel 5 documentary; a retrospective look at David Jason's career. | |
| 2021 | The Lancaster Bomber at 80 with David Jason | Narrator | Documentary celebrating the history of the iconicWorld War II bomber.[34] |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (uncredited) | Episode: "Christmas Special" | |
| 2022 | Comedy Classics: Porridge | Narrator | |
| 2023 | The Apprentice | Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (voice, as Sir David Jason) | Episode: "Cartoons" |
| 2024 | David & Jay’s Touring Toolshed | Himself / presenter | With co-presenterJay Blades[35] |
| Car SOS | Himself | Episode; Datsun 240K Skyline | |
| 2026 | Open All Hours: Inside Out | Himself | Open All Hours 50th anniversary documentary[36] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Under Milk Wood | Nogood Boyo | |
| 1973 | White Cargo | Albert Toddey | |
| 1975 | Royal Flash | The Mayor | |
| 1977 | Wombling Free | Womble | Voice |
| 1978 | The Odd Job | Odd Job Man | |
| 2010 | All the Way Up | Director |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Water Babies | Cyril the Walrus | |
| 1981–1992 | Danger Mouse | Danger Mouse Isambard Sinclair (narrator) Buggles Pigeon Count Duckula Various characters | 90 episodes |
| 1983 | The Wind in the Willows | Toad/Chief Weasel | Television film |
| 1984–1990 | The Wind in the Willows | Toad/Chief Weasel/Billy Rabbit | 48 episodes |
| 1988–1993 | Count Duckula | Count Duckula Various characters | 46 episodes |
| 1989 | The BFG | The BFG | |
| 1989 | A Tale of Two Toads | Toad/Chief Weasel/Isambard Toad/Billy Rabbit | [37] |
| 1991–1999 | Victor and Hugo: Bunglers in Crime | Hugo Interpol Count Duckula (1 episode) Danger Mouse (1 episode) | 30 episodes |
| 1995 | The Snow Queen | Eric | |
| 1996 | The Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey | Rola Polar | 20 episodes |
| 1997 | Father Christmas and the Missing Reindeer | Father Christmas | Television film |
| 1999–2000 | Angelmouse | All the characters | 26 episodes |
| 2005–2018 | Little Einsteins | Additional Characters | 69 episodes |
| Doraemon | Additional Voices[citation needed] | 947 episodes | |
| 2010 | Muddle Earth | Randalf | 16 episodes |
| 2014–2020 | Pip Ahoy! | Skipper Pasty | 22 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Mostly Monkhouse | Various characters | |
| 1970–1998 | Week Ending | Various characters | |
| 1977–1981 | The Jason Explanation | Various characters | |
| 1978 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Captain of the "B" Ark Caveman | |
| 2008 | Book at Bedtime:A Christmas Carol | Narrator | BBC Radio 4[38] |
| 2016–2017 | Desolation Jests | BBC Radio 4 |
Jason won a total of eighteen awards between 1986 and 2011. His hit comedy showOnly Fools and Horses won many awards. His crime dramaA Touch of Frost has also won and been nominated numerous times.Porterhouse Blue,The Second Quest,All the King's Men andA Bit of a Do have won David Jason one award each.
| Year | Group | Award | Film/Show | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | BAFTA TV Award | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Nominated |
| 1986 | BAFTA TV Award | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Nominated |
| 1987 | BAFTA TV Award | Best Actor | Porterhouse Blue | Won |
| 1988 | BAFTA TV Award | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Nominated |
| 1989 | BAFTA TV Award | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Nominated |
| 1990 | British Comedy Award | Best TV Comedy Actor | A Bit of a Do | Won |
| BAFTA TV Award | Best Light Entertainment Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Won | |
| 1992 | British Comedy Award | Best TV Comedy Actor | The Darling Buds of May | Won |
| 1996 | National Television Award | Most Popular Comedy Performer | Only Fools and Horses | Won |
| National Television Award | Special Recognition Award | N/a | Won | |
| BAFTA TV Award | Best Comedy Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Won | |
| 1997 | British Comedy Award | Best TV Comedy Actor | Only Fools and Horses | Won |
| National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | Only Fools and Horses | Won | |
| 1999 | National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | A Touch of Frost | Nominated |
| 2000 | National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | A Touch of Frost | Nominated |
| TV Quick Award | Best Actor | A Touch of Frost All the King's Men | Won | |
| 2001 | British Comedy Award | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/a | Won |
| TV Quick Award | Best Actor | A Touch of Frost | Won | |
| National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | A Touch of Frost | Won | |
| National Television Award | Most Popular Comedy Performer | Only Fools and Horses | Won | |
| 2002 | National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | A Touch of Frost | Won |
| National Television Award | Most Popular Comedy Performance | Only Fools and Horses | Nominated | |
| TV Quick Award | Best Actor | A Touch of Frost | Won | |
| 2003 | National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | A Touch of Frost | Nominated |
| BAFTA TV Award | BAFTA Fellowship | N/a | Won | |
| National Television Award | Most Popular Actor | The Second Quest A Touch of Frost | Nominated | |
| 2011 | National Television Award | Outstanding Drama Performance | A Touch of Frost | Won |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
