John Junkin | |
|---|---|
 Junkin in 1975 | |
| Born | (1930-01-29)29 January 1930 |
| Died | 7 March 2006(2006-03-07) (aged 76) Aylesbury,Buckinghamshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, scriptwriter |
| Years active | 1955–2004 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
John Francis Junkin (29 January 1930 – 7 March 2006) was an English actor andscriptwriter who had a long career in radio, television and film, specialising in comedy.
Born inEaling,Middlesex, the son of a policeman, Junkin and his parents subsequently moved toForest Gate so that he could attendSt Bonaventure's Catholic School there, before qualifying as a teacher atSt Mary's College, Strawberry Hill. He worked as a primary school teacher in theEast End for three years before becoming a professional actor and scriptwriter.[1]
In 1960, Junkin joinedJoan Littlewood's Stratford EastTheatre Workshop and played the lead in the original production ofSparrers Can't Sing.[2] A few years later, he joined theRoyal Court Theatre company, and was the foil toTony Hancock in some of Hancock's last work for British television.[3] Junkin played a diverse range of roles on the small screen; however, he is best remembered for his comedy roles and his appearances as a television quiz master. To international audiences, he may be best remembered for playing Shake, the assistant toNorman Rossington, inthe Beatles filmA Hard Day's Night.[4] In comedy roles, Junkin was rarely short of work, on account of his ability to play the stony-faced symbol of low level, petty-minded and unquestioning authority, whether the army sergeant, police constable or site foreman.
In 1964 Junkin recorded a number of radio programmes on land for the fledgling ship-basedpirate radio stationRadio Caroline. His announcements did not include any topical references, and the music was played in by studio engineers. When the programmes were broadcast, the onboard DJs occasionally cut in to give live time checks .[5]
One of his rare leading roles was in the BBC seriesThe Rough with the Smooth, in which he andTim Brooke-Taylor played comedy writers (with both actors contributing scripts to the series as well).[6] He also hosted his own afternoon television series in the mid-1970s. Titled simplyJunkin, it was produced bySouthern Television for theITV network.[1]
Junkin has an entry in theGuinness Book of Records as the voice of Mr Shifter, one of the chimps in thePG Tips tea advertisement, the longest-running series of commercials on television.[6]
WithBarry Cryer, Junkin wrote forMorecambe and Wise from 1978 to 1983, in addition to two Christmas specials in 1972 and 1976.[7]
Junkin lived inWendover,Buckinghamshire. He married public relations executive Jenny Claybourn in 1977 and had a daughter, Annabel.[1] Junkin and his wife separated in 1992. He died fromlung cancer on 7 March 2006 in theFlorence Nightingale House,Aylesbury, several miles from his home. A heavy smoker, he had also been suffering fromemphysema andasthma.[8] His life and work were honoured at theBritish Academy Television Awards in 2006.[9]
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