John D. Collins

Last updated

John D. Collins
Born
John Christopher Dixon

(1942-12-02) 2 December 1942 (age 82)
London, England
Occupation(s)Actor, narrator
Years active1965–2007

John Christopher Dixon (born 2 December 1942), billed as John D. Collins, is a British actor who played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II, in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! . He is the actor to have been cast most frequently in writer/producer David Croft's hit sitcoms: a total of six different series and ten characters.

Contents

Biography

Collins won the Ivor Novello and Robert Donat Scholarships to RADA. After graduating he went on to run the Summer Theatre at Frinton-on-Sea, Essex for three years and then went to work in the first season of the Nottingham Playhouse.

In his early years he made a number of films including the Hammer Film Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), the film versions of Till Death Us Do Part (1969) and Dad's Army (1971), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), The Ghoul (1975), and The Boys in Blue (1982), and also many plays for Granada Television. As a vicar in Coronation Street , he failed to marry Albert Tatlock.

For ten years he worked with Spike Milligan as his assistant director and as an actor, in Son of Oblomov and The Bed-Sitting Room . He also appeared with Milligan in his 'Q’ series on television.

He became a regular cast member of two television series – A Family at War and also with Robert Lindsay in Get Some In! . He first worked for David Croft in the film version of Dad's Army in 1971, and subsequently was cast in episodes of It Ain't Half Hot Mum , Hi-de-Hi! , Are You Being Served? and Oh, Doctor Beeching! , as well his regular role in 'Allo 'Allo! and the recurring character of Jerry in You Rang, M'Lord? . Along with several other cast members of 'Allo 'Allo, Collins had previously appeared in Secret Army , the series of which 'Allo 'Allo was a parody.

Other TV work includes The Brittas Empire , On the Up , Birds of a Feather , Trial & Retribution , Peak Practice , Ain't Misbehavin' , Harry's Mad , Wycliffe , Mosley , Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em , The Sweeney , Secret Army , Citizen Smith , Yes Minister , the Doctor Who serial Arc of Infinity , Only Fools and Horses and Lovejoy .

Other theatre credits includes the tour of When Did You Last See Your Trousers?, The Winslow Boy , That's Showbiz, Richard III and the title role in King Lear . He has also played the role of Mr. Paravicini in the record-breaking production of The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre, London.

Collins has appeared in a number of pantomimes as Abanazer and as an ugly sister in Cinderella . He has narrated The Snowman , Carnival of the Animals , Peter and the Wolf and William Walton's Façade and has also recorded a Shakespearean CD with the Gesualdo Consort. He has just played the voice of God in Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten and has been appearing regularly as Henry VIII at the banquets in the Old Palace at Hatfield House.

Collins made two appearances in the British BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses , initially in the episode "Ashes to Ashes", as a river policeman [1] who informs Del and Rodney that they have to have river permission to empty ashes into a river (St. Katharine Docks). He then appeared in the later episode "Sleeping Dogs Lie" as the Veterinarian.

Collins has also appeared in BBC children's programme, including ChuckleVision as a flying instructor in the 1996 episode Dear Diary.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968 Dracula Has Risen from the Grave Student
1968 Till Death Us Do Part RAF Officer at Tube Station
1970 Trog TV Crewman Watching MonitorUncredited
1971 Dad's Army Naval Officer - Lt. Short
1972 The Adventures of Barry McKenzie Toff at Young Conservatives' Ball
1975 The Ghoul Young Man
1979 Le Pétomane UnknownShort film
1982 The Boys in Blue Customs Officer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1965 The Flying Swan GeraldEpisode: "The Diamond Pendant"
1966The LiarsHenry BulkeleyEpisode: #1.5
1966 The Man in Room 17 Bob HentyEpisode: "How to Rob a Bank - And Get Away with It"
1966 Theatre 625 Arkwright's sonEpisode: "Girl of my Dreams"
1965–1966 ITV Play of the Week Stephen Whittington

Towneley

2 episodes
1969 The Saint ChickEpisode: "The Man Who Gambled with Life"
1969 Coronation Street Rev. Vernon Lingard2 episodes
1971 A Family at War Peter Bryant6 episodes
1972 The Pathfinders Flight Sergeant Taffy WilliamsEpisode: "One Man's Lancaster"
1973 Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Dr. Boyde2 episodes
1975 The Venturers Dr. TateEpisode: "Gentleman's Agreement"
1975 The Changes UnknownEpisode: "The Cavern"
1975 The Sweeney Stephen VaneEpisode: "Poppy"
1976 When the Boat Comes In Freddy CalderbeckEpisode: "King for a Day"
1975–1977 Get Some In! Squadron Leader Baker

Medical Officer

7 episodes
1979Feet FirstMichael OvertonEpisode: #1.4
1979 Dick Barton: Special Agent Miles4 episodes
1978–1979Q6Various11 episodes
1979 Rings on Their Fingers The Estate AgentEpisode: "Home Market"
1978–1979 Secret Army Inspector Paul Delon5 episodes
1979 Citizen Smith Army OfficerEpisode: "The Glorious Day"
1978–1980BernieUnknown2 episodes
1980 Flesh and Blood John Ewing2 episodes
1980 Yes Minister BBC InterviewerEpisode: "Jobs for the Boys"
1980GrundyCity gentEpisode: "What You Don't See, Ask For"
1980 Cowboys TV ReporterEpisode: "Remember Honky Stubbs"
1981 The Dick Emery Show UnknownEpisode: #19.3
1981 Jackanory Playhouse VishikhilaEpisode: "The Mouse, the Merchant and the Elephant"
1981Coming HomeAssistant bank managerEpisode: #1.3
1981ChintzJoe WilsonEpisode: #1.2
1981 Shillingbury Tales Arthur Warwick M.P.Episode: "The Shillinhbury Daydream"
1980–1981 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Capt Hutchins

Charles Medical Officer

4 episodes
1981Seconds OutSgt. Grimson

The Television Reporter

2 episodes
1982 Shine on Harvey Moon HarryEpisode: "In Sickness and in Health"
1982 The New Adventures of Lucky Jim Charles SeymourEpisode: "The Big Smoke"
1982 Hi-de-Hi! BailiffEpisode: "Trouble and Strife"
1983 Doctor Who TalorEpisode: "Arc of Infinity: Part One"
1983Tears Before BedtimeEstate agentEpisode: "Home from Home"
1981–1983 Are You Being Served? 2nd Waiter

Doctor Secretary at Number Ten

3 episodes
1983 Triangle Geoff Brooks8 episodes
1984GrandadMr CarterEpisode: #4.5
1984 Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense Estate AgentEpisode: "In Possession"
1984 Chance in a Million Thames News ReporterEpisode: "Stuff of Dreams"
1982–1985 Only Fools and Horses Mr. Collins, the Vet

River Policeman

2 episodes
1985 The Kenny Everett Television Show VariousEpisode: #3.5
1988Rude HealthAgincourtEpisode: "Civil Defiance"
1991 Lovejoy RegEpisode: "One Born Every Minute"
1992 The Brittas Empire Mr KitsonEpisode: "An Inspector Calls"
1992 On The Up Drunken GuestEpisode: "Temporary Secretary"
1982–1992 'Allo 'Allo Flying Officer Fairfax 64 episodes
1988–1993 You Rang, M'Lord? Jerry10 episodes
1993 The Real McCoy UnknownEpisode: #3.5
1995 Peak Practice David CornishEpisode: "Other Lives"
1996 ChuckleVision PilotEpisode: "Dear Diary"
1995–1996 Oh Doctor Beeching! Passenger2 episodes
1997 Birds of a Feather ChemistEpisode: "Relative Strangers"
1997Ain't Misbehavin'Medical OfficerEpisode: #1.1
1997 Wycliffe ArmstrongEpisode: "Old Crimes, New Times"
1998 Mosley ToastmasterEpisode: "Rules of the Game"
1998–1999 Trial & Retribution Clerk of Court2 episodes
2003 Fortysomething MIddle Aged ManEpisode: #1.2
2007 The Return of 'Allo 'Allo! Flying Officer FairfaxTelevision film
2022'Allo 'Allo! Forty Years of LaughterHimself/Flying Officer FairfaxDocumentary

References

  1. "The Ghost of Del, Ashes to Ashes, Series 2, Only Fools and Horses – BBC One". BBC. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2016.