John D. Collins | |
---|---|
Born | John Christopher Dixon 2 December 1942 London, England |
Occupation(s) | Actor, narrator |
Years active | 1965–2007 |
John Christopher Dixon (born 2 December 1942), billed as John D. Collins, is a British actor, perhaps best known for appearing in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! in which he played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II. 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.
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.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1968 | Dracula Has Risen from the Grave | Student | |
1968 | Till Death Us Do Part | RAF Officer at Tube Station | |
1970 | Trog | TV Crewman Watching Monitor | Uncredited |
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 | Unknown | Short film |
1982 | The Boys in Blue | Customs Officer |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | The Flying Swan | Gerald | Episode: "The Diamond Pendant" |
1966 | The Liars | Henry Bulkeley | Episode: #1.5 |
1966 | The Man in Room 17 | Bob Henty | Episode: "How to Rob a Bank - And Get Away with It" |
1966 | Theatre 625 | Arkwright's son | Episode: "Girl of my Dreams" |
1965–1966 | ITV Play of the Week | Stephen Whittington Towneley | 2 episodes |
1969 | The Saint | Chick | Episode: "The Man Who Gambled with Life" |
1969 | Coronation Street | Rev. Vernon Lingard | 2 episodes |
1971 | A Family at War | Peter Bryant | 6 episodes |
1972 | The Pathfinders | Flight Sergeant Taffy Williams | Episode: "One Man's Lancaster" |
1973 | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em | Dr. Boyde | 2 episodes |
1975 | The Venturers | Dr. Tate | Episode: "Gentleman's Agreement" |
1975 | The Changes | Unknown | Episode: "The Cavern" |
1975 | The Sweeney | Stephen Vane | Episode: "Poppy" |
1976 | When the Boat Comes In | Freddy Calderbeck | Episode: "King for a Day" |
1975–1977 | Get Some In! | Squadron Leader Baker Medical Officer | 7 episodes |
1979 | Feet First | Michael Overton | Episode: #1.4 |
1979 | Dick Barton: Special Agent | Miles | 4 episodes |
1978–1979 | Q6 | Various | 11 episodes |
1979 | Rings on Their Fingers | The Estate Agent | Episode: "Home Market" |
1978–1979 | Secret Army | Inspector Paul Delon | 5 episodes |
1979 | Citizen Smith | Army Officer | Episode: "The Glorious Day" |
1978–1980 | Bernie | Unknown | 2 episodes |
1980 | Flesh and Blood | John Ewing | 2 episodes |
1980 | Yes Minister | BBC Interviewer | Episode: "Jobs for the Boys" |
1980 | Grundy | City gent | Episode: "What You Don't See, Ask For" |
1980 | Cowboys | TV Reporter | Episode: "Remember Honky Stubbs" |
1981 | The Dick Emery Show | Unknown | Episode: #19.3 |
1981 | Jackanory Playhouse | Vishikhila | Episode: "The Mouse, the Merchant and the Elephant" |
1981 | Coming Home | Assistant bank manager | Episode: #1.3 |
1981 | Chintz | Joe Wilson | Episode: #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 |
1981 | Seconds Out | Sgt. Grimson The Television Reporter | 2 episodes |
1982 | Shine on Harvey Moon | Harry | Episode: "In Sickness and in Health" |
1982 | The New Adventures of Lucky Jim | Charles Seymour | Episode: "The Big Smoke" |
1982 | Hi-de-Hi! | Bailiff | Episode: "Trouble and Strife" |
1983 | Doctor Who | Talor | Episode: "Arc of Infinity: Part One" |
1983 | Tears Before Bedtime | Estate agent | Episode: "Home from Home" |
1981–1983 | Are You Being Served? | 2nd Waiter Doctor Secretary at Number Ten | 3 episodes |
1983 | Triangle | Geoff Brooks | 8 episodes |
1984 | Grandad | Mr Carter | Episode: #4.5 |
1984 | Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense | Estate Agent | Episode: "In Possession" |
1984 | Chance in a Million | Thames News Reporter | Episode: "Stuff of Dreams" |
1982–1985 | Only Fools and Horses | Mr. Collins, the Vet River Policeman | 2 episodes |
1985 | The Kenny Everett Television Show | Various | Episode: #3.5 |
1988 | Rude Health | Agincourt | Episode: "Civil Defiance" |
1991 | Lovejoy | Reg | Episode: "One Born Every Minute" |
1992 | The Brittas Empire | Mr Kitson | Episode: "An Inspector Calls" |
1992 | On The Up | Drunken Guest | Episode: "Temporary Secretary" |
1982–1992 | 'Allo 'Allo | Flying Officer Fairfax | 64 episodes |
1988–1993 | You Rang, M'Lord? | Jerry | 10 episodes |
1993 | The Real McCoy | Unknown | Episode: #3.5 |
1995 | Peak Practice | David Cornish | Episode: "Other Lives" |
1996 | ChuckleVision | Pilot | Episode: "Dear Diary" |
1995–1996 | Oh Doctor Beeching! | Passenger | 2 episodes |
1997 | Birds of a Feather | Chemist | Episode: "Relative Strangers" |
1997 | Ain't Misbehavin' | Medical Officer | Episode: #1.1 |
1997 | Wycliffe | Armstrong | Episode: "Old Crimes, New Times" |
1998 | Mosley | Toastmaster | Episode: "Rules of the Game" |
1998–1999 | Trial & Retribution | Clerk of Court | 2 episodes |
2003 | Fortysomething | MIddle Aged Man | Episode: #1.2 |
2007 | The Return of 'Allo 'Allo! | Flying Officer Fairfax | Television film |
2022 | 'Allo 'Allo! Forty Years of Laughter | Himself/Flying Officer Fairfax | Documentary |
A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television.
Arthur Lowe was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977, was nominated for seven BAFTAs and became one of the most recognised faces on UK television.
Major David John Croft, was an English television comedy screenwriter, producer and director. He produced and wrote a string of BBC sitcoms with partners Jimmy Perry and Jeremy Lloyd, including Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi! and 'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom television series, created by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, starring Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera, Guy Siner and Richard Gibson. Originally broadcast on BBC1, the series focuses on the life of a French café owner in the town of Nouvion, during the German occupation of France in World War II, in which he deals with problems from a dishonest German officer, local French Resistance, the handling of a stolen painting and a pair of trapped British airmen, all while concealing from his wife the affairs he is having with his waitresses.
You Rang, M'Lord? is a BBC television sitcom written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army. It was broadcast between 1988 and 1993 on the BBC. The show was set in the house of an aristocratic family in the 1920s, contrasting the upper-class family and their servants in a house in London, along the same lines as the drama Upstairs, Downstairs.
Gordon Irving Kaye, known professionally as Gorden Kaye, was an English actor, best known for playing womanising café owner René Artois in the television comedy series 'Allo 'Allo!.
Arthur Ian Lavender was an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in Dad's Army, a BBC sitcom set during World War II, of which he was the last surviving main cast member.
John Bluthal was a Polish-born Australian actor and comedian, noted for his six-decade career internationally in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He started his career during the Golden Age of British Television, where he was best known for his comedy work in the UK with Spike Milligan, and for his role as Manny Cohen in the television series Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width. In later years, he was known to television audiences as the bumbling Frank Pickle in The Vicar of Dibley. At 85 he played Professor Herbert Marcuse in the Coen brothers' film Hail, Caesar! (2016).
Stanley James Carroll Beck was an English television actor. He appeared in a number of programmes, but is best known for the role of Private Walker, a cockney spiv, in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army from the show's beginning in 1968 until his sudden death in 1973.
John Bardon was an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk. He was best known for playing the patriarch of the Branning family, Jim Branning, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, for 15 years from 1996 to 2011.
Harold Edward Snoad is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having directed and produced Ever Decreasing Circles starring Richard Briers and Peter Egan, as well as Don't Wait Up starring Tony Britton and Nigel Havers.
James Perry was an English scriptwriter and actor. He devised and co-wrote the BBC sitcoms Dad's Army (1968–1977), It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981), Hi-De-Hi (1980–1988) and You Rang, M'Lord? (1988–1993), all with David Croft. Perry co-wrote the theme tune of Dad's Army, "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr. Hitler?" along with Derek Taverner, for which Perry received an Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in 1971.
John Walter Lawrence Clegg is an Indian-born English actor, best known for playing the part of Gunner 'Paderewski' Graham in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum.
Kenneth MacDonald was an English actor who was best known for the parts of Gunner Nobby Clark in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Mike Fisher in Only Fools and Horses.
Michael Sydney Knowles is a British actor and scriptwriter who is best known for his roles in BBC sitcoms written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft.
Frank John Williams was an English actor, best known for playing Reverend Timothy Farthing in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army (1969–1977).
Jeffrey Holland is a British actor who is well known for roles in television sitcoms, playing comic Spike Dixon at the Maplin's holiday camp in Hi-de-Hi!, as well as BBC Radio comedy, including Week Ending. He also played leading roles in the sitcoms You Rang, M'Lord? and Oh, Doctor Beeching!.
Janet Kathleen Davies was an English actress best known for her recurring role as Mrs. Pike in the long-running sitcom Dad's Army.
Eric Groves Longworth was a British actor, best known for his semi-regular role in the BBC comedy Dad's Army as Mr. Gordon, the town clerk of Walmington-on-Sea.
Dad's Army is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran for nine series and 80 episodes in total; a feature film released in 1971, a stage show and a radio version based on the television scripts were also produced. The series regularly gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still shown internationally.