Jack Smethurst

Jack Smethurst (born 9 April, 1932 in Collyhurst, Manchester) is an English TV and film comic actor of the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Career

Smethurst is perhaps best known for his role in the British sitcom "Love Thy Neighbour". During his role in Love Thy Neighbour which was a controversial sitcom Smethurst was arrested on charges of racial abuse after a drunken rant at co-star Nina Baden-Semper. Smethurst made his film debut in 1958's "Carry On Sergeant". This was followed by parts in the films "A Kind of Loving" (1962) [ [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/440000/index.html screenonline: Kind of Loving, A (1962) ] ] , "Run with the Wind" (1966), "Night After Night After Night (He Kills)" (1970), the big-screen version of "Please Sir!" (1970) and the ITV sitcom "For the Love of Ada" (1970-71) amongst others, before he landed the role for which he is best known - that of bigoted socialist and union leader, 'brother' Eddie Booth in "Love Thy Neighbour". The programme ran for eight series between 1972-1976.

After "Love Thy Neighbour" ended, his film appearances have been few and far between, but include "Chariots of Fire" (1981), the John Goodman vehicle "King Ralph" (1991) (which re-united him with Rudolph Walker) and 1996's "La Passione".

He has made several appearances as Davenport in Britain's longest-running television sitcom "Last of the Summer Wine" in 1997.

Vince Powell’s Radio 2 slice-of-life sitcom about factory worker Charlie Garside, played by Jack Smethurst in 1985. Madge Hindle played his wife, and Jane Hazlegrove and Jason Littler their daughter and son.

Jack Smethurst appeared on stage in Australia when he appeared in the play "Run For Your Wife", during (1987-1988), and the production toured the country. Other members of the cast in the production were David McCallum, Eric Sykes and Katy Manning. Smethurst regularly works in the theatre, recently touring with a production of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None".

References

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