Jack Warner,
OBE (born Horace John Waters, 24 October 1895 – 24 May 1981) was a British actor. He is closely associated with the role of PC George Dixon, which he played in the 1950 film ''
The Blue Lamp
''The Blue Lamp'' is a 1950 British police procedural film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Jack Warner as PC Dixon, Jimmy Hanley as newcomer PC Mitchell, and Dirk Bogarde as criminal Tom Riley. The title refers to the blue lamps that t ...
'' and later in the television series ''
Dixon of Dock Green
''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...
'' from 1955 until 1976, but he was also for some years one of Britain's most popular film stars.
Early life
Warner was born Horace John Waters
[Warner (1975), p. 2.] in Bromley, Poplar, London, the third child of Edward William Waters, master fulling maker and undertaker's warehouseman, and Maud Mary Best.
[''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. OUP Oxford.] His sisters,
Elsie and Doris Waters, were comediennes who usually performed as "
Gert and Daisy
Florence Elsie Waters (19 August 1893–14 June 1990) and her sister Doris Ethel Waters (20 December 1899–18 August 1978) were English comic actresses and singers who performed as a double act. They are remembered for creating the c ...
".
[Warner (1975), pp. 74–75.]
Warner attended the
Coopers' Company's Grammar School for Boys in
Mile End
Mile End is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, England, east-northeast of Charing Cross. Situated on the London-to-Colchester road, it was one of the earliest suburbs of London. It became part of the m ...
,
[Warner (1975), p. 10.] while his sisters both attended the nearby sister school,
Coborn School for Girls in
Bow. The three children were choristers at St. Leonard's Church,
Bromley-by-Bow
Bromley, commonly known as
Bromley-by- Bow, is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London, located on the western banks of the River Lea, in the Lower Lea Valley in East London.
The area is distinct from Bow, which l ...
, and for a time, Warner was the choir's soloist.
After leaving school, he studied automobile engineering at the
Northampton Institute
City, University of London, is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute, and became a university when The City Univ ...
(now part of the
City University, London
City, University of London, is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute, and became a university when The City Univ ...
) but being more practical than academic he left after a year to work at the repair facilities of F.W. Berwick and Company in
Balham,
where he started by sweeping the floors for 2
d per hour.
[''Tell Me Another'', personal anecdotes as told to Dick Hills. Southern Television, first broadcast 10 August 1977.] Frederick William Berwick became a partner in the Anglo-French automobile manufacturing company
Sizaire-Berwick
Sizaire-Berwick was an Anglo- French automobile manufacturer active between 1913 and 1927.
As established, the company manufactured luxury-sized cars at Courbevoie on the north side of Paris. The business was financed in England, however, ...
and, in August 1913, Warner was sent to work as a mechanic in Paris. He drove completed chassis to the coast from where they were shipped to England, road-testing them ''en route''.
He acquired a working knowledge of French which stood him in good stead throughout his life; an imitation of
Maurice Chevalier became a part of his repertoire.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he served in France as a driver in the
Royal Flying Corps and was awarded the
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
* Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Me ...
in 1918. He returned to England and the motor trade in 1919, graduating from hearses to occasional car racing at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfie ...
. He was over thirty before he became a professional entertainer.
Career
Warner first became known to the general public in
music hall and radio. By the early years of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, he was nationally known and starred in a BBC radio comedy show, ''
Garrison Theatre
The Garrison Theatre is a 280-capacity venue in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, with a sprung proscenium stage with fixed raked seating. The auditorium has 19 rows, named A to S, with 8, 12, 13, 15, or 16 seats in each row.
The venue hosts dance, dr ...
'', invariably opening with "A Monologue Entitled...".
Film
Warner's first film was ''
The Dummy Talks'' (1943), in which he had the lead role. He had a support role in ''
The Captive Heart
''The Captive Heart'' is a 1946 British war drama, directed by Basil Dearden and starring Michael Redgrave. It is about a Czechoslovak Army officer who is captured in the Fall of France and spends five years as a prisoner of war, during which ti ...
'' (1946), a successful film. Also successful were ''
Hue and Cry
In common law, a hue and cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime.
History
By the Statute of Winchester of 1285, 13 Edw. I statute 2. c ...
'' and ''
Dear Murderer
''Dear Murderer'' is a 1947 British film noir crime, drama, thriller, directed by Arthur Crabtree for Gainsborough Pictures, and starring Eric Portman and Greta Gynt.
The film has come to be regarded as one of the best movies made under the sup ...
'' (both 1947). Warner was the
patriarch
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
of the Huggett family in ''
Holiday Camp
A holiday camp is a type of holiday accommodation that encourages holidaymakers to stay within the site boundary, and provides entertainment and facilities for them throughout the day. Since the 1970s, the term has fallen out of favour with term ...
'' (1947) which was a big hit. He played a policeman in ''
It Always Rains on Sunday
''It Always Rains on Sunday'' is a 1947 British film adaptation of Arthur La Bern's novel by the same name, directed by Robert Hamer. The film has been compared with the poetic realism movement in the French cinema of a few years earlier by the ...
'' (1947), and was another family man in the comedy ''
Easy Money'' (1948).
He was in a war film, ''
Against the Wind'' (1948), and starred in a thriller, ''
My Brother's Keeper'' (1948). The Huggett family had been so well received in ''Holiday Camp'' that production company
Gainsborough Pictures
Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, north London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The com ...
decided to give them their own series, so Warner was seen in ''
Here Come the Huggetts
''Here Come the Huggetts'' is a 1948 British comedy film, the first of the Huggetts series, about a working class English family. All three films in the series were directed by Ken Annakin and released by Gainsborough Pictures.
Jack Warner and ...
'' (1948), ''
Vote for Huggett
''Vote for Huggett'' is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Susan Shaw and Petula Clark. Warner reprises his role as the head of a London family, in the post-war years.
In this, the t ...
'' (1949) and ''
The Huggetts Abroad
''The Huggetts Abroad'' is a 1949 British film starring Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Petula Clark and Susan Shaw. It was the final film of The Huggetts. The film was less commercially successful than its predecessors. A sequel, ''Christmas ...
'' (1949). He was one of several names in ''
Train of Events
''Train of Events'' is a 1949 British portmanteau film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Sidney Cole, Charles Crichton and Basil Dearden. It begins with a train that is heading for a crash into a stalled petrol tanker at a level crossing a ...
'' and played the governor of a borstal institution in ''
Boys in Brown'' (both 1949).
Warner was by now established as one of the most popular British actors in the country. His stock rose further when he played PC George Dixon in ''
The Blue Lamp
''The Blue Lamp'' is a 1950 British police procedural film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Jack Warner as PC Dixon, Jimmy Hanley as newcomer PC Mitchell, and Dirk Bogarde as criminal Tom Riley. The title refers to the blue lamps that t ...
'' (1950), the most successful film at the box office that year.
[Warner (1975), p. 108.] One observer predicted, "This film will make Jack the most famous policeman in Britain."
Warner performed in a comedy ''
Talk of a Million'' (1951) and a thriller ''
Valley of Eagles'' (1951). He had a small part in ''
Scrooge'' (1951) then played a policeman again in ''
Emergency Call
Most public switched telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number (sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or the emergency services number) that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assista ...
'' (1952). He was one of several stars in ''
Meet Me Tonight
''Meet Me Tonight'' is a 1952 in film, 1952 omnibus British comedy film adapted from three one act plays by Noël Coward: ''Red Peppers'', ''Fumed Oak'' and ''Ways and Means (play), Ways and Means''; which are part of his ''Tonight at 8.30'' pla ...
'' (1952) and returned to comedy for ''
Those People Next Door'' (1953). He was top-billed in ''
The Square Ring
''The Square Ring'' is a 1953 British tragi-comic drama, directed by Basil Dearden and made at Ealing Studios. It stars Jack Warner, Robert Beatty and Bill Owen. The film, based on a stage play by Ralph Peterson, centres on one night at a f ...
'' and ''
The Final Test
''The Final Test'' is a 1953 British sports film written by Terence Rattigan, directed by Anthony Asquith, and starring Jack Warner, Robert Morley, George Relph and Ray Jackson. A number of leading cricketers also appear including Denis Compto ...
'' (both 1953). In the POW film ''
Albert R.N.'' (1953) he was billed beneath
Anthony Steel.
Additional thrillers followed: ''
Bang! You're Dead
''Bang! You're Dead'' is a 1954 British psychological drama film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Jack Warner, Anthony Richmond, Veronica Hurst, Derek Farr and Sean Barrett. The film takes as its subject the accidental killing of a m ...
'' (1954) and ''
Forbidden Cargo Forbidden Cargo may refer to:
* Forbidden Cargo (1925 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1925 film), an American film starring Boris Karloff: rum-running from Bahamas to United States
* Forbidden Cargo (1954 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1954 film), a Brit ...
'' (1954). He co-starred in the
Hammer film version of ''
The Quatermass Xperiment
''The Quatermass Xperiment'' (a.k.a. ''The Creeping Unknown'' in the United States) is a 1955 British science fiction horror film from Hammer Film Productions, based on the 1953 BBC Television serial '' The Quatermass Experiment'' written by ...
'' (1955) and had a cameo-like supporting role as the
police superintendent
Superintendent (Supt) is a rank in the British police and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries, the full version is superintendent of police (SP). The rank is also used in most British Overseas Territories ...
in the 1955
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...
black comedy ''
The Ladykillers''.
Even with his success that followed in television, Warner performed in the occasional film such as ''
Now and Forever'' (1956), ''
Home and Away'' (1956), ''
Carve Her Name with Pride'' (1958) and ''
Jigsaw
Jigsaw may refer to:
* Jigsaw (tool), a tool used for cutting arbitrary curves
* Jigsaw puzzle, a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of interlocking pieces
Arts and media Comics
* Jigsaw (Marvel Comics), a supervillain and arch-enemy of ...
'' (1962). His last film appearance was in ''
Dominique'' (1978).
Television
Although the
police constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
he played in ''The Blue Lamp'' was shot dead in the film, the character was revived in 1955 for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'', which ran until 1976. In the series' later years, Warner's character, long past retirement age, was confined to a less prominent
role. The series had a prime-time slot on Saturday evenings, and always opened with Dixon giving a little soliloquy to the camera, beginning with the words, "Good evening, all". According to Warner's autobiography, ''Jack of All Trades'', Queen
once visited the television studio where the series was made, and told Warner "that she thought ''Dixon of Dock Green'' had become part of the British way of life".
In 1933, Warner married company secretary Muriel Winifred ("Mollie"), daughter of independently wealthy Roberts Peters. The couple had no children.
Warner was appointed an
(OBE) in 1965.
In 1973, he was made a Freeman of the City of London. Warner commented in his autobiography that the honour "entitles me to a set of 18th century rules for the conduct of life urging me to be sober and temperate". Warner added, "Not too difficult with Dixon to keep an eye on me!"
, London, in 1981.
The characterisation by Warner of Dixon was held in such high regard that officers from
bore the coffin at his funeral.
.
For a number of years, British film exhibitors voted him among the top ten British stars at the box office via an annual poll in the ''Motion Picture Herald''.
*1948 – 7th-most popular British star
*1949 – 10th-most popular British star
* Sydney-Smith, Susan (2002). ''Beyond Dixon of Dock Green: Early British Police Series''. London: I. B. Tauris.
*Warner, Jack (1975). ''Jack of All Trades: The Autobiography of Jack Warner''. London: W.H. Allen.