Jack Buchanan
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Walter John Buchanan (2 April 1891 – 20 October 1957) was a Scottish theatre and film actor, singer, dancer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in America for his role in the classic Hollywood musical ''
The Band Wagon ''The Band Wagon'' is a 1953 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. It tells the story of an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will restart his career. However, ...
'' in 1953.


Biography

Buchanan was born in
Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local gove ...
, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, the son of Walter John Buchanan Sr (1865–1902), auctioneer, and his wife, Patricia, ''née''  McWatt (1860–1936).Spicer, Andrew H
"Buchanan, Walter John (1890–1957)"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, January 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008
He was educated at the
Glasgow Academy The Glasgow Academy is a coeducational independent day school for pupils aged 3–18 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2016, it had the third-best Higher level exam results in Scotland. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest continuously fully independent ...
.


Early career

After a brief attempt to follow his late father's profession and a failure at acting in
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, he became a music hall comedian under the name of Chump Buchanan and appeared on the variety stage in Scotland. Moving to London and adopting the name "Jack Buchanan", he first appeared on the West End in September 1912 in the
comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...
''The Grass Widow''  at the
Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.
. Hardship dogged him for a while before he became famous whilst on tour in 1915 in '' Tonight's the Night''. He produced and acted in his own plays both in London and New York City. Buchanan's health was not robust, and, to his bitter regret, he was declared unfit when he attempted to enlist for military service in the First World War. He appeared with some success in West End shows during the war, attracting favourable notices as a "knut" in the mould of George Grossmith Jr, and achieved front rank stardom in
André Charlot André Eugène Maurice Charlot (26 July 1882 – 20 May 1956) was a French impresario known primarily for the successful musical revues he staged in London between 1912 and 1937. He also worked as a character actor in numerous films. Early li ...
's 1921 revue ''A to Z'', appearing with
Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born Gertr ...
. Among his numbers in the show was Ivor Novello's "And Her Mother Came Too", which became Buchanan's signature song. The show transferred successfully to
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in 1924. For the rest of the 1920s and 1930s he was famous for "the seemingly lazy but most accomplished grace with which he sang, danced, flirted and joked his way through musical shows.... The tall figure, the elegant gestures, the friendly drawling voice, the general air of having a good time."''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'': "Last of the knuts", 21 October 1957, p. 12
During the Second World War he starred in his own musical production ''It's Time to Dance'', whose cast included
Fred Emney Frederick Arthur Round Emney (12 February 1902 – 25 December 1980) was an English character actor and comedian. Emney was born in Prescot, Lancashire,GRO Register of Births Mar 1902 Frederick Arthur R Emney 8b 725 PRESCOT1901 Census: R ...
. The musical show was based on a book by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose, and was staged at the Lyric Theatre,
Shaftesbury Avenue Shaftesbury Avenue is a major road in the West End of London, named after The 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. It runs north-easterly from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus. From Piccadilly C ...
, London.


Film career and later years

He made his film debut in the silent cinema, in 1917 and appeared in about three dozen films in his career. In 1938, Buchanan achieved the unusual feat of starring in the London stage musical ''This'll Make You Whistle'' while concurrently filming a film version. The film was released while the stage version was still running; thus the two productions competed with each other. Other starring roles included ''
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
'' (1930), ''
Smash and Grab A smash and grab is a particular form of burglary or looting that involves smashing a barrier, usually a display window in a shop or a showcase, grabbing valuables, and then making a quick getaway, without concern for setting off alarms or creat ...
'' (1937) and '' The Gang's All Here'' (1939). He also produced several films including '' Happidrome'' (1943) and ''The Sky's the Limit'' (1938), which he also directed. He continued to work on Broadway and the West End and took roles in several Hollywood musicals, including ''
The Band Wagon ''The Band Wagon'' is a 1953 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. It tells the story of an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will restart his career. However, ...
'' (1953), his best-known film, in which he plays camp theatre director Jeffrey Cordova opposite
Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...
and
Cyd Charisse Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008) was an American actress and dancer. After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s. Her roles usually featured her abilit ...
. He suffered from spinal arthritis, though this did not stop him from performing several dance numbers with Astaire in ''The Band Wagon''.


British stage career

Buchanan's British stage appearances included ''A to Z'', ''Battling Butler'', ''Toni'', ''Sunny'', ''That's a Good Girl'', ''Stand up and Sing'', '' Mr. Whittington'', ''
This'll Make You Whistle ''This'll Make You Whistle'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Jack Buchanan, Elsie Randolph and William Kendall. The film was based on the stage musical of the same title which Buchanan had starred ...
'', ''Top Hat and Tails'', '' The Last of Mrs Cheyney'', ''Fine Feathers'', ''Canaries Sometimes Sing'', ''Don't Listen, Ladies!'', '' Castle in the Air'', '' King's Rhapsody'' and ''
As Long as They're Happy ''As Long as They're Happy'' is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Jack Buchanan, Susan Stephen and Diana Dors. It is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Vernon Sylvaine. It was shot at Pinewoo ...
''. His first
pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
appearance (Christmas, 1940) was as "
Buttons A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood ...
" in ''
Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
''. His productions included '' The Women'', ''The Body was Well Nourished'', ''Waltz Without End'', ''It's Time to Dance'', ''A Murder for a Valentine'', ''Treble Trouble'' and ''The Lady Asks for Help''.


American stage career

Buchanan's American stage appearances included:
André Charlot André Eugène Maurice Charlot (26 July 1882 – 20 May 1956) was a French impresario known primarily for the successful musical revues he staged in London between 1912 and 1937. He also worked as a character actor in numerous films. Early li ...
's Revues, Charles B. Cochran's '' Wake Up and Dream'', ''
Pardon My English ''Pardon My English'' is a musical with a book by Herbert Fields and Morrie Ryskind, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Set in 1933 Dresden, the farcical plot satirizes the Prohibition era. Production history Producers Alex ...
'', '' Between the Devil'' and ''
Harvey Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit * Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...
'' (1948).


Film career

Buchanan's Hollywood films included ''Paris'', ''
The Show of Shows ''The Show of Shows'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical revue film directed by John G. Adolfi and distributed by Warner Bros. The all-talking Vitaphone production cost $850,000 and was shot almost entirely in Technicolor. ''The Show o ...
'' (1929), ''
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
'' (1930) and ''
The Band Wagon ''The Band Wagon'' is a 1953 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. It tells the story of an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will restart his career. However, ...
'' (1953). His British films included '' Yes, Mr Brown'' (1933), ''
Goodnight, Vienna ''Goodnight, Vienna'' is a 1932 British musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Jack Buchanan, Anna Neagle and Gina Malo. Two lovers in Vienna are separated by the First World War, but are later reunited. Based on a radio opere ...
'' (1932), ''That's a Good Girl'' (1933), '' Brewster's Millions'' (1935), ''
Come Out of the Pantry ''Come Out of the Pantry'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray, James Carew and Fred Emney. It is based on a 1916 novel of the same name by Alice Duer Miller, and features musical numbers ...
'' (1935), '' When Knights Were Bold'' (1936), ''
This'll Make You Whistle ''This'll Make You Whistle'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Jack Buchanan, Elsie Randolph and William Kendall. The film was based on the stage musical of the same title which Buchanan had starred ...
'' (1936), ''
Smash and Grab A smash and grab is a particular form of burglary or looting that involves smashing a barrier, usually a display window in a shop or a showcase, grabbing valuables, and then making a quick getaway, without concern for setting off alarms or creat ...
'' (1937), '' The Sky's the Limit'' (1938), ''
Break the News ''Break the News'' is the third studio album by Swedish singer Darin. It was released on 22 November 2006 in Sweden. The album reached the top of the Swedish Album Charts. Four singles were released from the album in Sweden with an additional ...
'' (1938), '' The Gang's All Here'' (1939), '' The Middle Watch'' (1940), ''
Bulldog Sees It Through ''Bulldog Sees it Through'' is a 1940 British, black-and-white, mystery war film directed by Harold Huth and starring Jack Buchanan, Greta Gynt, Googie Withers, Ronald Shiner as Pug and Sebastian Shaw. Plot This is not a Bulldog Drummond ...
'' (1940), ''
As Long as They're Happy ''As Long as They're Happy'' is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Jack Buchanan, Susan Stephen and Diana Dors. It is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Vernon Sylvaine. It was shot at Pinewoo ...
'' (1955) and ''
Josephine and Men ''Josephine and Men'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Roy Boulting and starring Glynis Johns, Jack Buchanan, Donald Sinden and Peter Finch. It also features William Hartnell, Gerald Sim, Thorley Walters, Victor Maddern and John Le ...
'' (1955). He made one French film (bilingual), ''
The Diary of Major Thompson ''The French, They Are a Funny Race'' (french: Les Carnets du Major Thompson, lit=The Notebooks of Major Thompson; released in the United Kingdom as ''The Diary of Major Thompson'') is a 1955 French comedy film written and directed by Preston Stu ...
'' (1955).


Radio and television

Buchanan was a frequent broadcaster on British radio, especially during the Second World War. Programs included ''The Jack Buchanan Show'' and, in 1955, the hugely popular eight-part series ''Man About Town''. On 12 June 1928, Buchanan participated in the first-ever transatlantic television broadcast. It was conducted by Scottish engineer
John Logie Baird John Logie Baird FRSE (; 13 August 188814 June 1946) was a Scottish inventor, electrical engineer, and innovator who demonstrated the world's first live working television system on 26 January 1926. He went on to invent the first publicly dem ...
, an important figure in the technological development of television. At the time, the few television sets that existed had been custom-built by engineers and were not available for purchase by the general public in the United Kingdom or the United States. American television shows on which Buchanan appeared during the era of stores selling television sets included ''Max Liebman's Spotlight'' in 1954 and ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...
''.


Business interests

In a British tradition of actor-management, Buchanan frequently produced his own shows, many of which were premiered in the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow. He was also heavily involved in the more commercial side of British show business. He was responsible, with partners, for the building and ownership of the
Leicester Square Theatre The Leicester Square Theatre is a 400-seat theatre in Leicester Place, immediately north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. It was previously known as Notre Dame Hall, Cavern in the Town and The Venue. The theatre hosts st ...
, London, and the Imperial in
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
. He also controlled the
Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ' ...
in the West End of London and the King's Theatre in
Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. ...
. Jack Buchanan Productions (in which his partners were J. Arthur Rank and Charles Woolf) owned
Riverside Studios Riverside Studios is an arts centre on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. The venue plays host to contemporary performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production. Having closed for redevelopment i ...
in Hammersmith. He had been at school with the pioneer of television
John Logie Baird John Logie Baird FRSE (; 13 August 188814 June 1946) was a Scottish inventor, electrical engineer, and innovator who demonstrated the world's first live working television system on 26 January 1926. He went on to invent the first publicly dem ...
and with him co-owned Television Limited, which manufactured and rented televisions. Not all his business ventures were profitable, and at his death his estate was valued for
probate Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased, or whereby the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy in the sta ...
(in 1958) at £24,489 (equivalent to £ today).


Marriage

Buchanan's image was that of the raffish eternal bachelor, but he was, unknown to most, married to Saffo Arnau in 1915. She was a singer. This marriage was annulled in 1920. Later in life, he married Susan Bassett, an American, in 1947; he was her second husband. Through her he had a stepdaughter, Theo, who lived with him and his wife. He had no children of his own. He had previously had a relationship with Australian actress
Coral Browne Coral Edith Browne (23 July 1913 – 29 May 1991) was an Australian-American stage and screen actress. Her extensive theatre credits included Broadway productions of '' Macbeth'' (1956), '' The Rehearsal'' (1963) and '' The Right Honourable Gent ...
, and during her meeting in Moscow with Soviet spy
Guy Burgess Guy Francis de Moncy Burgess (16 April 1911 – 30 August 1963) was a British diplomat and Soviet agent, and a member of the Cambridge Five spy ring that operated from the mid-1930s to the early years of the Cold War era. His defection in 1951 ...
in the late 1950s she informed Burgess, on mentioning Buchanan, that "we almost got married'. "And...?" "He jilted me." Burgess, previously at the British
Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...
, had defected to Moscow a few years earlier, and one of the few mementoes of his earlier life that he had been able to keep was one 78rpm Jack Buchanan record—" Who?"—which, when Browne visited his Moscow flat, he played repeatedly. This event is portrayed in
Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...
's play ''
An Englishman Abroad ''An Englishman Abroad'' is a 1983 BBC television drama film based on the true story of a chance meeting of actress Coral Browne with Guy Burgess, a member of the Cambridge spy ring who spied for the Soviet Union while an officer at MI6. The pr ...
''.


Character

Buchanan was noted for his portrayals of the quintessential English gentleman, despite being a
Scot The Scots ( sco, Scots Fowk; gd, Albannaich) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged in the early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic-speaking peoples, the Picts and Gaels, who founded t ...
. He was known for his financial generosity to less prosperous actors and chorus performers.
Sandy Wilson Alexander Galbraith "Sandy" Wilson (19 May 1924 – 27 August 2014) was an English composer and lyricist, best known for his musical '' The Boy Friend'' (1953). Biography Wilson was born in Sale, Cheshire, England, and was educated at Harrow S ...
recalled that each year during the running of the annual
Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
horse race, Buchanan would cancel that day's performance of his current musical and charter an excursion train to the racecourse and back, supplying meals for the entire cast and crew of his show, in addition to giving them £5 each for a "flutter" on the horse of their choice. Buchanan died in London in 1957 from
spinal cancer Spinal tumors are neoplasms located in either the vertebral column or the spinal cord. There are three main types of spinal tumors classified based on their location: extradural and intradural (intradural-intramedullary and intradural-extramedullar ...
at age 66.


Partial filmography

* '' Auld Lang Syne'' (1917) – Vane * '' Her Heritage'' (1919) – Bob Hales * '' The Audacious Mr. Squire'' (1923) – Tom Squire * ''
The Happy Ending ''The Happy Ending'' is a 1969 drama film written and directed by Richard Brooks, which tells the story of a repressed housewife who longs for liberation from her husband and daughter. It stars Jean Simmons (who received an Oscar nomination), ...
'' (1925) – Captain Dale Conway * ''
Settled Out of Court In law, a settlement is a resolution between disputing parties about a legal case, reached either before or after court action begins. A collective settlement is a settlement of multiple similar legal cases. The term also has other meanings in t ...
'' (1925) – The Husband * ''
Bulldog Drummond's Third Round ''The Third Round'' (1925) was the second silent film adaptation of the Bulldog Drummond character, starring Jack Buchanan and Betty Faire, adapted by Sidney Morgan from the novel of the same name by H. C. McNeile, and directed by Morgan. Cas ...
'' (1925) – Captain Hugh Drummond * ''A Typical Budget'' (1925, Short) * ''
Confetti Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar, or metallic material which are usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''co ...
'' (1928) – Count Andrea Zorro * ''
Toni Toni, Toñi or Tóni is a unisex given name. In Spanish, Italian, Croatian and Finnish, it is a masculine given name used as a short form of the names derived from Antonius like Antonio, Ante or Anttoni. In Danish, English, Finnish, Norwe ...
'' (1928) – Toni Marr / Marini * ''
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
'' (1929) – Guy Pennell * ''
The Show of Shows ''The Show of Shows'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical revue film directed by John G. Adolfi and distributed by Warner Bros. The all-talking Vitaphone production cost $850,000 and was shot almost entirely in Technicolor. ''The Show o ...
'' (1929) * ''
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
'' (1930) – Count Rudolph Farriere * ''
A Man of Mayfair ''A Man of Mayfair'' is a 1932 British musical comedy film directed by Louis Mercanton and starring Jack Buchanan, Joan Barry and Warwick Ward. Production It was made at British and Dominions Elstree Studios by the British subsidiary of Param ...
'' (1931) – Lord William * ''
Goodnight, Vienna ''Goodnight, Vienna'' is a 1932 British musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Jack Buchanan, Anna Neagle and Gina Malo. Two lovers in Vienna are separated by the First World War, but are later reunited. Based on a radio opere ...
'' (1932) – Captain Maximilian Schletoff * '' Yes, Mr Brown'' (1933) – Nicholas Baumann * ''
That's a Good Girl ''That's a Good Girl'' is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Jack Buchanan and starring Buchanan, Elsie Randolph and Dorothy Hyson. The film was based on a musical show of the same title that opened at the Lewisham Hippodrome on 19 March 1928 ...
'' (1933) – Jack Barrow * '' Brewster's Millions'' (1935) – Jack Brewster * ''
Come Out of the Pantry ''Come Out of the Pantry'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray, James Carew and Fred Emney. It is based on a 1916 novel of the same name by Alice Duer Miller, and features musical numbers ...
'' (1935) – Lord Robert Brent * '' When Knights Were Bold'' (1936) – Sir Guy De Vere * ''
This'll Make You Whistle ''This'll Make You Whistle'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Jack Buchanan, Elsie Randolph and William Kendall. The film was based on the stage musical of the same title which Buchanan had starred ...
'' (1936) – Bill Hoppings * ''
Smash and Grab A smash and grab is a particular form of burglary or looting that involves smashing a barrier, usually a display window in a shop or a showcase, grabbing valuables, and then making a quick getaway, without concern for setting off alarms or creat ...
'' (1937) – John Forrest * '' Limelight'' (1937) – Himself (uncredited) * ''
Break the News ''Break the News'' is the third studio album by Swedish singer Darin. It was released on 22 November 2006 in Sweden. The album reached the top of the Swedish Album Charts. Four singles were released from the album in Sweden with an additional ...
'' (1938) – Teddy Enton * '' The Sky's the Limit'' (1938) – Dave Harber * '' The Gang's All Here'' (1939) – John Forrest * '' The Middle Watch'' (1940) – Captain Maitland * ''
Bulldog Sees It Through ''Bulldog Sees it Through'' is a 1940 British, black-and-white, mystery war film directed by Harold Huth and starring Jack Buchanan, Greta Gynt, Googie Withers, Ronald Shiner as Pug and Sebastian Shaw. Plot This is not a Bulldog Drummond ...
'' (1940) – 'Bulldog' Bill Watson * ''
The Band Wagon ''The Band Wagon'' is a 1953 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. It tells the story of an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will restart his career. However, ...
'' (1953) – Jeffrey Cordova * ''
As Long as They're Happy ''As Long as They're Happy'' is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Jack Buchanan, Susan Stephen and Diana Dors. It is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Vernon Sylvaine. It was shot at Pinewoo ...
'' (1955) – John Bentley * ''
Josephine and Men ''Josephine and Men'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Roy Boulting and starring Glynis Johns, Jack Buchanan, Donald Sinden and Peter Finch. It also features William Hartnell, Gerald Sim, Thorley Walters, Victor Maddern and John Le ...
'' (1955) – Uncle Charles Luton * ''
The French, They Are a Funny Race ''The French, They Are a Funny Race'' (french: Les Carnets du Major Thompson, lit=The Notebooks of Major Thompson; released in the United Kingdom as ''The Diary of Major Thompson'') is a 1955 French comedy film written and directed by Preston Stu ...
'' (1955) – Le Major Marmaduke Thompson


Box office ranking

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''. *1936 – 6th *1937 – 5th *1938 – 6th


References


External links

* *
Jack Buchanan's biography at Helensburgh Heroes

Photographs and literature
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Buchanan, Jack Scottish male film actors Scottish male musical theatre actors 1891 births 1957 deaths People from Helensburgh Deaths from cancer in England Neurological disease deaths in England Deaths from spinal cancer 20th-century Scottish male actors 20th-century Scottish male singers People educated at the Glasgow Academy