John Francis Junkin (29 January 1930 – 7 March 2006) was an English actor and

scriptwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. T ...

who had a long career in radio, television and film, specialising in comedy.

Early life

Born in Ealing,

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

, the son of a policeman, he and his parents subsequently moved to Forest Gate so that he could attend St Bonaventure's Catholic School there, before qualifying as a teacher at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill. He worked as a primary school teacher in the East End for three years before becoming a professional actor and scriptwriter.

Career

In 1960, Junkin joined

Joan Littlewood Joan Maud Littlewood (6 October 1914 – 20 September 2002) was an English theatre director who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and is best known for her work in developing the Theatre Workshop. She has been called "The Mother of M ...

's Stratford East

Theatre Workshop Theatre Workshop is a theatre group whose long-serving director was Joan Littlewood. Many actors of the 1950s and 1960s received their training and first exposure with the company, many of its productions were transferred to theatres in the West E ...

and played the lead in the original production of '' Sparrers Can't Sing''. A few years later, he joined the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...

company, and was the foil to Tony Hancock in some of Hancock's last work for British television. Junkin played a diverse range of roles on the small screen; however, he is best remembered for his comedy roles and his appearances as a television quiz master. To international audiences, he may be best remembered for playing Shake, the assistant to Norman Rossington, in

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

film '' A Hard Day's Night''. In comedy roles, Junkin was rarely short of work, on account of his ability to play the stony-faced symbol of low level, petty-minded and unquestioning authority, whether the army sergeant, police constable or site foreman. One of his rare leading roles was in the BBC series '' The Rough with the Smooth'', in which he and Tim Brooke-Taylor played comedy writers (with both actors contributing scripts to the series as well). He also hosted his own afternoon television series in the mid-1970s. Titled simply ''Junkin'', it was produced by Southern Television for the ITV network. Junkin has an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the voice of Mr Shifter, one of the chimps in the PG Tips tea advertisement, the longest-running series of commercials on television. With Barry Cryer, Junkin wrote for Morecambe and Wise from 1978 to 1983, in addition to two Christmas specials in 1972 and 1976.

Personal life and death

Junkin lived in

Wendover Wendover is a market town and civil parish at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated at the point where the main road across the Chilterns between London and Aylesbury intersects with the once important road a ...

, Buckinghamshire. He married public relations executive Jenny Claybourn in 1977 and had a daughter, Annabel. Junkin and his wife separated in 1992. He died from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...

on 7 March 2006 in the Florence Nightingale House, Aylesbury, several miles from his home. A heavy smoker, he had also been suffering from emphysema and

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...

. His life and work were honoured at the British Academy Television Awards in 2006.

Acting credits

Film

*'' Doctor in Love'' (1960) – Policeman (uncredited) *'' The Dock Brief'' (1962) – Dock brief barrister (uncredited) *''The Primitives'' (1962) – Arthur *''

The Brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ i ...

'' (1962) – Frederick (uncredited) *'' The Wrong Arm of the Law'' (1963) – Maurice (uncredited) *'' Sparrows Can't Sing'' (1963) – Bridge Operator (uncredited) *'' Heavens Above!'' (1963) – Reporter at Space Launch Site (uncredited) *'' The Break'' (1963) – Harry *''

Hot Enough for June ''Hot Enough for June'' is a 1964 British spy comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas, and starring Dirk Bogarde with Sylva Koscina in her English film debut, Robert Morley and Leo McKern. It is based on the 1960 novel '' The Night of Wenceslas'' b ...

'' (1964) – Clerk in Opening Scene *''

The Pumpkin Eater ''The Pumpkin Eater'' is a 1964 British drama film starring Anne Bancroft as an unusually fertile woman and Peter Finch as her philandering husband. The film was adapted by Harold Pinter from the 1962 novel of the same title by Penelope Mortim ...

'' (1964) – Undertaker *'' A Hard Day's Night'' (1964) – Shake *''

Doctor in Clover ''Doctor in Clover'' is a British comedy film released in 1966, starring Leslie Phillips. The film is based on the novel of the same title by Richard Gordon. It is the sixth of the seven films in the ''Doctor'' series. The film was released i ...

'' (1966) – Prison Warder (uncredited) *'' The Wrong Box'' (1966) – First Engine Driver *''

Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...

'' (1966) – Dominion Porter *'' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) – Chauffeur *''

How I Won the War ''How I Won the War'' is a 1967 British black comedy film starring Michael Crawford, Jack MacGowran, Roy Kinnear, Lee Montague, and John Lennon in his only non-musical acting role. The film, which was directed and produced by Richard Lester, is b ...

'' (1967) – Large Child *'' The Plank'' (1967) – One Eyed Truck Driver *'' Simon, Simon'' (1970) – 2nd Workman – Driver *''

Confessions of a Driving Instructor ''Confessions of a Driving Instructor'' is a 1976 British sex-farce film. This was the third instalment of the ''Confessions'' sequence on the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based on the novels published under the name by Christopher Wood. ...

'' (1976) – Luigi *'' Confessions from a Holiday Camp'' (1977) – Whitemonk *'' Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse'' (1978) – Mr. Dixon *'' Wombling Free'' (1978) – County Surveyor *'' Brass Target'' (1978) – Carberry *'' That Summer!'' (1979) – Mr. Swales *'' Licensed to Love and Kill'' (1979) – Helicopter Mechanic *''

A Handful of Dust ''A Handful of Dust'' is a novel by the British writer Evelyn Waugh. First published in 1934, it is often grouped with the author's early, satirical comic novels for which he became famous in the pre– World War II years. Commentators have, ...

'' (1988) – Blenkinsop *'' Chicago Joe and the Showgirl'' (1990) – George Heath *'' Girl from Rio'' (2001) – Mr. Bigelow *'' The Football Factory'' (2004) – Albert Moss (final film role)

Radio

* ''Floggit's'' *'' Radio Caroline'' (first voice of the test transmissions in March 1964) *''

Hello, Cheeky! ''Hello Cheeky'' is a comedy series starring Barry Cryer, John Junkin and Tim Brooke-Taylor, broadcast on BBC Radio 2 between 1973 and 1979, and also broadcast on television - on the ITV network - in 1976. The format was short comedy sketches, o ...

'' with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Barry Cryer *'' Just a Minute'' as an occasional guest *'' I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue'' *'' Junkin's Jokers''

Television

*'' Winning Widows'' (1962, 1 episode) *'' Dr. Finlay's Casebook'' Series 1 episode 6: "Cough Mixture", 1962 – Dougal Todd *''

Hancock Hancock may refer to: Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New Hampshir ...

'' (1963, 1 episode) – Jerry Spring *''

The Plane Makers ''The Plane Makers'' is a British television series created by Wilfred Greatorex and produced by Rex Firkin. ATV made three series for ITV between 1963 and 1965. It was succeeded by ''The Power Game'', which ran for an additional three s ...

'', (1963) – Dusty Miller *'' The Avengers'' (1963–1967) – Sergeant / Sheriff *'' The Blackpool Show'' (1966 series with Tony Hancock) – Himself *'' Further Adventures of Lucky Jim'' (1967) – *'' Sam and Janet'' (1967) ITV, Two series of sitcom with Joan Sims (1) and Vivienne Martin (2) *'' Marty'', comedy television series with

Marty Feldman Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his prominent, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on the ITV sitcom ''Boot ...

, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Roland MacLeod (1968–69) – various characters *''

Catweazle ''Catweazle'' is a British children's fantasy television series, starring Geoffrey Bayldon in the title role, and created by Richard Carpenter for London Weekend Television. The first series, produced and directed in 1969 by Quentin Lawren ...

'': "The Flying Broom-sticks" (1969) - Police Sergeant *'' The Goodies'' (1972) – Police Sergeant *''

The Shadow of the Tower ''The Shadow of the Tower'' is a historical drama that was broadcast on BBC2 in 1972. It was a prequel to the earlier serials '' The Six Wives of Henry VIII'' and ''Elizabeth R'' and featured several actors who had appeared in them (but in new r ...

'' (1972) – Master John *'' Looking For Clancy'' (1975) – Jim Clancy *''

Lord Peter Wimsey Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries fo ...

'': "Five Red Herrings" (1975) – Mr. Alcock *'' Out'' (1978) – Ralph Veneker *'' The Sweeney'' (1978) – Taxi Yard Proprietor *'' Only When I Laugh'' (1979) – Landlord *'' Odd One Out'' (1982) – Himself – Voiceover (voice) *'' The Professionals'' (1983) – Hollis *'' Blott on the Landscape'' (1985) - Waiter *'' Crosswits'' (1985, quiz panelist) *'' Ask No Questions'' (1986) *'' Picking Up The Pieces'' (1988) – Vinny *''

Mr. Bean ''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...

'' (1990) – The Maitre D' *''

Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse, GM, is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode drama series '' Inspector Morse'' (1987–2000), ...

'' (1992) – Chief Inspector Holroyd *'' The Thing About Vince'' (2000) – Frankie *'' The Sins'' (2000) – Archie Rogers *'' McCready and Daughter'' (2001) *'' Coronation Street'' (1981) – Bill Fielding (a short-lived boyfriend of

Elsie Tanner Elsie Gregory (also Grimshaw, Howard and Tanner) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Pat Phoenix from the series' inception in 1960 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was ...

) *'' EastEnders'' (2001–2002) – Ernie Johnson

References

External links

*
John Junkin: reminiscences of making A Hard Days' Night
{{DEFAULTSORT:Junkin, John 1930 births 2006 deaths Alumni of St Mary's University, Twickenham British radio people Deaths from lung cancer in England English male comedians English male film actors English male radio actors English male television actors English television writers Male actors from London Morecambe and Wise Offshore radio broadcasters People educated at St Bonaventure's Catholic School People from Ealing 20th-century English comedians British male television writers 20th-century English screenwriters