Jack Hulbert

John Norman Hulbert (24 April 189225 March 1978) was a British actor, director, screenwriter and singer, specializing primarily in comedy productions, and often working alongside his wife (Dame) Cicely Courtneidge.

Biography Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he was the elder and more successful son of Henry Harper Hulbert, a physician, being the brother of the actor Claude Hulbert. He was educated at Westminster School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and appeared in many shows and revues, mainly with the Cambridge Footlights. He was one of the earliest famous alumni of the comedy club.

After Cambridge, he earned recognition and fame performing in musicals and light comedies. However the First World War delayed his rise to fame; on 14 February 1916, while still an actor, he married Cicely Courtneidge, the daughter of Robert Courtneidge, a theatrical manager, in Hampstead. and in December 1916 he was appearing at the Comedy Revue in "See-Saw". In May 1917, he opened at the Comedy in "Bubbly", and the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News commented that "Mr. Jack Hulbert, Miss Winnie Melville, and Miss Irene Greville also stay on at this same munition factory for high explosives of laughter". Under the Military Service Act 1916 Hulbert was conscripted into the army, serving from 1917 to 1919.

Hulbert made his film debut in Elstree Calling (1930); appearing opposite his wife and frequent stage and screen co-star Cicely Courtneidge. His career went through a successful period during the 1930s when he appeared in several films, including The Ghost Train (1931), Love on Wheels (1932) and Bulldog Jack (1935), a tongue-in-cheek homage to the popular Bulldog Drummond films in which Jack was supported by his brother Claude.

In 1936 exhibitors voted him the third most popular British film star.

Hulbert's popularity waned as the 1930s came to an end, and after the war he and his wife continued to entertain chiefly on stage. In 1951 he appeared in the West End in The White Sheep of the Family and the following year directed his brother in Lord Arthur Savile's Crime. In 1958 he starred with Yvonne Arnaud in Ronald Millar's The Big Tickle. In 1962 he appeared in the BBC radio sitcom Discord in Three Flats, along with Courtneidge and Vic Oliver.

Personal life His marriage to Cicely Courtneidge lasted for 62 years until his death. Their relationship is mentioned in the British television series Dad's Army in the episode Ring Dem Bells when Hulbert pulls out of shooting a Home Guard training film to spend time with his wife.

In 1975, Hulbert published his autobiography, The Little Woman's Always Right. Hulbert died, at the age of 85, at his home in Westminster, London on 25 March 1978.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1930 Elstree Calling Himself His film debut 1931 The Ghost Train Teddy Deakin Sunshine Susie Herr Hasel Released as The Office Girl in USA 1932 Jack's the Boy Jack Brown Released as Night and Day in USA Happy Ever After Willie Released as A Blonde Dream in USA Love on Wheels Fred Hopkins 1933 Falling for You Jack Hazeldon 1934 Jack Ahoy Jack Ponsonby The Camels Are Coming Jack Campbell 1935 Bulldog Jack Jack Pennington Released as Alias Bulldog Drummond in USA 1936 Jack of All Trades Jack Warrender Alternative title: The Two of Us 1937 Take My Tip Lord George Pilkington Paradise for Two Rene Martin Released as Gaiety Girls in USA 1938 Kate Plus Ten Inspector Mike Pemberton Released as Queen of Crime in USA 1940 Under Your Hat Jack Millett 1950 Into the Blue John Fergusson Released as Man in the Dinghy in USA 1951 The Magic Box 1st Holborn Policeman 1955 Miss Tulip Stays the Night Constable Feathers Released as Dead by Midnight in USA 1960 The Spider's Web Sir Rowland Delahaye 1973 Not Now Darling Commander Frencham 1974 The Cherry Picker Sir Hugh Fawcett

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1951 The Golden Year John Radlett Musical play for BBC TV 1961 Kraft Mystery Theater – "The Spider's Web" TV Episode 1962 Compact Smith TV series 1970 Party Games (TV) - Waiter

Theatre