Tony Britton

Anthony Edward Lowry Britton (9 June 1924 – 22 December 2019) was an English actor. He appeared in a variety of films (including The Day of the Jackal) and television sitcoms (including Don't Wait Up and Robin's Nest).

Background Britton was born in Erdington, Birmingham, the son of Doris Marguerite (née Jones) and Edward Leslie Britton. His father was landlord of the Trocadero public house on Temple Street in Birmingham. He attended Edgbaston Collegiate School, Birmingham and Thornbury Grammar School, Gloucestershire.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1977 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside London's Cafe Royal.

In 1979, Britton was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Adelphi Theatre.

From 1983 to 1990, he starred with Nigel Havers and Dinah Sheridan in the BBC sitcom Don't Wait Up, which became a highlight of his career. His other sitcom appearances included ...And Mother Makes Five, Father, Dear Father and as James Nicholls in Robin's Nest. Britton recorded many audiobook versions of novels by Dick Francis.

In September 2013 Sir Jonathan Miller directed a Gala Performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear at the Old Vic in London. Britton played the Earl of Gloucester.

Personal life Britton and his first wife Ruth (née Hawkins), to whom he was married from 1948 to 1961, they had two children, scriptwriter Cherry Britton and TV presenter Fern Britton.

In 1962, Britton married Danish sculptor and wartime Danish resistance member Eva Castle Britton (née Skytte Birkfeldt). They had one son, actor Jasper Britton.

Films Waterfront (1950) as Deck-Hand (uncredited) Cage of Gold (1950) as Nicky (uncredited) Salute the Toff (1952) as Draycott The Man who Stroked Cats (1955) as Tom Meredith ( Dir. by Anthony Pelissier with Peggy Anne Clifford) (short) Loser Takes All (1956) as Tony The Birthday Present (1957) as Simon Scott Behind the Mask (1958) as Philip Selwood The Heart of a Man (1959) as Tony Carlisle Operation Amsterdam (1959) as Major Dillon The Rough and the Smooth (1959) as Mike Thompson The Last Winter (1960) as Stephen Burton Suspect (1960) as Robert Marriott The Break (1963) as Greg Parker Dr. Syn Alias the Scarecrow (1963) as Simon Bates There's a Girl in My Soup (1970) as Andrew Hunter Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) as George Harding Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971) as George Dewport The Day of the Jackal (1973) as Superintendent Brian Thomas Night Watch (1973) as Tony The People That Time Forgot (1977) as Captain Lawton Agatha (1979) as William Collins Countdown to War (1989) as Sir Nevile Henderson Run for Your Wife (2012) as Man on Bus (final film role)

Television Melissa (1964) The Saint (1968) Marked Personal (1974) The Nearly Man (1975) ...And Mother Makes Five (1975) Robin's Nest (1977–1981) Don't Wait Up (1983–1990) Strangers and Brothers (1984) Don't Tell Father (1992) The Royal (2006)