John D. Collins
{{Short description|English actor (born 1942)}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{infobox person
| name = John D. Collins
| birth_name = John Christopher Dixon
| birth_place = London, England
| birth_date = {{birth_date and age|df=yes|2 December 1942}}
| occupation = Actor, narrator
| years_active = 1965–2007
}}
John Christopher Dixon (born 2 December 1942), billed as John D. Collins, is a British actor who played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II, in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!. He is the actor to have been cast most frequently in writer/producer David Croft's hit sitcoms: a total of six different series and ten characters.
Biography
Collins won the Ivor Novello and Robert Donat Scholarships to RADA. After graduating he went on to run the Summer Theatre at Frinton-on-Sea, Essex for three years and then went to work in the first season of the Nottingham Playhouse.
In his early years he made a number of films including the Hammer Film Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), the film versions of Till Death Us Do Part (1969) and Dad's Army (1971), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), The Ghoul (1975), and The Boys in Blue (1982), and also many plays for Granada Television. As a vicar in Coronation Street, he failed to marry Albert Tatlock.
For ten years he worked with Spike Milligan as his assistant director and as an actor, in Son of Oblomov and The Bed-Sitting Room. He also appeared with Milligan in his 'Q’ series on television.
He became a regular cast member of two television series – A Family at War and also with Robert Lindsay in Get Some In!. He first worked for David Croft in the film version of Dad's Army in 1971, and subsequently was cast in episodes of It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi!, Are You Being Served? and Oh, Doctor Beeching!, as well his regular role in 'Allo 'Allo! and the recurring character of Jerry in You Rang, M'Lord?. Along with several other cast members of 'Allo 'Allo, Collins had previously appeared in Secret Army, the series of which 'Allo 'Allo was a parody.
Other TV work includes The Brittas Empire, On the Up, Birds of a Feather, Trial & Retribution, Peak Practice, Ain't Misbehavin', Harry's Mad, Wycliffe, Mosley, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, The Sweeney, Secret Army, Citizen Smith, Yes Minister, the Doctor Who serial Arc of Infinity, Only Fools and Horses and Lovejoy.
Other theatre credits includes the tour of When Did You Last See Your Trousers?, The Winslow Boy, That's Showbiz, Richard III and the title role in King Lear. He has also played the role of Mr. Paravicini in the record-breaking production of The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre, London.
Collins has appeared in a number of pantomimes as Abanazer and as an ugly sister in Cinderella. He has narrated The Snowman, Carnival of the Animals, Peter and the Wolf and William Walton's Façade and has also recorded a Shakespearean CD with the Gesualdo Consort. He has just played the voice of God in Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten and has been appearing regularly as Henry VIII at the banquets in the Old Palace at Hatfield House.
Collins made two appearances in the British BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, initially in the episode "Ashes to Ashes", as a river policeman{{Cite web|title = The Ghost of Del, Ashes to Ashes, Series 2, Only Fools and Horses – BBC One|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p007457s|website = BBC| date=30 March 2010 |accessdate = 2016-01-10}} who informs Del and Rodney that they have to have river permission to empty ashes into a river (St. Katharine Docks). He then appeared in the later episode "Sleeping Dogs Lie" as the Veterinarian.
Collins has also appeared in BBC children's programme, including ChuckleVision as a flying instructor in the 1996 episode Dear Diary.
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Notes |
| 1968
|Dracula Has Risen from the Grave |Student | |
| 1968
|RAF Officer at Tube Station | |
| 1970
|Trog |TV Crewman Watching Monitor |Uncredited |
| 1971
|Naval Officer - Lt. Short | |
| 1972
|The Adventures of Barry McKenzie |Toff at Young Conservatives' Ball | |
| 1975
|Young Man | |
| 1979
|Unknown |Short film |
| 1982
|Customs Officer | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Notes |
| 1965
|Gerald |Episode: "The Diamond Pendant" |
| 1966
|The Liars |Henry Bulkeley |Episode: #1.5 |
| 1966
|Bob Henty |Episode: "How to Rob a Bank - And Get Away with It" |
| 1966
|Arkwright's son |Episode: "Girl of my Dreams" |
| 1965–1966
|Stephen Whittington Towneley |2 episodes |
| 1969
|Chick |Episode: "The Man Who Gambled with Life" |
| 1969
|Rev. Vernon Lingard |2 episodes |
| 1971
|Peter Bryant |6 episodes |
| 1972
|Flight Sergeant Taffy Williams |Episode: "One Man's Lancaster" |
| 1973
|Dr. Boyde |2 episodes |
| 1975
|Dr. Tate |Episode: "Gentleman's Agreement" |
| 1975
|Unknown |Episode: "The Cavern" |
| 1975
|Stephen Vane |Episode: "Poppy" |
| 1976
|Freddy Calderbeck |Episode: "King for a Day" |
| 1975–1977
|Squadron Leader Baker Medical Officer |7 episodes |
| 1979
|Feet First |Michael Overton |Episode: #1.4 |
| 1979
|Miles |4 episodes |
| 1978–1979
|Q6 |Various |11 episodes |
| 1979
|The Estate Agent |Episode: "Home Market" |
| 1978–1979
|Inspector Paul Delon |5 episodes |
| 1979
|Army Officer |Episode: "The Glorious Day" |
| 1978–1980
|Bernie |Unknown |2 episodes |
| 1980
|John Ewing |2 episodes |
| 1980
|BBC Interviewer |Episode: "Jobs for the Boys" |
| 1980
|Grundy |City gent |Episode: "What You Don't See, Ask For" |
| 1980
|TV Reporter |Episode: "Remember Honky Stubbs" |
| 1981
|Unknown |Episode: #19.3 |
| 1981
|Vishikhila |Episode: "The Mouse, the Merchant and the Elephant" |
| 1981
|Coming Home |Assistant bank manager |Episode: #1.3 |
| 1981
|Chintz |Joe Wilson |Episode: #1.2 |
| 1981
|Arthur Warwick M.P. |Episode: "The Shillinhbury Daydream" |
| 1980–1981
|Capt Hutchins Charles Medical Officer |4 episodes |
| 1981
|Seconds Out |Sgt. Grimson The Television Reporter |2 episodes |
| 1982
|Harry |Episode: "In Sickness and in Health" |
| 1982
|The New Adventures of Lucky Jim |Charles Seymour |Episode: "The Big Smoke" |
| 1982
|Bailiff |Episode: "Trouble and Strife" |
| 1983
|Talor |Episode: "Arc of Infinity: Part One" |
| 1983
|Tears Before Bedtime |Estate agent |Episode: "Home from Home" |
| 1981–1983
|2nd Waiter Doctor Secretary at Number Ten |3 episodes |
| 1983
|Geoff Brooks |8 episodes |
| 1984
|Grandad |Mr Carter |Episode: #4.5 |
| 1984
|Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense |Estate Agent |Episode: "In Possession" |
| 1984
|Thames News Reporter |Episode: "Stuff of Dreams" |
| 1982–1985
|Mr. Collins, the Vet River Policeman |2 episodes |
| 1985
|The Kenny Everett Television Show |Various |Episode: #3.5 |
| 1988
|Rude Health |Agincourt |Episode: "Civil Defiance" |
| 1991
|Reg |Episode: "One Born Every Minute" |
| 1992
|Mr Kitson |Episode: "An Inspector Calls" |
| 1992
|Drunken Guest |Episode: "Temporary Secretary" |
| 1982–1992
|64 episodes |
| 1988–1993
|Jerry |10 episodes |
| 1993
|Unknown |Episode: #3.5 |
| 1995
|David Cornish |Episode: "Other Lives" |
| 1996
|Pilot |Episode: "Dear Diary" |
| 1995–1996
|Passenger |2 episodes |
| 1997
|Chemist |Episode: "Relative Strangers" |
| 1997
|Ain't Misbehavin' |Medical Officer |Episode: #1.1 |
| 1997
|Armstrong |Episode: "Old Crimes, New Times" |
| 1998
|Toastmaster |Episode: "Rules of the Game" |
| 1998–1999
|Clerk of Court |2 episodes |
| 2003
|MIddle Aged Man |Episode: #1.2 |
| 2007
|Flying Officer Fairfax |Television film |
| 2022
|'Allo 'Allo! Forty Years of Laughter |Himself/Flying Officer Fairfax |Documentary |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0172412|name=John D. Collins}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, John D.}}
Category:English male television actors
Category:English male stage actors
Category:English male film actors