John Clive (6 January 1933 – 14 October 2012) was an English actor and author, known internationally for his historical and social fiction, such as KG200 and Barossa.
Clive was also an established British television and film actor. Beginning his career at the age of fourteen touring in rep, he went on to star on the West End stage, in plays such as Absurd Person Singular, The Wizard of Oz, Under Milk Wood, The Bandwagon at the Mermaid Theatre, The Winslow Boy, Young Woodley and Life with Father.
As a character actor he appeared in comic and straight acting roles in films, such as The Italian Job,[
]
Career
Born Clive John Frederick Hambley on 6 January 1933 in London.
He was still a child when his family moved to
Liverpool, and in 1939 he was evacuated to North Wales.
Clive left school when he was 14 years old, and began working as a page at the New Shakespeare Theatre.
He spent his national service in the Royal Air Force,
Clive soon moved to London, where he performed in at The Poor Millionaire club
Acting
For his first film role, in
Ealing Studios comedy film The Magnet, he was credited as Clive Kendall, but he soon adopted the stage name John Clive.
In
the Beatles' animated film
Yellow Submarine he provided the voice of
John Lennon.
His television appearances also included
Robert's Robots,
Rising Damp,
The Dick Emery Show,
The Perils of Pendragon,
The Sweeney,
Great Expectations and
The History of Mr Polly.
He made his television debut in the seventh Wednesday Play Wear a Very Big Hat, broadcast by BBC 1 in 1964.
Author
In 1977, he co-wrote the historical novel
KG 200 with J.D. Gilman, a story about a secret
Luftwaffe unit during the Second World War.
This book was an international best-seller.
,
followed in 1980 and was well received by literary critics.
also achieved critical acclaim.
was published in 1983 and matched the international success of
KG 200.
Other fictional titles written by Clive followed including
Ark co-written with Nicholas Headin, in 1986
which also received good reviews
and
The Lions' Cage which was published in 1988.
Death
John Clive died after a short illness on 14 October 2012 in England aged 79.
In 2021, his daughter appeared on the BBC TV show
The Repair Shop, to which she brought a model of the yellow submarine by
Corgi Toys. This had been given to her father at the premiere of the film in which he voiced John Lennon. Steve Fletcher on
The Repair Shop restored the model.
Bibliography
-
Clive, John and Gilman J. D. KG 200: The Force with no Face. Simon and Schuster (1977).
-
Clive, John. The Last Liberator. Hamlyn (1980).
-
Clive, John. Barossa. Delacorte Press (1981).
-
Clive, John. Broken Wings. Granada (1983).
-
Clive, John and Head, Nicholas. Ark. Penguin (1986).
-
Clive, John. The Lions Cage. Penguin (1988).
-
Clive, John. De leeuwekooi . Facet (1987). Translation to Dutch
Filmography
Feature films
Credits include:
[
]
-
The Magnet (1950) - The people of Merseyside
-
Smashing Time (1967) - Sweeney Todd manager
-
The Mini-Affair (1968) - Joe
-
Yellow Submarine (1968)
-
The Italian Job (1969) - Garage Manager
-
A Nice Girl Like Me (1969) - Supermarket Shopper
-
Carry On Henry (1971) - Court Dandy (scenes deleted)
-
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
-
Four Dimensions of Greta (1972) - Phil the Greek
-
Straight on Till Morning (1972) - Newsagent
-
Go for a Take (1972) - Hotel Waiter
-
Carry On Abroad (1972)
-
Tiffany Jones (1973) - Stefan
-
Carry On Dick (1974) - Isaac the Tailor
-
Great Expectations (1974) - Mr. Wopsle
-
Never Too Young to Rock (1976) - Bandsman
-
No Longer Alone (1976) - Basil
-
Queen Kong (1976) - Comedian
-
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) - Chuck
-
Hardcore (1977) - Willi
-
Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977) - Man in wheelchair
-
Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse (1978) - Grieves
-
Let's Get Laid (1978) - Piers Horrabin
-
Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
-
RPM (1998) - Bentley Man (final film role)
Television
Credits include:
-
The Wednesday Play (1965) - Billy Moffatt
-
Watch the Birdies (1966) - Lenny
-
Z-Cars (1967) - Fred
- "Who Said Anything About the Law?: Part 2
- "Who Said Anything About the Law?: Part 1
-
The Saint (1967) - Garton
-
The Informer (1967) - News photographer
-
Man in a Suitcase (1967) - Clerk
-
The Gnomes of Dulwich (1969) - Old
- "Episode No.1.5"
- "Episode No.1.4"
- "Episode No.1.3"
- "Episode No.1.2"
- "Episode No.1.1"
-
Here Come the Double Deckers (1971)
-
Father, Dear Father (1971) - Auctioneer
-
The Man Outside (1972) - Rosko
-
The World of Cilla (1973)
-
Great Expectations (1974) - Mr. Wopsle
-
Robert's Robots (1973-1974) - Robert Sommerby / Robert Robot
-
The Perils of Pendragon (1974) - Rosko
-
The Sweeney (1975) - John Frewin
-
How Green Was My Valley (1975-1976) - Cyfartha
- "Episode No.1.6"
- "Episode No.1.5"
- "Episode No.1.4"
- "Episode No.1.3"
- "Episode No.1.2"
-
The Galton and Simpson Playhouse (1977) - Man in Phonebox
- "Naught for Thy Comfort"
-
Rising Damp - (1977-1978) - Series 3.4 Good Samaritans - Mr. Grey
-
Odd Man Out (1977) - TV Reporter
-
The Chiffy Kids (1978) - Mr. Melrose
-
Rings on Their Fingers (1978) - The Salesman
- "Party Mood"
-
Leave It to Charlie (1979) - Andy Kirk
- "Money, Money, Money"
-
The History of Mr. Polly (1980) - Hinks
- "Episode No.1.4"
- "Episode No.1.3"
- "Episode No.1.2"
-
The Nesbitts Are Coming (1980) - PC Emlyn Harris
- "Moving Day"
- "Look on the Black Side"
- "Race Day"
- "The Big Job"
- "It's All a Game"
- Lady Windermere's Fan
-
Screen One' (1989) - Prudoe
- "One Way Out"
-
T-Bag's Christmas Carol (1989) - Giles Pickens
-
The 10 Percenters (1996) - Terry
- "Surprise"
Other credits
Documentaries
Source:
-
Hamlet: The Video (1992)
-
(2007)
Appearances in deleted scenes
Source:
-
Carry On Henry / US: Carry on Henry VIII (1971) "Plotter"
Notes
External links
