John Gregson was another famous actor who learnt some of his craft whilst performing at Perth Theatre. Gregson spent 8 months in Perth as part of the repertory company – he arrived in Scotland after a time at the Old Vic in London. In fact during his stint at Perth, he met his future wife, Thea Gregory – also an actor. They performed together at Perth in the play, “The Old Foolishness”.
[Thea Gregory (born 1929) was an English actress. She appeared in several British films, such as The Weak and the Wicked (1952) with John Gregson and Laurence Harvey. She is the widow of the actor John Gregson, whom she met while performing with Perth rep in 1946. They were married in London in 1947 and had three daughters and three sons.]
“John Gregson (15 March 1919 – 8 January 1975) was a British actor. He was born as Harold Thomas Gregson in Wavertree, Liverpool, England, of Scottish descent, where he was educated at the St Francis Xavier School. He met his wife, the actress Thea Gregory, when they were appearing together in rep at Perth in 1946 and they were married in London in 1947. They had three daughters and three sons. He appeared as John Gregson in 40 films between 1948 and 1971 and on television from 1960 until his death. He was often cast as a police inspector or as a navy or army officer, or for his comedy roles in Ealing and other British films. From 1965 he mainly worked on TV, starring as Commander George Gideon in the series Gideon’s Way, known as Gideon C.I.D. in America.
His most famous comedy role was in the film chosen for the Royal Command Performance in 1953, Genevieve, also starring Kenneth More, Dinah Sheridan and Kay Kendall. He also appeared in the Ealing comedies The Titfield Thunderbolt and The Lavender Hill Mob. Kenneth More has been described as his “rival” in British cinema at the time, although Gregson tended to appear in less comedy films and more dramas than More, and was less ‘broad’ in his performances. His best known drama films are probably The Battle of the River Plate, Angels One Five and Above Us the Waves. Among his many other roles he had leads in Treasure Island and The Treasure of Monte Cristo. Gregson concentrated on TV from the mid-sixties onwards, including The Saint with Roger Moore and a popular comedy adventure series with Shirley MacLaine; Shirley’s World. He took over from Kenneth More in long running TV adverts for coffee on British television. He appeared in It’s The Geography That Counts, the last play at the St James’s Theatre before its closure in 1957.
John Gregson died suddenly from a heart attack in Porlock Weir, Somerset, aged 55. He left a widow and six children. His final television role was in the BBC serial Dangerous Knowledge, which was broadcast posthumously in 1976.”
Acting Career:
Dangerous Knowledge (1976) (TV) …. Kirby
“Dial M for Murder” …. Det. Supt. Price (1 episode, 1974)
– Dead Connection (1974) TV Episode …. Det. Supt. Price
“No Exit” …. Sven Ericsson (1 episode, 1972)
– Last Land (1972) TV Episode …. Sven Ericsson
“Shirley’s World” (1971) TV Series …. Dennis Croft (unknown episodes)
Speaking of Murder (1971) (TV)
Fright (1971) …. Dr. Cordell
… aka I’m Alone and I’m Scared (USA: reissue title)
… aka Night Legs
“Thirty-Minute Theatre” …. Paul Harford (2 episodes, 1965-1970)
– Ben. (1970) TV Episode
– Family Christmas (1965) TV Episode …. Paul Harford
Hans Brinker (1969) (TV) …. Mijnheer Brinker
“The Jazz Age” …. Commander Stevenson (1 episode, 1968)
– Lonely Road (1968) TV Episode …. Commander Stevenson
“ITV Playhouse” …. Det. Insp. Conway (1 episode, 1968)
– Countercrime (1968) TV Episode …. Det. Insp. Conway
“Man in a Suitcase” …. Henry Faversham (1 episode, 1968)
– Burden of Proof (1968) TV Episode …. Henry Faversham
“Armchair Thriller” (1 episode, 1967)
– Depart in Terror (1967) TV Episode
The Night of the Generals (1967) …. Col. Sandauer
… aka Nuit des généraux, La (France)
… aka Tank Force (Philippines: English title)
“The Saint” …. Colonel Roberts (1 episode, 1966)
– Escape Route (1966) TV Episode …. Colonel Roberts
“Gideon’s Way” …. Commander George Gideon (26 episodes, 1965)
… aka Gideon C.I.D. (USA)
– A Perfect Crime (1965) TV Episode …. Commander George Gideon
– Boy with a Gun (1965) TV Episode …. Commander George Gideon
– Fall High, Fall Hard (1965) TV Episode …. Commander George Gideon
– Gang War (1965) TV Episode …. Commander George Gideon
– How to Retire Without Really Working (1965) TV Episode …. Commander George Gideon
(21 more)
Tomorrow at Ten (1964) …. Inspector Parnell
“Espionage” …. Ballin (1 episode, 1963)
– The Weakling (1963) TV Episode …. Ballin
“Suspense” …. The Stranger (1 episode, 1963)
– See the Monkey Dance (1963) TV Episode …. The Stranger
Live Now – Pay Later (1962) …. Callendar
The Longest Day (1962) …. British Padre
“Armchair Theatre” …. Butler (1 episode, 1961)
– The Omega Mystery (1961) TV Episode …. Butler
The Treasure of Monte Cristo (1961) …. Renato
… aka The Secret of Monte Cristo (USA) The Frightened City (1961) …. Sayers
“Kraft Mystery Theater” (1 episode, 1961)
– Flight from Treason (1961) TV Episode
Faces in the Dark (1960) …. Richard Hammond
“Armchair Mystery Theatre” …. Butler (1 episode, 1960)
– Flight from Treason (1960) TV Episode …. Butler
Hand in Hand (1960) …. Father Timothy
SOS Pacific (1959) …. John Bennett
… aka S.O.S. Pacific (USA: poster title)
The Captain’s Table (1959) …. Captain Ebbs
… aka Shenanigans
Flight from Treason (1959)
Sea of Sand (1958) …. Capt. Williams
… aka Desert Patrol (USA)
Rooney (1958) …. James Ignatius Rooney
Miracle in Soho (1957) …. Michael Morgan
True as a Turtle (1957) …. Tony Hudson
The Battle of the River Plate (1956) …. Capt. Bell, HMS Exeter
… aka Graf Spee
… aka Pursuit of the Graf Spee (USA)
Jacqueline (1956) …. Mike McNeil
Value for Money (1955) …. Chayley Broadbent
Above Us the Waves (1955) …. Lt Alec Duffy
Three Cases of Murder (1955) …. Edgar Curtain (“You Killed Elizabeth” segment)
Conflict of Wings (1954) …. Cpl. Bill Morris
… aka Fuss Over Feathers
To Dorothy a Son (1954) …. Tony Rapallo
… aka Cash on Delivery (USA)
The Crowded Day (1954) …. Leslie
… aka Shop Spoiled (USA)
The Weak and the Wicked (1954) …. Dr. Michael Hale
… aka Young and Willing (USA)
The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) …. Squire Gordon Chesterford
Genevieve (1953) …. Alan McKim
The Holly and the Ivy (1952) …. David Patterson
Venetian Bird (1952) …. Renzo Uccello
… aka El Alaméin
… aka The Assassin (USA)
The Brave Don’t Cry (1952) …. John Cameron
Angels One Five (1952) …. Pilot Officer ‘Septic’ Baird
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) …. Farrow
Cairo Road (1950) …. Coast Guardsman
Treasure Island (1950) …. Redruth
… aka Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (USA: complete title)
Train of Events (1949) …. Malcolm (segment The Composer)
Whisky Galore! (1949) …. Sammy MacCodrun
… aka Tight Little Island (USA)
Scott of the Antarctic (1948) …. Petty Off. T. Crean
Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948) (uncredited)
… aka Saraband (USA)
London Belongs to Me (1948) (uncredited)
… aka Dulcimer Street (UK: alternative title) (USA)
Also:
“This Is Your Life” …. Himself (1 episode, 1973)
– John Gregson (1973) TV Episode …. Himself
Archive Footage:
Astley’s Way (2001) (TV)
Joyce Grenfell 1910-1979 (1980) (TV)
“Disneyland”
– Treasure Island: Part 1 (1955) TV Episode …. Tom Redruth