John Dearth

John Dearth (16 October 1920 – 17 March 1984) was a British actor, known for playing numerous roles in nearly 30 episodes of ITV series The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Not to be confused with the musician, John D'earth.

John Dearth
Born
Kenneth Paton[1]

(1920-10-16)16 October 1920
West Ham, London, England
Died17 March 1984(1984-03-17) (aged 63)
Hackney, London, England
OccupationActor

He is also remembered for playing two villains in science fiction series Doctor Who: firstly voicing the maniacal supercomputer BOSS in Season 10 finale The Green Death and then portraying the greedy Lupton in the following season finale Planet of the Spiders.

Other television appearances include Dixon of Dock Green, The Adventures of William Tell, The Four Just Men, Emergency Ward 10, The Escape of R.D.7, No Hiding Place, The Avengers (Propellant 23), The Saint, Z-Cars, Theatre 625, Softly, Softly, The Wednesday Play, Justice, Thirty-Minute Theatre, Play of the Month, Angels, Treasure Island, Play for Today and Kessler. Dearth was also a member of the BBC Radio Repertory Company during the 1960s.

Theatre

Initially, Dearth began his acting career in theatre. After a working trip to America in 1951 appearing in Caesar and Cleopatra/Antony and Cleopatra on Broadway,[2] he returned to England the following year[3] and performed at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing. He made his debut as a mythical god in Isle of Umbrellas as well as playing Iago in Othello. He left to join The Old Vic theatre company, playing Guildenstern in Hamlet at the Edinburgh Festival, as well as being an understudy to Richard Burton in the title role.[4][5] More performances followed at the Old Vic with Burton (where Dearth became friends with the Welshman).

Personal life

In 1959, Dearth lost a part in the film A Touch of Larceny, fired by the producer, Ivan Foxwell, who felt he bore too much of a resemblance to leading man James Mason. According to Barry Letts on the Planet of the Spiders DVD commentary, this experience embittered Dearth for the rest of his life. Personal problems meant he found work difficult to come by later in life.[6] The actor was known to be a heavy drinker[7][8][9] which may have resulted in his untimely death.[10] Letts described Dearth as "a lovely man, but ruined by drink."[11]

Dearth's daughter was the actress Lynn Dearth (1946–1994).

Filmography

References
  1. Sources claim that he was born John H. Paton but this refers to a John Henry Paton who was born 13 November 1920 and died 6 February 1981. The 1939 England & Wales Register and Essex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1921 list a Kenneth Paton born 16 October 1920. This corresponds with his marriage record to Joan Harding in 1947 with that being the mother's maiden name on daughter Lynn's birth certificate. Therefore, this is more likely to be his birth name.
  2. John Dearth Full Biography broadwayworld.com
  3. UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
  4. "John Dearth Joining Old Vic Company", Worthing Herald, 26 June 1953 (pg.13)
  5. "John Dearth is leaving after a year here", Worthing Gazette, 1 July 1953 (pg.2)
  6. Treasure Island (BBC, 1977) – Part Three - Archive Television Musings
  7. Angels – Coming to Terms (15th June 1976) - Archive Television Musings
  8. Burton, Richard; Williams, Chris (2012). The Richard Burton Diaries. Yale University Press. p. 643. ISBN 9780300180107.
  9. Shepherd, Jack; Dewhurst, Keith (June 2014). Impossible Plays: Adventures with the Cottesloe Company. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 9781408147276.
  10. @PseudLit at Twitter
  11. Uncredited actors?? - Page 13 - Britmovie
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