J. G. Devlin

J.G. Devlin
Born	James Gerard Devlin 8 October 1907 Belfast, Ireland
Died	17 October 1991 (aged 84) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–91

James Gerard Devlin (8 October 1907 – 17 October 1991) was a Northern Irish actor who made his stage debut in 1931, and had long association with the Ulster Group Theatre.^[1][2][3] In a career spanning nearly sixty years, he played parts in TV productions such as Z-Cars, Dad's Army, The New Avengers and Bread.^[4][5] He also guest starred, alongside Leonard Rossiter, in an episode of Steptoe and Son, "The Desperate Hours".^[6] The writers of Steptoe and Son - Ray Galton and Alan Simpson - have since revealed that Devlin was second choice to play the part of Albert Steptoe in the series, behind Wilfrid Brambell.^[7] He also appeared as Father Dooley, a Catholic priest, in several episodes of Carla Lane's Bread, his last television appearance.^[8]

In 1969 he was in the Abbey Theatre production of Macook's Corner 1969 (Abbey) ^[9] where he played the part of Neal Macook.^[10]

In 1956 he appeared in a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy "Light Falling"^[11] where he played the part of Pat Scully, this was produced by Jack MacGowran in the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) as an 'opener' for Seán O'Casey play "The Shadow of a Gunman"

His was Vivian Stanshall's personal choice for the role of Old Scrotum, the Wrinkled Retainer in the Charisma Films version of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, released in 1980.

Selected filmography

• Far and Away (1992)
• The Miracle (1991)
• The Raggedy Rawney (1988)
• No Surrender (1985)
• Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980)
• The Outsider (1980)
• The Reckoning (1969)
• Guns in the Heather (1969)
• The Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967)
• The Comedy Man (1964)
• I Thank a Fool (1962)
• Johnny Nobody (1961)
• The Frightened City (1961)
• Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

Playography

• Pat Scully in Light Falling (1956)
• Neal Macook in Macook's Corner 1969 (Abbey)

References

1. "J.G. Devlin". BFI.
2. "D". Ulster Actors.
3. "The Ulster Group Theatre". Culture Northern Ireland.
4. "Overview for J. G. Devlin". Turner Classic Movies.
5. "J. G. Devlin". TV.com. CBS Interactive.
6. "» Galton And Simpson Present – Part 5". britishclassiccomedy.co.uk.
7. "Rawlinson End". iankitching.me.uk.
8. "Bread". comedy.co.uk.
9. "Abbey Theatre Archive".
10. "Abbey Theatre Archive".
11. "Teresa Deevy Archive".

External links

• J.G. Devlin at the Internet Movie Database
• J.G.Devlin at the Teresa Deevy Archive
• J.G.Devlin at the Abbey Theatre Archive