Dudley Sutton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dudley Sutton
Sutton in 1961
Born	(1933-04-06)6 April 1933 Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England
Died	15 September 2018(2018-09-15) (aged 85) Clapham, London, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1957–2018
Spouse(s)	Marjorie Steele ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1965)​
Children	3

Dudley Sutton (born 6 April 1933 – died 15 September 2018) was a well-known English actor. He worked in radio, on stage, in movies, and on television. Many people remember him best for playing the character Tinker Dill in the BBC Television drama series Lovejoy.

Early Life and Training

Dudley Sutton was born in Kingston upon Thames, England. He went to a boarding school for boys in Lifton Park, Devon. Before becoming an actor, he served in the Royal Air Force as a mechanic. Later, he joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), a famous acting school. He was later asked to leave RADA because of his rebellious spirit.

Acting Career

Sutton began his acting career on stage with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop. He soon became known for playing unique and interesting characters.

Early Film Roles

He appeared in two films directed by Sidney J. Furie. In The Boys (1962), he played a teenager accused of a serious crime. In The Leather Boys (1964), he took on another unusual role. Sutton later said he felt lucky that these movies explored important social issues, like the death penalty.

Stage Performances

Dudley Sutton also had a successful stage career. He played the main character in the first production of Joe Orton's play Entertaining Mr Sloane (1964). He even performed this play on Broadway in New York the next year. In 1966, he acted in the play Tango at the Aldwych Theatre. He worked alongside actors like Patience Collier and Peter Jeffrey.

Movies and TV Shows

Sutton appeared in many movies throughout his career. Some of these include Rotten to the Core (1965), The Devils (1971), and The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976). He also appeared in Fellini's Casanova (1976) and Edward II (1991). Later, he was in The Football Factory (2004).

He was also a familiar face on television. His most famous TV role was Tinker Dill in Lovejoy (1986 and 1991–94). Tinker Dill's friendship with Lovejoy and his knowledge of antiques were central to the show. Sutton also played Mr Carter in Beiderbecke Trilogy. He was Oleg Kirov in Smiley's People (1982).

Other TV roles included Max Deller in The Sweeney, a character involved in a gold theft. He also appeared in a Christmas special of Porridge (1976). In this episode, he played Reg Urwin, a prison trustee.

In 1999, Sutton was in a BBC Radio play called Cosmos the Mystic Dog. In 2004, he joined the cast of the soap opera EastEnders for sixteen episodes. He played a conman named Wilfred Atkins.

Later Work

Dudley Sutton also created his own performances. In 2003, he performed a one-man show called Killing Kittens at Edinburgh's Underbelly. This show was about a young man's emotions and feelings. He followed this with another autobiographical show, Pandora's Lunchbox, in 2006.

He played William Blake in the BBC television series The Romantics. Sutton also appeared in the play Albion Rising in London in 2007. He later reprised this role in the film of the same name in 2009.

Sutton had a small role in the British teenage drama Skins as Freddie's granddad. He also appeared in an episode of Holby City in 2011 as a patient. In 2012, he was featured in a music video for the band Clock Opera.

His later TV appearances included the BBC comedy series Family Tree (2013) and Boomers (2014). He played William Makepeace in the soap opera Emmerdale in 2014.

In 2015, he appeared in the BBC TV series Father Brown. He also had roles in two episodes of the BBC show Doctors. In 2016, he narrated the documentary The Future of Work and Death. His last known role was in a music video for Tom Chaplin's song "Midnight Mass" in 2017.

Personal Life

Dudley Sutton married American actress Marjorie Steele in 1961. They had one child together. They later divorced in 1965. Sutton had two more children after this marriage.

Death

Dudley Sutton passed away from cancer on 15 September 2018. He was 85 years old. He is survived by his three children: Peter, Barnaby, and Fanny.

Filmography