John Bardon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Bardon
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Bardon as Jim Branning in EastEnders
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| Born |
John Michael Jones
25 August 1939 Brentford, England
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| Died | 12 September 2014 (aged 75) Romford, London, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–2011 |
| Known for | Role of Jim Branning in EastEnders |
| Spouse(s) |
Enda Gates
(m. 2002) |
| Children | 1 (stepson) |
John Bardon was a well-known English actor. He was born John Michael Jones on August 25, 1939, and passed away on September 12, 2014. He was famous for his roles on stage and in TV shows. John Bardon won a special award called the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 for his part in the musical Kiss Me, Kate. Many people remember him best for playing Jim Branning in the popular BBC soap opera, EastEnders. He played this character for 13 years, from 1996 to 2011.
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John Bardon's Early Life and Acting Start
John Michael Jones was born in a town called Brentford in Middlesex, England. His father worked as a shipping clerk. John chose "Bardon" as his stage name, which was his grandmother's maiden name. He started acting with a group called The Taverners, who performed plays in pubs. Later, he joined a drama group from the Civil Service. This group traveled to Germany and Austria to perform in theaters.
John Bardon's Acting Career Highlights
John Bardon became a professional actor in 1970 when he was 30 years old. He joined a theater company in Exeter. His most famous role was playing Jim Branning in EastEnders. His character first appeared briefly in 1996 as the father of Carol Jackson. Jim Branning returned to the show in 1999 and became a regular character. He later married another popular character, Dot Cotton (June Brown). John Bardon filmed his last scenes for EastEnders in March 2011.
Other TV Shows and Films
John Bardon also appeared regularly in a show called Rumpole of the Bailey. In this series, he played a member of the "Timson clan," a family of villains from South London. He made special guest appearances in other well-known shows like Dad's Army in 1975. He also played Private Walker in the stage version of Dad's Army from 1975 to 1976.
In 1976, he appeared in Are You Being Served? and in the British police drama The Sweeney. In 1975, he was in the film One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing. He also appeared in Law and Order on BBC2 in 1978. In 1980, he was in an episode of Hi-de-Hi!.
In 1982, John Bardon played the famous comedian Max Miller in a show called Here's a Funny Thing on Channel Four. He had played this role before on stage. In 1984, he had a guest role in The Body in the Library. The next year, he was in the film Ordeal by Innocence.
In 1986, he played the Head of Security in an episode of Only Fools and Horses called "The Longest Night". That same year, he was a railway ticket collector in the film Clockwise. In 1989, he appeared in Agatha Christie's Poirot and in an episode of Minder.
He was a guest star in two episodes of Coronation Street in the early 1990s. He also appeared in Birds of a Feather in 1991 and 1998. In 1996, he played an asylum warden in the TV show Gulliver's Travels. In 1997, he was in the film Fierce Creatures, and in 1999, he appeared in East Is East.
Other Appearances and Personal Life
John Bardon appeared on the BBC show Just the Two of Us, where he sang with Jocelyn Brown. They finished in fourth place. He also appeared in the sitcom Desmond's as a police officer.
In 2003, John Bardon was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life. He was surprised by the host, Michael Aspel, on the set of EastEnders.
Before becoming a full-time actor, John Bardon worked as a shuttle driver at Heathrow Airport. In June 2002, he married Enda Gates.
Health Challenges and Return to EastEnders
On June 14, 2007, John Bardon had a major stroke and was taken to the hospital. By November 2007, he was making good progress. He even helped open a new stroke ward at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Welwyn Garden City. By December 2007, it was reported that he had walked for the first time in six months.
On August 8, 2008, John Bardon was rushed to the hospital again with a suspected second stroke. He returned home by October 5, 2008. His co-star, June Brown, confirmed that he would appear in EastEnders again on Christmas Day. Jim Branning was briefly seen on screen on December 4, 2008, when his son Jack visited him. John Bardon returned to work on EastEnders full-time in June 2009, and his character was back on screen from August 20, 2009.
John Bardon's last appearance on EastEnders was on May 26, 2011. In that episode, his character Jim left Albert Square to move into a care home. John Bardon passed away from a stroke on September 12, 2014, at the Romford Grange Care Home. News of his death was shared later that day. The EastEnders episode broadcast that evening was dedicated to his memory.
