Robert Newton
Personal Info
Acting
May 31, 1905 (50 years old)
March 24, 1956
Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, UK
Robert Newton
Biography
Robert Newton was one of the great character actors -- and great characters -- of the British cinema, best remembered today for playing Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1950) and its sequel in 1954. His portrayal of Long John Silver and of Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952) created a persona that was so indelible that his vocal intonations created the paradigm for scores of people who want to "Talk Like a Pirate." The performance overshadows Newton's legacy, which is based on many first-rate performances in such movies as This Happy Breed (1944), Odd Man Out (1947) and Oliver Twist (1948), where his Bill Sykes is truly chilling. Oliver Reed, who played Sykes in the Oscar-winning movie musical Oliver! (1968) was influenced by Newton.
Known For
The Epic That Never Was
1969
as Cassius, Captain of Caligula's guard (archive footage; uncredited)
The Adventures of Long John Silver
1957
as Long John Silver
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Mr. Fix
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Peter J. Goodfellow
Long John Silver
1954
as Long John Silver
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Climax!
1954
as Keith Dorrant
The Beachcomber
1954
as Ted Wilson
The High and the Mighty
1954
as Gustave Pardee
The Desert Rats
1953
as Tom Bartlett
General Electric Theater
1953
Blackbeard, the Pirate
1952
as Blackbeard
Androcles and the Lion
1952
as Ferrovius
Les Miserables
1952
as Etienne Javert
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as John Lindsey, the Baker
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Simon Mantle
Tom Brown's Schooldays
1951
as Thomas Arnold
Soldiers Three
1951
as Pvt. Bill Sykes
Waterfront
1950
as Peter McCabe
Treasure Island
1950
as Long John Silver