
Acting
Born June 1, 1905 · Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, UK
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.

The Epic That Never Was
1969

Around the World in 80 Days
1956

Long John Silver
1954

The Beachcomber
1954

The High and the Mighty
1954

The Desert Rats
1953

Blackbeard, the Pirate
1952

Androcles and the Lion
1952

Les Miserables
1952

Tom Brown's Schooldays
1951

Soldiers Three
1951

Waterfront
1950

Treasure Island
1950

Obsession
1949

Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
1948

Oliver Twist
1948

Snowbound
1948

Temptation Harbour
1947

Odd Man Out
1947

Night Boat to Dublin
1946

Henry V
1944

This Happy Breed
1944

They Flew Alone
1942

Hatter's Castle
1942

Major Barbara
1941

Gaslight
1940

Busman's Honeymoon
1940

Channel Incident
1940

21 Days
1940
Hell's Cargo
1939

Poison Pen
1939

Jamaica Inn
1939

Dead Men Are Dangerous
1939

Vessel of Wrath
1938

The Green Cockatoo
1937

The Squeaker
1937

Dark Journey
1937

Fire Over England
1937

Farewell Again
1937