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

Around the World in Eighty Days

as Mr. Fix

Oliver Twist

as Bill Sykes

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Peter J. Goodfellow

Jamaica Inn

as James "Jem" Trehearne

Treasure Island

as Long John Silver

Odd Man Out

as Lukey

Henry V

as Ancient Pistol

Gaslight

as Ullswater

The Desert Rats

as Tom Bartlett

The High and the Mighty

as Gustave Pardee