John D. Collins

This article is about John D. Collins, British actor. See also John Collins or John D. Collins (philosopher).John D. Collins (born 2 December 1942 in London) is an English actor, perhaps best known for appearing in the BBC sitcom "'Allo 'Allo!" in which he played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II. He is the actor to have been cast most frequently in writer/producer David Croft's hit sitcoms: a total of six different series and ten characters.

He won the Ivor Novello and Robert Donat Scholarships to RADA. After graduating he went on to run the Summer Theatre at Frinton-on-Sea for three years and then went to work in the first season of The New Nottingham Playhouse.

In his early years he made a number of films, including some for Hammer Films, "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" and "The Ghoul", and also many plays for Granada Television. As a vicar in "Coronation Street", he failed to marry Albert Tatlock.

For ten years he worked with Spike Milligan as his Assistant Director and as an actor, in "Son of Oblomov" and "The Bed-Sitting Room". He also appeared with Milligan in his "‘Q’ series" on television.

He became a regular cast member of two television series – "A Family At War" and also with Robert Lindsay in "Get Some In!". He first worked for David Croft in the film version of "Dad's Army" in 1971, and subsequently was cast in episodes of "It Ain't Half Hot Mum", "Hi-de-Hi!", "Are You Being Served?" and "Oh, Doctor Beeching!", as well his regular role in "'Allo 'Allo!" and the recurring character of Jerry in "You Rang, M'Lord?".

Other TV work includes "The Brittas Empire", "On the Up", "Birds of a Feather", "Trial & Retribution", "Family Affairs", "Peak Practice", "Ain’t Misbehavin’", "Harry’s Mad", "Wycliffe", "Mosley", "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em", "The Sweeney", "Secret Army", "Citizen Smith", "Yes Minister", the "Doctor Who" serial "Arc of Infinity", "Only Fools and Horses", and "Lovejoy".

Other theatre credits includes the tour of "When Did You Last See Your Trousers?", "The Winslow Boy", "That’s Showbiz", "Richard III" and the title role in "King Lear". He has also played the role of Mr. Paravicini in the record-breaking production of "The Mousetrap" at St Martin's Theatre, London, UK.

John has appeared in a number of pantomimes as Abanazer and as an ugly sister in "Cinderella".

He has narrated "The Snowman", "Carnival of the Animals", "Peter and the Wolf" and William Walton’s "Façade" and has also recorded a Shakespearean CD with the Gesualdo Consort. He has just played the voice of God in "Noye's Fludde" by Benjamin Britten and has been appearing regularly as Henry VIII at the banquets in the Old Palace at Hatfield House.

External links

*imdb name|id=0172412|name=John D. Collins