- Danny John-Jules
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Danny John-Jules 
John-Jules at Play.com Live 2008Born Daniel John-Jules
16 September 1960
London, EnglandOccupation Actor, singer and dancer Years active 1979–present Daniel "Danny" John-Jules (born 16 September 1960 in London) is a British actor, singer and dancer. John-Jules attended Rutherford Comprehensive School, Penfold Street, Marylebone, from 1972 to 1977. He is best known for portraying Cat in the television programme Red Dwarf.
Contents
Career
Dance and song
John-Jules is a baritone. Before his television and film work, he was a dancer in many productions in West End theatres. He was a member of the original cast of Starlight Express, playing a boxcar called Rocky I. In 1993, he released a song from Red Dwarf, "Tongue Tied", as a single, which entered the top 20. John-Jules featured his Red Dwarf co-stars and backup singers in the video.
Among other productions, Danny was the dancer from the crowd in the WHAM! video for "The Edge Of Heaven". He gets up partway through the instrumental section and dances alongside George Michael[1]. John-Jules also danced on The Lena Zavaroni TV Series in 1981, and has made a tribute to her on her website.[1]
Television
John-Jules is best known for his portrayal of Cat, and Cat's geeky alter ego Duane Dibbley, in the British comedy series Red Dwarf. He obtained the part of Cat by turning up half an hour late for his audition, dressed in his father's old zoot suit. He was unaware that he was late and hence did not appear at all concerned with his tardiness. The producers immediately decided he was cool enough to be "the Cat". Craig Charles said at a Red Dwarf convention that John-Jules was a lot like the Cat in that he had a lot of clothes. He said, "Danny John-Jules could change his clothes every four seconds for a year and he still wouldn't run out of clothes."
His first acknowledged television and film roles were in Roy Minton's critically acclaimed "Scum", where he played one of the inmates. The TV version, which was part of the Play for Today strand, was banned prior to broadcast.
He has also played the parts of Barrington in Maid Marian and Her Merry Men; Byron Lucifer in The Tomorrow People; and Milton Wordsworth, the original presenter of The Story Makers on CBeebies.
Since 1999, he has had several guest appearances as himself in shows such as Comedy Connections, Casualty, RI:SE and Night Fever.
He has also appeared in at least one episode of CBBC's sitcom Kerching!, playing Trevor, Michael's father, and appeared as Lenny Bicknall in series 1 and 2 of M.I.High, also on CBBC. He has also appeared in The Crouches. He is currently appearing in the BBC One series Death in Paradise (TV series) as Dwayne Myers.[2]
On 8 November 2009, Danny made a brief appearance during BBC Two's coverage of 2009 Valencian Moto GP.
Film
John-Jules' film career began in 1975 playing 'Frog' in the short film Seven Green Bottles, which was produced in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police and warned of the dangers and consequences of juvenile crime. He supplied the voice for two characters in Labyrinth, then appeared in the 1986 version of Little Shop of Horrors, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Blade II. He has also appeared, uncredited, in the 1979 British film Scum, playing a look-out during a fight scene. He is currently filming The Tournament, produced by Shakabuku Films. He has also appeared in the 2008 British films The Grind and Sucker Punch.
John-Jules also played one of the dancers in the 1981 movie The Great Muppet Caper. He is among the dancers in the restaurant where Kermit and Miss Piggy are dancing.
Other work
John-Jules provided his voice for the character of Gex in the UK and European release of Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. For several years in the late 1990s he appeared in the annual Christmas pantomime at Aldershot's Prince's Hall theatre, playing his Cat character.
In 2011, playing a policeman, Dwayne, in the new BBC series, Death in Paradise, set in the Caribbean.
Personal life
2008 conviction
On 13 November 2008 John-Jules was convicted for assaulting two refuse collectors for not emptying his recycling bin. He was sentenced to 120 hours' community service and told to pay £350 costs and £75 compensation to each victim. John-Jules denied the attack and said he had a clear conscience.[3][4]
References
External links
Categories:- English actors
- Black British actors
- 1960 births
- Living people
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