John Bardon

Infobox Actor
name = John Bardon
birthname = John Michael Jones
birthdate = Birth date and age|1939|8|25|df=yes
location = Brentford, Middlesex, England
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
spouse =
homepage = http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/characters_cast/cast/cast_john_b.shtml

John Bardon, (born John Michael Jones, 25 August 1939 in Brentford, Middlesex) is an English stage and television actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 (1987 season) as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for "Kiss Me, Kate", sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk. [cite web | title=Laurence Olivier Awards winners | publisher= The Society of London Theatre | url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/awards/winners#Actor | accessdate=2007-10-21]

However John Bardon is best known for playing Jim Branning in the popular British soap opera "EastEnders". His character Jim, the father of established character Carol Jackson, first appeared briefly in 1996. The character of Jim returned to the series in 1999 and this time became a regular character, later marrying Dot Cotton (June Brown). He also was a regular in "Rumpole of the Bailey", as a member of the "clan Timson, a family of South London villains", as described by Rumpole.

Bardon had previously made a notable guest appearance in "Dad's Army". He also starred in the British police drama "The Sweeney" in which he played a villain called "Doc Boyd" in the episode "Faces", first broadcast on Monday 8 September 1975. In the same year, he also appeared as a bookmaker in the film "One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing". In 1986 he appeared as a security guard supervisor in an episode of "Only Fools and Horses" from series five called "The Longest Night", in the same year he appeared as a Railway ticket collector in the film "Clockwise (film)". He was also a guest star in two episodes of "Coronation Street" in the early 1990s. In 1999 he appeared in the film "East is East".

John appeared on the BBC show "Just the Two of Us", his singing partner was Jocelyn Brown, together the pair finished fourth. [cite web | title=Just The Two Of Us | publisher = BBC | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scoopcps/jttou/news/2006/12/19/39133.shtml | accessdate=2007-10-21]

On 14 June 2007, Bardon was admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6761315.stm|title=EastEnders star Bardon taken ill|accessdate=2007-06-17|date=2007-06-17|publisher=BBC News] In November 2007, it was reported that he was making steady progress, when he opened a new stroke ward at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Welwyn Garden City. It was reported on 27 December 2007 that Bardon had walked for the first time in six months. [cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a82284/enders-bardon-walks-after-his-stroke.html|title=Enders' Bardon walks after his stroke|publisher=Digital Spy|date=2007-12-27|accessdate=2008-01-14] On 10 March 2008 it was announced that John Bardon would be returning to EastEnders as Jim Branning in the summer of 2008, and confirmed by June Brown on 16 June 2008 that he had finished filming an episode that would air on 11 August 2008. It is reported he has told Executive Producer Diederick Santer he is looking forward to his return. However it was stated that the "plan" would "all depend on his rehabilitation." [ [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/article895063.ece EastEnders | John Bardon | Branning back in EastEnders after stroke | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|TV|Soaps ] ]

On 8 August 2008, John Bardon was rushed to hospital with a second suspected stroke. [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a120935/new-health-scare-for-walford-star-bardon.html/] However it was later confirmed that he hadn't had another stroke and was suffering from continued ill health. [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/10/eastenders-actor-john-bardon-in-hospital-115875-20692055/] It was confirmed on 5th october 2008 that John had returned to the eastenders set to film a second guest appearance. [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a131878/john-bardon-returns-to-eastenders-set.html/] .John Bardon is a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats and lives in Hitchin in Hertfordshire.

References

External links

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* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/characters_cast/cast/cast_john_b.shtml EastEnders cast - John Bardon]