James Booth, 1927 - 2005.

Veteran British actor James Booth, star of Zulu, has died at the age of 77.

The BBC.

The reason for Booth's success lay simply with his personality. His height also helped. He would loom over the footlights with a commandingly wide grin. And his unpretentious manner added to the ease with which these early [stage] performances were accepted.

Booth's films included [Joan] Littlewood's screen version of Stephen Lewis's Sparrows Can't Sing (1962), opposite Barbara Windsor, Alfred Wood in The Trials Of Oscar Wilde (1960); Ken Russell's French Dressing and, playing Private Henry Hook, Zulu (both 1964). He was a Scotland Yard inspector in Robbery (1967) and Shirley MacLaine's secret lover in The Bliss Of Mrs Blossom (1968).... he also played the ex-convict Ernie Niles in David Lynch's Twin Peaks (1990).

Eric Shorter in the Guardian.

See also James Booth: A Tribute Website.

Posted by dwhudson at August 16, 2005 7:09 AM