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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
Treasure Island
as Long John Silver
Around the World in Eighty Days
as Mr. Fix
Oliver Twist
as Bill Sykes
Jamaica Inn
as James "Jem" Trehearne
This Happy Breed
as Frank Gibbons
Odd Man Out
as Lukey
The High and the Mighty
as Gustave Pardee
Henry V
as Ancient Pistol
The Desert Rats
as Tom Bartlett
Gaslight
as Ullswater
