Robert Newton
Acting
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
1969The Epic That Never Was
Cassius, Captain of Caligula's guard (archive footage) (uncredited)
1956Around the World in 80 Days
Mr. Fix
1954Long John Silver
Long John Silver
1954The High and the Mighty
Gustave Pardee
1954The Beachcomber
Ted Wilson
1953The Desert Rats
Tom Bartlett
1952Androcles and the Lion
Ferrovius
1952Blackbeard, the Pirate
Blackbeard
1952Les Miserables
Etienne Javert
1951Tom Brown's Schooldays
Thomas Arnold
1951Soldiers Three
Pvt. Bill Sykes
1950Treasure Island
Long John Silver
1950Waterfront
Peter McCabe
1949Obsession
Dr. Clive Riordan
1948Oliver Twist
Bill Sykes
1948Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
Harry Carter
1948Snowbound
Derek Engles
1947Odd Man Out
Lukey
1947Temptation Harbour
Bert Mallinson
1946Night Boat to Dublin
Capt. David Grant
1944This Happy Breed
Frank Gibbons
1944Henry V
Ancient Pistol
1942Hatter's Castle
James Brodie
1942They Flew Alone
Jim Mollison