James Robertson Justice

[The_Late_Peter_Cook]

For the last month or so I have been re-watching the ‘Doctor’ series on DVD. While the quality of the series varies from the excellent (‘In The House’) to the poor (‘In Clover’), there is on actor who stands out and makes the even the worst of the sequels worth watching. He is of course James Robertson Justice.

While James Robertson Justice was a childhood hero of mine, it occurred to me the other day that outside of his movie career I knew little of him. There is, as far as I can tell, no biography of this fine actor, while a quick search of the Internet failed to find a single website dedicated to him. It did, however bring up a few interesting pieces about his life.

Sometimes reading about a person you admire brings disappointment, as the reality fails to live up to the ideal, yet by all accounts, James Robertson Justice was as much Sir Lancelot Spratt off-screen as well as on. Before becoming an actor, he had a wide-range of jobs, from journalism to road mending! Surprisingly he was a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, as a member of the International Brigade fighting against General Franco. His politics continued to be slightly left wing, he stood for Parliament as a Labour candidate in the early ‘50’s. Thankfully (for his fans) he was defeated, Parliament’s loss becoming our gain. Later in the decade he more successfully served as Rector of the University of Edinburgh for two terms.

A love of his life was nature, a close friend of the naturalist Sir Peter Scott; Justice was involved in the early days of the Wildfowl Trust. A keen falconer, he helped instruct a young Prince Charles in the art of falconry and his influence is still felt in what is now known as the National Birds of Prey Centre. In addition to this passion for nature was a love of fast cars and pretty women.


It is this love of life which crosses over onto the cinema screen, it is this zest which, for example, enables him to (in a space of a few scenes) to steal ‘Doctor In The House’, away from such expert actors as Bogarde and More. It is hard not to speak of Spratt when I think of Justice, for even though he has played many roles in his career, ranging from a sinister villain in ‘Seven Thunders’ to a tramp in ‘The Magnet’, for me the Spratt persona is the ‘real’ James Robertson Justice. A blustery bear of a fellow, with a twinkle in his eye, whose sharp tongue hides a tender heart, an ideal father or uncle, who, when it comes down to it, would always do the right and fair thing.

Seldom did James Robinson Justice play a leading role, the closest to a star vehicle was perhaps ‘Very Important Person’, even in the ‘Doctor’ series, he was largely left off-screen, casting a very large shadow (and making his scenes even more precious), yet he has left an indelible imprint on my life, more so perhaps than any other actor. In a cinema which was famously dominated by ‘eccentric uncles’, James Robinson Justice remains the favourite uncle of them all.

[dylan]

The following piece about James Robertson-Justice by Hugh Torrens is from the April 2002 issue of Geoscientist:

Geoscientist (December 2001) noted the death of the beautiful German second wife, Irma von Meyendorff (1916-2001), of the famous Scots actor James Robertson-Justice (1905-1975) and how he had "wooed [herj in old fashioned German learned from an ancient professor of geology at Bonn". Robertson-Justice is famous for his portrayals of Sir Lancelot Spratt in the Doctor films of the 1950s. This portrayal of medicine was a major reason why I decided to fight family tradition and not become a medic. I have been intrigued by this man and his uncertain geological attainments, since learning of the equally remarkable geological activities of his father James Norval Justice (1876-1953).

<Snip...about JRJ's father>

Justice [Sr] meanwhile returned to prospecting, in the Sudan, in 1924 and he continued active as a mineral prospector throughout Africa until early 1945. He now resigned from the IMM and retired to Hillingbourne, near Maidstone, Kent, where he died on 29 March 1953.

At some stage he had married Edith and on 15 June 1905 their only son was born (at Wigtown SA) and named James Norval Harold Justice. This was the later famous actor James Robertson-Justice, although when and why he added the Robertson is unknown. He attended Marlborough College between April 1921 and Midsummer 1924. He then moved to University College, London but he only studied here for the academic year 1924-25. He took "an intermediate Science Course which included geology, physics, chemistry and zoology and also studied German but he never graduated from UCL". His movements in the rest of 1925 and early 1926 are unknown but he may then have married.

From the summer semester of 1926 "James Justice from London" attended Bonn University, Germany until the end of the summer semester 1927 (i.e., for less than a year and a half). He lived at 45 Haydn Strasse, studying geology but, despite his entry in Who Was Who, he again did not graduate. His Times obituarist (3 July 1975) ambiguously recorded how "he went on to get his PhD at Bonn". There is no reference to such a doctoral thesis in either Geology Department or Bonn University archives. Nor does his name appear in the indices of doctoral theses presented in Germany 1925-30 10

Any "ancient professor of geology at Bonn who [might have] taught him German" creates another problem. That claim was made in the obituary for his second German wife in the Daily Telegraph. But the "Top People's paper*, which is naturally my source, instead says that Justice had wooed his future wife "in an eloquent but antiquated German learnt from an elderly Prussian princess".

Whoever taught him his lovemaking German, the professor at Bonn while Justice studied there was certainly ancient, and very highly regarded. He was Gustav Steinmann (1856-1929), the geologist since made famous by the eponymous Steinmann Trinity, "the serpentines, pillow lavas and radiolarian cherts which characterised the axial belts of many geosynclines", named by Edward Battersby Bailey.

The Marlborough College Register notes that Justice was in Canada between 1929 and 1931 (and gives his then address rather ominously as c/o The British Racing Drivers Club, London). Thereafter, in the words of Who Was Who, Justice's "career was undistinguished but varied, comprising some three score jobs in different parts of the world (including inventing the rocket propelled net method of catching wildÂÂ*fowl for marking)", but surely including some geology?

Then came 1954 and Doctor in the House and the rest is (better -recorded) history. This film was shot at UCL, showing him striding across the front quad as the irascible surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt. Eric Robinson recalls that when he was famous "he acknowledged his UCL roots when he returned as guest of honour at the dinner of the departmental student society, the Greenough Club, in the late 1961s", Whether he then claimed to have graduated in geology at UCL remains uncertain. Perhaps it was to mitigate his lack of academic qualification that, between his two periods as their Rector, Edinburgh University awarded him an Honorary LLD in 1960.

[Churchill]

I quite agree. James Robertson Justice was one of those 'larger than life' characters, worthy of far more critical acclaim than he has received to date. As already stated, this was probably because he rarely played the lead role, as his size, age and wonderful boom of a voice was invariably cast as that of desk-bound official. Apart from his role as Sir Lancelot in the superb 'Doctor' films, he did a fine line in war film Generals, often briefing the troops before their deadly missions. For me, one of his finest moments was his prologue narration introducing 'The Guns of Navarrone'. This urgent, serious, yet rich commanding tone set the scene perfectly.
Indeed, I believe that the tone of voice is often as important as acting ability and in that short sequence, he proved it - worthy of Sir Lawrence Olivier himself! Really great voices are few and far between these days in the acting profession, as the English language is becoming largely neglected and slang is commonplace. We are generally reminded of such theatre legends as Richard Burton and Olivier as perhaps having the richest, most distictive voices, which is fair as their ilke were schooled to project on stage, long before they stood in front of a camera. I would, however, put that marvellously crisp boom of James Robertson Justice in the same category.
Finally, I'm not surprised to learn that his on-screen persona reflected the real man. It would be hard to imagine that great 'bear' scuttling home to cocoa and an early night when the lights went out. It's an old cliche, but they really don't make 'em like that anymore ... more's the pity!

[The_Late_Peter_Cook]

This afternoon I have been reading the 'Whisky Galore!/The Maggie' volume in 'The British Film Guide' series.

While I knew that JRL was in 'Whisky Galore', I was suprised to learn that according to his contract for the movie he had input in the script and advised on casting and locations.

Was there no end to his talents? :)

[Marky B]

I also believed he stood as a Parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party in the 1950 General Election.
Ta Ta
MArky B wink

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

Channel4 once ran a series called "Those British Faces" in which JRJ was one of the subjects. I never saw that particular episode but I am told that some interesting facts about JRJ's life were mentioned. I wish Channel4 would re-run the whole series.

[The_Late_Peter_Cook]

Hi,

A few weeks after my initial post (in 2003!), I discovered that a biography of James was in the works, does anyone know when it is due to be published?

[samkydd]

Justice, at last, is seen to be done!

I liked him in The Fast Lady with Stanley Baxter, same sort of character as the Doctor series but a much bigger part! I always thought that he would have been an ideal regular in The Carry Ons, but there was no Justice in their world!

[jacobean]

One thing I found really wierd in Doctor in Clover - at the end credits JRJ walks through with other Drs on their rounds and the film suddnly starts rewinding really fast - it's not an ITV VT cock up as it happens every time

[hoggers]

A few weeks after my initial post (in 2003!), I discovered that a biography of James was in the works, does anyone know when it is due to be published?

Indeed it is, I'm one of the authors. It'll be published next spring..

It's being published by Tomahawk Media and will go under the name of..

"What's The Bleeding Time"
The extraordinary life of James Robertson Justice

Cheers

Hoggers

[MrDrakesDuck]

Originally posted by hoggers@Sep 8 2005, 09:46 AM Indeed it is, I'm one of the authors. It'll be published next spring.. It's being published by Tomahawk Media and will go under the name of.. "What's The Bleeding Time" The extraordinary life of James Robertson Justice Cheers Hoggers

Nice one, good luck with it.

[Freddy]

Best wishes for that Hoggers.
Didn't Amanda Barrie say the JRJ had asked her on behalf of Prince Philip would she like to go out with Prince Charles.

Freddy

[The_Late_Peter_Cook]

Originally posted by hoggers@Sep 8 2005, 09:46 AM Indeed it is, I'm one of the authors. It'll be published next spring.. It's being published by Tomahawk Media and will go under the name of.. "What's The Bleeding Time" The extraordinary life of James Robertson Justice Cheers Hoggers

Wonderful news! I can't wait to read it. :)

[Jim]

Did he eat the wildlife he slaughtered or was it purely for 'sport'?

I only ask as an interested person because I doubt if I could kill a bird or animal purely for fun, and I would like know the mentality of such people who do this.

Did he ever give a satisfactory explanation OR am I going to have to read the book; article or whatever?

[Fellwanderer]

Reading the original post, I've realised that my father probably knew JRJ as they would have been at Marlborough at the same time - my father was 9 months younger than JRJ.

FELL