Jimmy Hanley

Jimmy Hanley (22 October 1918 – 13 January 1970) was an English actor who appeared in the popular Huggetts film series, and in ITV's most popular advertising magazine programme, Jim's Inn, from 1957 to 1963.

Early life

Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Hanley began his career as a child actor before becoming popular in juvenile roles. He was groomed by the Rank Studio system during his teenage years and earned film stardom as a "boy-next-door" type. The young actor attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and whilst he was studying there, made his stage debut at age 12 at the London Palladium, as John Darling in Peter Pan. He began to make films in his teens.

Career

During the Second World War he served as an officer with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and in a commando raid in Norway he was wounded in the leg and was invalided out of the service. He returned to films, including Salute John Citizen (1942), Henry V with Laurence Olivier (1944), For You Alone (1945) and the Huggetts films. He later worked on radio and TV, appearing in several television series and hosting the ITV series Jim's Inn from 1957 to 1963, which combined advertising messages with the plot of a soap opera, where he and his wife Maggie played the hosts of a pub where customers discussed bargains and new products whilst drinking. The series finished when advertising magazine programmes were banned.

Personal life

Hanley was married twice:

• Dinah Sheridan 1942–1952 three children, including Jenny Hanley and the Conservative politician Sir Jeremy Hanley. The third died in infancy.
• Margaret Avery (1955–1970, three daughters: Jane, Sarah and Katy)

Hanley died from pancreatic cancer in Fetcham, Surrey, on 13 January 1970, at the age of 51.

Selected filmography

Television series

• Jim's Inn (1957–1963, ITV advertising programme) - host
• Five O'Clock Club (1963–1966, ITV children's programme) - host
• Futurama (1964, ITV children's science programme) - host
• Crossroads (1966, ITV soap) - Jimmy Gudgeon, old friend of central character Meg Richardson (played by Noele Gordon)

References

External links

• Jimmy Hanley at IMDb
• Jimmy Hanley at the BFI's Screenonline

1. Jenny Hanley
2. Dinah Sheridan
3. Jeremy Hanley
4. The Blue Lamp
5. Boys in Brown
6. The Way Ahead
7. List of Crossroads characters
8. Don't Ever Leave Me
9. Schoolboy Q
10. Five O'Clock Club
11. Millicent Martin
12. Room to Let (1950 film)
13. The Galloping Major (film)
14. Gaslight (1940 film)
15. The Black Rider (film)
16. The Huggetts (film series)
17. The Huggetts Abroad
18. Landslide (1937 film)
19. Holiday Camp (film)
20. Murder in Reverse