Jack Hawkins (1910 - 1973)

Trade Mark (1) Often played friendly World War II officers Trivia (18) He died three months after an operation to insert an artificial voice box in April 1973. Underwent cobalt treatment for a secondary condition of the larynx in 1959 after making The League of Gentlemen (1960). Afterwards he took voice coaching and reduced the number of cigarettes he smoked each day from about sixty to five. However, while filming Guns at Batasi (1964) five years later his voice began to fail. It was not until Christmas 1965 that he was diagnosed with throat cancer, by which time the only possible treatment was a total laryngectomy in January of the following year. Ever since, with his approval, his performances were dubbed, often by Robert Rietty or Charles Gray. Hawkins continued to smoke after losing his voice. In the completely restored edition of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in 1989, Gray also dubbed Hawkins's voice for the sound restoration in scenes which had been deleted from previous editions of the film. In the same film, Retry had also dubbed Gamil Ratib's voice at first place. He was voted Number 1 star at the British Box Office in 1954. Initially sought for the role of Melville Farr in Victim (1961), Hawkins turned the role down because he thought the part might compromise his masculine screen image. Dirk Bogarde, who eventually played Farr, opined that Hawkins feared the role of a gay barrister would "prejudice his chances of a knighthood.". Resented the idea that he was typecast in war movies, pointing out in his 1973 autobiography "Anything for a Quiet Life" that he had in fact played fewer military roles than John Mills, Trevor Howard and Richard Attenborough. Made Guns at Batasi (1964), Judith (1966), Masquerade (1965) and The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966) while suffering from cancer of the larynx. By the time he started filming The Wednesday Play: The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne (1965), Hawkins had begun to cough up blood. His final role using his own voice was in a few episodes of Dr. Kildare (1961), where he managed to give a very accurate performance as a man who had just suffered a heart attack. Hawkins joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1940, was commissioned and served with the Second British Division in India. In 1944 he was seconded to GHQ India and soon afterwards succeeded to the command, as a colonel, of ENSA administration in India and South East Asia. He was demobilized in 1946. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1958 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama. In his will published on September 20 1973 he left just £13,019 gross but the net amount was shown as nil. This was a result of high UK taxes and a reduction in his income following the surgery in 1966 which resulted in the loss of his voice. The family home at 34 Ennismore Gardens, South Kensington was left to his wife and his three children were provided for through a trust fund. His memorial service took place on what would have been his sixty-third birthday on 14 September 1973 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London. The address was read by Kenneth More and Richard Attenborough read the lesson. He had a daughter, Susan with Jessica Tandy and two sons, Nicholas & Andrew Hawkins, with Doreen Lawrence. He was a student at the Italia Conti Drama School in London, England. Provided the official celebrity opening of the Aldersley Municipal Sports Stadium, Wolverhampton on 9 June 1956. The stadium now forms part of Aldersley Leisure Village. He appeared in three Best Picture Academy Award winners: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Ben-Hur (1959) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Alec Guinness also appeared in both The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Jack Hawkins also appeared in one other Best Picture nominee: Nicholas and Alexandra (1971). Jack Hawkins confessed in his autobiography that he was a heavy smoker. During his illness, he dropped from sixty to five cigarettes daily. He was the original lead in Simba (1955) but was replaced by Dirk Bogarde. He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Ben-Hur (1959) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). A memorial service was held for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 14 September 1973. Personal Quotes (8) I adored it from the first moment. The excitement, the thrill, the smell of the theatre went right down to one's toes. Above all, I was taught to love and respect words. Each word had to be the right word; and each had to be spoken in a way that its weight and importance demanded. I think that no actor should take Hollywood too seriously, but at the same time, it would be wrong to underestimate its professionalism. Really, Hollywood is a caricature of itself, and in particular, this is true of the front-office types at the studios. Their enthusiasm towards you is measured precisely to match the success of your last film. Every time an army, navy or air force part comes up they throw it at me. There is nothing left now but the women's services! (1956) All of us in the film were sure that we were making something quite unusual, and a long way removed from the Errol Flynn-taking-Burma-single-handed syndrome. This was the period of some very indifferent American war movies, whereas The Cruel Sea (1953) contained no false heroics. That is why we all felt that we were making a genuine example of the way in which a group of men went to war. [on Lafayette (1962)] A totally forgettable film . . . the only bit of acting I have ever done solely for the money. [replying to criticism of his portrayal of Gen. Sir Edmund Allenby in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)] I agree that the character has been slanted slightly, but Lady Allenby must remember that this is a film about Lawrence - not the Field Marshall. [asked why he risked his reputation on the TV series The Four Just Men (1959)] I risk my reputation every time, why not on TV?

Hawkins joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1940, was commissioned and served with the Second British Division in India. In 1944 he was seconded to GHQ India and soon afterward succeeded to the command, as a colonel, of ENSA administration in India and South East Asia. He was demobilized in 1946.