...and this is my friend Mr. Laurel
Almost 7 years ago Jeff fulfilled a long-time ambition when he trod the boards as one of the world's best loved comedy stars, Stan Laurel.......more
Hi de Hi
Jeff was to return to the London Stage in 1983 when he appeared as Spike Dixon in the musical version of Hi De Hi. Once again proving........more
Dad's Army
Jeff's West End debut came in 1975 when at the tender age of 29 he joined the ranks in the stage musical version of Dad's Army at the Shaftsbury....more
Travels with My Aunt
Introduce your team! Click here to add images, text and links, or connect data from your collection.
Run For Your Wife
Jeff first appeared at the Criterion Theatre as John Smith in the Ray Cooney farce Run For Your Wife in 1985. It was a role and venue he ...... more
Caught In The Net
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Cruise
2006
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Cruise
2006
Caught In The Net
John Smith
Ian Dickens
National Tour
2005
Relatively Speaking
Phillip
Michael Gyngell
P & O Cruise
2005
A Talk in the Park
Charles
Michael Gyngell
P & O Cruise
2005
Gosforth's Fete
Vicar
Michael Gyngell
P & O Cruise
2004
Between Mouthfulls
Pearce
Michael Gyngell
P & O Cruise
2004
Drinking Companion
Waiter
Michael Gyngell
P & O Cruise
2004
Murder by Misadventure
Inspector Egan
Ian Masters
The Mill at Sonning
2004
There Goes the Bride
Bill Shorter
Rex Garner
Vienna English Theatre
2004
It Runs in the Family
Dr. David Mortimore
Ian Dickens
National Tour
2003
Tom, Dick and Harry
Police Sergeant
Ray Cooney
Theatre Royal, Windsor
2003
Travels with my Aunt
Henry Pulling
Richard Baron
National Tour
2002
The Ghost Train
Teddie Deakin
Ian Dickens
National Tour
2002
Run For Your Wife
Stanley Gardner
Ian Dickens
National Tour
2001
Run For Your Wife
Bobby Franklin
Ray Cooney
P & O Cruise
2001
Funny Money
Bill
Ray Cooney
P & O Cruise
2001
Harvey
Elwood P Dowd
Alan Strachan
Far and Middle East Tour
2000
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Brian Godfrey
National Tour
1999
A Bedfull of Foreigners
Claude Philby
Dennis Ramesden
The Mill at Sonning
1999
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Leslie Lawton
Israel Tour
1999
See How They Run
Reverend Lionel Toup
Brian Hewitt-Jones
Pier Theatre-Bournemouth
1998
Out of Order
George Pigden
Leslie Lawton
Far and Middle East Tour
1995
Bare Necessities
Greg
Rob Bettinson
National Tour
1995
The Ginger Bread Lady
Jimmy Perry
Kenneth Ives
Theatre Royal, Windsor/Sheffield
1994
You Must Be The Husband
Tom
Bryan Hands
National Tour
1992
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Whitehall Theatre - London
1989
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Canadian Tour
1988
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Criterion - London
1988
Kindly Keep It Covered
Rolland Dickerby
Martin Connor
Alexander Theatre - Birmingham
1988
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Criterion - London
1987
Look No Hans
Fisher
Michael Pertwee
National Tour
1986
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Criterion - London
1986
Run For Your Wife
John Smith
Ray Cooney
Criterion - London
1985
Flannagan & Allen
Chesney Allen
University of Warwick
1985
Hi De Hi
Spike Dixon
Tudor Davies
Opera House - Blackpool
1984
Hi De Hi
Spike Dixon
Tudor Davies
Victoria Palace - London
1984
Hi De Hi
Spike Dixon
Tudor Davies
Alexander Theatre - Birmingham
1983
Hi De Hi
Spike Dixon
Tudor Davies
Pavillion - Bournemouth
1983
Give Us A Crew
Denys
Lionel Blair
Pier Theatre - Bournemouth
1982
Give Us A Crew
Denys
Michael Pertwee
Pavilion - Weymouth
1981
Calamity Jane
Henry Miller
Roger Redfarn
Forum Theatre - Billingham
1979
Murder in Bad Light
The Murderer
Roger Redfarn
Yvonne Arnaud - Guildford
1979
A Mid Summer Night's Dream
Snug the Joiner
David Giles
Edinburgh Festival/Birmingham Rep
1978
The Tempest
Stephano
David Giles
Edinburgh Festival/Birmingham Rep
1978
Dad's Army
German Inventor
David Croft & Jimmy Perry
Shaftesbury Theatre - London
1976
Dad's Army
German Inventor
David Croft & Jimmy Perry
National Tour
1975
Cirano De Bergerac
Pastry Cook
Jose Ferrer
Chichester
1975
Underground
Guard
Roger Redfarn
Forum Theatre - Billingham
1974
Lady Godiva
Factory Worker
Glen Walford
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1974
Anthony & Cleopatra
Alexas
Tony Richardson
Bankside Globe - London
1973
Salad Days
PC Boot
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1973
Arsenic and Old Lace
Jonathan
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
Rebecca
Tabbs
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
Conduct Unbecoming
Hart
Julian Oldfield
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
The Rivals
Acres
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
The Contractor
Unknown
Unknown
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
Not Now Darling
Unknown
Michael Ashton
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
The Rainmaker
Noah Curry
Unknown
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
The Hostage
The IRA Officer
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1972
A Flea In Her Ear
Camille
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1971
The Pyjama Game
Prez
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1971
Confrontation
Citizen
Unknown
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1971
Twelfth Night
Sir Toby Belch
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
The Happy Apple
Arthur
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
What The Butler Saw
Sergeant Match
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Noonday Demons
St. Eusebius
Christopher Honer
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Westside Story
Action
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Psychological Warfare
Boxer
Christopher Honer
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
The Caretaker
Aston
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
National Health
Barret
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
The Visit
Police Inspector
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Love On The Dole
Larry Meath
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
The Band Wagon
The Brother In Law
Christopher Honer
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Towards Zero
Superintendent Battle
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1970
Dirty Work at the Crossroads
Mockie Maguggins
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
The Sleeping Prince
Major Domo
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
Live Like Pigs
Police Sergeant
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
Trap For A Lonely Man
Merluche
Geoffrey Edwards
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
Chase Me Comrade
Mr. Laver
Basil Lord
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
Zoo Story
The Old Man
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
The Devils
The Jailer
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1969
The Ghost Train
Price
Roger Redfarn
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1968
War and Peace
Various
Warren Jenkins
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
1968
Pinocchio
Mr. Policeman
Theatre Royal - Brighton
!975/1976
Mother Goose
Mr. Beerbarrel King
Richmond - London
Directed by Roger Redfarn
1974/1975
Babes In The Woods
Muddles
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
Directed by Michael Ashton
1973/1974
Mother Goose
Billy Goose
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
Directed by Roger Redfarn
1972/1973
Jack & the Beanstalk
Simple Simon
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
Directed by Roger Redfarn
1971/1972
Dick Whittington
Idle Jack
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
Directed by Roger Redfarn
1970/1971
Pinocchio
Various
Belgrade Theatre - Coventry
Directed by Warren Jenkins
1969/1970
Aladdin
Genie of the Ring
Rep Production
Directed by Warren Jenkins
1968/1969
By the time Jeff and his wife, actress Judy Buxton met for the first time professionally, both their careers were firmly established.
For Judy, acting quite simply been a way of life from a very early age. While at nursery school, she was given elocution lessons along with the other youngsters as a matter of course and by the time she was three, had already given her first stage performance by way of a poetry recital and so the die was cast. Judy went on to attend Saturday drama classes throughout her childhood where she was taught by a former graduate of RADA. As a result, when Judy began formal training at the Rose Bruford College, she already had many awards and qualifications to her name. Her professional debut came with Chesterfield Rep in a play called Dance of Death in which she portrayed a maid and an old village woman. She remained at Chesterfield for nine months and like Jeff, considers her experience in rep a great grounding for what was to follow.
West End success has included roles in The Ghost Train; A Murder is Announced, Run For Your Wife, The School for Scandal, Baggage and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Judy made her debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company as Iphigenia in John Barton’s highly acclaimed production of The Greeks at the Aldwych and it was during this time that she was asked to perform the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at Stratford Upon Avon which she still considers to be one of her greatest theatrical achievements to date. This was to prove the beginning of a three year era at the RSC where roles included Jessica in The Merchant of Venice, the Sweet Girl in La Ronde and Principal Boy in the R.S.C’s pantomime The Swan Down Gloves.
Her many and varied TV appearances include roles in By The Sword Divided, General Hospital, Lovejoy, Bergerac, Blake’s Seven, Rising Damp, Next of Kin and three series of On The Up opposite Dennis Waterman. Film credits include Aces High, The Likely Lads, The Big Sleep and Get Real.
Much of Judy’s recent work has been in the theatre and it was while working on a production of The Gingerbread Lady in the mid nineties that Jeff and Judy’s paths crossed on a professional basis for the first time. The play enjoyed a short season at Windsor and Sheffield but it was to be almost two years before they were to meet again, this time with the relationship taking a more personal turn. By an amazing twist of fate, they were cast together in the Ray Cooney farce Out of Order. The Derek Nimmo production took them to such exotic climes as Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Saigon, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Guam and literally transformed both their lives forever. Jeff and Judy were married at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park in September 2004 since when ironically, they seem to have become as much a partnership on stage as off, having been cast together in plays and pantomimes on numerous occasions. They are quick to stress that this is not a criterion for either of them, merely coincidence but they do confess to particularly enjoy working together as it not only allows them to spend more time with each other but also saves on mobile phone bills! Despite their obvious closeness, both Jeff and Judy keep their working relationship completely professional, treating each other as they would any fellow actor on stage. It is a formula that works exceptionally well as has been proven in the various productions they have appeared in.
To that end they have toured extensively both in the UK and abroad in such productions as Ray Cooney’s Caught in the Net, Funny Money and Run For Your Wife, Ayckbourn’s Confusions, Cooney and Chapman’s There Goes The Bride at the Vienna English Theatre and Edward Taylor’s Murder by Misadventure. Added to this, they have become quite a double act when it comes to panto. Since their marriage the couple have appeared together as Dame and Fairy every year with the tradition continuing in 2008 / 2009. The early part of 2008 saw the couple pursuing separate projects, Jeff touring in the classic farce See How They Run and Judy in PG Wodehouse’s Come on Jeeves but the summer saw them reunited on stage in the 25th Anniversary Calibre Production of the hilarious comedy Allo Allo by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Here they took on the mantles of Rene Artois and Michelle of the Resistance alongside actress Vicki Michelle who reprised her original role as Yvette. The show initially toured for fourteen weeks opening in Stevenage at the Gordon Craig Theatre on 29th August. Such was its success that following a short break for pantomime, the tour resumed for a further four months finally coming to an end in June 2009.
Jeff and Judy's final joint project for the year was the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk in Redditch and is to be followed in February 2010 with a short tour of the Ron Aldridge play It's Never Too Late for Ian Dickens Productions Ltd. The couples most recent appearance together was as Rafe and Daisy Crompton in the classic Bill Naughton play, Spring and Port Wine. Staged at The Mill at Sonning both received much critical acclaim for their dramatic portrayals as the proud, tyrannical Yorkshireman and his long-suffering wife.