{{Short description|English actor (1878–1949)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|right|Gordon James'''Gordon James''' (22 July 1878 – 3 February 1949) was an English actor who became known as the "heavy" in the Aldwych farces, between 1923 and 1933. He also appeared in some twenty films between 1929 and 1942.
James was born on 22 July 1878 in Manchester as '''Sydney Lynn''', he was the brother of Ralph Lynn, who co-starred in the Aldwych farces with Tom Walls.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXnXDQAAQBAJ&q=gordon+james+The+Encyclopedia+of+British+Film%3A+Fourth+edition&pg=PA471|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first=Brian|last=McFarlane|date=16 May 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9781526111975|via=Google Books}}</ref> James appeared alongside his brother in all twelve of the farces. They were two of only three performers to appear in every one of the Aldwych series; the other was Robertson Hare. James's roles were: George McChesney in ''It Pays to Advertise'' (1923, under his real name);<ref>"New Play at the Aldwych", ''The Times'', 2 February 1924, p. 8</ref> Noony in ''A Cuckoo in the Nest'' (1925);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 23 July 1925, p. 12</ref> Admiral Juddy in ''Rookery Nook'';<ref>"Aldwych Theatre – Rookery Nook", ''The Times'', 1 July 1926, p. 14</ref> Death in ''Thark'' (1927);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 5 July 1927, p. 14</ref> Simon Veal in ''Plunder'' (1928);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 27 June 1928, p. 4</ref> Nicholas Ramsbotham in ''A Cup of Kindness'' (1929);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 8 May 1929, p. 14</ref> Knee in ''A Night Like This'' (1930);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'' , 19 February 1930, p. 12</ref> Luke Meate in ''Turkey Time'' (1931);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 6 September 1931, p. 10</ref> Toom in ''Dirty Work'' (1932);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 8 March 1932, p. 12</ref> Francis in ''Fifty-Fifty'' (1932);<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 6 September 1932, p. 10</ref> and Old Dale in ''A Bit of a Test'' (1933).<ref>"Aldwych Theatre", ''The Times'', 31 January 1933, p. 8</ref> He appeared in the wartime farce ''She Follows Me About'' by Ben Travers, author of the Aldwych Farces.
He made his first screen appearance in the 1929 film ''Atlantic'', followed by film versions of the Aldwych farces in the early 1930s (often alongside his brother Ralph), and a variety of other films until 1942.<ref name=bfi/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416529/|title=Gordon James|website=IMDb}}</ref>
James died in London on 3 February 1949.<ref name=bfi>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120716084258/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2ba688082e "Gordon James"], British Film Institute, accessed 17 February 2013</ref>
==Filmography== * ''Atlantic'' (1929) * ''Tons of Money'' (1930) * ''Plunder'' (1931) * ''Thark'' (1932) * ''Summer Lightning'' (1933) * ''A Cuckoo in the Nest'' (1933) * ''Dirty Work'' (1934) * ''A Cup of Kindness'' (1934) * ''Foreign Affaires'' (1935) * ''Fighting Stock'' (1935) * ''Stormy Weather'' (1935) * ''Pot Luck'' (1936) * ''Pagliacci'' (1936) * ''Love in Exile'' (1936) * ''For Valour'' (1937) * ''A Spot of Bother'' (1938) * ''Second Best Bed'' (1938) * ''Saloon Bar'' (1940) * ''Now You're Talking'' * ''The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0416529}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Gordon}} Category:1878 births Category:Male actors from Manchester Category:English male stage actors Category:English male film actors Category:20th-century English male actors Category:1949 deaths