John Henry Young, known professionally as Jeremy Young, was born in Liverpool on the 28th of July 1934 to parents of Scottish descent and studied at the Liverpool Institute where George Harrison and Paul McCartney went. Funnily enough he was in their first movie as a Police Constable (uncredited), so they had a bit of a chat about those days. His inspiration for acting came from his late grandfather, who was his mentor until he was 9. He wanted to be in the school play but was told 'No you can’t be in the school play because you don’t talk right, you don’t talk properly', which made him think that if he wanted to be an actor he would have to change his voice to talk like Richard Todd. When he was eighteen he did National Service and while in the army directed plays and put plays on. Leaving the army, aged 20, and being refused a job at Peterborough Theatre he stuck around in Peterborough and became a furniture salesman. He got to know one of the young actresses at the Rep who told him about The Stage newspaper who advertise for actors. He saw an advert in it saying ‘young actor wanted.’, which was what they called juvenile lead in those days, to play all the young parts and also do ASM, assistant stage management duties. He got the job and went down to Tunbridge starting there for the princely sum of four pounds a week. After working for various repertory companies, touring Britain performing in Agatha Christie type plays and your farce, in 1956, 'Look Back in Anger' came and all the contemporary work started to come in as actors rediscovered their roots. He graduated finally to Birmingham, because the Mecca for regional actors in those years was Birmingham Rep and he made his theatrical debut in 'Hamlet' at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1959. After Birmingham Rep he went to Guildford Rep, where he stayed for about a year, playing very good parts but then decided that he'd been in theatre then for around about six years and decided that he wanted to get into television which was very up and coming at this time. He'd just got married to Liverpool born Coral Atkins, who had also been at Guildford rep, but still gave his notice in, putting himself out of work. He had been for an interview for a television show called 'Deadline Midnight' for ATV, a drama series revolving around a Fleet Street newspaper, The Daily Globe, and he got a leading role, having been seen by the casting director while acting in rep.
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| In 'Deadline Midnight' |
In later years he worked as a stage director at the Court Theatre Training Company and at the King's Head Theatre in London besides making numerous television appearances. He was the last surviving cast member of the very first episode of 'Doctor Who' in 'An Unearthly Child' 1963), playing the first villain in the show, caveman Kal, in three episodes of the first serial and then had a leading roles as Athos in 'The Three Musketeers (1966). Numerous guest spots (most often as authority figures) included 'The Avengers' (1961),'The Saint (1962) 'Softly,Softly' (1966), 'Department S (1969), 'The Onedin Line' (1971) and ''Space: 1999' (1975). He also acted in popular soaps like 'Coronation Street' (1960) as betting shop owner Benny Lewis and in 'EastEnders (1985) as prison officer Stone.
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| As Caveman Kal in 'Doctor Who' |
He started directing round about 1970 which he preferred to do, and then teaching started about 1985, which he also liked doing. After he and Carol divorced, Jeremy married actress Kate O'Mara in 1971 but they also divorced in 1976.
His film credits include appearances in 'The Wild and the Willing' (1962), 'Crooks and Coronets' (1969), 'Eyewitness' (1970), 'Hopscotch' (1980) and 'Photographing Fairies' (1997). He also worked for BBC Radio and taught and directed at the Court Theatre Training Company which is part of the Courtyard, London.
Jeremy died on the 9th of April 9 2022 at the age of 88.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/09/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians_21.html
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