John Justin
Biography
John Justin was an English actor who worked in theater and film. Born in London, he joined Plymouth Repertory as a teenager, briefly trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1937, and then acted with John Gielgud's repertory company. His best-remembered role was Ahmad in The Thief of Bagdad (1940), opposite Sabu, a part that required a seven-year contract with Alexander Korda. He served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and returned to acting afterward. He appeared in The Sound Barrier (1952) and Island in the Sun (1957), and he acted at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and the Old Vic before making his Broadway debut in 1960 in Little Moon of Alban. Later films included Ken Russell's Valentino (1977), Lisztomania (1975) and Savage Messiah (1972); he also played Thorin Oakenshield in a 1968 BBC Radio adaptation of The Hobbit.
85years old at death
- Born London
- Died Petersfield
- Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
- John Justinian de Ledesma (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 38 years1940 to 1978
Genres
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A first
Justin took up an interest in flying and earned his pilot qualification when he was 12, but at that age he was barred from flying solo.
Early training
Justin trained briefly at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1937, disliked it, and soon joined John Gielgud's repertory company.
Big break
Justin won his best-remembered role, Ahmad in the 1940 film The Thief of Bagdad, by audition in 1938, signing a seven-year contract with Alexander Korda to get it.
A change of course
Justin completed the picture, then enlisted in the Royal Air Force once the Second World War had broken out during its production, working there as a flying instructor and test pilot.
John Justin movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Ken Russell directed three of these films. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Oliver Reed's page
Joan Collins's page
Peter Vaughan's page
Imogen Claire's page
All films by Ken Russell
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.