Jump to content

James Dreyfus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James Dreyfus
Dreyfus in 2004
Born
James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus

(1968-10-09) 9 October 1968 (age 57)
London, England
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1995–present
TelevisionThe Thin Blue Line (1995–1996)
Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999–2001)
My Hero (2006)
The Sarah Jane Adventures (2011)
Mount Pleasant (2012–2017)

James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor most notable for roles on television sitcoms The Thin Blue Line as Constable Kevin Goody, and Gimme Gimme Gimme as Tom Farrell. Dreyfus is most recently known for a role as the Reverend Roger Jones in Mount Pleasant.

In London's West End, Dreyfus starred in The Producers in 2004 as Carmen Ghia. In 2006, he starred as the Emcee in Cabaret.

Early life

[edit source]

James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus was born on 9 October 1968 in Islington, London.[1] His parents divorced when he was very young.[2][3] His mother, Margo de Zoghels, was a model.[4] His maternal grandfather was of Syrian descent and his family immigrated to the United Kingdom from Damascus. He also has English, Italian, Greek, Norwegian, French and Swiss ancestry.[5][6][7][non-primary source needed]

He was educated at Harrow School.[8] He then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[9]

Career

[edit source]

At the 1998 Laurence Olivier Awards, Dreyfus won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for his work in Lady in the Dark at the National Theatre. In the same year, Dreyfus won Second Prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 1997 performance as Caius Cassius in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar at the Birmingham Rep.[10]

Dreyfus's first television break came with the BBC comedy series Absolutely Fabulous.[11] followed by roles as Constable Kevin Goody in Ben Elton's sitcom The Thin Blue Line and Tom Farrell, the gay flatmate of Linda la Hughes (Kathy Burke) in Gimme Gimme Gimme. Dreyfus played opposite Bette Midler in the short-lived American sitcom Bette.

Known for portraying "camp, endearing characters," Dreyfus (in a Sheengate Publishing interview) compared the character Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, whom he described as a campy but married heterosexual, to Dreyfus's character Kevin Goody from The Thin Blue Line. Regarding his character Tom Farrell from Gimme Gimme Gimme, Dreyfus hypothesized that, even if the character were heterosexual, the actor would still portray Tom as camp and flamboyant.[12] Furthermore, Dreyfus said that he felt that he became typecast due to his portrayals of "flamboyant" characters.[12]

He played Thermoman in the BBC One comedy My Hero, a role he took over in the sixth series from Ardal O'Hanlon. Although the same character, he used the name George Monday, as opposed to O'Hanlon's character's name, George Sunday. After disappointing ratings, the show was cancelled.

Dreyfus also starred as Mr Teasy-Weasy in the 2004 comedy film Churchill: The Hollywood Years.

From 2012 to 2017, Dreyfus appeared as the Reverend Roger Jones in the Sky Living series Mount Pleasant.

In 2017, he voiced an incarnation of The Master from Doctor Who in the Big Finish Productions release The First Doctor Adventures Volume One,[13] going on to appear as the character in 2019's "The Home Guard",[14] 2020's "The Psychic Circus"[15] and 2022's "Blood of the Time Lords". In an interview on SpectatorTV, Dreyfus said he was dismissed from the role following comments he made on Twitter in support of author J. K. Rowling.[16]

Personal life

[edit source]

Dreyfus is gay.[17]

Filmography

[edit source]
Year Title Role Notes
1995Thin IceGreg
1995–96The Thin Blue LineConstable Kevin GoodyTV series (14 episodes)
Absolutely FabulousChristopherTV series (2 episodes)
1996BoyfriendsPaul
1999Notting HillMartin
1999–2001Gimme Gimme GimmeTom FarrellTV series (19 episodes)
2000The Nearly Complete and Utter History of EverythingSwedish AmbassadorTwo-part BBC special celebration for the new millennium.
GormenghastProfessor FlukeTV
2000–2001BetteOscarU.S. TV series (18 episodes)
2004Fat SlagsFidor KonstantinTV
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination LondonGordon
The ProducersCarmen GhiaTheatre Royal, Drury Lane
Waking the DeadRaymond Carstairs
2005Willo the WispAll voicesRevival to original 1981 series
2006Colour Me KubrickMelvyn Prescott
My HeroGeorge Monday / ThermomanTV series (8 episodes)
2006–07CabaretEmceeLyric Theatre, London
2007Double TimeLawrence Nixon/George McCabe
Nina and the NeuronsFelix (voice)
2009CasualtyRoryTV
2011The Sarah Jane AdventuresJohn HarrisonEpisode: "The Man Who Never Was"
2012Midsomer MurdersRalph FordEpisode: "A Rare Bird"
Holby CityFelixTV
WhitechapelCharlie CrossTV series, 2 episodes
2012–2017Mount PleasantThe Reverend Roger JonesTV series
2013Dandelion & BurdockDandelionTV
2013–14CandideDr. PanglossMenier Chocolate Factory, London
2013ShamelessEdward ClayhillEpisode: "An Inspector Calls"
2015Father BrownBinkie CadwallerEpisode 3.10 "The Judgment of Man"
Scottish MusselHeadmaster
2019Harry & Meghan: Becoming RoyalSir Leonard BriggsTV movie
The Dark Crystal: Age of ResistanceLath'N
Agatha RaisinHarry WitherspoonS3 E1 Episode: "Agatha Raisin and The Haunted House"
2020SupernovaTim
The HollowTV movie
The HarbourRobertShort
2021The KindredMr. Mulvaney
2022LipsMichaelShort[18]
2023One Foot in the Grave - 30 Years Of LaughsHimselfDocumentary
2024House of the DragonLord Gormon MasseyTV series, 6 episodes
CaraGreg Wilson

References

[edit source]
  1. ↑ "James Louis de Zogheb Dreyfus". FreeBMD. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Fletcher, Mary, Why life's looking Goody for James, TV Times, pg 31.
  3. ↑ Thomas Quinn. "Interview: James Dreyfus". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Dreyfus, James (11 January 2013). "What I see in the mirror: James Dreyfus". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "I'm not religious, but was brought up C of E, because the UK is where my mother eventually settled when she & my grandparents were forced out of Egypt. And she always made Easter such a fun time". 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  6. ↑ "Mum is staying overnight. I don’t think she’s ever actually said “hello” when she sees me. She just launches into a conversation straight away, regardless of whether I might know what the HELL she’s on about. Today she said “My father once told me his family originally came from Damascus… so you’re part Syrian… the traffic was fucking awful…”" via X
  7. ↑ To be honest, I'm a complete mongrel. Italian, Greek, English, Norwegian, French, Swiss and ,believe it or not, Syrian. But I'm British!!! via X
  8. ↑ "How We Met: James Dreyfus & Robert Portal". The Independent. 11 May 2008.
  9. ↑ Wylie, Ian (14 December 2007). "Double trouble for James". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  10. ↑ Harlow, John. "Winning in a double act". Sunday Times. 26 April 1998. (Online reprint: ).
  11. ↑ "Our interview with James Dreyfus". sheengate.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  12. 1 2 Our interview with James Dreyfus Archived 25 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Interviewed by Rob Edwards. Sheengate Publishing. 31 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "1. Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures Volume 01 - Doctor Who - The First Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  14. ↑ "6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard - Doctor Who - The Early Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  15. ↑ "261. Doctor Who: The Psychic Circus - Doctor Who - The Monthly Adventures - Big Finish". bigfinish.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  16. ↑ "James Dreyfus: cancelled from Dr Who for supporting JK Rowling". SpectatorTV. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "Interview with James Dreyfus – Rob Edwards: Journalist". 11 February 2013.
  18. ↑ "Lips". IMDb. 1 April 2022.
[edit source]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Dreyfus&oldid=1369488466"